High GAS prices will we rv less?

[Rednax]

The higher prices are here to stay. Just how high, and for how long at those new highs, well, we'll see. But the future will not ever again be like the past.

As to RV'ng if one uses it less and doesn't travel as far that just transfers the value to the next owner. And drives up the actual cost of use when rightly understood as time & distance & use.

I find it helps to look at this in this way:

1] How long will the rig be kept?

2] How many miles will it cover in that interim?

3] How many nights of use will take place?

Chart it out. Apply real numbers to it.

Only then do fuel costs make sense. The fixed costs (purchase, finance, depreciation) are far worse. In fact, fuel is less than half in the majority of cases. Motels and rent cars make more sense than the fixed cost RV's some have in their driveways . . sitting and rotting.

In the same vein of making sense of this, what is the family fuel budget? X-gls over a calendar year at a given price per gallon. Where can that be cut (the mundane stuff) without quality suffering?

Again, where can one use the family vehicles "better" (combined trips, for example)? If I make fewer trips at a higher mpg then it is possible that I can "save" enough (in a given budget) to underwrite all travel that year.

On this DD truck I started (close enough) at 12k annual miles at 18-mpg average for the first calendar year (non-vacation miles) in 2008. Let's use $4/gl as the constant.

12,000 miles @ 18-mpg, annually (230-miles/wk)
667/gls @$4/gl = $2,670

I then cut miles by combining all errands, etc. This was roughly 40-miles of driving per week. Seems too minor to note. But it's worth about $450 worth of fuel over a year. And, through learning some FE techniques, etc, I improved my annual mpg to 23 by the end of 2011. Thus, as "learning = ease of altered habits" I not only have reduced my overall annual miles by 20%, but my fuel use has declined by 30% on it's own.

10,000-miles @ 23-mpg, annually (190-miles/wk)
435-gls @ $4/gl = $1,740

All this with no decline in quality of life. Just fewer trips more skilfully driven.

232-gls at an average 14-mpg pulling a 32' TT is (in non-mountaineous terrain) as much as 3,250-miles. The annual family fuel budget (at a constant price) hasn't budged. Travel fuel costs are zero.

Granted, I spec'd both TV & TT for longest life at highest reliability with lowest operating cost (fixed costs). But the principle remains the same for anyone:

1] Reduced mundane driving
2] Improve mpg
3] Make travel cheaper

Changes to fixed costs are where the money really is. An address with a high per square foot energy cost and high related transporation cost
is a killer. Just changing one of those would free up the travel money (not to mention long-term security). Dumping extra cars is another. And a more fuel efficient RV is also on track. A dedicated tow vehicle and a little car to run around in is exactly the wrong direction to take.

By the time fuel costs are the bar to travel, it's too late. Fuel economy is just icing on the cake, overall, when an analysis of all factors in family economy will show a way to do what is desired.

Whining and blaming are the usual posts on threads like these. Would be refreshing to see some different approaches for a change. Going nowhere, relatively, is no answer at all. I though Americans were supposed to be adaptable and innovative. RV tech threads are evidence to just that. This subject should be no different.

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[Perry White]

Diesel went up$.35 overnight here in St Louis.

[85antique]

Wont travel less just wont buy anything when we are away (no eating out no souvenirs no gifts just necessities and fuel) good thing for a digital camera .

[BartLee]

It's not really the price of fuel that bothers me as is everything in the south and more than likely the entire US is going up fuel, food, and everything else. But the wages in the south are far lower that that of most anywhere in the US. As I am a construction worker and travel the country in search of the highest pay. And I think y'all are right government doesn't control the price of fuel. And in MHO that is part of the problem.

[laj]

Originally Posted by 85antique

Wont travel less just wont buy anything when we are away (no eating out no souvenirs no gifts just necessities and fuel) good thing for a digital camera .

My thoughts exactly. I didn't buy this thing to let it sit. Fuel is the cheapest part And besides, I'm not letting anyone take this enjoyment away from me. They are taking to many things already.

[KarenS]

I am a reporter with a major media outlet writing a story on whether the higher gas prices are affecting people's rv plans this summer. I'd love to speak with some of you to follow up on what you've posted here - though I will ask your full name and city.

Some of the questions I have are:

-What type of RV do you have and how would you use it in a typical summer?
-Will the high gas prices effect your travel plans for this summer?
-If so, how?
-Are you considering a different motor home or trailer in hopes of getting better fuel efficiency?
-Do you have any tips for others with motorhomes about how to economize when gas prices get this high?

