Hi, Guest
06-08-2008, 04:00 PM
First of all let me say that I understand that everyone has different interests and different values. My post is not meant to inflame or preach, but it will most certainly appear to be so. Please take this post as just something to ponder at the least.
It has come true, gas costs are rising rapidly. Many ecology advocates have been complaining about the popularity of huge and wasteful gas guzzling vehicles and it has been theorized that none of the owners of gas guzzling beasts would give a damn unless it started to really affect their pockets. So it has begun.
I see this feeling start to be expressed on the car forums which I read. There seems to be a new interest in getting better mileage from their cars. It seems the only concern is for the money saved, not for the fuel we can save from our dwindling supplies, nor for the less pollution we inflict on the whole world. Well I hope people realize that the direct cost of filling their tanks is not the only cost of using fuel like it won't run out. Pollution, rising food costs, rising goods costs, and health are all on the line.
Given the above, the costs of modifying a car for better mileage is not just about how much you can save on fuel against the costs of modifying. Sure, you can try and justify the costs by amortizing them against the fuel cost savings over the life of the vehicle. Given just that parameter you will most likely take a year or two to pay off the modifications in fuel savings based on current fuel prices. But fuel prices are based on supply and demand. If we still keep using fuel at the rate it is getting gulped down then the price will rise further. If we all made an effort to save fuel, it won't go up as far and part of the savings from your own pocket will be that lower pump price in the future compared to what you will have to pay if the demand does not go down. Fuel prices will still continue to rise no matter what.
There are also the hidden costs from higher fuel prices already mentioned that get buried in food prices, transportation prices and health problems from pollution.
Its not just about your own wallet and the price of the fuel you have to put in your car now. It is also all the costs you pay for anything that has fuel costs in its price.
So the next time someone suggests spending money on parts to get better mileage and you are one of those people who decide to tell them there is no benefit because it will take to long to pay off the parts in fuel savings, please consider the whole picture.
Footnote:
Many easy modifications for fuel economy also have the side benefit of increasing power. Anytime you can reduce pumping losses in an engine through cold air intakes and exhaust, you gain power AND fuel economy, but not at the same time. Drive with fuel economy in mind and these mods help. If you need or want that extra bit of power to pass or join a highway then these mods help there too.
It has come true, gas costs are rising rapidly. Many ecology advocates have been complaining about the popularity of huge and wasteful gas guzzling vehicles and it has been theorized that none of the owners of gas guzzling beasts would give a damn unless it started to really affect their pockets. So it has begun.
I see this feeling start to be expressed on the car forums which I read. There seems to be a new interest in getting better mileage from their cars. It seems the only concern is for the money saved, not for the fuel we can save from our dwindling supplies, nor for the less pollution we inflict on the whole world. Well I hope people realize that the direct cost of filling their tanks is not the only cost of using fuel like it won't run out. Pollution, rising food costs, rising goods costs, and health are all on the line.
Given the above, the costs of modifying a car for better mileage is not just about how much you can save on fuel against the costs of modifying. Sure, you can try and justify the costs by amortizing them against the fuel cost savings over the life of the vehicle. Given just that parameter you will most likely take a year or two to pay off the modifications in fuel savings based on current fuel prices. But fuel prices are based on supply and demand. If we still keep using fuel at the rate it is getting gulped down then the price will rise further. If we all made an effort to save fuel, it won't go up as far and part of the savings from your own pocket will be that lower pump price in the future compared to what you will have to pay if the demand does not go down. Fuel prices will still continue to rise no matter what.
There are also the hidden costs from higher fuel prices already mentioned that get buried in food prices, transportation prices and health problems from pollution.
Its not just about your own wallet and the price of the fuel you have to put in your car now. It is also all the costs you pay for anything that has fuel costs in its price.
So the next time someone suggests spending money on parts to get better mileage and you are one of those people who decide to tell them there is no benefit because it will take to long to pay off the parts in fuel savings, please consider the whole picture.
Footnote:
Many easy modifications for fuel economy also have the side benefit of increasing power. Anytime you can reduce pumping losses in an engine through cold air intakes and exhaust, you gain power AND fuel economy, but not at the same time. Drive with fuel economy in mind and these mods help. If you need or want that extra bit of power to pass or join a highway then these mods help there too.