I was thinking about numbers this evening.

[JulesMaximus]

If you drive a vehicle that gets 17mpg on average over 5 years and 70,000 miles you will spend about $12,350 on gasoline during that time. A vehicle that gets 25mpg would have cost you $8,400 and a vehicle that gets 35mpg would have cost you $6,000 in fuel. I would also venture to guess that a vehicle that gets 35mpg would also cost you far less in maintenance as well but I won't get into that. This is assuming stable gasoline prices at $3/gallon over a 5 year period.

If gas were to increase to $4/gallon you can expect $16,500, $11,200 and $8,000 in gasoline expense for a vehicle that gets 17, 25 and 35 mpg respectively over the same period.

I was just thinking tonight how much my vehicle cost me to operate since I'm coming up on 5 years ownership soon and gasoline was, by far, the biggest expense in my operating costs. Oil changes were almost nil by comparison...that's for all you, "I save $5 per oil change" DIY'ers.

Think about this and apply it to the nation as a whole. We consume a fucking staggering amount of oil in this country on a daily basis. Imagine how much less oil we would consume if everyone thought of alternative forms of transportation when considering their daily commute or just drove a more efficient vehicle? Just something to think about the next time you fill your tank as you are driving yourself to work...alone...in your 17mpg SUV/pickup truck.

 

[FoBoT]

http://www.pics.bbzzdd.com/beta/users/FoBoT/doom.jpg

 

[amdhunter]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
If you drive a vehicle that gets 17mpg on average over 5 years and 70,000 miles you will spend about $12,350 on gasoline during that time. A vehicle that gets 25mpg would have cost you $8,400 and a vehicle that gets 35mpg would have cost you $6,000 in fuel. I would also venture to guess that a vehicle that gets 35mpg would also cost you far less in maintenance as well but I won't get into that. This is assuming stable gasoline prices at $3/gallon over a 5 year period.

If gas were to increase to $4/gallon you can expect $16,500, $11,200 and $8,000 in gasoline expense for a vehicle that gets 17, 25 and 35 mpg respectively over the same period.

I was just thinking tonight how much my vehicle cost me to operate since I'm coming up on 5 years ownership soon and gasoline was, by far, the biggest expense in my operating costs. Oil changes were almost nil by comparison...that's for all you, "I save $5 per oil change" DIY'ers.

Think about this and apply it to the nation as a whole. We consume a fucking staggering amount of oil in this country on a daily basis. Imagine how much less oil we would consume if everyone thought of alternative forms of transportation when considering their daily commute or just drove a more efficient vehicle? Just something to think about the next time you fill your tank as you are driving yourself to work...alone...in your 17mpg SUV/pickup truck.

I blame Toshiba for still promoting HD DVD. God damn them.
BluRay = lower fuel costs.

Spread the word people.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
http://www.pics.bbzzdd.com/beta/users/FoBoT/doom.jpg

Where did I mention doom in my post? This is just about economics.

I guess if I thought oil was a commodity with infinite supply I'd probably respond as you just did...or I'd have never posted this to begin with. Then again, oil is currently $100/barrel...I'm sure you are right.

 

[FoBoT]

you assume using less oil is important
why do you want to keep this oil so badly?

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
you assume using less oil is important
why do you want to keep this oil so badly?

Why do you want to consume it so badly? We've seen gas shortages in this country and it isn't pretty. It's just supply and demand.

I've stated my case.

 

[bctbct]

Yeah, some trade comfort for money.

 

[SlitheryDee]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
you assume using less oil is important
why do you want to keep this oil so badly?

I thought it was about spending less money on gasoline. If I spend less money on necessary product X because I need less of it to do what I need to do then I have more money to spend on necessary product Y or even unnecessary luxury Z.

 

[FoBoT]

this green crap is FUD

if demand exceeds supply , it'll all work itself out

 

[IronWing]

MY current use of oil is far more valuable to me than some future pinhead's use of oil. They ain't born yet.. screw 'em.

 

[pray4mojo]

dont worry, an elise gets about 25mpg. you'll be fine.

 

[SlitheryDee]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
this green crap is FUD

if demand exceeds supply , it'll all work itself out

That's right. The thing will work itself out on a large scale, but I like my 37 mpg Aveo a whole lot more now than I would have liked it 10 years ago. I have a tighter budget than some people though.

 

[Epic Fail]

Now imagine if every American lose 20lbs, that's 100lbs in a fully loaded sedan. How much oil are we saving.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: bctbct
Yeah, some trade comfort for money.

You don't need to sit alone in a $45k SUV guzzling gas at a rate of 14mpg to be comfortable. That's just complete bullshit. Hell, I'm happy riding a bicycle to work a couple days a week. I was also comfortable and enjoyed carpooling when I did it 3 days a week for almost a year a few years ago...and I did that was alternating between a Toyota Camry/Nissan Pathfinder/Toyota Tundra.

 

[ponyo]

Originally posted by: SlitheryDee

Originally posted by: FoBoT
you assume using less oil is important
why do you want to keep this oil so badly?

I thought it was about spending less money on gasoline. If I spend less money on necessary product X because I need less of it to do what I need to do then I have more money to spend on necessary product Y or even unnecessary luxury Z.

