Does fuel economy matter to you at all?

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On the company car, not at all; couldn’t care less...

The Buick, somewhat... The Enclave holds our family of 6 comfortably and my wife is comfortable maneuvering it, which are the chief family vehicle concern for us...

Cost wise, fuel is usually not a huge needle mover for most people’s financial situation when you run the actual numbers, sans road warriors... usually the payment ($500 a month is the natiaonl average) is what is killing them...

I know plenty of folks with $700 in car payments and 18% interest on credit card balances, who perseverate on a couple of pennies here and there on fuel and coupons at the grocery store.
 
"Real Men" who drive "Real Trucks" (aka pickups) don't care about fuel mileage. At least that is what I read on the pickup truck forums.
whistle.gif


OTOH, Owner-Operators of 18-wheelers care a lot about fuel mileage.
 
Originally Posted By: SubLGT
"Real Men" who drive "Real Trucks" (aka pickups) don't care about fuel mileage. At least that is what I read on the pickup truck forums.
whistle.gif


OTOH, Owner-Operators of 18-wheelers care a lot about fuel mileage.


One time, I got 11 MPG in a pretty old Volvo tractor with a Detroil Diesel (?) and an empty 48 ft trailer. Chicago to Toronto.
When I first bought my '88 GMC and got it driveable, it also got 11 MPG on the highway. Now that it is running well, it gets 14 MPG! It's practically a Prius with a bed.
 
Originally Posted By: SubLGT
"Real Men" who drive "Real Trucks" (aka pickups) don't care about fuel mileage. At least that is what I read on the pickup truck forums.
whistle.gif


OTOH, Owner-Operators of 18-wheelers care a lot about fuel mileage.


My brother-in-law (drives a jacked up Ford diesel) gave me [censored] once for our vehicles... brought up being an “man” and whatnot...

My response: “You can’t buy manhood...”

He doesn’t bring it up anymore.
 
Originally Posted By: SubLGT
"Real Men" who drive "Real Trucks" (aka pickups) don't care about fuel mileage. At least that is what I read on the pickup truck forums.
whistle.gif


OTOH, Owner-Operators of 18-wheelers care a lot about fuel mileage.


I remember the last gas crisis when a lot of these "real men" kept borrowing their girlfriends' neons.
laugh.gif
 
the main reason to watch my MPG. is to know if my engine needs worked on. my 08 avalon. gets 27-28 MPG on the hiway. useing MMO of course.
 
Originally Posted By: ATex7239
Originally Posted By: SubLGT
"Real Men" who drive "Real Trucks" (aka pickups) don't care about fuel mileage. At least that is what I read on the pickup truck forums.
whistle.gif


OTOH, Owner-Operators of 18-wheelers care a lot about fuel mileage.


My brother-in-law (drives a jacked up Ford diesel) gave me [censored] once for our vehicles... brought up being an “man” and whatnot...

My response: “You can’t buy manhood...”

He doesn’t bring it up anymore.

The culture surrounding "utes" here in Australia would be the same; particularly for Holden & Ford vehicles. The same can be said for these maker's sedans. If you want to do the whole "I'm a complete drop-kick" thing properly, they're the cars you drive, complete with the "doof-doof" sound system, loud exhaust, low profile tires and so on.
 
Yes. It does matter. Especially if you look at the vehicle as potential source of income.
For example if you are reimbursed 56cents a mile for business use of a vehicle the cost of fuel comes into the equation as does the rate of depreciation.
I am currently stuck looking at 1-2 year old ford eco boost f150s that have taken the depreciation hit and get good mileage. Vs the tundra, that will not depreciate as fast, and has more standard safety features and is honestly a preference.
The cost difference may be about $150 month between the two in fuel, If I bought a new ford, the depreciation cost would outrun the fuel savings. The 1-2 year old used ford is the best financial decision for fuel mileage and getting g he benefit of Depreciation. I may still be a numbskull and get the Toyota Tundra, a compromise between being financially conservative and profiting as much as I can off a mileage rate, and a vehicle I will spend a lot of time in and it would be a benefit if I actually enjoy it.
 
