[AirlinePilot]

I finally have my better half pretty much convinced there is something to Peak Oil. I have been throwing out subtle facts and pointing to things on the TV and in the media about the price of Crude and world oil supply/demand. Last month I suggested we trade in our Minivan (Honda Odyssey) for something more fuel efficient before it gets near impossible to dump any larger vehicle. I have been mentioning this for a while and today we finally went out and checked out working a trade for something smaller.

The plan is to make a direct trade for a Honda Civic. The Civic gets 31/38mpg and the Odyssey has been averaging about 17-18 lately. She was reluctant but sees that fairly soon it will be a big deal to have a more fuel efficient vehicle to do our daily travels. She is OK with doing this and we will finalize the deal tommorow or next week some time. I almost got her to buy a Hybrid, but we wanted to incur no new debt so we will stay with the conventional car for now.

I realise how this is going to be a big deal for everyone with a larger vehicle and it wont go so well with folks who just can't grasp peak oil and the fact that prices will start rising again soon. My neighbor said his wife would never do something like this, she likes her Navigator too much!!!

This was a big deal for me because it's the first big decision I have made that is directly due to my knowledge and belief in Peak Oil. If I had never done the research on my own I would be happily driving the Odyssey for many more years. Next item on my agenda is to check out getting some solar panels for the house.

[AirlinePilot]

I just wanted to add that the Odyssey is only a year and a half old. The Dealer did not quite get why I was trading it in I think. I mentioned my reasons and he got this glazed over kind of look. He kept thinking we wanted an Accord, but I said it was all about mileage. Don't think he ever got it though.

Just a glimpse at the apathy and ignorance that is out there.

[eastbay]

Airline Pilot,

My wife and I traded in the '03 Sienna minivan for an '05 Scion XB moving the fuel efficiency from 20 to 34 mpg.

Earlier last year we traded in the '01 Tacoma pu for an '05 Civic. The Civic claims 38 mpg but I'm getting 43 all the time on my commute at a steady 60 mph.

My wife isn't near being sold on PO, but she is sold on saving $$ on gas.

EastBay

[AirlinePilot]

We went with the Civic because I have a friend who got one for his son at school and they are getting just above 40mpg hi-way and about 33 around town. We also like the Honda quality. Not many other small cars with 4 doors doing this well.

[SD_Scott]

I drove a civic for 10 years. That thing saved me a fortune. Great mileage and it never broke down. Plus they're a blast to drive and make a great sports car with a few mods.

[jdmartin]

I would love to save on the gas mileage but I live in BFE and can't afford to upkeep several cars to accomplish everything, so I drive a gas-sucking pickup. The other thing I have to admit is that I'm skittish about being in small vehicles with everyone else driving tanks. I feel better also driving a tank. Otherwise I would get a motorcycle for my commutes and be done with it.

The ultimate, obviously, is to not have to drive at all. Not likely to happen for me any time soon where I live...I'll be one of them poor suckers suffering with the high gas prices.

[Pablo2079]

Airline pilot..... you said you're looking into "solar panels" for the house. Are you looking at PV or are you looking to supplement your hot water?

I believe you get the most bang for your buck with hot water (doesn't do much good if you're in the dark)

[0mar]

I based my career on peak oil.

[mrniceguy]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('AirlinePilot', 'I') finally have my better half pretty much convinced there is something to Peak Oil. I have been throwing out subtle facts and pointing to things on the TV and in the media about the price of Crude and world oil supply/demand.

[retiredguy]

Just got back from a trip to Cape Cod. We took the Prius: 2853 miles at 47.4 mpg.

[RiverRat]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('SD_Scott', 'I') drove a civic for 10 years. That thing saved me a fortune. Great mileage and it never broke down. Plus they're a blast to drive and make a great sports car with a few mods.

[InverseBetaDecay]

Airline Pilot:
"traded in the '03 Sienna minivan for an '05 Scion XB moving the fuel efficiency from 20 to 34 mpg."

We just traded our old Ford for the Scion Xb also. You can fit a lot in it, kind of a thinking/poor man's minivan. It gets about 33 MPG highway or city with the 5 spd. At $14,200 US, you don't have a big investment like with a hybrid. I also like the "in your face" styling. (many do not) With oil @ $60 a barrel my co-workers laugh less loudly now. If more low MPG vehicles were traded for 30+ MPG cars it might start to help the energy situation a little.

Of course, it's still IC, so I can't go patting myself on the back for being all green or anything. I do try to ride my old Trek 520 bike for errands whenever possible, but the modern workplace is so bike commuter unfriendly I can't really ride to work very easily.

