Changed home to get better mpgs???

[freebeard]

Just wondered if anybody else out there has picked a place to live specifically at least mostly percentage wise as a place to get great fuel mileage?

I already responded, but it occurs to me that before I aged out of the employables pool, I made a point of living where the sun was to my back morning and evening. No driving into the sunrise or sunset.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by freebeard

I aged out of the employables pool

At this point there are two extremes, the folks who move to a small place near a handful of places of special interest, and the ones who would just rather go to the countryside.

[Should be biking]

Sounds like you’re a bit hung up on mpg instead of minimizing overall fuel consumption. Even if mpg were slightly less, wouldn’t you use less fuel overall if you lived close to the freeway instead of driving another 15 minutes? Or if you lived in town and could walk or bike to the grocery store instead of driving there?

[larrybuck]

These days with fuel prices the way they are, I try to always combine at least five different tasks any time I go out. I take coolers with me and I do my weekly grocery shopping when I'm making a trip 70 miles one way for a different reason and combine the two tasks so I'm going to stores that have cheaper prices than in the little town where I live near. Another reason I pick where I live is it is very affordable compared to the 70 miles away in Vancouver Washington. I have an automotive Utopia here where I can keep several Vehicles out of the rain on 5 Acres big shop and garage I would have to be a millionaire to achieve this if I were two counties to the South

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by Should be biking

Even if mpg were slightly less, wouldn’t you use less fuel overall if you lived close to the freeway instead of driving another 15 minutes?

Possibly.

Or if you lived in town and could walk or bike to the grocery store instead of driving there?

Sometimes, even when it would take longer to walk to some destinations in my hometown, if I can combining it with some stops and take shortcuts it can even be easier to go walking. And it may also serve as an exercise for me and the dog.

[Ecky]

For me it has mostly been incidental. I generally prefer to live in places that are less crowded, with lower speed limits and more space. It's nice when things align like that.

Vermont was quite cold for 1/3 (or more) of the year, but I still managed better economy in any of the places I lived there, than in Michigan even in summer.

The other alternative I'd consider is living within walking or biking distance of anything that would require a short trip. Burlington VT was very much that as well, so much so that I even walked most places in winter. The suburbs in SE Michigan are again a bit too spread out, even if you try to pick a place strategically.

I believe my next living area / vehicle combo will be an area with medium to low density but also mass transit, mild weather, and a small displacement convertible to enjoy said weather when I just want to go for a leisurely drive.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by Ecky

I generally prefer to live in places that are less crowded, with lower speed limits and more space.

Reminds me the last military housing area where I lived. Even though most of the commerce within the borough would only cover a few basic needs, and was in the outskirts of the city where I lived at the time, had a quite easy offering of mass transit because the airport was located there.

The other alternative I'd consider is living within walking or biking distance of anything that would require a short trip.

I usually walk a lot, often planning ahead depending on the distance, so what may be "walking distance" often varies.

[Ecky]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

I usually walk a lot, often planning ahead depending on the distance, so what may be "walking distance" often varies.

In the Detroit metro, that sometimes means playing Frogger with traffic (no sidewalks in many areas), with temperatures well below freezing and lots of wind. Vehicles often do not obey yields.