FARK.com: (6834223) Average American household spent $4,155 filling up their vehicles in 2011. As expected, most trips were back and forth to the unemployment office

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		Average American household spent $4,155 filling up their vehicles in 2011. As expected, most trips were back and forth to the unemployment office (chicagotribune.com)		45
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45 Comments (+0 »)

Rapmaster2000

2011-12-21 08:53:57 AM

I spent only $50 dollars filling up my Prius this year and I ride my bike and take the train.

Rapmaster2000

2011-12-21 08:55:26 AM

Rapmaster2000: I spent only $50 dollars filling up my Prius this year and I ride my bike and take the train.

This guy is so smug. I can smell the smug. I drive what I want to drive and while you drive your homo jellybean car I drive something kickass!

NewportBarGuy

2011-12-21 09:06:07 AM

I bought a car that gets 40mpg. I dunno, call me crazy. Figured that's what you do when fuel costs can take a huge bite out of your check.

Arkanaut

2011-12-21 09:07:50 AM

Last I checked you could claim unemployment through the phone or online.

OutsmartBullet

2011-12-21 09:08:18 AM

Seriously. My new Sonata gets like 45mpg on the highway. I'd say half of my miles were on a motorcycle.

I feel bad for people that buy a Ford Explorer to get to work every day.

macross87

2011-12-21 09:10:57 AM

Spent less that the average, but I mostly drive the TDI around. Keeping the gas guzzling LandCruiser (14-18mpg) works great for when I need to haul off a dead water heater. I would love to see that water heater fit in a small car.

enry

2011-12-21 09:11:50 AM

Let's see. Drive 7000 mi last year, 20MPG, 350 gallons @$3.50/gallon = $1,225.

canyoneer

2011-12-21 09:14:50 AM

This is a non-fact. I have it on very good authority from multiple Farkers that petroleum prices are unrelated to economic activity, cannot have any aggregate affect on the economy, and petroleum price spikes cannot trigger recessions. Any correlation that has been seen mutilple times since WWII is just coincidence.

Hamster On A Wheel

2011-12-21 09:14:53 AM

Arkanaut: Last I checked you could claim unemployment through the phone or online.

In my county they randomly pick people to come to the office to partake in "re-employment training" or something like that. So if you want to keep receiving your benefits, you have to show up in person.

Wish I didn't know that.

NewportBarGuy

2011-12-21 09:21:46 AM

macross87: Keeping the gas guzzling LandCruiser (14-18mpg) works great for when I need to haul off a dead water heater. I would love to see that water heater fit in a small car.

Yeah. My father always kept a few hundred dollar beater truck around to do just those kinds of things. $8-1,200 for the truck, couple hundred for mait. and the min. insurance required by law. I'm looking at doing the same to do work around the house for the long term. For now I pay a guy $50-100 per trip for errands like that. If it's cheaper to buy a gas efficient car for work and get a beater truck to do errands, I don't know why people feel the need to get one vehicle that does both but costs them more in gas... Assuming they have a place to park the thing and other factors. If you need a large truck for work, then it doesn't apply and you are just screwed and have to bake those costs into your job.

I sincerely hope those of you that can, write off your mileage to work on your taxes. I'm about near the standard deduction anyway, so it's kind of a wash for me.

ajgeek

2011-12-21 09:21:58 AM

Managed to get out this year with only a $2500 fuel bill.

/40mpg. Also, my car is a '96. Fark you, Prius owners.

Dancin_In_Anson

2011-12-21 09:23:22 AM

Thank you for your support.

Generation_D

2011-12-21 09:43:45 AM

Fuel bill? people still drive? I buy 1 tank of gas a month for incidentals, like driving to the liquor store.

// walk to work, have done so for years.

GoodyearPimp

2011-12-21 09:58:41 AM

NewportBarGuy: I don't know why people feel the need to get one vehicle that does both but costs them more in gas

Hauling dead water heaters is a weekly occurrence, right?

kotton

2011-12-21 10:00:10 AM

So far for the year, 512 gallons.. with a 22mpg average on my Dodge Charger. using $3.75 as an average for the year. That is still under $2000 if gas prices.

