gasmileagecalculators.com http://gasmileagecalculators.com Sun, 30 Nov 2008 11:31:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 en hourly 1 What We Avoid When Car Shopping http://gasmileagecalculators.com/%categoryname%/what-we-avoid-when-car-shopping http://gasmileagecalculators.com/%categoryname%/what-we-avoid-when-car-shopping#comments Sun, 30 Nov 2008 11:31:51 +0000 http://www.gasmileagecalculators.com/?p=66 While many say that the price of gas will once again skyrocket once the holidays and election honeymoon are over, others are expressing that same fear with their wallets.  The sixth annual avoidance study conducted by JD Powers & Associates shows that new vehicle buyers are increasingly likely to avoid specific models due to price or gas mileage.

The study examines the reasons consumers fail to consider particular models when shopping for new vehicles. What people avoid when shopping for a new vehicle often tells more about the current state of the auto industry and the economic and political climate of the country as a whole.  This year the study says people are holding on to all the pennies they can count.
The 2008 study finds that 23 percent of new-vehicle buyers cite price as a reason they avoided a certain model during the shopping process. Gas mileage is also becoming a more important factor, both in vehicle buyers’ avoidance of some models and selection of other models. Poor gas mileage as a reason for avoidance has increased dramatically in the past four years, climbing to 13 percent in 2008 from 7 percent in 2004.
“In these tough economic times, a significant number of would-be new-vehicle buyers are postponing their purchases, but for those who are purchasing new vehicles, the market has shifted toward smaller, less expensive and more fuel-efficient models,” said Jon Osborn, research director at J.D. Power and Associates. “Although we’ve recently seen a considerable decrease in the price of gasoline, consumers will not soon forget having had to pay in the range of $80 to $90 for a tank of gas earlier this year.”
The study also finds that even as gas mileage has become increasingly important to new-vehicle buyers, only 4 percent of buyers cite environmental concerns as a reason for avoidance, compared with 5 percent in 2007.
“With the recent trend in automotive marketing centered on ‘green’ vehicles for environmentally conscious buyers, it seems that now would be the time that environmental concerns would resonate strongly with new-vehicle buyers,” said Osborn. “However, the reality is that environmental concerns are seldom mentioned as a reason to either avoid or purchase specific models. Gas mileage is now the primary factor in the new vehicle purchase decision, so it appears that buyers are looking for better gas mileage as a way to save money, rather than out of concern for the environment.”
While styling remains the reason for avoidance cited most often by new-vehicle buyers (43%), the study finds that other product-related concerns — such as long-term reliability, quality and resale value — are also very important to consumers. Reliability concerns are cited by 22 percent of buyers as a reason for avoidance, while resale value is cited by 16 percent and concerns about poor quality by 14 percent.
“The halo effect of a brand’s product quality and dependability on its models, and vice versa, is critical to brand image and consideration,” said Osborn. “A vehicle brand that has a perception in the marketplace for poor quality faces an uphill battle when it comes to winning customers, and these negative brand perceptions — whether true or not — are among the most difficult to overcome in the short term. Quite often, vehicles are avoided due to quality concerns to a greater extent than they may deserve. For instance, many buyers cite ‘quality’ as a reason for avoiding Ford and Chevrolet models, yet both of these brands earned above-average quality scores from owners in the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Initial Quality Study.”
The 2008 Avoider Study is based on responses from more than 33,000 owners who registered a new vehicle in May 2008. The study was fielded August through September 2008.
]]> http://gasmileagecalculators.com/%categoryname%/what-we-avoid-when-car-shopping/feed 0 IRS mileage rate lowered for 2009 http://gasmileagecalculators.com/%categoryname%/irs-mileage-rate-lowered-for-2009 http://gasmileagecalculators.com/%categoryname%/irs-mileage-rate-lowered-for-2009#comments Tue, 25 Nov 2008 13:54:20 +0000 http://www.gasmileagecalculators.com/?p=65 Beginning Jan. 1, the IRS mileage reimbursement rates are going down, but they will still be 10% higher than they were last year. The new rates are:

The IRS raised the rates mid-year from 50.5 cents per mile for business travel, to 58.5 cents. The special adjustment came on the heels of a swift gas price run up that saw prices top $4.20 on a national average. The rate for charitable purposes is set by law and is unchanged from 2008.

