Fuel economy

[Jon]

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Gardner Yeaw"
wrote:
>
> David,
> I agree that with a 2002 coach you are still eating the
> depreciation at a high rate, but I am looking at mid 80's coaches
> where the depreciation is far less. 20k for storage and maintenance
> is a pretty big number. I pay about $800 for storage and maybe 1 or
> 2k for maintenance. I can do most things myself.
>
> Actually I thought the steam engine would elicit more of a
> reaction.
>
> Gardner
> 78FC33
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, David Brady
> wrote:
> >
> > Fuel is still a small part of the total cost of ownership.
> > For my coach I figure $20K per year depreciation, $10K
> > per year for storage and insurance, and another $10K
> > for annual maintenance. If I travel 10K miles at a cost of
> > .50 cents per mile that's an incremental $5K on top of my
> > $40K of fixed costs. Even if fuel doubles in price I'm only
> > shelling out $10K, still a fraction of my $40K of annual fixed
> > costs.
> >
> >
> > David Brady
> > '02 LXi, NC
> >
> > Don Bradner wrote:
> > >
> > > 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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Ok I guess there really not much to be done about this fuel issue but
I just found this and maybe I can adapt it to my old Wanderlodge
Barge (Rebel Bird). And since I live in Washington and not down in
the deep south I can just stop oft by the side of the road and get a
new batch of fuel when I need it. Hope you guys don't mind a little
humor-Jon

http://tinyurl.com/2v5ph9

Jon
78 Wanderlodge
Rebel Bird with lots of new ideas!