You can email me directly at karenlschwartz@yahoo.com if you like.
Thanks
Karen Schwartz
www.karenlschwartz.com

[W4RLR]

We thought we could buy a home in Tennessee, but things didn't work out. So we are now accidental full timers.

What will increased fuel prices do to us? Not much. We're in a seasonal site on a lakeside campground 40 minutes west of Chattanooga. Our living costs have actually DECREASED, but we have been forced to make some major lifestyle changes. The fiver stays put, and we make a lot of day trips in one of the two compact cars we own. The diesel truck doesn't get used as much. We'll be moving to Texas for a few months when the weather in Tennessee gets too cold to stay, and we'll stay seasonally there.

Our eventual plans have changed, we plan now to build a place where we can have a small living space and bedroom, with a place to hook up our fiver under a pole barn. It would keep our sticks and bricks costs down and allow us to travel even on a disabled veteran's budget. It would also fit more with being "empty nesters", needing more of a home base than a large home.

[Funkmoney]

Will be forced to RV less or maybe just stay in state! Boooooooooo!

[crazycanuck]

Good to see i am not alone in ottawa ,canadian gas is at 1.40 a litre thats about 5.60 american gallon. We plan to go to see our sons in alberta canada this june starting june 11th return mid august our 1988 pa only gets 8mpg on flat land 4-6 in mountains,so we made a hard choice,WE GO THE MH STAYS HOME we'll take the car at 34mpg but the best thing is we are going via the USA because of YOUR cheap gas---- THE TRIP---ottawa to sault ste. marie cross over,mi.,wis. minn. to mitchell sd.(corn Palace) then on to Wall(scenic badlands)rapid city,mount rushmore,crazy horse,hot springs,and deadwood, up through wyoming Montana into alberta to the boys for two weeks on to calgary ,edmonton over the rockies to vancouver island tour,back into Washington and oregon,back across the US to detriot and home.
We bought a 12volt cooler for picnic lunches on route ,breakfast free at hotels ,supper light or heavy as we go.
Thank you for helping us out with cheap gas and the opportunity to see yor beauiful country
carl

[dinkie0720]

we waiting a not nice winter for camping,and we plan to RV more than ever before, is camping time guys,don`t slow we need to keep the spirit of the campgrounds,and have fun some times the summer get short.
The gas prices is going hight again no matter what.

[crazycanuck]

just a thought. we are talking about high gas prices and this will affect all our travel plans in one way or another, but what about our economy recovery in general?
in Canada and the US i estimate about one million RVs.If we cut back on gas,hotels ,eating out,less sightseeing,tours,shorter stays,the list goes on,i estimate about $1000.00 dollars each taken out of the economy,that relates to $1 billion dollars making way for layoffs in the tourism industy in the four months of summer am i wrong or has our governments considered all these ripal effects.
How much in dollars for your 2012 season do you plan to trim

[RedneckExpress]

I'm down to one trip this year, depending on what gas prices do, if they skyrocket, that number will drop to zero. The higher gas prices have already required me to cancel going to 3 rally's that were within a 2 tank range to use the money to put toward the big trip's fuel fund (Currently projected at $4000 for 5700 miles), moving $720 towards the savings account vs traveling now, also trimming out any campground fees, food, or discretionary spending that might have occurred on those trips.

[chuckinthebus]

Originally Posted by W4RLR

We thought we could buy a home in Tennessee, but things didn't work out. So we are now accidental full timers.

What will increased fuel prices do to us? Not much. We're in a seasonal site on a lakeside campground 40 minutes west of Chattanooga. Our living costs have actually DECREASED, but we have been forced to make some major lifestyle changes. The fiver stays put, and we make a lot of day trips in one of the two compact cars we own. The diesel truck doesn't get used as much. We'll be moving to Texas for a few months when the weather in Tennessee gets too cold to stay, and we'll stay seasonally there.

Our eventual plans have changed, we plan now to build a place where we can have a small living space and bedroom, with a place to hook up our fiver under a pole barn. It would keep our sticks and bricks costs down and allow us to travel even on a disabled veteran's budget. It would also fit more with being "empty nesters", needing more of a home base than a large home.

Are you at Hales Bar on Nickajack?

[mc4fun]

Well, a lot of good reading here, as we are just starting out we will be Doing a lot of RVing. I have not come up with an equation that will make it less costly to See the county and Take the whole family along for a week to 10 days than the RV...... So, for us at least, we are going to not be affected by the pump right now....