The IRS uses an annual study by Wisconsin-based Runzheimer International to determine their reimbursement rate. The study tracks the fixed and variable costs of operating an automobile. The IRS mileage rate is in turn used by many companies to set their employee mileage reimbursement rate.

]]> http://gasmileagecalculators.com/%categoryname%/irs-mileage-rate-lowered-for-2009/feed 0 Gas Mileage EPA Ratings for 2009 Models http://gasmileagecalculators.com/%categoryname%/gas-mileage-epa-ratings-for-2009-models http://gasmileagecalculators.com/%categoryname%/gas-mileage-epa-ratings-for-2009-models#comments Sat, 25 Oct 2008 16:00:33 +0000 http://www.gasmileagecalculators.com/?p=64 The EPA and the Department of Energy have released the 2009 Fuel Economy Guide.  For the first time, the release is available for mobile download as well (www.fueleconomy.gov/m).

“With the new Fuel Economy Guide in hand, Americans now have the information they need to buy greener and cleaner cars and trucks,” said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. “This valuable guide can help jump start any search for a better, more efficient automobile.”

“Today new car buyers have more fuel efficient and alternative fuel options than ever before,” Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman said. “Knowledge is power and this guide provides consumers with necessary information to make smart vehicle purchasing decisions that will save them money at the pump.”

Here’s another thing car shoppers can take with them when they shop. It’s the list of the top 2009 gas mileage models:

Rank
Manufacturer/Model
 MPGcity/highway
1
Toyota Prius (hybrid)
 48/45
2
Honda Civic Hybrid
 40/45
3
Nissan Altima Hybrid
 35/33
4
Ford Escape Hybrid FWD
Mazda Tribute Hybrid 2WD
Mercury Mariner Hybrid FWD
 34/31
5
Smart Fortwo Convertible
Smart Fortwo Coupe
 33/41
6
Toyota Camry Hybrid
 33/34
7
Volkswagon Jetta (manual, diesel)
Volkswagon Jetta Sportwagon (manual, diesel)
 30/41
8
Volkswagon Jetta (automatic, diesel)
Volkswagon Jetta Sportwagon (automatic, diesel)
 29/40
9
Toyota Yaris (manual)
 29/36
10
Toyota Yaris (automatic)
 29/35
]]> http://gasmileagecalculators.com/%categoryname%/gas-mileage-epa-ratings-for-2009-models/feed 0 Gas Price Perspective http://gasmileagecalculators.com/%categoryname%/gas-price-perspective http://gasmileagecalculators.com/%categoryname%/gas-price-perspective#comments Sun, 05 Oct 2008 17:00:10 +0000 http://www.gasmileagecalculators.com/?p=55 One month before the US presidential elections and during the worst US stock market week in more than 70 years seems like a good time to visit gas prices.  The first chart (courtesy of GasBuddy.com) shows the rise in gas prices in the US (blue), Canada (red) and how they have performed relative to crude oil prices (green) over the last five years.

While there have been some pretty wild ups and downs short term, this makes clear the long term rising trend in prices. Generally speaking, the more shallow the trend, the more sustainable, indicating that higher prices can safely be forecast for the foreseeable future.

This second chart (courtesy of InflationData.com) shows US retail prices (black) against their inflation adjusted prices (red).

This view, of the very long term, going back to 1918 for the first entry.  The final figure shown was of gas at $3.22 per gallon in March, making the overall average 2008 to date figure $3.08 per gallon. Since it was completed before gas topped $4.00 in June and July of 2008, the final figure shows us equal to the adjusted cost of gas in 1981 and still slightly behind the initial “gasoline as luxury” prices.

