$3.50 per gallon!!!

[BCDave]

That's why I put the word "free" in quotes. Even those of us with a well have to pay for the power to get it outta the well. Metropolitan Vancouver, BC is the "next best thing" to "free" as they do not meter the water use And No, I've never figured that out either!

[BCDave]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Actually this thread is getting scary, as prices go up, camping will go down. Auto sales, rv sales and the economy in general will all decline, another recession and we are still in one. That is why I'm a little scared!!

Hopefully the prices will go down "firstest and fastest" on the full-size pickups, with the biggest engines - so I can afford to get one!

My '92 has depreciated to where it can't go any lower - its scrap metal value is about the same as its trade in or re-sale value. (I'm driving for FREE!!!! I Love it!!!!) Makes it really hard to justify getting a newer one, but I really wanna step up to more torque and HP.

[GeorgeR]

I just conservatively calculated the cost of our planned 3-4 month long trip crisscrossing US. Total distance at 9,000 miles would require 700 gal for $3,500 (13mpg, diesel at $5/gal). Ouch, based on these costs we are considering shortening the trip this year and getting something more fuel efficient for next year. With 20mpg gas/diesel RV trailer or Sprinter this trip fuel cost would be reduced by $1250. With upcoming Ford Transit and Fiat Ducato van conversion could become a good option but smaller trailer could still be our best option. I guess the climbing cost of gas is beginning to drive our RV behavior.

George.

[Darwin Maring]

Fiat Ducato van

Do they sell them in the USA?

[honda03842]

GeorgeR

We've driven 8,000 miles in 14-15 weeks, about a 1/3rd of the way thru our trip. So far we have spent $1,180 on gas at an average cost of $3.36 per gallon. This amounts to $78 per week.

The cost at $5 per gallon would be $1754. This would amount to $116 per week.

In either case long range travel is still doable, at least in smaller trailers with smaller tow vehicles. I think that the fiberglass trailer manufacturers could do more to make fiberglass travel more affordable.

[BCDave]

Originally Posted by Darwin Maring

Fiat Ducato van

Do they sell them in the USA?

I thot Fiats in the USA were called Dodges?

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by BCDave

That's why I put the word "free" in quotes. Even those of us with a well have to pay for the power to get it outta the well. Metropolitan Vancouver, BC is the "next best thing" to "free" as they do not meter the water use And No, I've never figured that out either!

Actually Dave you are not actually correct on that. We all get a water bill and West Vancouver & the City of Langley have meters on every house and some other areas have volunteer metering - think Richmond is one of them. Most areas have had metering on multi units for a long time.

Many other areas in Metropolitan Vancouver have required meters to be put on all new connections whether a new build or a reno for a number of years (at least 6 years if not more in my area) and I am pretty darn sure the City of Vancouver does as well.

[GeorgeR]

Originally Posted by Darwin Maring

Fiat Ducato van

Do they sell them in the USA?

I believe they will be sold under Chrysler badge. Ducato is the most popular van for conversion to RV in EU. Let’s just hope they will bring a small diesel to these shores.
http://alderkoten.com/automotive/2012/01/13/chrysler-build-ducato-van-mexico/

[GeorgeR]

Originally Posted by honda03842

GeorgeR

We've driven 8,000 miles in 14-15 weeks, about a 1/3rd of the way thru our trip. So far we have spent $1,180 on gas at an average cost of $3.36 per gallon. This amounts to $78 per week.

The cost at $5 per gallon would be $1754. This would amount to $116 per week.

In either case long range travel is still doable, at least in smaller trailers with smaller tow vehicles. I think that the fiberglass trailer manufacturers could do more to make fiberglass travel more affordable.

We are aiming toward your level of gas mileage which is financially doable for us as well; in actuality either case is OK but our wallet is unhappy and our green bloods boils with 13mpg. We came from the world of VW Westphalias (we had 77 and 85) and moved to this two axles’ trailer. Somehow we were both convinced that 2 axles were necessary for safety, mainly due to my wife’s past experience of seeing a fatal accident in Yosemite. In 2008, when we purchased our 21’ Bigfoot we were considering smaller trailers but 2 axles safety took priority. Today with TPS safety and a different perspective a single axle should be OK for us. Being more of camping type than RVers smaller trailer is no issue for us.
George.

[BCDave]

Originally Posted by GeorgeR

I believe they will under Chrysler badge. Ducato is the most popular van for conversion to RV in EU. Let’s just hope they will bring a small diesel to these shores.
http://alderkoten.com/automotive/2012/01/13/chrysler-build-ducato-van-mexico/

Is Ducato the singular of Ducati?

[GeorgeR]

Originally Posted by BCDave

Is Ducato the singular of Ducati?

I don't speak Italian, but Ducato is a van and Ducati is courage. I never had Ducati but I had a Buell; in one of their surveys they asked how many times per week you are doing wheelies or stoppies, I did unintentional wheelies a few times but never a stoppie. My gray hair would be grayer.

George.

[BCDave]

Originally Posted by honda03842

We met a couple from Wisconsin towing a 5th wheel with a Chevy diesel. He commented that he's feeling he can no longer afford to travel as prices keep rising, diesel over $4 here.

I asked him how long he was on the road, he said they'd be gone from Wisconsin for 5 weeks and were driving across TX and than back home.

Though I didn't comment, driving a 1000 miles a week is probably not affordable for many. At this rate he's spending $300 to $400 a week on fuel.

Those short trips are killers for big rigs and large tow vehicles. He came into our park at Seminole State Park (Comstock, TX) and stayed one night and was than heading a few hundred miles to his next park.

