Question: Will current gas prices curb the distance of your trips?

[Doug P.]

Nope the price of gas won't stop us from camping.
We will just cut back on eating out, pick up our liquor
and bigger purchases in Alberta when we are there and
camp in more forestry sites as they are free.

[Byron Kinnaman]

We'll still be camping, but will be driving less around town. And as others have said we'll cut back in other places. Less eating out, consolidate trips as much as possible, drive the Blazer instead of the truck, possibly use the Blazer some of the shorter camping trips, etc. etc.
Next winter's trip will probably be a lot less than the 6200 miles we did this year.

[Ron Humerickhouse]

Nope ! we will camp some place even if its in the back field,,,,might set up a spot under some trees so we can circle the wagons !! Ron

[5thwheelreviews]

Well, with just a little more training, I'm hoping I can get my zero-carbon emmissions machine to pull my truck -

YouTube - Dave_Harley.mov

If not, these fule prices are probably going to keep me pretty close to home...

[mcbrew]

Won't stop me! The rising prices at campgrounds and parks is outpacing the price of gas. That's what has me worried.

I get about 24 MPG towing the Scamp. About 36 MPG not towing (Can get 40+ driving locally). So, if I drive 200 miles each way and stay in a $99/night hotel for two nights, that's $242. If I tow the scamp and stay in a $60/night campground, that's $186. These numbers roughly reflect a trip we have planned this summer. Most hotel rooms in that area are more than $99, though.

[honda03842]

We just drove 1500 milea to FL to pickup our 'new' 1991 Scamp 16 Side Bath. It took us four days 2 motels ($77 total due to a connection) and 1 relative's bedroom (Dinner $72) plus $188 for gas averaging 29 mpg.

Though the motels were very nice, included breakfast, you don't have that 'at home' feel you have in your trailer. The king size bed is so large compared to our Casita/Scamp you wake up feeling you've been sleeping alone.

It is painful to put $50 worth of gas in the Honda. I'm afraid it will soon be $5 a gallon and as Jesse wrote it's not just gas because all prices eventually track energy prices.

Norm

[mcbrew]

Another interesting thing about gas prices:

After selling my previous car (a 2003 VW Golf TDI), I sat down and calculated the cost of ownership. I drove the car for approximately 6 years and 145,000 miles. This car got exceptional fuel economy (being a turbodiesel) and was relatively trouble free, although maintenance was more expensive than my old Mercedes! I figured that fuel (diesel, not gas) came to just around 20% of the cost of ownership. Keep in mind, though, that this includes spending up to $4.999 for diesel fuel!

I expect fuel to be a larger percentage of the cost of ownership for my current car (a Toyota/Scion xD) for three reasons: 1) it gets fewer MPGs than the TDI. 2) I tow much more often with the Scion than I did with the TDI. 3) Maintenance is going to be cheaper with the xD.

My point (and I do have one) is that there are many other things that add into your cost per mile, even if you don't think about them at the time: Car payments, insurance, oil, filters, scheduled and unexpected maintenance, etc. These things don't really change when it comes to towing vs. not towing. About the only thing that changes is the fuel economy. When all that is factored in, towing your FGRV becomes an even better deal compared to getting a hotel/motel room.

Something to think about: At the peak of diesel fuel prices back in 2008, it took $80+ to fill the tank on my VW Golf. Gasoline was more than a dollar cheaper than diesel for most of that time. These days, diesel is usually priced about the same as premium gas... or about $30 cents more than regular unleaded. $80 to fill a compact car! The 1983 Mercedes 240D that I drive back in the early 90s had a custom made 52 gallon tank... it would have cost $260 to fill that beast a few years ago!!!

[CallDon]

Originally Posted by mcbrew

I expect fuel to be a larger percentage of the cost of ownership for my current car (a Toyota/Scion xD) for three reasons: 1) it gets fewer MPGs than the TDI. 2) I tow much more often with the Scion than I did with the TDI. 3) Maintenance is going to be cheaper with the xD.

So my question is, do you tow your Scamp with the Scion xD??

Class 1 hitch or class 2??

D*

[honda03842]

Jesse,
Your approach is an interesting way to think about it. I just did a similar analysis covering our Honda CRV, now 7 years old.

We hope to cover another 100,000 miles for a total of 250,000 miles before replacing it. Not counting gas I figure, including cost of purchase, Insurance, Property Tax, Registration, Tires and Repairs that it costs us 13 to 15 cents per mile driven.

Gasoline at $4 a gallon and getting 23 mpg when towing costs 17 cents per mile towed for gas alone and 14 cents per mile when not towing.

Gasoline at $5 a gallon and 23 mpg when towing costs 22 cents per mile towed for gas alone and 18 cents per mile when when not towing.