]]> http://gasmileagecalculators.com/%categoryname%/gas-price-perspective/feed 0 Gas Mileage Calculator Offered For Free "Snapshots" http://gasmileagecalculators.com/%categoryname%/gas-mileage-calculator-offered-for-free-snapshots http://gasmileagecalculators.com/%categoryname%/gas-mileage-calculator-offered-for-free-snapshots#comments Fri, 03 Oct 2008 11:24:33 +0000 http://www.gasmileagecalculators.com/?p=59 Now yo don’t have to do the math in your head, or even on paper. We’ve added a free “snapshot” calculator you can download and use anytime. There’s no charge for it and it’s super simple to use:

Step 1 – choose measurement
Step 2 – enter current readings
Step 3 – results displayed

You can choose to measure your results in terms of miles/kilometers or US gallons/metric liters. Once you’ve chosen, you simply input your current and previous odometer readings or the number of miles/kilometers you traveled on this tank of gas. Then enter the total amount of fuel purchased and the price. The program will take care of all the calculations and give you your results instantly.

gas_mileage_calculator – download here

Right click and select “save file as” to begin the download. You will need to extract the program from this compressed zipped file.

Remember, as a snapshot program, you will not be able to save any of the data you enter into this calculator or record it to find your long term fuel use trends. We recommend two programs designed to let you do that:

  • Mileage Logger - a fully automated, plug and forget, GPS enabled mileage logger for IRS and Business mileage reimbursements
  • GasDandy - a local desktop gas use tracker that reminds you when normal maintenance is due.

You can read more about these as well as the immediate, trip and other calculators we offer on the Gas Mileage Calculators page.

]]> http://gasmileagecalculators.com/%categoryname%/gas-mileage-calculator-offered-for-free-snapshots/feed 0 GM Looking to Crack 100 MPG – or something http://gasmileagecalculators.com/%categoryname%/gm-looking-to-crack-100-mpg-or-something http://gasmileagecalculators.com/%categoryname%/gm-looking-to-crack-100-mpg-or-something#comments Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:26:47 +0000 http://www.gasmileagecalculators.com/?p=54 Hard on the heels of reports that more Americans are looking to buy Asian cars for their superior gas mileage comes an announcement by GM that they hope to have a car on the road getting better than 100 mpg in less than two years.

That is, they think its 100 mpg. Or it would be if you were comparing a gas vehicle to a gas vehicle, which they’re not. But it’s as close to 100 mpg as you can get when comparing an apple to an orange – sort of.  And that’s the real story behind the press release.

GM announced that they have reached a preliminary agreement with US regulators to certify their Chevy “Volt” as the first 100 mpg car. But even the EPA said that their testing guidelines haven’t been finalized.

What the EPA needs to do in this case is nothing short of developing a new way of measuring fuel efficiency.  In the case of the Volt, they’ll need to develop a standard for vehicle’s that rely more heavily on electric than internal-combustion power.

In their statement on the matter, the EPA said they hope to have a methodology finalized soon and will report it then. GM offered to assist them in building this standard by sharing the road data they get from the Volt. The price of that cooperation was this preliminary certification that GM is hoping will generate early buzz and sales value for the Volt.

Jeff Green of Bloomberg News scored this quote that puts the announcement in perspective:

“It’s a huge milestone to beat 100 mpg. It’s bragging rights,” said Rebecca Lindland, an analyst at Global Insight Inc. in Lexington, Mass. “To many people, GM is just about gas-guzzling SUVs. They never get credit for fuel economy. If Toyota were doing the Volt, they would be having parades and waving flags.”

GM scored another victory of a longer term and more far reaching sort with this agreement. By helping to establish the standard, they are able to mold that standard somewhat to empasize their core strengths, or highlight certain  performance factors and to help shut out their rivals by downplaying others.

