Reducing My Utilities Bills

2 Gas Tank - Free and 37.2 MPG

The free was becuase I had to go to the dealer for my satelite radio chip and antenna to be installed. When I bought the car I negociated for this to be included in the price but, it was a Sunday and they was no one who could install it...

So, to compensate me for my time I asked them to fill me tank up and they did (about 16 gallons worth).

Good MPG and $65 in free gas.

Now I am getting better at keeping the car it 60+ MPG when commuting. The hills and the holiday weekend kids stuff tends to push the MPG down some. I am still learning to keep the car in EV mode (or 60 MPG) but, have a hard time or hills or at traffic lights.

I was talking to another camry hybris owner who said his MPG improved up to 45 MPG after 6 months and 10000 miles. So, he said was the car breaking in and the rest he said was learning from the car.

Aaron

2 Gas Tank - Free and 37.2 MPG

The free was becuase I had to go to the dealer for my satelite radio chip and antenna to be installed. When I bought the car I negociated for this to be included in the price but, it was a Sunday and they was no one who could install it...

So, to compensate me for my time I asked them to fill me tank up and they did (about 16 gallons worth).

Good MPG and $65 in free gas.

Now I am getting better at keeping the car it 60+ MPG when commuting. The hills and the holiday weekend kids stuff tends to push the MPG down some. I am still learning to keep the car in EV mode (or 60 MPG) but, have a hard time or hills or at traffic lights.

I was talking to another camry hybris owner who said his MPG improved up to 45 MPG after 6 months and 10000 miles. So, he said was the car breaking in and the rest he said was learning from the car.

Aaron

The election is approaching... think energy independence

It is time for the politicians to commit to binding plans to give not only the country energy independence but, lower the long term finacial impacts of energy cost to families.

• Instead of carbon trading to overseas make US and foriegn companies pay for solar on families homes in the US by helping to subside US families instead of farms in China or elsewhere. Keep the offsets at home. Upgrade public transportation, pay for families to upgrade cars, upgrade ventation equipment and weatherprof homes.
• Mandate ALL cars support flex fuel by 2015 - flexability opens posiblities.
• Close the looppoles in the CAFE standards and when determining the average wieght vehicles that are less than half the CAFE standard as half the actual MPG (extra penaties). No bonuses for flex fuels. 40 MPG by 2015 and 60 MPG by 2020.
• Give tax incentives to allow people to convert cars to E85 and to improved battery technologies for hybrids, upgrades to plug ins.
• Invest in other ethanol and biofuels not just corn.
• To the enviromental movement allow more wind power in more places, allow for more domestic oil development (such as shale) in exchange for a CAFE standard of 75 MPG by 2025. At least domestic developement can be required to follow enviromental constraints. Also, I want CAFE standards to increase 5% per year after that.

Personally I hope to be driving my exist new hybrid and my wife's eventual new one and upgrading them to plug-in and hopefully E85 depending on cost and availability.

To be honest I would not have a problem with coal to auto fuel coversion if done in an enviromentally sound manner. I figure home grown fuel can be regulated. OPEC can not.

I want the plan to target bring the cost of energy down while push more energy efficency. This will lower costs of everything including food and technology. If we can produce energy in a clean and safe way cheaper to we  can beat the low cost countries economically while having a high standard of living.

I believe I can upgrade my Camry Hybrid to a plug-in within 2 years that could get 100+ MPG for normal use. If is was to operate on E85 from cellose based ethanol I could my foreign dependency on oil.

I wan my cost for energy to be lest then 2% of my income by 2015. That my goal.

Start by doubling your MPG on your next car.

Aaron

Eyeing the next hybrid for wife

My wifes SUV only gets 12.1 MPG

So, we are eyeing swapping gas savings for a new car payments. So far the leader is the Mazda Tribute hybrid or the Ford Escape hybrid.

Her 4 year old GMC envoy was not my choice but, now she is driving the SUV becoming more efficient.

Aaron

First visit to the gas station with the new hybrid

Instead of being near empty I only used 9 gallons of gas and averaged 36.1 MPG.

In addition I was able to time it with driving my daugher to work and fill up at the last gas station under $4 per gallon (I drive righ past the COSTCO on the way to drop off my daugher on Friday).

The mileage it about 32 on though short errands and above 40 on commutes to and from work.

Also, I am learning to be better at squeezingmore MPGs out of the car.

Aaron

Finally Replaced my Car with a Hybrid

After about 4 weeks of seriousness I replace my Outback with a Toyota Camry Hybrid. A fully loaded with all the standard stuff plus more. I decided in the end the Toyota was a better match for me long term.

An yes I was able to by it solidly below MSRP. I bought a really nice car with loads of features and great gas milage. Too soon to report on that (only 60 miles on the car half only 35 was mine)

I hope to save more then $200 a month in gas. I will report on the details a time goes on.

Aaron