Rising Gas Prices... how will it affect you?

[Wildcat Chris]

I've been watching a thread on another forum about the effect of rising gas costs on RV travel this year. How will it affect your travel plans? Anything change?

Here's some info from RVIA that is very interesting:

February 16, 2012
RVIA Offers Data to Address Fuel Price Questions

With gas prices once again on the rise, RVIA has collected positive data and RV travel savings information to use in responding to media questions that may be asked of industry spokespeople in the coming months. With the approach of the spring and summer travel seasons, these facts are also suitable for use in consumer marketing communications.

RVIA updates this information on a regular basis. Please visit The Recreation Vehicle Industry Association: RVIA Main Site Home for the latest version.

• RV travel is a great value. The PKF Vacation Cost comparison study shows that a family of four can save 23-to-59% on vacation costs depending on the type of trip and type of RV used. A two-person travel party (the typical empty-nest couple) would save 11-to-46%.

• More than 80% of RVers say their RV vacations cost less than other forms of vacation, even when fuel prices rise.

• Many RV owning families take frequent mini-vacations in their RVs. 63% spent five or more weekends in their RVs last spring/summer.

• When fuel prices rise, RVers adjust by traveling to destinations closer to home, driving fewer miles, and staying longer in one place, according to surveys of RV owners conducted by RVIA and CVENT, a leading provider of online surveys and research technology.

• To save on fuel, RVers typically spend more time enjoying the campground experience and less time on the road. More than 16,000 campgrounds nationwide give RVers the flexibility to save fuel and cut costs by staying closer to home. Whether they travel five miles or 500, they can still enjoy a great outdoor experience.

• Fuel prices would need to more than double from their current level to make RVing more expensive for a family of four than other forms of travel, according to PKF Consulting. PKF’s spring 2011 vacation cost comparison study shows that RV trips remain the most affordable way for a family to travel because of the significant savings on air, hotel and restaurant costs, which continue to rise.

• Fluctuating fuel prices affect the cost of all modes of travel and transportation. Airfares and hotel rates rise rapidly when fuel costs increase.

Many RV owners surveyed take additional measures to reduce fuel consumption through simple steps like driving 55 instead of 65 miles per hour, packing lighter to reduce weight in the RV, and turning off home utilities to save energy when traveling. RVers travel at a leisurely pace with no tight schedules for flights, hotels or restaurants.

Source RVIA

I also saw that GoRVing added this section to their web site addressing similar issues -- check it out:
Fuel Saving Tips | Go RVing
(I'm particularly fond of the RV they used in the photo!)

[grhodes50]

We are fortunate to live close by many campgrounds. We actually do at least 95% of our camping within 20 minutes of our house.
We do like to take 2 or 3 trips within 200 miles, depending mainly on our work schedules.
If gas continues to rise we may limit that to just 1 trip, maybe none at all, but we'll still take plenty of weekend trips out to our local SP.

[imabmwnut]

We were going to make the trek from Ar to Pa but have changed our minds and are going to spend a week around 100 miles away and then pack it up and move it to another park in Ar about the same distance. Ar is a beautiuful state and we like camping here.

[nuisance]

To start with I ALWAYS figure gas prices at $5.00 a gallon that way we have a little extra just in case, you never know what you will come up against. Second I cut down on the mementos we buy. I can usually find ways to find the extra money to camp.

[Terier]

For many of us it comes down to budget. I'm on a modest income so planning is important. As long I made good financial decisions RVing is a good option. It all comes down to choices we make and "living within our means".

The key for me is creating a budget to work with. Without a budget there is less control over expenses and usually end up spending more money. I really strike to live within my means as I have not already done so in the past.

There can be choices in RVing: reducing driving speed, packing liter, local campgrounds, longer stays, planning, etc... I had a history of not sticking to the plan after setting up camp and ended heading out into town for a early dinner. Now I've learned not to arrive at camp hungry and to bring along a quick but really good lite lunch. First night dinner plans are very simple like heating my favorite homemade vegetable soup or making a BLT sandwich with pre-cooked bacon.

I make good use of the local campgrounds here in Southern California. Shorter driving times are a plus too.

