Gas Prices & its impact on DSG members..

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-23-2005
Gas Prices & its impact on DSG members..
19
Tue, 04-25-2006 - 5:17pm

With the recent spike in gas prices, I thought we could start a discussion per se on how gas prices have altered DSG members.

lvhunnie2005

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iVillage Member
Registered: 05-09-2002
Wed, 04-26-2006 - 2:49pm

That civic sounds nice!! If it can fit my snowboard and some skiis, I'd be happy for sure!

I bought the jeep because i wanted to be able to take my dog rock climbing and camping and to fit everything - i was living in Colorado at the time but of course now i live right near Boston so I probably don't need it anymore lol. Of course thats the way it goes. I did try to buy American and was all happy that a jeep is as American as you can get...I thought...until my Dad told me Chysler had been bought out by a German company! Thankfully it gets the same gas milage as a minivan vs. an a lincoln navigator or something but I'm open to suggestions. Anyone have an idea? I'd like an American vehicle (or at least if thats possible anymore), four wheel drive and more "green". I was thinking a Ford Escape Hybrid but not until I've paid off my current vehicle. I love it, but want to go more earth friendly next go round. I am open to suggestions if anyone knows of anything else!

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-26-2003
Wed, 04-26-2006 - 3:14pm

Yeah, the Civic wasn't built for skis, I think... though it does have a pass-through when the back seat folds down. :) I fit a dresser in that thing once. I still don't remember how I managed that.

When I was shopping for a car two years ago, I was about to get a Chevy because my dad works for GM, so naturally that's what I'd lean towards. (My previous vehicle had been a Ford - don't remember how that happened! :D) But my Honda was built in Ohio with 70% US/Canadian parts, making it much more of an American car than much of what GM puts out these days! (The Chevy Aveo is built in Korea.) I don't particularly care where the corporate profits go - in Honda's case, they're going to Japan - as long as we have workers here that benefit from it. Honda also employs engineers and all the other folks needed to run its North American headquarters. Much like Volkswagen/Audi, who I work for.

I'm in a unique situation. I work for a German car company, drive a Japanese vehicle, and I'm part Mexican. I tell people I haven't left anyone out. ^_^

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-09-2002
Wed, 04-26-2006 - 3:27pm

Thats too funny - laughing still - that you don't leave anyone out.

This is very good to know - I have the (now obviously wrong!) mentality that American vehicles = American parts and vice versa. I need to research this - you've given me good information - thank you. Honda is sounding better and better. I also do like Toyota so if they need workers here, I am all about it.

And what the heck - I can throw a ski rack on a Civic, right? That is AWESOME that you fit a dresser in your vehicle. I respect that - I've moved 15 times in 10 years, so that is also the reason I finally just got a bigger vehicle. (long story on the moves!) Maybe I can downsize now that I feel settled...

Avatar for 2locachicas
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-14-2003
Wed, 04-26-2006 - 3:34pm
the saturn vue has a green vehicle option. It may not be out yet, I am not sure. the vue has a great engine in it too. It gets really good gas mileage even when it is not green so I can imagine the green option would be great. That is the next car we plan to buy(in 4 years when 1 or 2 of our kids are out of their car seats) and we can finally get rid of this stupid mini van.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Wed, 04-26-2006 - 5:31pm

I drive between 50-60 miles per day round trip to work. Urgh. Yes, gas prices will limit my snowball amount for sure. So far I have been lucky this month. Both my house gas bill and water bills were lower than expected.....by about the same amount that I will probably ending up needing for gas for the car.

Heather

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-22-1999
Wed, 04-26-2006 - 7:42pm

Hi, Lvhunnie,

Yeah, trying to get to work is ridiculously expensive for me, too. I have to pay extra for a garage to park the car....My location rips me off left and right....can't even find a reasoanble, cheap lunch....(I have to learn to bring my own lunch!). I am working on my own gas conservation plan........When I saw +$3.00/gas last year after Hurricane Katrina, I thought I was going to pass out....now we are on the edge of the summer season (relatively), and the prices are creeping up and up and up with no ideas about what the highest price may be............SCARY!

Just trying to pay down the debt and having more and more economical resistance fighting back at me is quite disheartening....quite a bummer, but I can see that I have really double and triple my efforts NOW to cope thru the summer. I wish this was all just a joke, but it AIN'T!!!!!!

I just hope that no one here on the board gives up or gets hurt badly by this crazy economy!!!!!!! We have to work hard to protect ourselves........

Well, I guess we know what the story of the summer will be..........gas, staying ecomonical in the way we live, reenginering our days and behaviors to be thrifty, and yet still enjoy the summer and have a good time as best we can even if it is on a shoestring. Oh, and try to pay the debt down, too.

We'll have to compare notes again in a couple weeks!

My best to you,
Littlesbigs

Avatar for skthurber
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Wed, 04-26-2006 - 10:35pm

Oh, I'm all about VUE's. The hybrid will be out this fall. My 2003 VUE (4 cylinder) gets about 22-23 MPG, but the newer VUE's (6 cylinders) get even better mileage. Supposedly, this is because they have Honda engines. We have 2 kids (twins 2 years old), and with the roof rack, we have taken long trips with all of our toddler gear and been comfy. DH was campaigning for a minivan for the next car, but with gas prices, I am voting for another VUE, probably the hybrid. He currently drives a Saturn SL2. We are like those cheesy families you read about who drive all Saturns! :)

-Sarah

Sarah


Mom to Gina & Tony


 


iVillage Member
Registered: 12-31-2005
Thu, 04-27-2006 - 5:59am
I am so glad to hear how you love your vue. My daughter just bought her first car (had a 500.00 beather) and she bought a silver vue. She is so happy with it. They also have another saturn that her DH drives. No grandchldren but she sends me email to tell me that I am the proud grammie af a starun vue.

over 40 and tired

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Sat, 04-29-2006 - 4:16pm

I just bought a 2000 Toyota Camry to replace my 94 Grand Am, and just had to fill it up for the first time yesterday. When my red light dinged on, I filled up and put in just over 16 gallons at $2.70/gallon, and it cost me $45. However, I had been driving on the fillup that the dealership had put in, and got over 400 miles to that tank, so I figure that a whole tank can get me through almost a whole month, if I only go to work and the grocery store and back.

So in all, I guess about $50 isn't bad for a month's worth of gas, I just have to stretch it out and stop going for rides to explore my new city! LOL

My car payment is what ouches me more...$290/mth, because of my previous bankruptcy. And the only way it's that cheap is because my dad co-signed on the loan for me so we got it to 12% down from 22% with just me on the loan!

So that's my new snowflaking goal, to pay down that car ASAP so I can refinance it and get a lower payment/interest rate.

I don't know how I'm going to do it, I've started looking for a part time second job, and have been thinking about donating plasma once a week for a bit, but I already shop wisely at the grocery store, don't have a latte factor, and make extra $$ by doing online surveys. I've stretched myself as thin as I can, but it's still not good enough...

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