Gas mileage isn't all it is touted to be.

[Mark Luper]

I am experiencing something that I think a lot of people do and don't realize it. Last year I needed to purchase a vehicle that my 86 year old mother could get in and out of. All I owned was a pickup truck. A short bed single cab Ford F150, a 2005 model bought in 2004. I loved the truck but my mom could not climb up in it even though it was at stock height.

I looked around a while and finally decided to purchase a Mustang. I had always wanted one and never let myself buy one because they were not practical enough. I decided to toss practicality to the wind and get one anyway. My mother would be able to get in and out of it without much problem and I could get better gas mileage.

I bought a V-6 with a manual 5 speed transmission. On average, in town and some highway driving, I get 22.5 mpg.  I bought a cold air intake and chip flasher and have it set up to use premium fuel. I got some nice added power with those items and a GT muffler I installed.

I ran the numbers and what I found is a $46.00 deficit each month. The pickup got about 15 mpg regularly and ran the regular unleaded at about $2.80 a gal. I drive an average of 375 miles a week. That works out to a fuel expense of $70.00. The Mustang ended up with a fuel expense of  $51.66 using premium at $3.10 a gal. The difference in fuel expense is $18.34 a week or $73.36 a month.

If you factor in the other primary expenses on both vehicles, payments: car costs $100.00 more a month, and insurance: car insurance is $20.00 more a month, the result is that it is costing me $46.64 more a month to drive the Mustang.

The car is a lot more fun to drive than the truck was. The truck was nice and comfortable and actually rode better than the Mustang.  One thing is clear though, even though the Mustang gets a lot better gas mileage, there is a lot more expense to owning a vehicle than just gas mileage.

Word.

Mark

[john9001]

why didn't you buy a car that used regular gas?

[McFarland]

He didn't want one, I'm guessing.

My papaw only runs premium in his vehicles, whether it's a lawn mower or a Cadillac. Except for his S-10 and 72 Nova, they only run on racing fuel, which is $5.00-$6.00 a gallon. It's just that premium is usually better gas, and it's worth the extra, the engine lasts longer without maintenance.

[MiloMorai]

Putting premium fuel in a vehicle that does not require is a HUGE waste of money. Put regular in and maybe you can get high speed internet.

[john9001]

McFarland, i met a southern part time farmer, part time mechanic once, he told me he burned half gas, half diesel in his gas engined farm truck. He said "it smokes a little but it runs good", i asked him why he ran half diesel, he said "my brother in law works for the county". I guess he got the diesel for free.

[McFarland]

Yeah, I could get cheap diesel too, but it's illegal. It's a special type, it's untaxed. It smokes a different color, usually a reddish smoke, so the government can tell who is running it. The reason it's untaxed is because it's what a lot of road crews run. The 18 wheelers around here (my cousin is one) know better than to buy it, cause if you're caught with it, you get some serious fines and jail time.

[Meatwad]

Off-road diesel?

[McFarland]

I beleive that's it, not sure. I know the 18 wheelers aren't allowed to run it. And it's supposed to be untaxed, that may have just been something the company told him.

[Mark Luper]

Originally posted by john9001
why didn't you buy a car that used regular gas?

john, I did buy a car that used regular gas. if you go back and re-read the original post I spoke that I had modified the car to get more power. I did so by re-flashing the computer to increase the timing and increase the fuel mixture. I increased the fuel mixture so I wouldn't burn up the valves or tops of the pistons when I added the cold air induction system that allows a lot more air into the engine.

My point is that gas mileage isn't the only thing controlling the cost of owning a car. I think too much emphasis is put on it.

Mark

[john9001]

Originally posted by Mark Luper

My point is that gas mileage isn't the only thing controlling the cost of owning a car. I think too much emphasis is put on it.

Mark

yes, getting more power out of a engine will certainly affect the cost of ownership, as you now know.

power costs money.

[Mark Luper]

Originally posted by john9001
yes, getting more power out of a engine will certainly affect the cost of ownership, as you now know.

power costs money.

Actually john, I have known about all that for a number of years. I made my living working on cars, trucks and other vehicles back in the early 70's. Better performance does not automatically mean higher cost. It is an increase of the engines efficiency.  It produces more power without changing its size, in this case, and the cash outlay was relatively low.

Modifying a stock vehicle is choosing some variables the factory didn't. I chose more performance at the cost of having to use a higher grade of gasoline. It's all a trade-off. If I could keep my foot off the accelerator I could get better gas mileage too. I  have seen over 30 mpg in this car.

Mark

[VWE]

The only difference between diesel and off-road diesel is the red die put in the latter. Fuel oil used for heating in the north and east is #2 diesel, just like you buy for your vehicle. Jet A that is used by the airlines is #1 diesel, its clear as a glass of water but also a little on the 'dry' side so with an addative you could run it in your vehicle but would actually see a little drop in milage of about 10%... o.k. diesel class 101 is out for the day.

yes, getting more power out of a engine will certainly affect the cost of ownership, as you now know.

Actually when talking about diesels that cost is upfront but you will make it up in the long run with better fuel milage... yes boys and girls that's right, performance enhancements on diesels actually increase your fuel milage.