GL: Fuel Economy Math

[M S]

While it is technically true that switching a big SUV for a smaller SUV has a
bigger impact than switching from a small car to a smaller car, do people
really buy cars that way? I suspect this is propaganda by the car companies to
help people justify buying less fuel efficent vehicles.
 
I've always ran my vehicles until they need to be replaced (many people have
them go off lease) so the vehicle that is going away is already choosen and
picking the better mpg works just fine. If you have a good vehicle and are
just replacing it for the fuel savings there is no way to justify the cost
even at these high gas prices. Even if I do pick which one to replace,
eventually the smaller one will need to be replaced so it is just a short term
benefit. Assuming gas prices stabilize, in 5-10 years the vast majority of
vehicles on the road will have been switched out for more fuel efficent
vehicles and from there on it is an irrelivent discussion.
 
Another item this ignores is in the past, most people didn't really care so
they would drive the more comfortable vehilce if they had a choice(typically
the bigger one). Now people are paying attention. If I change my small vehicle
for a smaller one, but shift milage from the big one to the new smaller one,
depending on how much I switch there is the potential to save even more fuel.
 
The big problem with switching is people have been using mpg for decades and
have a good feel for it. If you tell me I'm going to get 0.067 gpm, I don't
know how that compares to other vehicles. Is that good bad or
indifferent? I'll basically convert it back to mpg because that is what I am
accustomed to.
 
Mike & Tammy
Valhalla II
 
*************
I was called to task for my math on my fuel post yesterday, but I stand by
it. Someone even complained that my slide rule (what's that?) was cracked.

Here are the figures again in a slightly different context. Cars this time
instead of boats.