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Originally Posted by dcb
I don't know how to tell you this, But 2642miles/17mpg * $3.445 = $535.39
Start peddling now?  |
I know - we're probably going to exceed $500 - it's just by how much. I've put a bit of my own money into this thus far - so I'm trying to minimize the rest
I've been putting together a fuel map for my route to see where it's better to fuel up etc. I'm going to make a gradient and do a simple rolling cost curve to get a better estimate other than assuming national average (super easy in excel)...
I've learned,
Fuel in IL is significantly more expensive than surrounding states on the route - so fill up everything before leaving TN (the cheapest state) where gas is ~3.35. It's only ~350 miles of the trip, so we can probably avoid fuel in that entire state.
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Plus food. The carbon footprint is huge.
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Naw, food isn't an issue - I have to eat anyway, and the lack of activity in the car means I need less food
I'm going to pack some sandwiches and bring a few jugs of water
Something I learned from my country crossing last summer was - bring your own food and drink
Hell, I'll grow sprouts on the dash... it's easy, cheap, uses little water and I like sprouts
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Hmm, does someone else have a more efficient car you could use, or trade with the truck for a week or so? Would a trailer help (menards or harbor freight $200 jobbie or a converted boat trailer or something?)
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Well... I'm debating getting a hidden hitch from uhaul... It's $160 (I think installed). I've got access to a free trailer - but it'll cost me 1 tank of gas to go pick it up from Tampa. So that's ~$200 (including fuel to get trailer). I estimate ~25mpg towing the thing - so fuel cost is $364 @ $3.445 per gallon.
So that's $564 total - and the $160 comes out of my pocket - not the $500. And I don't need a hitch.... It'd be cheaper to take the super big truck @17mpg (which I might be able to get up higher - 18/19mpg? - by driving smartly...)
So trailer is no go - but don't get me wrong, great suggestion
Someone else on the team has a truck...It's just not reliable
Not sure what the FE is (it is a smaller engine an a smaller truck) - but the reliability issue throws it out instantly. There was a.... mysterious burning smell the other day... and it was out of commission much of this semester...
I'll ask around to see if there's a better vehicle available (or someone with a hitch that fits a Jetta Sedan)... just at the moment, this is our option.
Thanks for the suggestions thus far - keep 'em coming if you've got 'em