GAS!! GRRR!!

I'll admit it...we own a full size van (but it's only a 6 cylinder) and with DH commuting about 120 miles each day, we're wayyy more than burning through his gas allowance.  I also own an F250 that hasn't been driven in over a year.  DS has to rebuild the engine, but there hasn't  been much of a rush, and although it's gotta be done now so we can move it, it's going to make minimal trips out of the driveway other than those I've GOTTA make for the move.  I start my motorhome every now and then to make sure it still runs.  The last time it was driven anyplace was August, and then just from the place we had it parked to the new house....the last time before THAT was to move it to a parking place, although we DID actually USE it on our move  UP here to MI from GA.
 
Having a vehicle large enough for everyone is kind of being between a rock and hard place......the dogs aren't in it often (the van) and when DH is commuting, it's a royal pain in the rear to keep the tank filled, but it's a MORE major pain when we HAVE to take more than one or two anyplace.....

I know quite a few people in US Suburbia who claim they have to have SUVs and Chevy Subdivisions because they are afraid of other drivers hurting them. So they drive tanks. I think that's a really stupid way to think. The truth is that most of those people are really rotten drivers themselves! I've seen it over and over. They think that because they have the big vehicle (and trust me, I live in the Land of Big Vehicles) that they don't have to drive as well because everyone else is supposed to yield to their might. Feh!

People need to learn how to drive reasonably and be adults behind the wheel, not GOOFY on the freeway! (Remember that Disney cartoon? Hilarious but too true!)

Then just drive something with four cylinders that gets decent mileage! It doesn't have to be spang brand new, either. I drive a 1989 Toyota Camry (cost: $1500--and that's an inflated Alaska price) that is straight, if ugly, and it gets 30mpg summer, winter, all year round. I drive reasonably and don't jack-rabbit start and stop. My tires last longer and I get better gas mileage because of it, and passengers remark that it's great to have me drive them because they feel safe.

Was it Kelly who said she had a "smaller" SUV that was an EXPLORER?? Good god, that was one of the largest vehicles on the road when it came out! I say go with Toyota, Honda, Subaru. All very well-engineered, will last 300,000 miles (mine has 210,000 on it right now), and all do very well in extreme weather. Honda makes a van. The Chevy Astro is pretty good, too, you just have to trade it in sooner as it is an American vehicle that wears out way too fast.

Unfortunately, unless you are in a position to buy another  vehicle, you're pretty well stuck with whatever size you have now.  I'd love to pick up a little beater for DH to commute in,   but it's not in the cards right now and once he ISN'T commuting so far, well, we've got the bus schedule all worked out for then.
 
I'm an excellent driver.  No accidents, no tickets in something like 30 years but yeah, I do feel safer in a bigger vehicle.  I'm very nervous in my Mom's Camry and that's with ME driving it!  But, part of my nervousness is I've had neck surgery.  After the surgery I couldn't climb into my van so had to ride around in the Escort which I'd bought for work since I did so much driving.  I was in a state of absolute terror being that darned close to an airbag with essentially a broken neck.  And I'm still really uncomfortable about those air bags.  I know at least in a larger vehicle I have more protection and honestly, that's why I want a larger vehicle.  I just wish they could find a way to make bigger more fuel efficent.

I'm with you, Glenda.  My Jeep was bought when I was working, transporting people and equipment, and using it to capacity.  Now, I just like it.  I don't trust teens on the road or people with a cell phone glued to their ear.  Our town is growing rapidly, and the roads can't handle the traffic, and people get impatient taking shortcuts and running lights.  My bad back needs protection...

I have a little Toyota Echo with almost 200,000 mi. on it and we'd like to trade it in for something just a tad bigger (like the smaller Toyota RAV4). Getting all the dirt & bark I need every spring gets to be a pain when it means taking 10 trips to Lowes or Home Depot to get it all home.  Jean is right about the big vans - and they're not as stable as they look.  Consumer Reports says that quite a few of them lack the stability of the smaller cars and they flip over a lot easier.

Joyce & Max

Hey Glenda, there aren't any airbags in an 89 Camry. They do have horribly annoying automatic seatbelts, though. I've been SO tempted to cut the lap belt with my leatherman tool.....they don't unsnap, either, makes me crazy trying to get in and out of the car with a leashed dog! I think they fixed that problem in the 90 models. [&:]

I also have no tickets or accidents in 36 years of driving.