There are many fundamental differences in how the Volt operates as opposed to the current generation of electric hybrids. As planned, the Volt will have a 40 mile range before its onboard generator kicks in. The car can be plugged in at home for recharging.

Today’s Toyota Prius, for contrast, is not rechargable and can only drive a couple of miles on battery power alone. It is the current miles per gallon champ, getting 48 mpg city and 45 mpg on the highway.

However, several announcements have been made over the past few months by individual experimenters and aftermarket conversion companies who report success in converting the Prius to a plugin hybrid with significantly higher mileage; some claiming near 100 mpg equivalents.

That would put the two vehicles on an equal footing for gas mileage comparisons. The Volt is to be released in late 2010, giving both GM and Toyota nearly two years to work on breaking the 100 mpg barrier, or whatever the EPA will call its new measure of performance.

]]> http://gasmileagecalculators.com/%categoryname%/gm-looking-to-crack-100-mpg-or-something/feed 0 Vehicles Mileage Bigger Factor In Purchase Decision http://gasmileagecalculators.com/%categoryname%/vehicles-mileage-bigger-factor-in-purchase-decision http://gasmileagecalculators.com/%categoryname%/vehicles-mileage-bigger-factor-in-purchase-decision#comments Sun, 28 Sep 2008 16:15:08 +0000 http://www.gasmileagecalculators.com/?p=53 This week brought “startling” news to the market. Buyers are now ranking the gas mileage rating of new vehicles as a more important variable than they did a year ago.

“Fuel economy has definitely become a more important issue, and I think if we were in the field with the survey right now I think it would be even more important,” said Tom Gauer, senior director of automotive retail research at J.D. Power. The company was in the field surveying people in May and June of 2008. At that time gas prices were spiking above $4.00 per gallon for the first time in many places.

The report of that survey, released this week was picked up widely by the media. It showed that nearly 20% of buyers cited inadequate gas mileage as a reason for rejecting one car in favor of another. That rather negatively phrased qualifier was up 3% from 2007 making it the biggest mover in this year’s survey. It has jumped 15% total from 2003, tracking the spike in gas prices since then.

There was also a 3% rise in the number of people reported to be considering Asian brand cars over domestic brands. There was no breakdown offered that pointed to what vehicles were favored over others in the report. However, hybrid vehicles have been outselling non-hybrids for several months. The Toyota Prius hybrid remains the hottest selling car with a waiting list that tops a month in some places.

Gas mileage is now the number 3 factor in rejecting a car during the buying decision. The number 2 factor cited is the car’s monthly payment price. Number 1 remains the sticker price of a vehicle.

]]> http://gasmileagecalculators.com/%categoryname%/vehicles-mileage-bigger-factor-in-purchase-decision/feed 0 Updates on the Long and Short of Gas http://gasmileagecalculators.com/%categoryname%/updates-on-the-long-and-short-of-gas http://gasmileagecalculators.com/%categoryname%/updates-on-the-long-and-short-of-gas#comments Thu, 25 Sep 2008 19:46:39 +0000 http://www.gasmileagecalculators.com/?p=52 On the short end of the stick …. Unfortunately rumors that circulated on September 19th that Atlanta was running out of gas proved to be true.  However, nearly one week later, the city and environs are close to normal again in terms of fuel shipments. Whether or not the residents will be returning to their “pre-shortage” ways any time soon remains to be seen.

There were plenty of conflicting stories and a certain level of panic, but nothing too widespread. There were also plenty of people who reportedly stocked up using any available type of tank anytime they were able to jockey into position at a pump. There were also plenty of other people angry at them for taking advantage of the situation and not thinking of their neighbors in need, but no reports of deadly violence.

Elsewhere in the country, hurricane Ike’s effects were felt in the fuel industry in other ways.  Some alternative energy plants were taken offline and are expected to remain so for a month or two. Gas prices rose overall, but fell again over the last week.