I always bought American before, so I felt disloyal for buying Japanese at first. Some kind of sentimental patriotism I suppose- but the CEOs don't seem to care anymore so I'm giving up. Kind of hard to be too proud with the current administration. Hope they don't draft my kid.[QUOTE]

[eastbay]

We just traded our old Ford for the Scion Xb also. You can fit a lot in it, kind of a thinking/poor man's minivan.

We ain't exactly poor... yet... he he he, but we want to put our money somewhere other than into the auto makers and oil companies accounts where possible.

We had four people in the Scion Xb on our recent 1500 mile trip from SF to Portland with side-trips, and the gas cost was around 95.00. Along the freeway I couldn't help but think... 10 mpg, 13 mpg, 8 mpg etc... as we passed or were passed by large SUV's and p/u trucks with out-of-state plates.

A 5 day trip with four can be nicely done with a small car.

EastBay

[strider3700]

just thought I'd throw in that I drive a 96 suzuki sidekick 4dr. It's about the same size as the scion I believe. It cost me $4500 cdn about 4 months ago and I get 28 mpg around town/commute and 30 pure highway. Not great by any means but not half bad for a 4x4 that hauls 4 comfortably and has room for all of my crap. I get the feeling this will be the last vehicle I ever buy. Sad really, I love cars

[DriveElectric]

AirlinePilot,

When are you going to trade in that Boeing 757 for a Boeing 787 and really start saving some fuel?

[Roy]

We traded in our 02 Subaru Outback Wagon which was getting 22mpg on average (that was with a 5 spd) on a Jetta TDI Wagon with a 5 spd.

Gas mileage has effectively doubled even though diesel costs a bit more than gasoline.

The finance manager at the VW dealership, once she was looking at our credit info, asked me "why aren't you at the BMW dealership buying a 5 series sport wagon?". "Have you looked at our V8 Toureg?".

We told her we were trying to cut costs in monthly pymts and in fuel since my wife was commuting 60 miles round trip every day.

She couldn't grasp the idea of downsizing. She had a blank stare and kept muttering about BMWs....

Congrats on getting your wife on board and keep up the good work!

[oilcanboyd]

I think the bottom line here is saving money. Not throwing it over the fence. I always drove trucks for over 22yrs mostly F-150's, 7yrs ago I gave up the 302 V-8 for a fuel injected 88 6 cyl. Last year I picked up a V-6 Lincoln which I didn't know Ford made V-6's.

This Year?
I bought a moped for errands/store/work etc. 126MPG!! dirt cheap insurance/licensing, no safety check or mechanicle fitness check, no E-test. And I get a nice cool ride home after a hot day a work.

Ya I get the looks but the last time I gassed up the lincoln was May 10th. I just filled it up on Monday.

I paid 400 bucks for the "ped" and I figure it has already paid for itself.

Congrates Airline pilot
Oilcan

[BorneoRagnarok]

Congratulations, AirlinePilot. In East Malaysia, the popular old TV series (1984) about aircraft here is AirWolf - super fighter helicopter. I assume you know how to handle one. Fire that missile. Activate sunbursts. Destroy those inferior Hughes 500 missile helicopters

I don't think your inner people (Chinese term for wife as a man is assumed not completed until he marry well ) understand peak oil properly. In my unregulated opinion, she love ya and want to save $$ as you have 40% pay cut recently. As a good wife, it is her duty to balance the budget. Anyway good for you.

My Mitsubishi Lancer 1992 stay for the moment. In town it get 30mpg. On highway, it can get 38 mpg if driven below wind resistance speed at 80 km/h In Malaysia, car are 2 times more expensive than US. However average salary is 5 times less. My USD$100 bicycle is nice. No sprawling housing here.

Mr. strider3700, I love cars too but the love of Gaia must conquer all fears. The fear of cannot driving a shiny car. The fear of rainy day. The fear of no car no honey (girl). The fear of being call poor. The fear of splash by SUV. Well , I fear SUV when I use my bicycle.

Help I have turn to the Dark Side

[kenohio]

I don't know anyone who has ever regretted buying a Honda Civic. If you decide it isn't the car for you, it still seems to retain it's value after driving it off of the lot.

Be thankful you have such a lucrative career right now even with the pay cuts, so that you can stash away cash. You are in a very enviable position, but far too many of your peers will piss it away thinking that the world will always need pilots.

[geoman]

I own an MDX and a Honda Accord. I will drive these until they die.

The MDX gets terrible gas mileage in the city. But is great on the highway.. almost 30. We also don't drive it too much. Only 9,000 miles in 2 years.

The Honda will get me almost 400 miles if I drive 60 on the freeway before I have to gas back up. 50,000 miles in 6 years.

I also bike to work about 3 times a week.

I have not tried convincing my wife about PO. But do make subtle remarks such as my next car will be a Scion. Or I would rather walk to the store than drive. Or the cities development is too Car oriented.

I feel a bit hypocritical, but I have realized everyone is a hypocrite. Not just me.