Have gas prices changed your summer plans?

[zman308]

It will now cost us about $560 (one way) in gas to get from here to the Florida Keys. We complained when it was $2.25 and $3.25. Camping spots down there are getting harder to find. To Reserve a state park you have to be on 11 months in advance to get lucky. All the reasonable private camp grounds have been bought out and now have high end condo's on them. We are talking about $25.00 a night camp grounds. There are some "snooty" camp grounds down there that charge at least $100.00 a night. These are the high end motor home types. At the price of the campground and diesel fuel they could afford a hotel at in season rates. The last time down there we had Cubans next to us and I got to smoke a real illegal Cuban cigar and drink Cuban rum.

 

[annr]

Let's hear it for the 'staycation'!!

 

[Joezilla]

Thats what you guys are for. Next best thing to goin is seein your pics of the stuff I would be doin if I was there. Even if it is close to you, it is far from me.

Good lord........

I drive an expedition that gets 12 mpg. I am lookin around to trade it for a subaru.

I went that route. Got the cherokee now and a subaru impreza wagon (basically the outback sport) best mpg so far has been 25.... But I had to re-learn stick gently again. I think the best I'll be able to get is 28. Not the 32 mpg I got in the civic but it is FUN as all get out to drive.

 

[Joezilla]

despite that though, I've had to cancel a fla trip for snake hunting already. I think I will have to cancel another trip to KY as well. Really have to budget time/vs gas vs trip now. hurts, but could be worse. At least we have this choice right?

 

[kgd]

It will now cost us about $560 (one way) in gas to get from here to the Florida Keys. We complained when it was $2.25 and $3.25. Camping spots down there are getting harder to find. To Reserve a state park you have to be on 11 months in advance to get lucky. All the reasonable private camp grounds have been bought out and now have high end condo's on them. We are talking about $25.00 a night camp grounds. There are some "snooty" camp grounds down there that charge at least $100.00 a night. These are the high end motor home types. At the price of the campground and diesel fuel they could afford a hotel at in season rates. The last time down there we had Cubans next to us and I got to smoke a real illegal Cuban cigar and drink Cuban rum.

Hey Zman - like one of these?

Had this baby on Sunday night sitting on an uninhabited Island with 10,000 cackling gulls!

 

[j williams]

I went that route. Got the cherokee now and a subaru impreza wagon (basically the outback sport) best mpg so far has been 25.... But I had to re-learn stick gently again. I think the best I'll be able to get is 28. Not the 32 mpg I got in the civic but it is FUN as all get out to drive.

Thats exactly what I was thinking of getting. Glad its working for you. I had an imprezza that had 940000 on it when I sold it. The guy is still driving it. I had no problems out of it when I had it. Very good cars indeed!

 

[Bob W]

No change here. My summer plans are "work every day", and that won't change no matter how high gas goes.

My only planned summer trip was a 5-day tour of Colorado last month. The trip went off without a hitch, and the motorcycle got a consistent 50mpg.

the motorhome is going to go the way of the drive-in movies.

Good riddance. But I don't believe it - still plenty of them clogging the roads here.

 

[Jeff H]

Good lord........

I drive an expedition that gets 12 mpg. I am lookin around to trade it for a subaru.

Subarus are great cars but their mileage is not on par with their other attributes. My Cherokee (at 215k miles) gets 22mpg at 70mph on the freeway while the Forester gets a whopping 22.75, same conditions.

I have managed to eek out an average of 20.78mpg from the Cherokee (no typo) going back and forth to work (30 miles each way of country and town driving) by eeeeeeasing away from stops signs, keeping the cruise' set at 55 or 60 for anything over a mile stretch and not passing anyone - basically, not letting the tach get over 2k rpm.

None the less, it's not affecting our summer plans, as we had not made any yet. It is, however, affecting everything else since my monthly fuel bill exceeds my house payment. I am salaried and have no "OT windfalls," bonuses or anything but just what I get each week, period. We don't live extravagantly, by a long shot, but we have still started eyeing every expenditure.

So, as for overall plans,... "summer" gonna get cut out and "summer" gonna get cut back.

 

[j williams]

Hmmmmm. That is something to think about jeff. I have always liked jeeps. Ive wanted a wrangler for awhile now.

 

[Joezilla]

Oh chit z man! you are going to the Keys....PM ME. I've got lots of spots down there.

 

[Joezilla]

Subarus are great cars but their mileage is not on par with their other attributes. My Cherokee (at 215k miles) gets 22mpg at 70mph on the freeway while the Forester gets a whopping 22.75, same conditions.

I have managed to eek out an average of 20.78mpg from the Cherokee (no typo) going back and forth to work (30 miles each way of country and town driving) by eeeeeeasing away from stops signs, keeping the cruise' set at 55 or 60 for anything over a mile stretch and not passing anyone - basically, not letting the tach get over 2k rpm.

None the less, it's not affecting our summer plans, as we had not made any yet. It is, however, affecting everything else since my monthly fuel bill exceeds my house payment. I am salaried and have no "OT windfalls," bonuses or anything but just what I get each week, period. We don't live extravagantly, by a long shot, but we have still started eyeing every expenditure.

So, as for overall plans,... "summer" gonna get cut out and "summer" gonna get cut back.

Thats pretty impressive. I don't know any other cherokees that get that. Even with stock tires my cherokee didn't get over 19 mpg. At 32" tires normally I push from 12-15. Yep on the forester, thats why I didn't get one of those. My friends '04 outback got 30 on one trip on the highway the entire time.

 

[Bob W]

We used those Cherokee Sports as company field vehicles for archaeological surveys. As I recall, they got around 20mpg. I preferred the models with the straight-6 engines and 5-speed manual transmissions. A few reoccurring problems and some gripes about clearance, but no other stock vehicles could compare with the Jeeps' traction.

 

[Jeff H]

....I don't know any other cherokees that get that. Even with stock tires my cherokee didn't get over 19 mpg......

Try driving that thing around without going over 2k rpm and you will see how ridiculously extreme you must get in order to get that. P235s inflated at 30 fr, 29 rear, checked daily. No more than 20# extra "stuff, etc. Gotta do something though. Can't sell my baby!

 

[Joezilla]

I heard a snorkel adds approx 1 mpg in the long run

 

[silenthunterstudios]

I am a traveler, gas prices have all but curtailed that. I am coming unglued not being able to just toss the cooler in my truck, and head out for the weekend. Leave Friday night, and come back Sunday night, for work.