It certainly seems simple vehicle ownership is a very significant per mile cost. The difference is that gasoline has now become the dominant per mile number, at least for me. I think in part people respond to what they see, the gas receipt at the pump.

Gasoline becomes an even more significant percentage of cost per mile for those getting lower tow mileages, quickly approaching $0.33 per mile at $4 per gallon and 12 mpg.

As some one else posted the increasing fuel costs will drive everything else up as well, just compounding the problem. Inflation this month was up 50% higher (0.2% compared to 0.3%) than Washington expected and I fear that's only the beginning.

Jesse, thanks for the interesting thought line,

Norm

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by Bruce Thomas

And in reality if we are not at the campground with the vehicle parked most of the time, our two cars are buzzing around all over anyway. Seems we are hardly ever in the same car unless gone on a trip. My fuel bills are a lot higher here than when camping.......Bruce

I've always said that it's cheaper for me to vacation out-of-state than to commute at home. Having said that, I've cut back on weekend get-aways and have turned my attention to the voluminous "Honey-do" list that I previously kept putting off. I am coming dangerously close to completing it all.

[Mike Magee]

mcbrew, were you able to buy an off-the shelf hitch or did you need to have a custom one made? Do you have automatic or stick? How fast do you travel to achieve that 24 towing mpg?

Kind of lightweight and short wheelbase, but to the plus side the rear overhang is about nonexistent.

[Bruce H]

Life is not about seeing how cheaply you can get to your grave.

[Mike Magee]

Originally Posted by Bruce H

Life is not about seeing how cheaply you can get to your grave.

Sounds pretty philosophical. But I'm still curious.

[5thwheelreviews]

Originally Posted by Bruce H

Life is not about seeing how cheaply you can get to your grave.

Now that is a quote I will be using with some of the kids I counsel with...

[honda03842]

The first person I worked for told me that "Life is about maximizing fun", fun in the sense of enjoyment.

He continued that if you're not having fun, find something else to do. Without a doubt RVing is fun.

Norm

[Alf S.]

Hi: All...We already get the best mileage towing our light weight "Eggs". Maybe if we y'all slowed down a little and observed that speed limits are maximums, we y'all could get further along.
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[theresa p]

hmmmm...from new brunswick to florida and back. we put on close to 10,000 kms by the time we were done. no matter where we went, gas was cheaper than at home...even when the prices increased!
at NO time did we consider shortening our trip or doing any particular day trip due to the increased cost of fuel.
from our perspective, american gas is still a whole lot cheaper than up here. when the conversion is considered, we're paying close to, if not over, $5 for one US gallon. makes $4 look like a relative bargoon!
will we limit our trips this summer? NO
will we stay home next winter instead of heading south? NO
will we continue to enjoy our camping as often as possible? YES
will we be broke and living on weiners and beans because of it? POSSIBLY....
but---will we be HAPPY?? YES!!!!!!!!

[floyd]

Originally Posted by mcbrew

Won't stop me! The rising prices at campgrounds and parks is outpacing the price of gas. That's what has me worried.

I get about 24 MPG towing the Scamp. About 36 MPG not towing (Can get 40+ driving locally). So, if I drive 200 miles each way and stay in a $99/night hotel for two nights, that's $242. If I tow the scamp and stay in a $60/night campground, that's $186. These numbers roughly reflect a trip we have planned this summer. Most hotel rooms in that area are more than $99, though.

$60/night for a campground??!! If that were my only alternative,it would preclude the use of my Scamp altogether! $30 starts to strain my credulity!

[CallDon]

Originally Posted by theresa p

will we be broke and living on weiners and beans because of it? POSSIBLY....
but---will we be HAPPY?? YES!!!!!!!!

As a single adult make, I can honestly say that good things come from cans!

(You should be behind me in line at the grocery store! )

D*

[5thwheelreviews]

Originally Posted by floyd

$60/night for a campground??!! If that were my only alternative,it would preclude the use of my Scamp altogether! $30 starts to strain my credulity!

I do the vast majority of my camping in the National Forests. For a site with full hook-ups, I pay between 15 - 20 bucks. I usually only use it for one night to fill the water tank, empty the waste tanks and then go to an area of the forest where camping is free. I LOVE our National Forests. If you're a senior or have a disability, your cost is 50% less for life. I try to refrain from using the on-line reservation system because if you have a change in plans, you pay a cancellation penalty. I've rarely had any issue with just showing up and being able to get a nice space. Many also have very nice and clean rest rooms and showers. Come to think of it, I cannot think of a single National Forest that I have been disappointed with, and I've been to a bunch of them. No KOA on the other hand... ;-)