Fuel costs/savings

[Catfishhoge]

All you need to do is look at the price signs at gas stations to get a good idea we are in trouble. Fuel costs are continually rising and no one knows where it will stop.

Let me share with you some fact’s, habits of mine and what I intend to do in order to minimize these costs. There should also be some other advantages along with these changes.

I drive a 1995 Ford Ranger with a 4.0 OHV engine and automatic transmission. I travel 12 miles to work each day with a portion of it expressway. When I get into my truck I feel it necessary to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible. Time on the road is wasted time. I would consistently drive 5 to 10 miles over the posted speed limit and sometimes more.

Here are some facts;

Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town. Sensible driving is also safer for you and others, so you may save more than gas money.

While each vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different speed (or range of speeds), gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph.

As a rule of thumb, you can assume that each 5-mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.20 per gallon for gas.

Observing the speed limit is also safer.

Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your MPG by up to 2%. The reduction is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the vehicle's weight and affects smaller vehicles more than larger ones.

Idling gets 0 miles per gallon. Cars with larger engines typically waste more gas at idle than do cars with smaller engines.

Using cruise control on the highway helps you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, will save gas.

When you use overdrive gearing, your car's engine speed goes down. This saves gas and reduces engine wear.

Note: Cost savings are based on an assumed fuel price of $2.91/gallon.

Estimates for fuel savings from sensible driving are based on studies and literature reviews performed by Energy and Environmental Analysis, Inc., Washington, DC.

Estimates for the effect of speed on MPG are based on a study by West, B.H., R.N. McGill, J.W. Hodgson, S.S. Sluder, and D.E. Smith, Development and Verification of Light-Duty Modal Emissions and Fuel Consumption Values for Traffic Models, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, March 1999.

Now, I never really calculated or logged any fuel mileage figures for my truck however, I keep it in the best mechanical condition with scheduled maintenance and upkeep. I suppose I get about 16 mpg average for the type of driving I do in a given normal week.

With all these facts and full knowledge of the negative effects my type of driving has on my truck and my bank account I asked myself, why are you doing this? What can I change to make things easier? Well I knew the answer and decided I would put into action a different mindset as to how I would approach driving everyday.

I have now been driving either at or below the posted speed limits. If a road is posted at 55 mph, I will drive that and sometimes under if the traffic allows. When I am on the expressway posted 70 mph, I will only drive 60 mph. This is not a problem due to the fact of the extra lanes (No one has flipped me off yet). I am in the second week of my new driving habits and already I see a major impact on fuel usage alone. I use to need to fill my tank once each week under normal circumstances. I am still on my fill up for last week and believe I can get through Saturday.

Lets do some math!

Average miles traveled per year…. 17,500

Divided by average MPG…………16

Equals……………………………..1093 gallons of fuel used

Times………………………………$2.95 today’s fuel price

Equals……………………………..$3,224 annual fuel expense

Now, by my thought process I should be able to reduce my fuel usage by around 15% or maybe even more according to the data and my driving changes.

15% of $3,224 equals a whopping $483. That is huge in most families budgets.

It would be easy for anyone to figure there own savings based on the criteria which they are associated with.

Also, I would benefit with less stress on my trucks mechanical functions, less chance to receive a moving violation citation, which would cost in fines and insurance premium increases. Not to mention what my wife would do to make me pay!

The extra time to travel under my new guidelines is not that much at all. Going from 70 to 60 mph would take you approximately 10 more minutes to drive 60 miles. I think it will be worth it in the long run.

I also intend to do some backing off of the throttle when in my boat. I would usually run at or near full throttle when the conditions permit. After I get her up on a good plane I will hold it there and should experience some similar effects!

Good driving everyone!

Rick

[GLF]

I have considered buying a horse and riding it to work. I am not sure what work would say about the horse droppings

[Midway97]

I have considered buying a horse and riding it to work. I am not sure what work would say about the horse droppings

You think you'll save $$ with a horse??? HAHAHAHA.. your a funny man Mike

:D :D

[HitMan]

The funny thing is how the price goes up around every Tuesday and then slowly drops back down, but nowhere where it previously was. If it keeps what it is doing it will definitely get real ugly.

We increased our Charter Rates for this season, the second season in a row, to cover the steadily increasing gas prices. Last year we employed a fuel surcharge at $3.00 a gallon. The surcharge didn't need to be put into effect until around the end of August or early September. Now, we have the surcharge set this year for $3.50 a gallon with the adjusted increase in the Charter Rates. The sad thing is that right now, at the marina, it is $3.49 a gallon.

It is going to definitely affect the long-run aspect of fishing this season. A lot of anglers are going to be feeling it in mid-July and early August. I think the gas prices will definitely affect tackle sales, etc. A lot of people are going to have to make important decisions regarding their spendings, etc.

I think it is sad that the conversation of choice, no matter where you go, is the price of gas.

[DangerDan]

I also intend to do some backing off of the throttle when in my boat. I would usually run at or near full throttle when the conditions permit. After I get her up on a good plane I will hold it there and should experience some similar effects!

Good driving everyone!

Rick

Last spring I added some trim tabs to my boat (Smart Tabs) to get the bow down and get on plane easier. After getting them installed, shifting some weight around and dialing them in they work great. The company that sells these tabs boasts of more economical running cost in relation to fuel usage and I've already noticed the difference, not to mention a better ride in rougher weather. I also ugraded the ignition system.

If this doesnt work I'll have to install a steam engine and haul a coal barge behind me.

[Oakley]

Rick - I agree 100% with your thoughts on not driving erratically or aggressive and not doing fast starts/stops. Your comments on driving slower got me wondering about the savings from that so here is what I came up with:

17,500 miles per year. If your yearly average speed (City/highway) was 40mph, your total drive time is 437.5 hours.

