Guys that drive 100+ miles a day for work enter here.

NYSpeed Automotive NYSpeed Off Topic
1

Okay, the house I’m buying is out in the middle of no fucking where (I love it)… Well, it’s in the town of alabama just across the genesse county border.

I’m looking at a 40-45 mile commute one way for work.
Not really that big of a deal for me… Considering it’s more or less all thruway (Enter Pembroke ramp, exit Milestrip on the 219)…
I do maybe 20 miles now.

I about 25-26mpg with my daily right now. (stock grand am, 3400)

I was planning on just going with what I have right now, since it’s in great shape… and decent mileage. But then I started thinking, I could go with a 500-600cc bike and ride that daily when it’s not shitty out. But I was a little worried about driving down the thruway during rush hour times, since I know how much of a dick people are on there. Not to mention bikes get a 50% discount on tolls when using EZPass.

Or I can go with some Jetta TDI/civic type of car… just getting as much mpg from a cager as possible.

Orrr do a SVO conversion. (I’d have to buy a car for the conversion here as well)

Trying to figure out cost effectiveness here.
makes my brain hurt.

90 Miles per day, 25mpg = 3.6 gal = $10.80/day, 260 days a year $2808/yr.
90 Miles per day, 45mpg (TDI/civic) = 2 gal = $6/day, 260 days a year $1560/yr.
90 Miles per day, 65mpg (bike) = 1.3 gal = $4.15/day, 260 days a year $1080/yr.

Then SVO would be free minus the start/stop fuel costs… Although higher cost to buy the car+kit and convert… and since I’m living in the middle of no where, storing the oil will be no problem… Just will be the issue of getting the oil.

I’ve also looked in to waste oil burning… which is probably a little more difficult to come by (my dad uses a waste oil heater as some of you may know, and has a rough time gathering large amounts of oil). Which also can be contaminated… But I think I might set up an evaperator or such to deal with that issue.

Anyone have any thoughts?
I really planned on sticking with my current car, but after looking at math numbers it doesn’t really seem that great of an idea.
If I spend 3-4k on a bike… and rode it 50% of the year (rain/stormy days + snow/cold)… I’d be saving $900-1000 on gas at current prices… which could pay the bike off quickly. and I could also use it for running to town and such.

However the idea of a SVO truck is quite nice, because then I can still haul shit around (house needs quite a bit of rennovation, plus I have some pretty big plans for the lot and I’ll have to haul ~1600lbs of welding equipment occasionally)

I’m honestly leaning towards a SVO truck, but I don’t know if a 40 mile commute warrants using SVO or not.

edit;
just remember the indian res is right close to my house…
hum.

edit;
was just looking through CL for trucks already converted and found Jack’s I think…
http://buffalo.craigslist.org/cto/1748512092.html
lol. Nice, but more than I’m looking to spend :stuck_out_tongue:

2

Don’t forget to add in insurance for the bike, plus I’d only figure that you could ride it 10% of the year, 20% if you’re lucky if you’re only going to ride it in good weather.

As for SVO vehicles, if you have a steady source of it then that’d be awesome.

Otherwise, good luck on your choice. I’d just find the most reliable, highest mileage rating vehicle I could afford.

3

my uncle rides a BMW 1200 Touring Bike, rain, sleet, snow, shine, 24/7/365, he barely uses his car, has some serious weather resistant gear, and loves it, thats one way of traveling i suppose

4

Buy the bike.Buy a civic/tdi/saturn.
I get 33-40mpg (winter gas sucks) in my sl1 saturn.You could pick one up for $1000-3000.
Im in a similiar situation.Im putting a sti on the road soon and calculated it will be cheaper to have 2 cars on the road(saturn,sti) with insurance then it would be just to have the sti with the gas prices as they are

5

yea, i figured my insurance wouldn’t be going up that much with a new car if i’m using all the same insurance company (homeowner ins discount)

my parents just sold their sl1 for $400 a few months back -.-

6

I did it, Grand Island to Dunkirk Airport. I FUCKING HATED it. The last day I worked there I instantly got 10-12 hours of my life a week back. Its not cool, unless you gotta.

7

01 Hyundai Accent 1.5L is what I rock for work. Parts are stupid cheap and it gets 37-39 mpg highway. I pay $800 a year for full coverage on my personal car and basic coverage on my work car.

8

i drive 900 miles a week for work.
i’m buying a fucking honda.

