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Old 03-06-2012, 05:31 AM   #51 (permalink)
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when carpooling, (i take it you mean car sharing, ie lifts to work with 4 people), do you take it turns each week, so you get 3 weeks off driving, or do you always use your car. If the latter, then do you charge the passengers the actual cost, or the going rate cents/mile thus making a 'little profit'?? be honest now!

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Old 03-06-2012, 09:16 AM   #52 (permalink)
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I use a local website that predicts fuel price changes (based on the crude market price).
So I'll fill up when prices are predicted to go up, and hold off (or buy less) when prices are about to go down.

When you see my tank getting filled up at 4 to 500 km, it's usually because prices were about to go up.
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Old 03-06-2012, 09:43 AM   #53 (permalink)
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Several years ago there was an online service that would let you buy as much gas as you wanted at a given price. You could then fill up at that price at any station (you got a rebate for the extra money spent if the price had risen). I don't remember the service's name or know if it is even still around.

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Old 03-17-2012, 01:11 AM   #54 (permalink)
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I don't hide the fact that I make money off of carpooling, I'm the one putting the miles on my car.

I charge each person $65 for the month and then subtract any days that I missed from the previous month.

I put the extra money in my car maintenance fund and they get to keep miles off their cars (which are much newer)
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Old 03-17-2012, 09:05 AM   #55 (permalink)
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I've done a spreadsheet analysis using the gas prices from last year, during which there were several wild swings in the prices. The analysis shows that following a strategy of buying gas immediately prior to prices rising, and delaying purchases while prices are falling or stable does result in savings. There is no "averaging out"! The analogy to the stock market, where dollar-cost-averaging is valid, is flawed.

The problem of course is: while there are savings, the savings do not amount to much, especially if you have a small gas tank or high usage or low mpg that do not allow you to benefit from the downward price trends due to needing to fill up too soon to take advantage of them.

Anyways, with my Insight (10.5 gal tank) and 240 mi weekly commute, I can wait two weeks before filling if need be, so one would think my annual savings would be substantial, but they're not of course. Assuming that I had been able to perfectly predict peaks, both high and low, last year, my savings would have been no greater than $3.82 (vs. filling once per week regardless of price).
With a larger tank, or applying the strategy with multiple cars, the savings can be greater, of course, but nothing earth-shattering. For example, the ability to wait two weeks before filling a 40 gal tank would result in savings of about $15.00
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Old 03-17-2012, 11:44 AM   #56 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by elgecko84 View Post
I don't hide the fact that I make money off of carpooling, I'm the one putting the miles on my car.

I charge each person $65 for the month and then subtract any days that I missed from the previous month.

I put the extra money in my car maintenance fund and they get to keep miles off their cars (which are much newer)
...I, too, actually made money from carpooling back when I worked at the Yuma Proving Ground, Yuma, AZ. My little '72 1.6L Pinto was getting 36 mpg with four people aboard...of course, I'd "tweeked" a few things mechanically, like changing the axle from 3.55:1 to 3.18:1, added long-length header, front spoiler, and electronic ignition system.
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Old 03-17-2012, 02:06 PM   #57 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Old Tele man View Post
...I, too, actually made money from carpooling back when I worked at the Yuma Proving Ground, Yuma, AZ. My little '72 1.6L Pinto was getting 36 mpg with four people aboard...of course, I'd "tweeked" a few things mechanically, like changing the axle from 3.55:1 to 3.18:1, added long-length header, front spoiler, and electronic ignition system.
And the aftermarket fire suppression system?
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Old 03-17-2012, 02:25 PM   #58 (permalink)
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Old 03-17-2012, 04:13 PM   #59 (permalink)
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...much to many peoples' chagrin (ha,ha).
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Old 03-17-2012, 05:38 PM   #60 (permalink)
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I live in a small mountain community, with high gas prices. we go grocery shopping in redding, 45 miles away. gas prices are usually 10-15 cents cheaper there. so we fill up regardless of how much gas we have.

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