Stay-cation's with the Price Of Fuel ?

[2slowtdi]

I hate the fact that fuel is going up , and know that even people with high mile per gallon cars will be forced to change plans on travel this year.

I had almost 100 gals of Bio diesel put back and can fit a max of 60 gallons in my car plus the 25 gallons in the tank and still have room for backbacking gear so I have a max range of 2975 miles at 35 mpg on bio if I want to push it.
Last year I drove to Seattle on Bio diesel and D2 on the way back so its nothing new for me.

With the price of D2 more than what I paid for the Bio I can give the prices the "your number one" wave.

I hope prices go down but I think we are in for higher before lower.

For we that travel everything else maybe cheaper and less crowded.

 

[naturist]

It is all but guaranteed that the price of fuel will be going up. To be sure, there will be fluctuations, but the trend is up, up, up.

That said, I do run both our diesel vehicles on biodiesel as much as possible. The Jetta has run B100, the Jeep as high as B50. And we will likely be taking steps to cut our travel in the coming year, as well as long term.

We've a road trip planned for this year to see Yellowstone National Park. We'll be dragging the travel trailer with the Jeep, a combination that only gets about 15 mpg (the Jeep alone gets 30-35 mpg, but that huge sail behind takes its toll). RT will be about 6,000 miles, give or take a little. It is likely to be our last long trip, although we will be making visits nearby to camp as often as we can. There's a lot to see and do within 200 miles of central Virginia.

 

[Abacus]

We bought another B4 and I just did 30 hours of rust repair on it (all underbody) to ensure it'll go a number of years. The 50 mpg of these cars is much better than the 17 mpg of the SUV's so many people drive (including the Mrs' other car).

I feel bad for those people getting under 30 mpg, but I knew this was coming many years ago and prepared for it.

That being said, we will pick and choose where we go on vacation this year, and combine trips when possible.

 

[vw4life]

I hate the fact that fuel is going up , and know that even people with high mile per gallon cars will be forced to change plans on travel this year.

Dude, get used to that fact! Its called scarcity! Surprised since live in Texas- read up on "peak oil"

 

[Abacus]

People have been yelling 'Peak Oil' for 30 years now. It's gotten to the point of yelling that the sky is falling.

Time to drive more and worry less.

 

[vw4life]

Well I don't believe we should look at PO as a black of white issue, but rather as a grey issue. Oil prices have been trending up since I started filling my own tank in the early 90's.

Whether it is true product scarcity, political pressure, taxation, green levies, over-consumption, population increases- all of these issues blend together to create shades of gray resulting in the gradual uptrend of oil prices.

 

[2slowtdi]

It is all but guaranteed that the price of fuel will be going up. To be sure, there will be fluctuations, but the trend is up,

We've a road trip planned for this year to see Yellowstone National Park.

Yellowstone is my final destination this summer its about 1350 miles from me so if you see a Black E-320 with Texas conservation tag's "Horn Toad"
that would be me.
I hope you have a safe trip.

 

[spyderhead]

Besides "peak oil", new consumers (China, India, etc) . . . there is also the fact that our money is just not worth the paper it is printed on. I am surprised anyone still takes the money at all. Rule of thumb: the more of something available, the less it is worth. Printing money out of thin air (started with Bush, accelerated with Obama) will result in prices rising. Pretty simple stuff.

 

[romad]

I hate the fact that fuel is going up , and know that even people with high mile per gallon cars will be forced to change plans on travel this year.

I had almost 100 gals of Bio diesel put back and can fit a max of 60 gallons in my car plus the 25 gallons in the tank and still have room for backbacking gear so I have a max range of 2975 miles at 35 mpg on bio if I want to push it.
Last year I drove to Seattle on Bio diesel and D2 on the way back so its nothing new for me.

With the price of D2 more than what I paid for the Bio I can give the prices the "your number one" wave.

I hope prices go down but I think we are in for higher before lower.

For we that travel everything else maybe cheaper and less crowded.

Careful, I was chastised in another thread for asking if the high price of fuel might have an impact on attendance at an event, and would there be a possibility of cancellation.

 

[2slowtdi]

Careful, I was chastised in another thread for asking if the high price of fuel might have an impact on attendance at an event, and would there be a possibility of cancellation.

I just want to make people plan for trips so fuel cost will not cut into travel.
If you work hard you need to play hard , I'm not going to have a heart attack any time soon.
I take one long trip to backpack each year and after thirty six years of backpacking I'm not going to quit anytime soon.

 

[msgross]

Washington DC (3 hrs away) with a priceline.com hotel this year.... plan to drive the TDI but it will be fun for everyone.

 

[Jnitrofish]

I just want to make people plan for trips so fuel cost will not cut into travel.

You want to make us... Are you a politician or do you have the intent to become one in the near future?

I think we already have been planning fuel cost into the budget, since fuel has always cost something... Just sayin'.

 

[Tarbe]

You want to make us... Are you a politician or do you have the intent to become one in the near future?

I think we already have been planning fuel cost into the budget, since fuel has always cost something... Just sayin'.

I suspect just a poor choice of words.

Let's all just go pack the Stoddard Trail in the Frank Church Wilderness....all this talk of high fuel costs is making me want to take a backpacking trip!


Tim

 

[where2]

Only thing changing my vacation plans this year has been the change in jobs. By the time I expect to take my vacation in Sept-Oct, I'll have been at my new job for 5 months. I'm sure my wife and I will STILL drive to Maine from South FL, enjoy ourselves for ~2 weeks, and drive home with less hassle by driving there in the TDI, rather than fighting with the airlines and renting a car. If diesel is TOO expensive, we'll take the tent and skip the Microtels on the road.

