[Shop-talk] 6 to 3 fuel saving

[scott.hall at comcast.net]

there was a segment on the radio about this just the other day, just what you noted.  people tend to not want to go from thier 10 mpg truck to a 18 mpg truck, because it's 'only' 18 mpg.  but they're getting an 80% increase in their mpg.  however, they get all excited about going from 30 mpg to 35 mpg--a 17% increase.

basically, people looking to dump suvs weren't because they couldn't get 35 mpg vehicles that fit what they wanted.  but they'd turn up their noses at 22 mpg vehicles that'd do what they wanted.

it was interesting.

 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: Steven Trovato <strovato at optonline.net>
> I'm not accusing anyone here of doing this, but it seems that 
> sometimes people misinterpret fuel mileage improvements.  If you're 
> getting 10 miles per gallon, and you do something that gives you 11 
> miles per gallon, it doesn't sound like much, but it is a 10% improvement.
> 
> At 10mpg:
> 
> If you drive 10000 miles per year, that's 10000 miles divided by 10 
> miles per gallon = 1000 gallons, times $4 per gallon, thats $4000