Gentlemen (and women :D) - Help me with a strategy
 

Scenario...

I need to move a human powered vehicle to Madison, WI and back (~2642 miles total). Due to, "complications," it looks like I probably can't take my car to do so (the plan was to strap it to my roof and go - just like last summer with last year's vehicle).

Last I checked, a teammates truck was offered (2005, v8, crew cab, probably 25 gallon tank, big). He says he maybe gets 17mpg highway.

I need to do this smartly, we've only got a budget of $500 for fuel and hotel (during the drive) - otherwise we pay out of pocket.

I paid $3.369 yesterday for gas - national average yesterday was 3.445. I'm thinking I'll wrangle up some 5 gallon fuel containers. Fill up at home where gas is a little cheaper than the surrounding areas.

Then use the 5 gallon tanks to even out in areas where fuel is more expensive. So if we refuel in a "high price gas" area, it'll be offset with the cheaper 5 gal gas (which would be refuel later in a lower priced station).

Yes, I know it's effort - but think budget.

I may go as far as camping on the way home... But, on the way up, I need a good night's sleep for the competition and don't want to risk feeling like crap before I present our vehicle before the judges (I need to think quick and present effectively).


Any other suggestions - aside from the obvious (air up tires, quickie grille block, etc.) The bad part - I can't get the SG to work in his car (it doesn't even power on).

You don't say where you live or how big the vehicle is. What would it cost to have it delivered? All those things play a part.

Also, I think you posted this in the wrong section.

Ya, think I did put it in the wrong place :p

More Details:

It's a full sized truck, 6 seater - don't recall make/model.
Traveling from Orlando, FL to Madison, WI.
Date of Event: Friday, April 25 by 4pm -- things got complicated today :/

Cost to deliver doesn't matter at this point - there's not time to crate/ship. The cost we got quoted awhile back was ~$600 + crate - plus two round trip plane tickets and 1 one way for the 2.5 of us that wouldn't need to drive.

I don't know how to tell you this, But 2642miles/17mpg * $3.445 = $535.39

Start peddling now? ;)

Plus food. The carbon footprint is huge.

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?)

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 :D

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.


Naw, food isn't an issue - I have to eat anyway, and the lack of activity in the car means I need less food :D I'm going to pack some sandwiches and bring a few jugs of water :D Something I learned from my country crossing last summer was - bring your own food and drink :thumbup: Hell, I'll grow sprouts on the dash... it's easy, cheap, uses little water and I like sprouts :p

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 :D

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 :thumbup:

Yeah, Illinois and Wisconsin are one of the few states that have higher gas tax than Florida. We wanted to be known for something, so we picked taxes. :(

If the car averages 17mpg in daily driving, I think you could push it to 21mpg relatively easily if it's all highway mileage.

My number one suggestion is to slooow down. I realize interstates usually run at 70-80mph, but it is your legal right to drive 55mph. There should be no reason to feel unsafe as you are driving a fuel size pickup...big rigs will overtake. Your trip will take much longer, but you have several people driving so who cares?

You probably have leftover material, so start building some hasty aeromods. A grill block, rear wheel skirts, and an aeroshell made of composite supports and a scrounged plastic drop sheet would do nicely. Using a low-tack tape to stick everything together should prevent the paint from being damaged.

I like the jerry can idea, but it'll only work if you can get the cans free. Start scouring gasbuddy.com along your route and pick out the absolute cheapest gas you can find (remember, places like ARCO are only cheap when paid with cash). 20 gallons + 25 gallons @ 21mpg = 945 miles, almost a straight shot to your event.

2642 miles @ 21 mpg = 125.81 gallons
125.81 gallons @ 3.369 = $423.85

$76.15 should be plenty for one night's hotel and basic foodstuff. I'd just sleep in the bed of the truck on the way home. It's definately doable.