Live closer to home idiots. 15 minute if traffic is good - 29 minutes if it sucks.

natazha

2011-12-21 10:01:59 AM

Below average, again. My daily driver only gets 26-29 mpg, but I can stuff a Prius in the back and tow two more.

SuperChuck

2011-12-21 10:10:11 AM

kotton: So far for the year, 512 gallons.. with a 22mpg average on my Dodge Charger. using $3.75 as an average for the year. That is still under $2000 if gas prices.

Live closer to home idiots. 15 minute if traffic is good - 29 minutes if it sucks.

I tried living farther away from home but wherever I went, there it was.

NewportBarGuy

2011-12-21 10:12:00 AM

GoodyearPimp: Hauling dead water heaters is a weekly occurrence, right?

OK, let me add another factor... Homeownership. If you are a homeowner, you'll often have needs to go to the dump, pick up a screen door, grab some wood, concrete etc. If you do your own work around the house it is nice to have a vehicle to help you out, or a willing friend who can be paid in beer.

Christ, I said other factors. If you want a car that gets 20mpg, go for it. It's a free country. Just don't biatch about what you pay in gas because alternatives exist, except for those that need a specific vehicle for work. In that case I'd ask the boss for a slightly higher raise this year and print out this story and show him your expenses went up. He can shoot you down and cite that his costs are up as well, but at least have the conversation. A buddy of mine just had that conversation with his boss and they agreed to add his bonus into his weekly check to offset his increase in costs of living due to the longer commute. It's basically a wash, but he's getting more now as opposed to later.

It's an economic concern, at least to me. What am I saving on insurance, gas, and outlay costs for the smaller car? I laid it out and compared it to other cars. I save about $200 a month doing it this way. I can use $100 of that toward getting a beater truck and having a vehicle when I need it.

Bleyo

2011-12-21 10:14:06 AM

My car only gets 19 MPG, but I only spent about $1200 on fuel this year. I also spent about $1000 on mass transit, but my company reimburses that.

If you live in a city big enough to have suburbs and long commutes, you have mass transit options. If you want fuel prices to go down, use the mass transit options.

Fubegra

2011-12-21 10:24:35 AM

macross87: Spent less that the average, but I mostly drive the TDI around. Keeping the gas guzzling LandCruiser (14-18mpg) works great for when I need to haul off a dead water heater. I would love to see that water heater fit in a small car.

You don't need a Land Cruiser to haul a water heater. A Honda Fit will do. Link

p the boiler

2011-12-21 10:47:51 AM

kotton: So far for the year, 512 gallons.. with a 22mpg average on my Dodge Charger. using $3.75 as an average for the year. That is still under $2000 if gas prices.

Live closer to home idiots. 15 minute if traffic is good - 29 minutes if it sucks.

I work in downtown Chicago and have 3 kids.... uh, no way I am living closer to work - the cost of housing, taxes and schools is prohibitive. I live 35 miles outside of the city in an area with good schools, much lower housing costs and way lower taxes (NW Indiana) - I also am able to have a large yard for my kids to play. I will take the gas hit any day of the week.

mctwin2kman

2011-12-21 10:56:38 AM

Got rid of a 29mpg car because the engine needed rebuilding. Got a Jeep GC V-8 and could care less what it costs to fill. Gets 15-17 average for mixed driving. Then again I do not base my car purchases on gas prices. I base it on what I want it to do.

beta_plus

2011-12-21 10:58:17 AM

p the boiler: kotton: So far for the year, 512 gallons.. with a 22mpg average on my Dodge Charger. using $3.75 as an average for the year. That is still under $2000 if gas prices.

Live closer to home idiots. 15 minute if traffic is good - 29 minutes if it sucks.

I work in downtown Chicago and have 3 kids.... uh, no way I am living closer to work - the cost of housing, taxes and schools is prohibitive. I live 35 miles outside of the city in an area with good schools, much lower housing costs and way lower taxes (NW Indiana) - I also am able to have a large yard for my kids to play. I will take the gas hit any day of the week.