What if by driving a vehicle that gets like 10mpg, one can make multiple more dollars than if one drove a vehicle that got 35-40mpg? Some people actually use vehicles for work and to make money. Incredible I know.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
this green crap is FUD

if demand exceeds supply , it'll all work itself out

So you'd rather react to a bad situation than try to avoid it altogether...no matter how beneficial it could be for you to address it now? I'll never understand this mentality. It's like talking to the woman I work with who drives 70 miles every day in her Ford Expedition by herself and listening to her justify her choice in vehicles (and I have questioned her politely about it). It's really amusing to listen to her bitch about gas prices though...:laugh:

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Naustica

Originally posted by: SlitheryDee

Originally posted by: FoBoT
you assume using less oil is important
why do you want to keep this oil so badly?

I thought it was about spending less money on gasoline. If I spend less money on necessary product X because I need less of it to do what I need to do then I have more money to spend on necessary product Y or even unnecessary luxury Z.

What if by driving a vehicle that gets like 10mpg, one can make multiple more dollars than if one drove a vehicle that got 35-40mpg? Some people actually use vehicles for work and to make money. Incredible I know.

Those people should be really pissed at all the pinheads buying pickups and SUVs just to haul their worthless carcasses to and from their white collar jobs everyday.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
this green crap is FUD

if demand exceeds supply , it'll all work itself out

Lots of things "work themselves out", but it can be pretty painful during the transitionary period.

For example, the predator/prey cycle. There's lots of food, predators breed, everyone's fat and happy. Suddenly there's no food and you're starving. Sure, it will "work itself out", but I would hope that humans would be clever enough to plan these things through and avoid discomfort as much as possible, instead of only dealing with a crisis when it's right on top of us.

Remember the fable of the ants and the grasshopper?

Originally posted by: yamadakun
Now imagine if every American lose 20lbs, that's 100lbs in a fully loaded sedan. How much oil are we saving.

You're in America. If everyone lost 20 lbs, that would be an average of 20.0001 lbs less per car.

 

[SlitheryDee]

Originally posted by: Naustica

Originally posted by: SlitheryDee

Originally posted by: FoBoT
you assume using less oil is important
why do you want to keep this oil so badly?

I thought it was about spending less money on gasoline. If I spend less money on necessary product X because I need less of it to do what I need to do then I have more money to spend on necessary product Y or even unnecessary luxury Z.

What if by driving a vehicle that gets like 10mpg, one can make multiple more dollars than if one drove a vehicle that got 35-40mpg? Some people actually use vehicles for work and to make money. Incredible I know.

We were talking about consumer vehicles I assumed. If you require a vehicle that gets 10 mpg to do a certain thing that eventually turns a profit then that's necessity. That doesn't mean that your regular daily driver shouldn't be as economical as possible in order to save some of that profit.

As far as I'm concerned commercial vehicles are off the hook. You'd already be looking for the most fuel efficient and economically feasible ride in order to maximize profit. If you could get one that does 35mpg and still does the job then of course you would, but if you can't then that's that.

 

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by: jagec
Remember the fable of the ants and the grasshopper?

you mean that movie, A Bug's Life?

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: FoBoT
this green crap is FUD

if demand exceeds supply , it'll all work itself out

Lots of things "work themselves out", but it can be pretty painful during the transitionary period.

For example, the predator/prey cycle. There's lots of food, predators breed, everyone's fat and happy. Suddenly there's no food and you're starving. Sure, it will "work itself out", but I would hope that humans would be clever enough to plan these things through and avoid discomfort as much as possible, instead of only dealing with a crisis when it's right on top of us.

:thumbsup:

 

[NoShangriLa]

Move closer to work & ride a bicycle

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: NoShangriLa

Move closer to work & ride a bicycle

I did...and I do. I have almost 70k miles on my car in almost 5 years driving it (I bought it new) and it will be paid for soon. Last year I only drove 8k miles...probably the least I've driven a car in any given year during the last 20 years of my life.

 

[NoShangriLa]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: NoShangriLa

Move closer to work & ride a bicycle

I did...and I do. I have almost 70k miles on my car in almost 5 years driving it (I bought it new) and it will be paid for soon. Last year I only drove 8k miles...probably the least I've driven a car in any given year during the last 20 years of my life.

Nice.

I wish that I still can ride or walk to work like I use to do, however my new job require driving. I commuted to school & work for over 20 years by bicycle, but the for the last 3-4 years I have to drive. However, I'm not getting fat as I was with my desk job.

 

[darkswordsman17]

Its kinda funny how people tend to ignore things when someone (Al Gore...) gets on a soapbox about them, but in some cases, it really is in people's best interests to do it. In this case, think of how much nicer of a car you could afford (or extra features) if you pocketed that $5000 instead of spending it on gas. I think if people did more thinking about how using less energy benefits them directly, they might actually put forth the effort.

This kinda reminds me of the guy who checked the old fridge he used to store beer in his garage to see how much it electricity it used, discovering it was costing him close to $40 a month to power it. I believe he bought a much newer (and far more efficient) fridge and then he had more money for the beer to stock in it.