After over twenty years of truck ownership, we are a two car family.  High gas prices have done us in, we gave up.  Traded my wife's Expedition today for an '02 Taurus Wagon.  We wanted to hold off until later this fall when we would be in a position to buy something new.  But we aren't going to pay $2.50 for gas and get 11 mph.  She drives mostly in town to work.  This car should get closer to twenty around and 30 on the highway.  Traded the truck and $1500 for the car, moved up 3 years and lost 30,000 miles.  This will be quiet a switch for my wife to now drive a car.  Her vehicles have been the '99 Expedition, '95 Bronco, '87 Montero and '86 Bronco II.  I think her last car was a '85 Tempo.  Also during that time I have had '93 F150 Lightning, that is what I sold to buy my 318i, '89 Mustang GT, '85 F150, '80 F150 and '70 Bronco.  I will probably will not go back to a truck, we will see if my wife can stay out.

We are hitting the road tomorrow for the first trip in the wagon.  We are going to my dad's place in Iowa.  It will be about 400 miles round trip.  Gas jumped to $2.59 here this week.   I figured that in less than 6000 miles we will have saved enough in gas money to pay back the difference we paid for the car.

k, you pay $2.59 per gallon
we (in holland) pay $6,18 per gallon...

I know we have other distances to drive, but that's why europeans always look at the fuel consumption of a car...
What do you think of that?

no comment, dean.

If we did end up with $6 gas I would have to seriously consider getting a job closer to home also.  About a year ago I did start ride sharing with a co-worker.  He drives twice a week and I drive three.  That has helped some.

Several things strike me as interesting about Kip's post.  First wa, that I read the exact same thing on another forum.  So I wonder who is trying to spread the word that trucks, and other lower MPG vehicles, aren't really that expensive to operate.  Secondly, it's my thousand dollars and that is a big deal.  We all try to save when we can.  Have many people have refinanced a mortgage for 1%, who has a bought a new or more expensive AC/heater because it is more efficent, who has installed double pane windows in their house because it saves a few pennies a day.  The answer is all of us.  And the reason is because is my money!

We are considering a hybrid for the fall.  The Highlander hybrid is leading right now.  We have not driven one yet.  But 30 mpg around town looks good for us.  We will study it a little more later this year.

Fuel consumption was never an issue until the oil companies decided to effectively double the cost of gas, just because they can.  $1.37 back in 1999, and it was barely $0.96 back in 1996 in northeast georgia. I don't drive any more or less than I did back in 1999, it's about the same, I think.

up the street from me, premium was 2.98 - the very next morning, the price went up to $3.05 - the same gas that was in his tanks from the previous night...

90 trillion in profit - one company - F!ing amazing.  It's the same gas that was pumped into my car back in 1998.  It's starting to piss me off, because we all make these pricks rich, while I have less to spend on important stuff, like food.

There are people out there hurting right now, and it's only because these companies have the absolute most power in the world, and can do whatever they want...at anytime.  That's how I see it.

Fuel topic, Dean?  we can merge some or all of these posts to it.

i paid 2.93 this morning for premium... thats all the passat drinks... heh...

fine shots - never see any of that around here - honestly.

Found our old truck on the dealer's website through autotrader.
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?car_id=200901963&dealer_id=83521&car_year=1999&search_type=used&make=FORD&transmission=&distance=10&model=EXPEDI&address=66219&make2=sel_one&certified=&advanced=y&max_mileage=100001&max_price=&bkms=1146183516235&min_price=&end_year=1999&color=&start_year=1999&drive=&isp=y&engine=&body_style=SUV&doors=&fuel=&lang=en&cardist=5