GL: Fuel Economy Math

[Luther]

In boating I like to relate to gph, on the highways I like to relate cost per mile. This is because some folks like to use regular unleaded, some like to use premium unleaded and I use diesel in my VW Golf. Then some will reply, "but diesel is soooo much more expensive, I can't justify that".

So when I show the actual cost per mile for my VW that gets 53.89 mpg on the highway most are imnpressed. Then on the other hand when one factors in my Dodge trucks fuel mileage, that's another store. Then I try not to look at the cost per mile, but relate on comparible terms to others.

LOL,

Luther


--- On Wed, 7/2/08, M S <valhalla360 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> From: M S <valhalla360 at yahoo.com>
> Subject: GL: Fuel Economy Math
> To: great-loop at lists.samurai.com
> Date: Wednesday, July 2, 2008, 9:19 AM
> 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.
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