If you drop your average speed down to 30mph, your drive time goes up to 583 hours.

This increase of time is 145.8 hours. At 30mph, that equals 4,374 miles. So even though you don't actually drive more than 17,500 miles/year, the extra drive time has the effect of adding 4,374 miles. This would give you an effective total travel of 21,874. If your mileage rate increases 15% because of the lower speed, you would average 18.4 mpg. At this mileage rate, you would use 1,189 gallons at $2.95/gallon equals $3,507.55.

Did I figure that right?

Using your previous numbers:

Average miles traveled per year…. 17,500

Divided by average MPG…………16

Equals……………………………..1093 gallons of fuel used

Times………………………………$2.95 today’s fuel price

Equals……………………………..$3,224 annual fuel expense

Slowing your average speed by 10mph can cost you almost $300 more.

So unless the mileage economy in our cars changes more than 15% from the change in speed, just slowing down doesn't look like it will help.

This whole load of crap I just figure out only looks at driving speed. I agree with you that most of the inefficiency we have while driving is from the quick start/stops and the jamming on the accellerator to pass or get up to speed really quick. If we can stop those habits we will probably save a lot.

[Oakley]

And by the way.... Yes I am a geek engineer who should find better things to do than punch numbers on my calculator.

But I enjoyed you post. Thanks for the ideas.

[Severus]

Good points raised here. The talking heads on TV can say all they want about supply vs. demand - and there is a certain amount of validity to that - but ultimitely someone is making a killing on fuel right now, namely, the oil companies. Persanally I would love to see this country wean itself from foreign oil through conversion to corn alcohol, methane, hydrogen, vegetable oil, or whatever other source helps us achieve our goal of fuel independence. We've allowed OPEC nations to get too powerful politically because of our demand for the stuff, and if we don't do something soon we're going to have to dance to their off-key tune more often.

[GLF]

The oil companies are making a killing, but opec is dragging us through the coals

[Catfishhoge]

Brian, I got to read that again before I have a couple beers!

[GLF]

Brian, I got to read that again before I have a couple beers!

I did not have anything to drink and it has me confused

[Catfishhoge]

Brian,

Your making me think!

Your theory is based on a 25% decrease in average speed, from 40 mph to 30. I believe that is unrealistic for me over the coarse of a year!

However, I can deal with that! What I have a problem with is that according to your theory, going from point A to point B at a 25% slower speed will result in more fuel used. While it is true that with most vehicles there is a curve where a particular speed will in fact produce the best fuel mileage for that particular vehicle.

I also would not think that you can say your added "drive time" effectively adds extra miles into the equasion. You are still going a measured distance, point A to point B.

Look at it this way, car A travels at 80 mph for 100 miles (common for my old habits)!

The same car, driver and circumstances now does the same trip only changes speed and travels 60 mph for the same 100 miles (trying to make it common with my new habits)!

This would account for your 25% decrease in average speed. There would be 25 minutes added drive time with the slower speed.

Even though your drive time has increased, the fuel usage is still measured at 100 miles. How much energy is used to get you there? Not how fast or slow did it take you?

So I believe your saying it will cost more money is based on a precieved notion of some sort of engineering feat that I am totaly ignorant too!

Interesting theory!

Rick

[Oakley]

Sorry about the crazy math. I think I confused myself. Maybe I need a few beers BEFORE I try to figure this out again.

I think I'm getting mixed up between the MPG's you get and trying to figure in the actual run time on the engine. Thinking somehow that by taking longer to get somewhere you run your engine longer and use more gas.

I think I will just try to drive more conservatively and call it good.

I need to go fishing!

[tgafish]

Costs me approx $170 in gas to run to St Joe from over here on the east side. That's 2 1/4 tanks when pulling the boat. So I figure $60-$70 in gas for the boat if I'm running past 8 miles out. That's $240 in gas alone. I think I should just start doing drugs and save some money:eek: Still don't think they'd provide the rush of a triple header though!!

[SalmonSlayer]

Along these same lines of thought, I have employed the principle of reducing my speed through coasting to 45mph BEFORE I hit the "stop ahead" sign. This reduces wear on brakes, and has also increased my gas mileage by .5 mpg (according to the instrument on the dashboard). Now this may not seem like much at first glance, but figure that into the equation of slower acceleration and reduced speeds, it all adds up.

I am currently toying with the idea of putting the car into neutral while coasting to see how much the friction in the drivetrain reduces speed while approaching a stop sign. I have not come up with a figure to compare to of how much extra wear/tear is being put on the transmission shifting into neutral while moving, and then back into gear at 5mph. This might just outweigh the savings of gas...but not for long if the price keeps increasing like it is now! ... $2.90 in Benton Harbor this morning!

[SalmonSlayer]

I purchased a 15 hp 4 stroke kicker and am now running it for trolling on the big pond...I figure I'm using 15 plus gallons of gas less than my 88 hp 2 stroke. This is on a 8 hour day on the water. At this rate, I'll have it paid for in 2 years just from the gas savings!!!

At $2.50/gallon that's $37.50 per trip....I paid $1300 for it (including all the extras like gas tank, fuel lines, blah blah blah). That means 35 trips and at 18 trips per year ... in 2 years she's paid for herself!!!!!

Now at $3.00/gallon that's $45.00 per trip....28 trips...that's just under 1.5 years!!!! SWEET!!!!

[GLF]

I love your positive out look

[The Dog House]

Positive outlook indeed.....

Can you expell more on those kicker savings...

Mrs. Dog House would love to hear how I could save us money

by spending a little.

And those thoughts and examples are what I need in my arsnal....lol