You make economic choices that I don't like with the money that you earn! Therefore, you are a racist!

macross87

2011-12-21 11:14:06 AM

Hyjamon

2011-12-21 11:23:17 AM

Bleyo: My car only gets 19 MPG, but I only spent about $1200 on fuel this year. I also spent about $1000 on mass transit, but my company reimburses that.

If you live in a city big enough to have suburbs and long commutes, you have mass transit options. If you want fuel prices to go down, use the mass transit options.

Ever been to Atlanta? Marta is the worse mass transit system I have ever seen.

p the boiler

2011-12-21 11:28:21 AM

beta_plus: p the boiler: kotton: So far for the year, 512 gallons.. with a 22mpg average on my Dodge Charger. using $3.75 as an average for the year. That is still under $2000 if gas prices.

Live closer to home idiots. 15 minute if traffic is good - 29 minutes if it sucks.

I work in downtown Chicago and have 3 kids.... uh, no way I am living closer to work - the cost of housing, taxes and schools is prohibitive. I live 35 miles outside of the city in an area with good schools, much lower housing costs and way lower taxes (NW Indiana) - I also am able to have a large yard for my kids to play. I will take the gas hit any day of the week.

You make economic choices that I don't like with the money that you earn! Therefore, you are a racist!

dammit... I knew something was wrong with me

squidgod2000

2011-12-21 11:28:26 AM

I spent about $80 a year on gas.

/just because you can't see it from your house doesn't mean you have to drive there

busy chillin'

2011-12-21 11:48:01 AM

I run my car on smugness, and this thread is just in time for my next fill up.

Cajnik

2011-12-21 11:55:38 AM

/Fresh smug, come and get it

wakizashi

2011-12-21 12:22:21 PM

use the Dynovalve

jst3p

2011-12-21 12:37:50 PM

OutsmartBullet: Seriously. My new Sonata gets like 45mpg on the highway. I'd say half of my miles were on a motorcycle.

I feel bad for people that buy a Ford Explorer to get to work every day.

I commute 30 miles each way (4 days a week) in a Santa Fe (22 mpg since most is highway). I am OK with it.

DrPainMD

2011-12-21 01:02:44 PM

I commute 12 miles round trip 5 days a week. My wife works from home. I don't care what the price of gas is.

MrSteve007

2011-12-21 01:11:02 PM

Between my transport options of my motorcycles, classic Mustang, Overland Willys trucks, bicycle, train, light rail and my Toyota Tacoma, my 12-month tally for fuel is $2,392 - which isn't too bad considering the number of roadtrips and trips to the family vacation home on the other side of the state.

/misses my Prius
//wants a LEAF

Slaves2Darkness

2011-12-21 01:35:10 PM

Fubegra: macross87: Spent less that the average, but I mostly drive the TDI around. Keeping the gas guzzling LandCruiser (14-18mpg) works great for when I need to haul off a dead water heater. I would love to see that water heater fit in a small car.

You don't need a Land Cruiser to haul a water heater. A Honda Fit will do. Link

When I turned 16 I got a hand me down Ford Probe and you could fit anything into that hatch back, but only 1. This one time I was picking up a washing machine from Best Buy and you should have seen the look on the helper apes face when I pulled up in that Ford Probe. He insisted that I would never get it in my car and I just said watch this, then me and my buddy proceeded to pick it up drop into the trunk area and tie the hatch back down.

I miss hatch back cars your hardly ever see them anymore. I'm currently driving a Chevy Cobalt and it would be an awesome cheap little car if they had just put a hatch back into it instead of that stupid small trunk lid.

tricycleracer

2011-12-21 01:58:35 PM

SuperChuck: Live closer to home idiots. 15 minute if traffic is good - 29 minutes if it sucks.

I tried living farther away from home but wherever I went, there it was.

I was working on my golf swing and the instructor told me to put my feet closer to the ground.

asmodeus224

2011-12-21 02:20:26 PM

I can't be poor, i own an SUV and spend $10k a year on gas!

