Fuel economy

[Don Bradner]

I'm not sure whether conservative in this context means over-estimating, or
under-estimating, price. I also don't know anything about your personal
retirement financial situation. But...

I find $6 per gallon in 2.5 years to be pessimistic (is that conservative?) to a
very great extent. Consider the following national averages for diesel:

2000 $1.49
2001 $1.40
2002 $1.32
2003 $1.51
2004 $1.81
2005 $2.40
2006 $2.71
2007 $2.95 (estimate to date, current at peak 3.30)

So, to be an average of $6 in 2-1/2 years it will have to rise more per year
than it ever has in any year to this point. Can it? Maybe. Will it? Odds and
history say no.

Those of us with 300 gallon fuel tanks who are out doing 10K miles or more per
year do not pay average prices, we pay less. There is zero need to fill in high
price areas unless you are staying in one of those areas but still using fuel,
as apparently Ryan is. I arrived home in Eureka, California on Tuesday to find
diesel at $3.79 and shook my head - used to have to buy some here when I only
had 80 gallon capacity in my SOB even if I did get 8.3 miles per gallon.

I would say that a more realistic expectation of fuel prices (average) in 2.5
years is $4 per gallon. I know that looks rosy when viewed while the national
average is $3.30, but remember it was $3.15 in October of '05 and $3.05 in
August of '06 also, and that is simpy a contributing factor to those year's
averages of $2.40 and $2.71, respectively.

At 10K miles and $4, your difference, even using the unlikely low end of 5mpg
for a PT40, is about $3300. I have a similar situation moving from 8.3 to 5.2
(and I suspect my 5.2 is on the low end of what is likely). I've averaged 15K
per year over the past 5 years, so it is not insignificant. It just points out
that travel is inherently expensive, something I'm well aware of. I am not now,
nor expect to be in the future, a wealthy man, but I do intend to keep seeing
the country as long as I can afford it, and the extra 1000 gallons of fuel does
not put me past the breaking point.

Don Bradner
90 PT40 "Blue Thunder"
Eureka, CA

On 11/11/2007 at 2:24 AM Gardner Yeaw wrote:

>With the recent surge in fuel prices I am being forced to
>reconsider our desire to upgrade to a PT 38 or 40. My 78FC33 gets
>between 8.5 and 9.2 mpg towing my 1995 Jeep Cherokee sport. We are
>thinking around 8 to 10k miles each year for the first few after
>retirement. Cutting the mileage roughly in half with a bigger coach
>will put a huge dent in the finances. If I just assumed
>conservatively that diesel will be around $6 a gallon in two and a
>half years: at 8.5mpg, 10k miles =$7,058, at 5mpg, 10k miles =
>$12,000 (3rd grade arithmetic really was useful after all). And
>that's just the first year of retirement.
>
> Now if I could tow a portable bio-diesel system behind me and
>collect vegetable oil from the various food venues along the way????
>Actually, why not use the heat from the retarder and the diesel
>exhaust and coolant system to pre-heat water for the steam boiler to
>run a hybrid diesel-steam engine system? Honey, would you throw
>another log on the fire, this next hill is a steep one!
>
>Gardner
>78FC33
>
>
>--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Al" wrote:
>>
>> Ryan,
>> With an '86, you are certain to have to change out all fuel
>lines
>> in her to make them compatible with your biodiesel. The biodiesel
>> will eat out the fuel lines from within. They will not fail
>> overnight and you will start to see them leak. But rest assured,
>it
>> will have to be done. Bob Loomis and dropped a 150 gallon tank in
>> mine and I would hate to have to do it will 300 gallons. Word of
>> advice, when you do it, go buy all-thread and use them to lower
>the
>> tank with fuel in it. Chances are you will have all the spray
>foam
>> on the tank. When we did mine, even with some fuel in it, the
>tank
>> did not budge. We had to top her off and use the weight to lower
>and
>> then drain out the fuel. Took us better part of a week but now we
>> could probably do one in a day.
>>
>> Al Johnson
>> '96 BMC B75 ==> B100
>> Mandeville, Louisiana
>>
>> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Ryan Wright"
>> wrote:
>> >
>> > Jon,
>> >
>> > On 11/9/07, Jon wrote:
>> > >
>> > > Dan I think the future of these big units will be only for
>the
>> guys
>> > > who have those extra retirement bucks. Our diesel fuel
>prices up
>> > > here in Washington are almost 3.60 a gallon and probably
>going
>> up
>> > > further as I type.
>> >
>> > $3.80 a gallon down the street from me. This is getting
>ridiculous.
>> > Thankfully, I have found a source of used vegetable oil and am
>going
>> > to process my own bio diesel. That will get my cost down under
>> $1.00 a
>> > gallon from now on.
>> >
>> > As for me, my '86 PT-40's (8V92) worst gas mileage so far was
>> 4.13mpg.
>> > That was sailing through Nebraska at 80mph with the generator
>> running
>> > and four A/Cs on full blast. Later in the trip, when I slowed
>down
>> to
>> > ~70mph, I got about 5mpg. I believe if I keep my speed down and
>am
>> > careful on my next trip I'll be able to coax her closer to 6mpg.
>> > Honestly, for a coach that weighs in at 41,000lbs, that's not
>half
>> > bad.
>> >
>> > -Ryan
>> > '86 PT-40 8V92
>> >
>>
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