Have You Changed Your Driving Habits Due to the Price of Gas?
#1
Have You Changed Your Driving Habits Due to the Price of Gas?
I don't know about you folks, but I have tried a few things to save every drop of gasoline I can. The most dramatic is slowing down to the speed limit. I typically drove at 5-10 over. Not anymore. I also coast when I exit a highway. I don't know if that is saving me much, though. And when I leave from a stop it is a nice and gradual acceleration. No more quick starts for this guy. I'll let you know if I notice a dramatic change.
#3
#4
For me, having baby/infant really helped out fuel wise. My wife hardly drives anymore and I usually go home immediately after work and stay at home most of the weekends. I also never go out cruising at night anymore. My last car was a 5 speed modded Maxima and I moved up to a 03 G35 sedan auto a few months ago. Having the auto and a motor with more power focused in the lower rpms gives me the speed I want without having to really lay into the gas. The auto also tends to make me want to cruise a lot more. For whatever reasons, I'm spending less on gas than I have in 3 years even though my G gets about 15% less mpgs.
For some people, it's just not an extra $10 at the pump. Some people do a lot of driving and price increases in fuel could be costing them as much as an additional $100+/mo. Not everyone bought their car new either. I paid $25K for my 03 three months ago and I'm only paying $200/mo for 48 months. To me, an extra $100/mo in fuel costs would be somewhat of a deal. However I only spend about $120/mo between my wife's car and my G so it's no big deal. I do agree with you somewhat, though.
We all drive (or will be) cars that cost between $30,000 and $40,000. Financed, thats over $500/month. If an extra $10 at the pump is really hurting that much, then you probably bought a car you can't truely afford.
#5
When I drive or ride, I don't drive or ride any differently. What I have been starting to do, is just drive less. Instead of going out a lot, I stay home more. When I need to run errands, I do them all on the same day instead of everynight. This isn't so much from the gas prices going up, just **** I should have been doing a long time ago. Keeps my mileage down on the vehicles, less gas, etc.
#7
Originally Posted by wezman
If an extra $10 at the pump is really hurting that much, then you probably bought a car you can't truely afford.
I remember paying $1.03 per gallon for 93 octane in October 2001. An average fill-up for the car I was driving then was 15 gallons for a total of $15.45
That same 93 octane in the same city runs $2.35 per gallon as of today. A 15-gallon fill-up costs $35.25. Any way you slice it, $20 extra per tank hurts.
But yeah, I'm sure there are lots of folks experiencing sticker shock as they fill their G35s for the first time, particularly if they choose to run 91 octane. We don't drive Accord Hybrids, that's for sure, although one of these days we're gonna see a post from someone who got caught napping and was smoked off the line by one of those 35-plus MPG high-14-second things. I swear that if Honda had just put an ounce of style into them, I would've at least taken one for a test drive.
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#8
Originally Posted by wezman
We all drive (or will be) cars that cost between $30,000 and $40,000. Financed, thats over $500/month. If an extra $10 at the pump is really hurting that much, then you probably bought a car you can't truely afford.
Sure I try to save on top speed and how fast I accelerate from a stop--big deal--I guess now that means I truly can't afford my car. Stupid comment.
#10
#11
hardly......if gas price was my concern, I would have bought the TL, Prius, Mini or something else instead. Maybe you should ask this question in the SUVs, Pick-up forums instead.
However, if you cook at home instead of having dinner in the restaurants, you can save that extra 10 bucks within a few nights... right?
However, if you cook at home instead of having dinner in the restaurants, you can save that extra 10 bucks within a few nights... right?
#12
#13
Well no not really... I drive 130 miles a week to work and about 200 for fun stuff. Going out etc. I would say I am more concerned about putting too many miles on the car just cruising around then the price of gas. The big bother is that someone is raping us for $$ and making hueg profits while some of us are lucky to be making what we did 4 years ago when everything was cheaper. The cost of fuel gets added into everything we buy.
That, plus I am glad I decided against the boat...
That, plus I am glad I decided against the boat...
#14
Originally Posted by Texan1
When you have a large mortgage,rising property tax, 2 car payments, 150/mo gas, 450/mo. family food bill/toiletries, funding retirement accts., college funds,etc, etc--you try to save where you can. The wealthiest people save money--not just spend it frivolously to prove they have money. It seems anytime someone tries to save money one way or another on this board--there is always some big shot who is probably single and working for his/her car only making comments like that.
Sure I try to save on top speed and how fast I accelerate from a stop--big deal--I guess now that means I truly can't afford my car. Stupid comment.
Sure I try to save on top speed and how fast I accelerate from a stop--big deal--I guess now that means I truly can't afford my car. Stupid comment.
I totally agree, and am tired of the comments. People with money are the ones who save $. I don't care if you make $50k or $250k a year. I see it here as well. "Buy a Kia" is often a stupid comment I hear, here.
#15
It's hard to try and conserve fuel when it's nice out. I can finally drive around with all the windows down. Nothing like it when Spring hits. Also, my car is like a Honda Civic when it comes to gas mileage. That is, if I compare it to my Armada! Try pumping in 28G of fuel into that thing. LOL. Still love it though. When I first filled it up, I looked under the truck to see if the gas was pouring out of the bottom.