[Hob]

It was going to be a new trailer and camping. Now, the camping wins. I'm not going to replace a 4 year old trailer in June for another one that I'm not going to know all of the small things that can and will go wrong. I can have the same problems with my 4 year old trailer and not spend the difference of $20K to start over. I think I will like the $20K in my bank account more than I will like replacing my Puma.

Best Regards,

[dretired]

first..we have to go 1,100 back to michigan at the end of March...I doubt that we will do much camping this spring,summer,fall..to save towards returning to St. Augustine,Fl next year for 3 months ...

[Rugged Brown]

Tough Times

[18CrewDually]

Running a mechanical "old school" diesel I'm able to blend 5:1 ratio of diesel with used motor oil to cut down on fuel costs. Also, in the summer months I run 100% Bio-fuel that a friend makes from frier oil. I "donate" $2.00 a gallon to him for the cause. Just one of the many reasons I will hang on to my old truck and stay away from a gasser.

[extremebike]

Vacation for us is a mental health break. We have or intend to book 40+ days this year. We will find some other ways to save a few bucks, not from our vacation. The distance we are traveling will not change, some close due to available time, others far where there are few people.

We are fortunate to be able to do these things. I hope that my TV holds together. That is the only thing that will derail our plans. We always look for the best fuel prices prior to leaving by checking on the web.

[Mountainmanbob]

Originally Posted by Wildcat Chris

How will it affect your travel plans? Anything change?

Here's some info from RVIA that is very interesting:

well
not much of a change here
our favorite place is only 65 miles away
but
I must say
that sweet 2011 Tundra uses a lot of gas !!

it will be painful this summer though
we plan on putting some real miles on then
get the retirement check ready I guess ??

Mountainman

[Wildcat Chris]

Here's the fuel savings tips from Go RVing:

Your Pocket Needn’t Fear the Pump
When it comes to miles per gallon, don’t let the size of an RV fool you; today’s models are getting better mileage and are more fuel efficient than ever. Check out how savvy RVers save fuel:

Tips to Conserve Fuel
• Camp closer to home. With more than 16,000 campgrounds nationwide, RVers can enjoy the outdoor experience whether they travel five miles or 500 miles.
• Stay longer in one place. Many RV parks are vacation destinations in their own right, offering pools, playgrounds, hiking trails, entertainment centers, organized activities, convenience stores and so much more.
• Cook your family favorites in the convenience of an RV, to avoid the high costs of eating out.
• Drive 55 instead of 65. Keeping speed constant and lower saves fuel, saving you money.
• Pack lighter by not topping off fresh water tanks until at the campground and by purchasing firewood and other camping materials on-site to keep the RV lightweight while traveling. Be sure holding tanks are dumped before heading out to further lighten the load.
• Tune up the engine of your motorhome or tow vehicle, inflate tires properly and conduct regular maintenance to maximize fuel efficiency.
• Use the grade of fuel recommended by the engine manufacturer to increase miles per gallon.
• In the summer months, travel earlier in the day when the weather is cooler and the vehicle air conditioning is needed less.

Some other facts to keep in mind:
• Fuel is typically only the fourth largest expense on a road trip, behind lodging, food, vehicle payment and maintenance.
• Airfares and hotel rates also rise when fuel costs increase and fuel surcharges are added. You can avoid those costs in an RV.
• Fuel prices would need to more than triple from their current level to make RVing more expensive for a family of four than other forms of travel.

Do you have any tips of your own?

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Wildcat Chris

Here's the fuel savings tips from Go RVing:

<snip>
Pack lighter by not topping off fresh water tanks until at the campground and by purchasing firewood and other camping materials on-site to keep the RV lightweight while traveling.

I really have to question that suggestion on their list. Sure, it will save on gasoline costs. But how much more will you spend on firewood? Last camping trip I bought firewood before going and spent $15 for the same amount of wood that would have cost me triple that at the campsite.

Myself, I have been looking for campgrounds within 100 km (60 miles) of my house. I found a few, and prior to going out I plan on going on a few scouting missions in the car. I figure a bit spent in time and gas beforehand will make this season that much more enjoyable.