Maybe it's because I'm a survivor type person, or because I don't live in a "normal" US city, but I don't drive or buy cars to have accidents. I drive very defensively, I anticipate that the other driver is an idiot and don't trust anyone. I would rather be able to afford other things, rather than drive a hugemobile because I'm so afraid of other people. I do have a Nissan pickup, it's been parked for a year while I save up the money to replace the timing chain which is about to go. So I have a larger vehicle when I need it. But I watch for moose (and other animals) and other drivers, and figure not to be so afraid that I "need" a large vehicle. My car gets 30 mpg. That way I can afford new violin strings every month they way I need, and a new bow that I just got while in ABQ! Everyone is different.

The other day, DH almost got hit by a sherrifs car making a turn on a red.  DH had the green light and the guy still almost barreled right through the light....no sirens or lights on so he wasn't on a call....just not paying attention.
 
My 6 cylinder full sized van gets 26 hwy, so I guess I'm not doing so badly gas wise comparatively.  I'm one of those people who combines trips, I dont' shop at the grocery store I prefer because it's an additional 7 miles round trip, I remember that higher speeds KILL gas mileage, take care of tires since they can IMPROVE gas mileage.....but I won't be doing any of that in a smaller vehicle anytime soon.  And I do NOT feel safe in them.  I won't apologize for not feeling safe in a small, low to the ground vehicle.  I've HAD one broken neck and that's enough for one lifetime.  But, by golly, I DO conserve every ounce of fuel possible in my van.

Glenda, I appreciate your situation, and 26 isn't bad, either. Sounds like we have a lot more in common as far as driving practices than not! I live about nine miles from work/town, always always always combine trips, heck, I've been doing that since I've had to pay for my gas myself! LOL!!

Yeah, people forget that an easy-going driving style gets better gas mileage because it's less wear and tear on the vehicle and the tires are way more important than most people think.

It always bugs me to see people getting all wound up about a car going "too slow" in front of them. I mean, generally speaking, a person going the speed limit is going to get to the same destination within the same three minutes of the impatient person, except they'll be calmer and happier! Ha!

Now on long drives, such as the Alaska Highway to the Lower 48, higher speeds can definitely cut time off your trip. On the other hand, the scenery is so gorgeous why would you want to speed through it? []

ORIGINAL: glenmar

The other day, DH almost got hit by a sherrifs car making a turn on a red.  DH had the green light and the guy still almost barreled right through the light....no sirens or lights on so he wasn't on a call....just not paying attention.

My 6 cylinder full sized van gets 26 hwy, so I guess I'm not doing so badly gas wise comparatively.  I'm one of those people who combines trips, I dont' shop at the grocery store I prefer because it's an additional 7 miles round trip, I remember that higher speeds KILL gas mileage, take care of tires since they can IMPROVE gas mileage.....but I won't be doing any of that in a smaller vehicle anytime soon.  And I do NOT feel safe in them.  I won't apologize for not feeling safe in a small, low to the ground vehicle.  I've HAD one broken neck and that's enough for one lifetime.  But, by golly, I DO conserve every ounce of fuel possible in my van.

Wow, you really get 26 mpg on your full size van Glenda? That makes the 23 or so I get in my Cavalier (or as I prefer, Crapalier) seem all that much worse. It's also got horrible safety ratings. I can't wait to get rid of it.

Yep, 26 hwy and between 20-22 city.  Keeping fresh spark plugs, checking and maintaining fluid levels and TIRE pressure all help.

Hmmm.... I should probably figure out how to do that stuff. Although, according to the government fuel economy ratings, it rates at 24 mpg city, and the estimates from other people are 23.3 city. So, it appears that it's the fact that it's a Chevy is the major problem, and not my cluelessness. I find it pretty sad though that I got better gas mileage in my 92 Escort, and I was even more clueless then than I am now. 

Welp, I just got back from town. I got a flat tire fixed, and went grocery shopping, and gassed up.

My gas tank has had an evaporative leak for a while. It doesn't drip, but you can smell the gas, but only IF I fill it more than 2/3 full. So I've been only filling it up to that extent and had no gas evaporation.

While I was gone in ABQ, my boyfiend was supposed to do a bunch of things to my car. He, instead, got all involved in working on his old Peterbilt (go ahead, make some jokes) and only managed to change the oil BUT he also fixed the gas tank. We think. It was a loose gasket that he tightened down. So my car isn't in the garage for tonight, (don't want the garage to go Ka-BOOM) to see if I can still smell gas evaporating.

Gas is around 2.81 to 3.xx around here. I got mine for 2.79 for buying groceries at Safeway.

Even with the gas evaporting, I was still getting 30 mpg. Go figure. Maybe it will be even better now that it's fixed? I hope it's fixed, anyway. I'll have to go check it in a while...

Our gas comes from 13 miles away. For once I think we are getting a small break. After Katrina they raised the price outrageously just because they could. Our gas and oil has nothing to do with Arabs or Venezuelans or the Gulf Coast. Stupid greedy gas companies. Feh.