Finally retired the 'burb from the daily commute...

[ckhd]

80 miles a day, 10-11 mpg, $2/gal gas. I had to do it. I finally got the title for my Metro.

Drove it to work yesterday. It took less fuel to fill it up than it does to drive one day in the 'burb.

My estimates are that it will save me over $200 a month, and that's counting the Metro's registration, insurance, fuel, and oil (no payment, it's a '90 that my sister blew the engine in, so she gave it to me, and I got another engine for $25).

Don't worry, the 'burb still gets driven, and now I'll be able to put the new suspension parts under it (that I've had for over a year) since I won't be relying on it every day.

I've also had an epiphany on gas prices. It's not OPEC trying to raise the prices that the US has enjoyed for so long, it's Japan. OPEC doesn't stand to really gain anything by raising prices. People are just going to use less fuel by buying more fuel efficient cars, which ends up making the OPEC countries the same amount of money, but Japan makes a killing by selling their tiny rice burners. I don't know what Japan has over OPEC, but it must be something good.

[stelth2002]

I agree i use a toyota that i got cheap to drive to school and what not everyday. I live out in the country off campus so its considerable compared to people that walk to school. Gas is getting outrageous and forcing people to find better ways to use energy. somethings that i have great potential are water and biodiesel. Ive used both.

[lukecp]

I hope to get a cheap gas-miser soon too (proably this summer).....i commute to college and home a couple times a month and it costs me about $25 to make the trip. I love driving my truck, but i really can't afford it anymore. Sigh......but i guess i can turn it into a weekend hotrod

[oldsub86]

Don't forget that part of the fuel cost for the truck is life insurance. I have some concerns about the safety of these old vehicles but I think I am still better off than I would be in a Metro.
I would be tempted to go to middle ground somewhere. For example ( and I'm in Canada so reduce the mileage by 20% as I am talking Imperial Gallons), my old Chevy truck gets about 12mpg. My Toyota 4Runner does about 18mpg. We had a 1986 Taurus and then a 1997 Sable that would each do quite a bit better than my 4Runner pretty consistently. So the bottom line is that you don't have to go to the smallest vehicle in order to at least double your mileage. I know the 50mpg is tempting but I really think a bigger vehicle is safer. If that doesn't do it for you, then try a VW Jetta with the TDI Turbo Diesel. You will have a hardtime topping the mileage on it and it will run a long time if you change the oil regularly.

[ckhd]

I know people have safety concerns with Metros. I'm not worried about it. I have seen several Metros (and Sprints, which are the same thing, only older) that have been wrecked, and none of the people died, or were seriously injured. I have owned sprints and a Metro before, and my wife t-boned some guy in a Toyota with the Metro. Mildly messed my front end, destroyed the Toyota. They are safer than people think. Poeple see a Metro and think, "Beer can on wheels" (that's a direct quote from my boss this morning). It's not the case.

Also, my commute is early in the morning and after the 5:00pm rush hour, and I probably see 40 moving cars the entire time.

I don't think that Jettas are any bigger than Metros. Plus, it only cost me about $250 to put this car on the road (and $160 of it was tires). I already have a Taurus, but I'd have to put about $800 worth of transmission in to make it work, and I have a Maxima, that has 3000 miles on an AAMCO transmission (which means it doesn't drive anymore). The Taurus and Maxima are fun to drive, and get decent mileage (28 for the taurus, and about 32 for the maxima), but I didn't have the money to fix either one. It was a stretch to get this metro going!

[724x4a/cchevy]

Im afraid thats what will kill off our old trucks. The price of gas is just too much and these things are just to wasteful. someday you wont be able to see these trucks on the road because gas costs too much!
FOREVER!

[casey]

ah come on 724x4a/chevy it ain't that bad, ours in only up to 3.80 per gallon