[Terier]

Originally Posted by ken0042

I really have to question that suggestion on their list. Sure, it will save on gasoline costs. But how much more will you spend on firewood? Last camping trip I bought firewood before going and spent $15 for the same amount of wood that would have cost me triple that at the campsite.

Myself, I have been looking for campgrounds within 100 km (60 miles) of my house. I found a few, and prior to going out I plan on going on a few scouting missions in the car. I figure a bit spent in time and gas beforehand will make this season that much more enjoyable.

More often than not I will buy firewood at the campground instead of buying it at home and bringing it along. I end up paying about a buck or so more so for me it works out. But then my fires are small and on the short side.

[Stevea1956]

We bought a diesel powered truck this year and I'm glad we did. Diesel prices are actually the same or less then the mid-grade gas our old truck required. The plus side is we get much more power and better fuel mileage.
As full times, should the prices get too high, we will just stay at a campground longer. We usually stay a week at each location but we could easily extend that to 10 days or two weeks if we want.

[trudinator]

I've heard of people cancelling vacations because gas prices are higher. Doesn't make sense to me. Let's figure a 1,500 mile trip and figure gas at $3.00 vs. $4.00 a gallon. Let's say your vehicle gets 15 mpg (to make it easier). So you'll need 100 gallons of fuel for your trip. At $3.00, that is obviously $300 and at $4.00 that's $400. You're going to cancel your entire trip for $100? (And I've even heard of people cancelling their vacations because the fuel will cost them LESS than $100 more!) I realize some people travel on a budget, but there are many, many ways you can save while on the road. We go on vacation to escape the daily grind of work, and believe me, we've all earned our vacations and the time to de-stress. We bought this TT to USE, not to sit in the driveway and look at while moths escape our wallets. My mother retired two months before she died and never got to enjoy any of her retirement years. She told me to live my life while I can and not depend on doing everything in retirement, because what happens if you don't make it that far? Then you've worked your entire life and didn't get to do the things you wanted to do. So that's what we're doing, and even if fuel gets to $5 or more a gallon, you'll still see us towing that TT to the campground. Happy camping!

[18CrewDually]

Originally Posted by trudinator

I've heard of people cancelling vacations because gas prices are higher. Doesn't make sense to me. Let's figure a 1,500 mile trip and figure gas at $3.00 vs. $4.00 a gallon. Let's say your vehicle gets 15 mpg (to make it easier). So you'll need 100 gallons of fuel for your trip. At $3.00, that is obviously $300 and at $4.00 that's $400. You're going to cancel your entire trip for $100? (And I've even heard of people cancelling their vacations because the fuel will cost them LESS than $100 more!) I realize some people travel on a budget, but there are many, many ways you can save while on the road. We go on vacation to escape the daily grind of work, and believe me, we've all earned our vacations and the time to de-stress. We bought this TT to USE, not to sit in the driveway and look at while moths escape our wallets. My mother retired two months before she died and never got to enjoy any of her retirement years. She told me to live my life while I can and not depend on doing everything in retirement, because what happens if you don't make it that far? Then you've worked your entire life and didn't get to do the things you wanted to do. So that's what we're doing, and even if fuel gets to $5 or more a gallon, you'll still see us towing that TT to the campground. Happy camping!

Well said and couldn't agree more. Life must go on!

[flyrotor]

Last year I had a long distance vacation planned, when the fuel prices began to jump I didn't cancel any vacations, rather I changed my destination, I stayed with 200 miles instead of 700 miles.

We still had just as much fun, rather than spending cash on fuel, we had more cash to play with. We kept the same number of days and hit a few new camp sites.

This year will be the same, we are currently planning a long distance trip, but if prices rise, we will just re-route the destination to compensate for the extra costs. I won't cut back on the outings.

[4x4man]

My wife and I are fortunate enough to have good jobs so an extra $10-20 to fill the tank is not gonna break the bank. Agree with the post above, an extra $100 to take a trip is not worth cancelling over. We are planning on going to New Mexico at the end of this month for a week, and then up to South Dakota for a week in June. Can't wait to report back on our first real trip out with our new Wildcat.

Bob

[4x4man]

Besides...the world is gonna end near the end of this year, right??