We'll cover 11,000 tow miles in 11 months, not 5,000 tow miles in 5 weeks. I know we're lucky to be able to travel in this style. My goal is to show that longer, slower trips are more affordable...by the way we spent 4 days at Seminole and could happily have spent a month.

Whether he takes 5 weeks or 5 months to cover the 5,000 miles, he will still cover 5,000 miles so, won't his total fuel consumption be the same?

[GeorgeR]

Originally Posted by BCDave

Whether he takes 5 weeks or 5 months to cover the 5,000 miles, he will still cover 5,000 miles so, won't his total fuel consumption be the same?

The difference is $5,000/month or $1,250/month. On any fixed monthly income such as retirement funds disbursement, social security, or salary it makes a difference.

George.

[GeorgeR]

Originally Posted by honda03842

GeorgeR

We've driven 8,000 miles in 14-15 weeks, about a 1/3rd of the way thru our trip. So far we have spent $1,180 on gas at an average cost of $3.36 per gallon. This amounts to $78 per week.

The cost at $5 per gallon would be $1754. This would amount to $116 per week.

In either case long range travel is still doable, at least in smaller trailers with smaller tow vehicles. I think that the fiberglass trailer manufacturers could do more to make fiberglass travel more affordable.

So you average MPG is about 22.78 mpg which is excellent. This is our aim.
George.

[honda03842]

Whether he takes 5 weeks or 5 months to cover the 5,000 miles, he will still cover 5,000 miles so, won't his total fuel consumption be the same?

BCDave,

Our Wisconsin freind's total fuel consumption will be the same. There are two aspects to fuel costs, the total cost of the trip and the rate of expenditure.

Many people will drive 1000 miles or even 2000 miles to a rally getting 15 mpg, spending $500-700 on $5/gal fuel for a weekend. Most people who RV can not afford that kind of expenditure often.

For me 2000 miles of travel is 30 days not a 5 day rally. My thought was that long term travel permits the fuel cost to be spread over lots of days of RVing fun.

Secondarily, we get 23 mpg. We met a Scamp 13 owner towing with a V6 getting 16-17 mpg and was wondering why he was told he needed a V6 to tow a Scamp 13 when it's now apparent he could be towing with a vehicle that gets much better mileage. I believe it's important for RV manufacturers to do more than add 'Light or even XtrLight' to the names of their products but to make products people can afford to travel in, to offer suggestions of how to tow economically.

I do recognize that we are fortunate to be on the road for extended periods, it is our choice. I was trying to show that there is a way of travel that allows one to afford the lifestyle. My Wisconsin friend also told me that he might have to end his adventures and that he had noticed a lot fewer people on the road.

I do see some of these 5 week travelers, in the same retired state as us, rush from place to place in the same fashion that they rushed about when their vacations came in one week intervals. In some way they have not seen that they can slow down, that driving is not a contest to cover distance.

We took a couple of friends on a 100 mile ride thru rural FL. On completion they commented that we had opened their eyes to so much that they drove by and did not see before when their eyes were focused on the boredom of the road.

I do not mean this as praise for us but rather that everywhere there are big and small things of interest to observe that can make the ride interesting. As we drive I sometimes get angry with myself for not stopping more often, for not spending a day in some small town we drive thru to understand who those people are. Maybe I am still more impatient than I should be or maybe I see the clock running out and am getting on.

from a person who has a little time..... hoping all that was OK

[steve dunham]

My wife and I are planning our first trip to the Canadian Rockies , then west to the Pacific coast , then south along the west coast to San Mateo California and then back to Wisconsin . The total trip will be about 6000 miles . My wife wants to accomplish this in two weeks or about 450 miles a day , I want to take 5 to 6 weeks or about 150 miles per day (AVERAGE) I know the gas cost will be the same either way but 8 hours behind the wheel for 14 straight days is not my idea of a vacation ( My wife does NOT drive towing a trailer) Plus by taking 5 to 6 weeks I can spread my costs out over a longer period allowing my pension income to keep pace with my expenditures. I also can utilize less expensive campgrounds because my travel schedule is more flexible . I do not want to turn retirement into an 8 hour a day job PLUS Norm's way of traveling seems like it would be far more enjoyable and gives you a chance to really see the country not just view it through your windshield

Steve Dunham

[floyd]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

My wife and I are planning our first trip to the Canadian Rockies , then west to the Pacific coast , then south along the west coast to San Mateo California and then back to Wisconsin . The total trip will be about 6000 miles . My wife wants to accomplish this in two weeks or about 450 miles a day , I want to take 5 to 6 weeks or about 150 miles per day (AVERAGE) I know the gas cost will be the same either way but 8 hours behind the wheel for 14 straight days is not my idea of a vacation ( My wife does NOT drive towing a trailer) Plus by taking 5 to 6 weeks I can spread my costs out over a longer period allowing my pension income to keep pace with my expenditures. I also can utilize less expensive campgrounds because my travel schedule is more flexible . I do not want to turn retirement into an 8 hour a day job PLUS Norm's way of traveling seems like it would be far more enjoyable and gives you a chance to really see the country not just view it through your windshield

Steve Dunham

The last time we had gas at $4.25+ we did a three week 5800 mile trip to Oregon/Washington State from Illannoy. Our daily cost for fuel approached $75 and our lodging averaged only $8 per night. Your plan of staying longer at each stop is a good one and gives you a chance to explore the areas through which you travel, making the trip a better value and stretching your expenses.
40 years ago we took a car/motel trip to Myrtle Beach NC and spent about $8 a day for fuel and $75 a night for lodging!

[charliej]

$4.37 a gallon in Fresno, California

[cpaharley2008]

I agree 100%.

[Darwin Maring]

To Steve Dunham

I don't think she wants to go.