What's YOUR Diesel Deal Breaker - Montana Owners Club

pineranch · 03-11-2011, 04:57 AM

Looking over my 6145 miles summer trip and calculated fuel prices from $4 to $5 a gallon. We determined much over $5 a gallon and the trip will be greatly reduced. It came down to not what we could spend but what we were willing to put up with.
Thoughts from all you experienced travelers who have gone through previous fuel spikes.
Mike

BB_TX · 03-11-2011, 05:22 AM

In the summer of 2008 when diesel prices were near (and sometimes over) $5.00/gal, we did not like it but we still went where we wanted. Just bit the bullet and did it. Spent probably $400 or more on fuel that summer while towing than when prices were below $3.00/gal.
Have not made any plans to cut back this year, so far.

Art-n-Marge · 03-11-2011, 05:35 AM

My deal breaker is if the prices are gonna be $4.50 and stay at that price then so be it. I prefer stability. With this random and wanton raising of the prices by a lot every few days, I wouldn't want to start a trip, then end up using way more money on fuel than I could calculate.

The prices have been raising significantly over the last month and are expected to continue to rise. If I had started my trip with diesel was about $2.90, then one month later and 1000s of miles from home the price is now $4.50 per gallon, that would anger me a lot, then the time to get home would experience even more, that would continue to bother me a lot.

The (upward) fluctuations are what bother me the most. A few cents every few months haven't bothered me - cost of living, just because, etc., but these increases are just out of line - they aren't mathematical, they are emotional. I will be most angry when these same companies then announce record profits because their gouging was successful! When companies raise their prices and their profits are the same, then this is not gouging. What the oil companies are doing is gouging.

Does anyone else see it this way?

RickW · 03-11-2011, 07:02 AM

We really enjoy traveling by RV and will put up with quite a bit before it really affects our traveling. Since we started in 2006 we have averaged $3/gal each year except for 2008. That year we paid on average $4.25/gal. Was still driving the P/U then but with the transfer tank we were able to shop around and purchase fuel when it was cheaper.

At $5 I will alter my driving habits. Currently not retired so speed takes priority over fuel economy since time is limited.

At $6~$7 it could start effecting where we go

At $8~$10 we would consider hanging up the keys. Doubt we would sell since nobody would buy due to fuel prices so we would pray for prices to fall again.

The good news is I just finished confirming up our May/June trip this morning (about 3500 miles total). The truck has 3/4 tank of fuel so that is about 40%~45% of the total fuel needed for the trip (filled up back when fuel was $2.85/gal in October). The bad news is I still have to buy fuel for the other 55%~60% of the trip.

Personally I don't think oil can hold at these prices. Cost of goods will rise with the energy prices which will result to consumers cutting back again. As consumers cut back we move away from recovery and back to recession for a double dip. Even the oil companies know that is not good for business long term. Now speculative traders, that is another story ......

camper4 · 03-11-2011, 12:01 PM

For us anything over $5 will limit our range of travel and maybe frequency of travel. We will find places closer to home more often.

Jolu · 03-11-2011, 12:12 PM

When the price gets to about 50 cents per mile, it does give pause for thought. I think staying home and the temp gets down to zero, that gives a lot more pause for thought.
Joe

cdaniels · 03-11-2011, 12:25 PM

We had this discussion about 4 weeks ago. We decided we love what we are doing and we are not going to stop. If we have to we will adjust and do something different. We go to Florida for 1 month every year and are going definitely this year. We leave the last week in March. We will get there and back. Am concerned what the price will be the end of April but we will deal with it. If need be next year, we have decided we will not go to Florida 1200 mile trip for us, we will rent a seasonal for the summer at the beach close to home for the $$ we usually spend in Florida (1.5 hr trip). We will miss that warm break but on the other hand will enjoy all summer at the beach........... We live on 100 acres, some wooded, DH swares he is going to make a campsite back in the woods for the Montana if we can not afford gas. Sure hope it does not come to that!!!!!!!! Uh... I better get him to add a few sites for guests so we will feel like we are camping for real! Anyone close to Maryland???

Clemson1881 · 03-11-2011, 12:34 PM

Anything over $2.50 is absolutely uncalled for. There is too much oil in the US to be victims of these prices. I have cancelled our trip to Florida/Disney and replaced it with a second trip to Myrtle Beach/Ocean Lakes. I can get there and back on less than 60 gallons. We will go to Pigeon Forge again (45 gallon trip) depending on prices. If it gets much higher Lake Keowee here we come (7 gallon trip)! Of course Clemson is only a 5 gallon trip this fall.

mainer · 03-11-2011, 12:40 PM

What will make me think twice about going a great distance is when it hits over $5.00 a gallon. We would still travel but will not be doing any 10,000 mile trips like last year.

Love to travel with the Monty and I feel that as long as it stays under $5.00 a gallon it is still cheaper and much more pleasurable than flying somewhere for a week and trying to see everything in that time frame. When we travel, will make our trip longer to make it worth the price of fuel in getting to our destinations. Campgrounds are pretty reasonable and I don't care to eat out that frequently, so our food costs wouldn't be that much higher than if we stayed home. Thankfully we are retired and time is not a problem for us.

Hopefully this fuel increase won't last too long.

8e3k0 · 03-11-2011, 01:57 PM

We've completed about 6500 miles since Nov 20, 2010 when we left home; we are now in south Texas and have about another 4000 miles ahead of us before May 1 at a time when we arrive back home. Yes it is getting costly but if one can afford it is still better than sitting at home in the snow! Next winter we likely will reduce our miles we travel. I think my last calculations of fuel cost equaled about 34 cents per mile.

jjackflash · 03-11-2011, 07:08 PM

The way I look at it,if you can afforded it do it! Life is to short and we don't know what tomorrow will bring us.
Japan is a great example.
Jack

bullroc3 · 03-12-2011, 02:49 AM

Hey, Bill and Cindy - we would take you up on the campsite. Be sure that Bill puts in a pool!!!!!!!

Enjoy your trip.

Hooker · 03-12-2011, 03:01 AM

We don't have a deal breaker...if we want to go, we are going.

sola123 · 03-12-2011, 03:05 AM

We are staying closer to home...about 10 weekends - 3- 4 days long and one trip to Myrtle Beach..no major trips for us this year but plan one next year...$5.00 a gallon will give us a pause for sure...luckily we have a farm and our own full service campsite in the edge of the woods so we can play in the Monty and dream of being anywhere we want to be...imagination is a wonderful thing...

cdaniels · 03-12-2011, 11:02 AM

John & Judy.... come on down, about that pool??? we may have to imagine the ditch in the woods is the pool? As sola123 said "imagination is a wonderful thing".... but we'll be camping.

c214dick · 03-12-2011, 04:14 PM

We restricted our travels when fuel was approaching $5/gal. In order to save on future trips to Florida we decided to buy a home here and sell ours "up north". Go figure......

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