On the long end of things …. Two copywriters who set out from midtwon Manhatten to drive to California on a single tank of biodiesel didn’t suffer a fuel shortage. While they didn’t set the speed record they had hoped, they made it to their destination on the 50 gallons of fuel in their Volkswagon Jetta’s special tank.  Since the route was approximately 3,000 miles, they were able to achieve about 60 miles to the gallon on the trip.

On the super long end of things … John and Helen Taylor, an Australian husband and wife team, who set a Guinness World Record for driving the globe on 24 tanks of fuel in 2006 are still on the road in America, but are very close to the end of their trip. They are attempting to break the current world record for lowest fuel consumption on a drive across the 48 contiguous United States. The current world record for the lowest fuel consumption on a nationwide drive is 51.58 miles per gallon. They are using fossil diesel on their trip, but are practicing “hypermiling” driving techniques designed to stretch a gallon of fuel as far as possible.

]]> http://gasmileagecalculators.com/%categoryname%/updates-on-the-long-and-short-of-gas/feed 0 A Cross Country Test of Biodiesel Is Underway http://gasmileagecalculators.com/%categoryname%/a-cross-country-test-of-biodiesel-is-underway http://gasmileagecalculators.com/%categoryname%/a-cross-country-test-of-biodiesel-is-underway#comments Mon, 22 Sep 2008 03:14:52 +0000 http://www.gasmileagecalculators.com/?p=50 Volkswagon is hitting the PR trail hard this month.  Earlier in September, we shared the story about the start of a trip by and Australian couple who hoped to set a world’s record for their cars mileage. They are driving a Volkswagon Jetta across country in an attempt to visit all 48 contiguous states in 24 days.

Now we hear of another Volkswago Jetta setting out from New York City bound for California on what is being called “the Willie Run ‘08.” Only this time, drivers Nik Bristow and Brian Pierce plan to drive non-stop on a single tank of biodiesel fuel. They hope to arrive in Los Angelos on September 24, just 40 hours after setting out. They will stop only long enough to change drivers periodically.

To make a nearly 3,000 mile on a single tank of any kind of fuel would be impossible if the car carried a standard 14 gallon fuel tank.  This diesel Jetta has been specially equipped for the trip, however, with a 60 gallon tank.  The car is suppose to gat 45-50 mpg, which is what will be tested on this trip.

Volkswagon is not the only company in the spotlight on this venture.  Country music singer Willie Nelson’s BioWillie (r) brand of biodiesel will be used. The course the pair will take follows the same route used in the 1970’s Cannonball Run race (and the movie that was made about it in 1981).

That’s not too surprising considering the pair are advertising copywriters. “We’d been working on the BioWillie brand for a while, but it occurred to us that we were working with Willie Nelson, the original outlaw of the music industry, so we needed to be doing something outlaw, Pierce said. Planning for the trip included setting up a website at www.willierun.com where you can follow their progress.

]]> http://gasmileagecalculators.com/%categoryname%/a-cross-country-test-of-biodiesel-is-underway/feed 0 Nashville Out of Gas? http://gasmileagecalculators.com/%categoryname%/nashville-out-of-gas http://gasmileagecalculators.com/%categoryname%/nashville-out-of-gas#comments Sat, 20 Sep 2008 05:19:01 +0000 http://www.gasmileagecalculators.com/?p=49 As I was about to hit the close button on my computer this evening, one last message caught my eye.  It was the following brief report from CNN, reporting on a rumor from Nashville Tennesee.  We’ll see (and report) what comes of it in the calm light of day:

Call it a self-fulfilling prophecy: an estimated three-fourths of gas stations in the Nashville, Tennessee, area ran dry Friday, victim of an apparent rumor that the city was running out of gas.

“Everybody has just gone nuts,” said Mike Williams, executive director of the Tennessee Petroleum Council.
He said he has no idea where the rumor originated that there was going to be no gas in Nashville.

One reporter called him saying she had heard that Nashville would be without gas within the hour, he said.
Hearing the rumor, drivers rushed to fill up their cars and trucks.


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