Totally not poor (new window)

you have pee hands

2011-12-21 03:06:09 PM

I spend $2500/yr on gas and $1800/yr on road tolls. Two more years...

defiancecp

2011-12-21 03:14:41 PM

MrSteve007: Between my transport options of my motorcycles, classic Mustang, Overland Willys trucks, bicycle, train, light rail and my Toyota Tacoma, my 12-month tally for fuel is $2,392 - which isn't too bad considering the number of roadtrips and trips to the family vacation home on the other side of the state.

/misses my Prius
//wants a LEAF

As a leaf owner, I can wholeheartedly recommend it- I've had mine since June. Nearing 7k miles now, and it's honestly been the best car I've ever owned. Where I like it's operating with fuel costs of about about 15% of what a gasoline car would be. From what I've read, nationwide ordering should open up in March, though there are some available right now in California if you're willing to ship (I'm in Arkansas, got mine in TN, but I did an order shuffling thing that took some time, so wouldn't be helpful anymore).

Of course, the leaf won't handle the long road trips, but if you're a two-car household, a leaf plus a plug-in hybrid like a plug-in prius or volt is a perfect combo. We're still using a full gas car as the second vehicle just because we won't replace our vehicles until they really need replacing, but that's our plan for once the wife's WRX dies.

neilbradley

2011-12-21 04:02:40 PM

Less driving? You'd never know it here in Portland, Oregon. Traffic - everywhere - all the time - all hours of the day and night. Wish we'd have a $9/gallon price hike to force people to get the hell off the road. Wouldn't be so bad if everyone in the Portland area drove like they were asleep at the wheel.

redpanda2

2011-12-21 04:43:07 PM

About 750 in public transit unlimited passes.

RickyWilliams'sBong

2011-12-21 07:30:13 PM

kotton: So far for the year, 512 gallons.. with a 22mpg average on my Dodge Charger. using $3.75 as an average for the year. That is still under $2000 if gas prices.

Live closer to home idiots. 15 minute if traffic is good - 29 minutes if it sucks.

This. I never understand how people can spend this much on fuel. I drive a Wrangler which, on a good day, gets me about 16 mpg in the city. I spend about $60 per month on gas. Wife spends about the same, and we drive her car more since it gets better mileage. Figure $1,500/year quick and dirty.

If you're spending $4,155/year on gas, you need to move.

divZero

2011-12-21 08:37:03 PM

Only schmucks drive themselves to work.

My "commute" is 20 miles each way but I only fill my gas guzzling FJ Cruiser up every third week.

I hardly notice all of you suckers stuck in bumper to bumper traffic as I zip by on my bus comfortably catching up on my leisure reading.

Mass Transit, use it folks.

clkeagle

2011-12-21 10:47:23 PM

divZero: Mass Transit, use it folks.

Funny thing, but not every single city in the USA has buses. (checks your profile) Especially buses that drive on the shoulders of our interstates... that scared the crap out of me the first time I saw it.

Serious question to all the mass transit advocates in the thread - how much do you spend per month on your bus passes?

/'01 Escape - about $60 per month. 15 minutes to work.
//wife has '00 Altima - about $40 per month, 20 minutes to campus, plus all the around-town driving.

MrSteve007

2011-12-22 12:54:09 AM

clkeagle: divZero: Mass Transit, use it folks.

Serious question to all the mass transit advocates in the thread - how much do you spend per month on your bus passes?

/'01 Escape - about $60 per month. 15 minutes to work.
//wife has '00 Altima - about $40 per month, 20 minutes to campus, plus all the around-town driving.

At least around Seattle, a transit pass (good for unlimited busses, light rail, and commuter rail) is about $120 a month. The kicker is if a company buys all of their full-time employees an *annual* transit pass, it costs $80 a year.

/loves my work supplied transit pass.

Cajnik

2011-12-22 11:52:16 AM

clkeagle: Serious question to all the mass transit advocates in the thread - how much do you spend per month on your bus passes?

$28 for a full adult pass in Prague, $13 a month for students. And that's for arguably a top 5 public transport system in the world.

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