Yes, $4/gal diesel is expensive. So were the solar panels I bought to save the planet, and lower my power bills.

 

[Lightflyer1]

Driving my tdi is the cheapest way to travel. The prices of everything else is up as well. $200 gives me a 2000 mile round trip range. At $100 a person for two to travel nothing beats that. The price of fuel doesn't bother me at all with this car.

 

[narongc73]

Fuel prices shouldn't be a concern with us TDI owners. Some of us spend more on dinner for 4. So lets all stop *****ing.

 

[romad]

Fuel prices shouldn't be a concern with us TDI owners. Some of us spend more on dinner for 4. So lets all stop *****ing.

We had. You're the one who dug up a dead thread.

 

[VWBeamer]

Just drove ~1700 miles this weekend, used about 38 gallons of diesel.

My cost difference between $2.50 gallon vs $4.25 gallon was $66.50.

If $66.50 stops you from going on Vacation you can't afford one anyway.

 

[romad]

Or you could look at it this way: That is $66.50 LESS you can spend with vendors here.

I estimate that I'll be driving about 5,000 mile round-trip in Aug/Sep. That will consume about 125 gallons. That will be about $250 I won't be able to use at, say, IDParts.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

Flying often is cheaper when fuel prices spike, especially if only one or two people are traveling. For example, you can fly to Orlando from Boston right now for about $225 per person round trip. It's 1,300 miles each way. At 45 MPG and $4.25/gallon it'll cost you $245 in fuel. And about $60 in tolls. A reasonable person would probably want at least one hotel night during the trip, or, for the sake of discussion $100 each way. Plus you'll have to buy meals while on the road. I know you have to eat and sleep anyway, but it's usually cheaper at home, and if you start adding up the cost it's less expensive to fly if you don't need a car at your destination. In addition you don't add the wear and tear to your car.

I've pretty much given up flying places except the west coast, but I consider driving myself in my own car a luxury. And compared to the other costs associated with traveling the fuel isn't that big a deal when you're getting 45 MPG.

 

[romad]

I've given up flying because I don't like being treated as "livestock" by the airlines and as a criminal by the government. Additionally, add in weird routing of the airlines, it is sometimes faster to drive then to fly if the distance is less than 500 miles. Oh, I always need a car at my destination; my trip back east last summer I paid almost $1200.00 for the rental car and that was the low rate!

 

[jgeorge]

Try flying out of Toronto- The landing fees and taxes are as much at the airline ticket. Add 35.00 a day to park as well. Becoming much more popular to drive to Buffalo then fly.

 

[Lightflyer1]

When driving I can see the sites along the way, stop when and where I want, eat when and where and what I want, leave and arrive when I want, change itineratry at no extra cost and am vastly more comfortable in my Beetle than on a plane. Now days I will always choose driving instead of other means unless time doesn't permit. What I really need is a diesel powered Vans Aircraft RV-10. Then I could fly myself if I wanted to.

 

[Powder Hound]

http://dieselfirewallforward.com/

How about this?

 

[Dimitri16V]

Flying often is cheaper when fuel prices spike, especially if only one or two people are traveling. For example, you can fly to Orlando from Boston right now for about $225 per person round trip. It's 1,300 miles each way. At 45 MPG and $4.25/gallon it'll cost you $245 in fuel. And about $60 in tolls. A reasonable person would probably want at least one hotel night during the trip, or, for the sake of discussion $100 each way. Plus you'll have to buy meals while on the road. I know you have to eat and sleep anyway, but it's usually cheaper at home, and if you start adding up the cost it's less expensive to fly if you don't need a car at your destination. In addition you don't add the wear and tear to your car.

I've pretty much given up flying places except the west coast, but I consider driving myself in my own car a luxury. And compared to the other costs associated with traveling the fuel isn't that big a deal when you're getting 45 MPG.

forgetting the car rental ??

 

[aja8888]

Try flying out of Toronto- The landing fees and taxes are as much at the airline ticket. Add 35.00 a to park as well. Becoming much more popular to drive to Buffalo then fly.

I travel a lot in my job. I am sick and tired of being treated like a criminal at airports, like romad stated. Plus, the airlines are extorting the business man. Last year, I ha to fly from Houston to Toronto on a day's notice and was stuck paying $3,000 for a COACH R/T ticket on Continental (with no meal, of course).

So, on local trips (around the south), I drive. Takes longer, costs the client less, and gives me independence.

 

[VWBeamer]

Amen Brother, I will drive if i can.

I've given up flying because I don't like being treated as "livestock" by the airlines and as a criminal by the government. Additionally, add in weird routing of the airlines, it is sometimes faster to drive then to fly if the distance is less than 500 miles. Oh, I always need a car at my destination; my trip back east last summer I paid almost $1200.00 for the rental car and that was the low rate!

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

I'm not promoting flying, after 25 years of 100K plus a year on airplanes. I have so many frequent flyer miles I don't even have to check my balances when I book tickets, and I still don't fly anywhere. But I still don't mind air travel when I do go. I've gone to two GTGs on the west coast in the past couple of years, one with a one night stay, one (in San Francisco) as a day trip. Morning flight out, red eye home. Can't do that in a car.

But these days I do prefer traveling in my own car. And the dog likes it, too, because he gets to join me. I don't see fuel costs as an impediment to travel: hotels, meals, and tolls, maybe more so.

 

[2slowtdi]

I'm glad to see that more people have a plan to keep going and not just to set.
The Airlines may not like us , but that just gives a chance to see other diesel owners.

 

[APT]

I find this thread humorous on a site dedicated to vehicles that get relatively great fuel economy. There are lots of similar ones on the RV forum I visit, which at 6-12mpg towing still do not make a lot of sense for families and long weekend and 200-300 mile trips.