- LostCause

Are the roads, at least, nice? I hear the cycling system in WI is pretty nice :thumbup::thumbup:

Driving out to cali, I noticed the states with cheaper gas had some TERRIBLE roads. Good enough enough to not cause instant driving problems - but bad enough to make the ride excessively fatiguing (I'm looking at you interstate system of Louisiana) :p

That's the other gotcha.... We've got to average at least 60mph to make it in time.... Our final exams are this week, so we're leaving Thursday morning (early) to get there in time (which gives us a few hours of "trouble" time)... We can probably go a little slower if we drive a little longer... but I really want to sleep in a bed for a decent number of hours :p On the way home, we sure as hell will take it slow :thumbup:

Duuude! That's an awesome idea... We've got something like 5 or 6 sheets of foam (4'x8') left plus some scrap wood! A few hours, we can have an foam aeroshell clamped to the bed and held together with 1x4's, 2x4's and tape! I'll have to ask the owner how he feels about it first, of course....

Ditto - I won't be buying any of these :p I'll ask everyone I know for whatever they've got.

If you guys were heading near me I would let you crash for the night I have plenty of room :)

But WV is pretty far out of your way and would end up costing more in gas than the hotel room :(

I say on the way back either do some stealth camping or just sleep in rest areas. And an air mattress in the bed with some wood stakes in the bed pockets with a tarp covering it all makes a nice sleeping area.

Maybe rent a minivan?

They're nice after the spring repairs, which won't start for a while. :o

Checked that option too :(

We're under 25 - extra insurance per driver kills the deal :( Plus, there's a complication with my license to top everything off (I know, this keeps getting more and more terrible). My birthday passed and I never realized my license expired! I renewed it the other day, but the new one wont arrive in time... I can't even rent a car if I wanted to :( (that probably wouldn't stop me - but it's just more risk :p).

I'm gonna ask around to see if anyone I know has a car with a hitch and are willing to swap cars for a few days.... I'm thinking that's unlikely though....

Thanks for the offer though :thumbup::thumbup:

I rent vehicles all the time -- a few times, large vehicles with a heavy payload...

I'm thinking that the truck isn't going to give you the 21 mpg predicted. That's really stretching it.

Second -- STAMINA.

This is a long trip with several temptations to say "to hell with it, let's just max cruise and get there". Been there. It's tough. You and the other drivers may just go the limit or governed limit after a while. On my 15-hour move a few months ago, this exact situation happened. I got weak and just set the "cruise" to full-throttle governor (75 MPH). The trip should have taken 11-hours, but traffic jams offered otherwise.

Sounds like you need a driver ;) When's the event? :p

The rental truck agencies are 18 y/o and older (Penske is my preference -- a bit more than U-haul, but worth the piece of mind). I've rented at least 3 times with moves with Pen. I had a Diesel Freightliner that averaged 18 hwy with a hydraulic lift instead of the ramp -- very convenient. No trailer, and enclosed box. See if you can insist on Diesel if you rent. The price of the fuel is outweighed by the FE.

I'm late to the party here, so dunno if this helps :o

RH77

will your stuff fit in a mini van they get 28 mpg.

how are you going
75 to 74 to 39 to 51

Yeah, 21mpg is probably pushing it... 22mpg is where the comfort zone is - pretty much nothing out of pocket :D

I'll be one of the drivers :D The event is next weekend and we start driving there this Thursday :thumbup:

Yeah, stamina is pretty important... I figure if I get some good music, maybe a book on CD (or two or three :p) etc. I'll keep myself entertained. Driving fast is a function of interest and stress, for me. If I'm bored, I tend to drive faster to use up some extra concentration power that'd otherwise be idling away.... Having nice/new terrain to look at also helps :p

If it's only 18mpg for a rental truck... it's not economical... The rental would be $480 per way - probably + tax (and some sort of environmental fee).

Renting really isn't the way to go it seems, given the mileage and cost of gas (and availability of cars)... The cost of the rental for 6 days is just too high....

no worries about being "late" :p This part isn't over yet, I hope :D

I wish I knew someone that owned a minivan... It probably would fit - the dimensions are 44"H x 35"W x 98"L With the back seat removed - it should totally fit.... It's just finding one - renting is just way too expensive compared to the truck option at the moment...

When I first started working my current job, I was under 25 -- so the solution was Enterprise and a corporate waiver. Minivans generally come at a premium, but can be rented from 18-25 y/o. Can you get a statement from your sponsor(s) as a "Corporate Representative"? Sometimes that's all it takes to waive the age requirement. Other agencies may honor the same waiver.

A Mini-Van may be the solution. How many passengers?

Also, one-way rentals are killer expensive. If someone can drive the vehicle back, the extra time will offset the premium.

-R