9

my drive is about 45 minutes or 35 miles and it kinda sucks. Where is your job and whats so great about alabama? There is plenty of space in southern erie county.

10

I just got rid of my Saturn Ion for my Subaru, and I already miss the mpg. I drove to the Toronto Zoo and back on half a tank, which I thought was impressive. I couldn’t take driving more than half an hour to work everyday, especially the winter. GL to you man.

11

My guess is that buying an extra car is going to cost way more than putting gas in a car that gets 25mpg…

Keep putting gas into the pontiac and drive it into the ground.

12

thats the problem he will and SUPER fast… having 2 cars or one that can take the abuse is the way to go. I love my diesel, has over 320k never leaves me stranded gets 50+ on the highway, still has decent power (I have unitronics 1+, and a silly tall 5th gear) I think getting a diesel is the way to go plus then if later down the road you want to play with WVO the option is there.
I drive ~200 miles a night when i work. I work 3 days a week.

“if your going to spend half your life behind the wheel enjoy the ride.”

140hp 236tq stock

13

A diesel really makes sense here, not just for the MPG but for the longevity. You’re talking about 23400 miles a year just in work. And you know living out in east bumblefuck every little errand you need to run is going to be big mileage too. You’re easily looking at putting 40k a year on a vehicle. Diesels thrive on highway miles and will go 300k with with proper maintenance.

It sounds like you want a bike and you’re trying to justify it with gas “savings”. Stop kidding yourself. You’re not going to risk riding the bike 45 miles one way to work any day there’s a chance of rain and in the summer that’s always more than half the time. Then subtract out all the winter months and factor in the increased chances of ending up dead. The only way a bike ever saves someone money in gas is if they were going to have the bike regardless of using it to commute.

14

this is why i bought a scion xb, i know, they are ugly, and slow as balls, but… i get 33mpg i have shit tons of space inside and can transport everything i ever need, and no problems

i put 35k a year on it, i have had it two years and all ive done is change the brake pads

15

most new 600’s only get 40 mpg’s at best… and other bikes well… the ones that get 60 mpg… they are boring. Also factor in, a bike tank needs to be refilled every 100 miles at worst and probably 200 at best, so you’ll be stopping often…

if fuel is your only concern, i say go with the tdi or a civic…

I dont ride a motorcycle for the economics of it… i ride it because I enjoy it and because it entertains me.

Have you ridden before?

16

Wow this is going to suck. Why the hell would you… Ah nevermind.

But yeah, fuck gas mileage. That expense won’t mean dick compared to repairs and depreciation of what really will be close to the 40k a year Jay ballparked. It looks like you’ll be going the opposite direction of rush hour for the most part so hopefully that won’t be too bad, though winters are going to suck when your one hour commute becomes a 2 hour commute.

A bike’s not a bad idea. You can ride all summer long. Rain’s no big deal, just keep a rain suite with you. You’ll want something with at least some semblence of a wind screen and saddlebags so you can carry your lunch, rain suit, that book you’re borrowing from your coworker, and anything else that doesn’t fit in your pocket that you never think twice about in a car but becomes a major problem on a vehicle with no storage. Commuting on a bike is kind of a pain in the ass, but for a trip this long it might be worth it.

If I were you I’d probably just drive the Grand Am into the ground. I’m sure it won’t take long. In the mean time get something like this
http://www.nationalpowersports.net/itemDetail.aspx?itemID=4875

or this

Most motorcycles are pretty well used up by 20-30k miles. BMWs go 100k+ easily. Plus they’re great to ride long distances. That K1200 (or any BMW RS bike) would be a great way to blast to work.

17

I’m with fry…
save up you’re money and drive the grand am til its not worth fixing…

18

thanks for the input guys =)

This was my first thought. Considering inital investment + insurance…
but then if you do the math, then it doesn’t seem so bad really. Plus having 2 vehicles would be rather nice in case one breaks, I can take the other while fixing the broken shitpile.

I wasn’t too concerned about the drive distance because I doubt I’ll be working there for the rest of my life, so it’s not really that much of an issue.

19

spend 5k and buy a tdi. i get about 700/tank on a regular basis and thats driving normal not being crazy and coasting everywhere.
i only drive about 50 miles roundtrip to work and i love it. def not my first tdi and wont be my last.
however, lately ive been thinking about selling mine and picking up a mk1 audi TT…if i do feel free to buy my golf lol. needs nothing.

20

Will it turn in to a 50 m round trip flight then?