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Originally Posted By: ATex7239
Originally Posted By: SubLGT
"Real Men" who drive "Real Trucks" (aka pickups) don't care about fuel mileage. At least that is what I read on the pickup truck forums.
whistle.gif


OTOH, Owner-Operators of 18-wheelers care a lot about fuel mileage.


My brother-in-law (drives a jacked up Ford diesel) gave me [censored] once for our vehicles... brought up being an “man” and whatnot...

My response: “You can’t buy manhood...”

He doesn’t bring it up anymore.

A friend of mine was accusing me of drinking the feminist tea when I make fun of bros with lifted trucks or truck nutz on the hitch. If I ever owned an old bus(preferably one with a Detroit 6V-92TA), I'd love to roll coal on a bro.

He drives a Subaru. A girl I know that was a yoga teacher lusts over the SVT Raptor, and not a Prius/Lexus/Mercedes like many do in that crowd.
 
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It matters much to me. Especially at the fuel prices we get here in Quebec, which I believe are the highest in North America.

It's no wonder subcompact and compact cars sell so well here. Imagine if Americans paid their fuel the same price as we do, it would be $5.06 PER GALLON.

Full size pickups and big SUVs wouldn't sell so well down there now would they ?

That's why I have a subcompact daily driver.
 
Originally Posted By: Broo
It matters much to me. Especially at the fuel prices we get here in Quebec, which I believe are the highest in North America.

It's no wonder subcompact and compact cars sell so well here. Imagine if Americans paid their fuel the same price as we do, it would be $5.06 PER GALLON.

Full size pickups and big SUVs wouldn't sell so well down there now would they ?

That's why I have a subcompact daily driver.


Is that based on market prices or are you being taken advantage of by your goverment?
 
Originally Posted By: Bryanccfshr
Originally Posted By: Broo
It matters much to me. Especially at the fuel prices we get here in Quebec, which I believe are the highest in North America.

It's no wonder subcompact and compact cars sell so well here. Imagine if Americans paid their fuel the same price as we do, it would be $5.06 PER GALLON.

Full size pickups and big SUVs wouldn't sell so well down there now would they ?

That's why I have a subcompact daily driver.


Is that based on market prices or are you being taken advantage of by your goverment?


Price differences around the world are mostly due to taxes or government subsidies.

Only in the 3rd world where gasoline might actually be scarce I can imagine high prices explained by market forces.
 
Not really that important to me.

I work from home half the time, and my office is only 7km away. I daily drive my 94 nissan in the summer, it gets like 16mpg in town at best. And still only use 1/4 of the 80 litre tank a week.

Basically most of my fuel consumption is for recreation like camping and overland trips, and I can't do that in a yaris.
 
Originally Posted By: eyeofthetiger


One time, I got 11 MPG in a pretty old Volvo tractor with a Detroil Diesel (?) and an empty 48 ft trailer. Chicago to Toronto.
When I first bought my '88 GMC and got it driveable, it also got 11 MPG on the highway. Now that it is running well, it gets 14 MPG! It's practically a Prius with a bed.

I've read the newer EPA2010 engines with SCR get vastly better MPG than 04/07 spec engines with 1st generation DPF and EGR systems, but lots of truck drivers swear by the Detroit Diesel Series 60 for durability, no SCR and MPG?
 
Originally Posted By: Bryanccfshr


Is that based on market prices or are you being taken advantage of by your goverment?


Both. The market isn't to our advantage right now due to our weak currency and the government happily takes a big piece of the pie.

At anytime in Ontario (our neighbor province), fuel will be 10 to 25% cheaper.
 
Originally Posted By: Broo
Originally Posted By: Bryanccfshr


Is that based on market prices or are you being taken advantage of by your goverment?


Both. The market isn't to our advantage right now due to our weak currency and the government happily takes a big piece of the pie.

At anytime in Ontario (our neighbor province), fuel will be 10 to 25% cheaper.


Sorry to hear about that, that would influence my decisions as well.
 
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