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  • From: "Lynda" <lurine AT softcom.net>
  • To: <homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Fuel price perspective
  • Date: Sat, 31 May 2008 10:46:42 -0800

That's why we have "The Boat" which is a diesel Suburban. Of course, with the snow and mountain passes with chains required, we went with the 4-wheel drive. We went with diesel as it doesn't lug down on the ups and doesn't use anymore fuel, or at least not enough to be measureable, whether it is up hill, down hill, hot, cold or pulling a trailer. Same mileage when we have it loaded to the gills with feed, groceries and "stuff."

We've got it down to one trip a month and we're set. And, even with the HIGH price of diesel, it is still costing us less than it does the folks around us using gas!

Lynda
----- Original Message ----- From: <Clansgian AT wmconnect.com>

We are using a Caravan right now. We are seriously contemplating mothballing
it and buying a Suburban. They are practically giving away older Suburbans
here. Here is the math.

When we go into town en famile we are taking six passangers, most often a
large cargo of boxes and such to ply our 'render unto Caesar' trades, and we
bring back sometimes 500 lbs or more of cargo. The caravan, with the heafty 3.3
ltr engine dogs down on the mountain roads under this load of passangers and
freight. Or payload is so modest we often have to make a third or fourth trip
in the month instead of the regularly scheduled two. Leaving people at home
isn't an option as this is the day we visit grandparents, go to the library, etc.

When we had a Suburban a few years ago (350 gas engine, two wheel drive) we
could handle eight passangers and half a ton of cargo. Now it would mean only
two trips to town instead of three or four. The math comes out to using less
gas.

This is because one has to look at it in terms of passenger mpg and cargo
mpg, not vehicle mpg.

For the times only one person or two need to go somewhere, we have an old S10.

I'm looking forward to the days when there is a cultural shift to where we
don't need to personally own a motor vehicle at all, but until then, I am
calculating the cost of transporting people and cargo on a per unit basis.

And seeing if we can cut that back to ONE trip per month.





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