Jun 25 2008 10:20AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |
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A new study from the journal Science (subscribers only) may have some relevance for remodelers who feel they can't do much to improve their gas efficiency.

Most likely, you and your crews are not driving fuel efficient vehicles, because in many cases it's just not practical. Your salespeople might be able to drive a Smart Car or whatever, but those aren't going to be useful when hauling ladders, tools and the such.

The authors of the study state that too many people don't look at upgrading in fuel efficiency because they say they can't go for one of those ultra fuel-efficient vehicles. But if you look at gallons-per-mile instead of miles-per-gallon, you realize there is still significant savings to be realized. 

Here's an example from the CNN.com coverage of the report (based on driving 10,000 miles a year):

A couple drives a 25 mpg sedan. They trade it for a 50 mpg hybrid, a 25 mpg improvement. A family with mom, dad and three kids has a 10 mpg SUV to haul everyone around. They trade it for a 20 mpg station wagon, a 10 mpg improvement. Sounds like the couple did better, at least in miles per gallon.

But lets look at gallons per miles.

At 25 mpg the couple burned 400 gallons over a year and their new 50 mpg hybrid cuts that to 200 gallons. They save 200 gallons. At 10 mpg the family's SUV burns 1,000 gallons of gas a year. At 20 mpg the station wagon burns 500 gallons -- they save 500 gallons, much better than the couple.

So here's an example that relates to remodelers. Let's say you're driving a 2005 Ford F-150 for about 15,000 miles a year. Based on government estimates you're getting somewhere around 12 MPG. At $4 a gallon, that means $5,000 a year in gas. So if you switch to something like a 2008 Toyota Tacoma (20 MPG EPA estimate), that's 500 gallons (or $2,000) a year in savings.

Sure, it'd be great if everybody could drive a Prius, but if not, don't overlook the opportunity to improve your bottom line with a small change. There's also the benefit that GM, Ford and others are offering great incentives on a lot of trucks these days, which might make it a good time for those who need them to make a purchase. Obviously, your situation may vary depending on your driving habits and you have to consider monthly payments, etc.