Has the price of gasoline changed your driving behaviour?

[T Bone]

Ok, I have some more free time after a grueling month so it is time for a poll!!!!

Has the price of gasoline in your country / state changed the way you drive?


If you can answer "Yes", please let us know the country and state / region / province where you are located. Also indicate how you have changed....

• Do you drive less?
• Did you buy a Daily Driver?
• Do you mistakenly drive around without the Power button on and believe that it saves you fuel ?

If you voted "No", vote sit back and lob grenades at the yes voters .


Thanks for voting....

[mkoesel]

I wonder if the guy who answered "yes" knew it was public?

[Mack211]

I said yes, From Dallas, TX, USA.

I would say in general I try to cruise more around 60 on the highways instead of my usual 80+. As hard as it is I try to keep the RPMs as low as possible when driving to work and back unless of course someone of interest pulls up next to me. The biggest change I have made is I make sure to take out my girl's v6 mustang if we ever need to run errands

No matter how much your making, I don't know how gas prices can't affect you. That is some decent change over the year that could be going into extra little goodies.

[alpineweissM3]

I'm one of the "yes" votes...from Pittsburgh PA. I don't have my M3 just yet, but the increase in fuel prices hasn't really changed how much we drive. It just changed what we drive when we go out. Now, my wife will drive my e46 instead of her big pig Escalade.

[lucid]

I drive about 10000 miles a year. At the current 93 octane pump price, that comes to roughly $250/month on gas. Currently, I don't care about the price of gas, and drive it as I want to with a heavy right foot, and get about 14 mpg. If I were to be gentle, maybe I would get 18 mpg. You know what kind of difference that makes financially?

$75/month

If that's going to put a dent in someone's budget, they'd be stupid to buy a new M3 and spend $65k+ on a car.

Gas prices can go up to $7/gal and I still wouldn't care. Not that I'm rich or anything, but if you'll buy a car like this, enjoy it, and if you can't, don't buy it or get rid of it.

[Big Windy]

Originally Posted by lucid

I drive about 10000 a year. At the current 93 octane pump price, that comes to roughly $250/month on gas. Currently, I don't care about the price of gas, and drive it as I want to with a heavy right foot, and get about 14 mpg. If I were to be gentle, maybe I would get 18 mpg. You know what kind of difference that makes financially?

$75/month

If that's going to put a dent in someone's budget, they'd be stupid to buy an M3 and spend $65k+ on a car.

Gas prices can go up to $7/gal and I still wouldn't care. Not that I'm rich or anything, but if you'll buy a car like this, enjoy it, and if you can't, don't buy it or get rid of it.

+1 Lucid. It is sad to say that 75 bucks is hardly anything anymore. The gas issue has obviously meant more money out of our pockets, but it still is not substantial enough to really hit hard on my wallet (and I am not rich by any means).

[lucid]

Originally Posted by Big Windy

It is sad to say that 75 bucks is hardly anything anymore.

Yep, you can't even have a very good meal with wine in a nice restaurant for $75/person out the door anymore. And I said a very good, not a fancy, meal.

[duk]

that just means less starbucks per month for me, BIG DEAL!

[Voltigeur]

-

I drive about 24k a year (not including my wife who does about 15-1k, we have 3 cars for 2 of us) and so, yes, it's a real expense as although I don't have the new car yet we have another V8. I find that I'm getting to cruising speed and less frequently blasting past a slower car; it's not a matter of affordability, more that after being in Europe this month I think that I should be more responsible - which does not mean that once I get the next car I won't rev it out from time-to-time

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by Mack211

No matter how much your making, I don't know how gas prices can't affect you. That is some decent change over the year that could be going into extra little goodies.

Right, but IMHO $50-100 in goodies each month won't make up for having to drive like an old guy in a Buick.

[booforty]

No, if you are concerned about fuel prices or MPG then the M3 is not the right car for you...

[DonM3]

Agree.

Im spending on average £60 a week on fuel.

How about you booforty?

Originally Posted by booforty

No, if you are concerned about fuel prices or MPG then the M3 is not the right car for you...

[Mack211]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

Right, but IMHO $50-100 in goodies each month won't make up for having to drive like an old guy in a Buick.

You're probably right. Maybe I'm just cheap when it comes to certain things. I have a pretty strict budget I set for myself. So when price of gas goes up I take that extra expense from my 'car budget'. Almost every dollar I make is allocated to something whether it be stocks, savings, or just groceries...

[booforty]

Originally Posted by DonM3

Agree.

Im spending on average £60 a week on fuel.

How about you booforty?

Its a weekend toy for me so not spending that much on fuel. I only do about 7k-8k miles per annum

What are you doing Sunday mate? There is a UK mini-meet at Mercedes-Benz World at Brooklands near Weybridge at 10:30am. Come along and say hello!

[Kadarin]

I voted yes, in that I make fewer unnecessary trips, and I try to drive less aggressively when it's not called for.

[Davinhci]

no change at all yet.

[Leg]

I said yes. I am in England. Not Britain, certainly not Europe and absolutely not the UK. England.

I have now added the following to my driving habits:

1. I like to give the thumbs up to Prius drivers whilst mouthing 'V8' to them clearly so they can lip read what I am saying. It really annoys them.

2. Should I see anyone who has clearly chosen a car for it's economy (small hatchback diesel, hybrid etc) at the lights and I am lucky enough to be at the side or, preferably, in front of them I find that copius revving of the engine whilst grinning inanely out the window/in the mirror elicits some spectacular responses.

3. When filling up at petrol stations I like to get the folding camp chair that I keep in my boot out and sit down to fill up as it can take some time. If the car is completely empty I find this month's copy of TG magazine helps pass the time too.

4. The attendant at my local Shell garage now calls me by my first name. She is quite attractive. I reckon by the time I hit £5000 of fuel I'm in. Result!

5. My general attitude is now 'well, if they are going to charge me that f*cking much a litre then I'm bloody well enjoying it' so I tend to drive the car much harder than previously.

[!Xoible]

southern california. i dont always drive with M button, it went down from 90% of the time down to 10% of the time

i still drive all over the place, but sometimes im skipping gears, and on freeway i use cruise control with over drive gears