Fun-fest coming to a close?

[FordGuy100]

Well guys/gals, this whole IDI fun-fest as I would like to call it, might be coming to a close for me.

The good:

I just found out I'm going to be working on my friends farm (grass seed mainly). I am going to be running equipment, and will supervise some of our south of the border friends in there work stacking sacks of grass seed after its been cleaned. I will be working the night shift, from 7pm to 7am, so at least I dont have to contend with the summer heat as much. 60 hours a week, not to bad IMHO.

The BAD:

I was just informed, that since this summer I will have an income that will be failry good, that I dont have a free ride, literaly. My parents have been paying for my fuel and insurance this whole time, looks like thats coming to an end. So my insurance is right at $1400 for 6 months coverage, with basically no coverage (they only cover the other guy if I get in a crash). Couple that with almost $5 a gallon fuel, and chit about to hit the fan.

If I dont figure out a way to get a constant supply of WMO, so I can run at least a 50/50 mix, if not more, I might have to drop out of the IDI world.

I dont know guys, I just dont know what the hell to do. I'm kinda freakin out right now, looking at cars on craigslist.

I will make about $3500 this summer after taxes. 1 years insuranse is.....$2800 . That leaves all of $700 for fuel, for 9 months of driving. Right know, I'm putting in around $80 every 2 weeks. $160 per month...that comes out to $1440 for 9 months of driving....double what I would have at that point. This is not the mention the fact that, god forbide, my truck breaks down, I'm out a vehicle, cause I wouldnt have any money to fix it. My parents wont let me have a job during school, they want me to focus all my attention on school work ect...




So I'm in a desperate rush to find WMO that I can burn. I know that when winter comes my truck will hate the WMO/diesel mix I will throw in it, but its the only way I can keep my truck around. WVO is impossible to find, I've looked, trust me. Lots of places around here are getting $1+ a gallon, and I've seen some places asking for $2 a gallon for WVO. WMO is my only hope at this point. If I can get a good 20+gallons a week for free, or real cheap, I may be in the clear, especially if I can get extra for my parents rigs so they can cut some slack on me (buy me fuel ).

Here's to hopeing I can find WMO in a good supply, so I can affoard to keep this old beast around

 

[69oiler]

bummer dude. i dunno what to do about fuel prices. i am passing them on the the customer as much as i can. i remember when it cost 60 bucks to fill up my IDI, and i started panicking. now it's over $150 each fillup. i almost have become desensitized to it. i feel for those who have large families to feed. you can only cut out so much.

if you dont need the truck for work it's tough to justify one. just today i was at the GM dealer picking up some paperwork and there were like a dozen new Duramax trucks sitting there. who can afford a 500 dollar truck payment and another 500 in fuel?

 

[FordGuy100]

bummer dude. i dunno what to do about fuel prices. i am passing them on the the customer as much as i can. i remember when it cost 60 bucks to fill up my IDI, and i started panicking. now it's over $150 each fillup. i almost have become desensitized to it. i feel for those who have large families to feed. you can only cut out so much.

if you dont need the truck for work it's tough to justify one. just today i was at the GM dealer picking up some paperwork and there were like a dozen new Duramax trucks sitting there. who can afford a 500 dollar truck payment and another 500 in fuel?

I guess I should add, I know I dont have it as bad as a lot of people. I know there are many people that are far worse off than I am, but I am starting to feel the weight of it.

Lets hope that fuel prices go back down. I would be happy if diesel was $4 a gallon again (I remember when I was saying that about 3$ a gallon ).

My theory is if they can affoard the truck, they should be able to affoard the fuel.

And yes, I hardly ever use my truck to do truck things, its just my daily driver. And a 15-19mpg daily driver might not just cut it. I suppose if I run a 50/50 mix WMO/diesel respectivly, it would be like having a diesel car that got 30-40mpg.


I'm even looking at gassers right know . Lord help us all, and bring these darn fuel prices down

 

[RLDSL]

As much as I feel for the situation, you have to think clearly. You may think buying a smaller more fuel efficient vehicle is going to save you money right now, but you're not in a disposable cash situation. I know you haven't been down this road, but any time that you buy a used car, you are going to spend at minimum , $1000-1500 in hidden repairs above and beyond the purchase price to make it road worthy. This it pretty much a standard figure that you can count on. We're talking minimum here, not counting the fact that most modern vehicles have lots of things on them that are not user servicable and your first trip to the repair shop will put you so far behind you'll wish you were never born.
Your insurance is going to be sky high no matter what you drive due to age and gender, there's no way around that. if you get a car that is on any of the remotely sporty lists ( anything with dual overhead cams, stick shift, 2 doors , turbo from the factory,etc ), it will be even higher.diesel pickups are generally not considered sporty.
What you have is paid for, you have the bugs out of it, all you have to do is drive.
Might want to persue the WMO option a little harder. Check out a couple of the smaller truck or logging operations. If they don't do their own service, find out where they get it done. I bet they'd be happy to have you haul it off. Those guys usually frequent smaller shops that stay real busy, some operate 24 hours on weekends

 

[tonkadoctor]

Welcome to the real world. Ain't no turning back now. Now before you ditch a paid for truck that your only expense is fuel, ins and maintenance...... do the math to see if you are really coming out ahead with an econo car...... especially if you end up with a car payment. Most people actually spend more money to switch simply for better fuel economy unless you are really driving the miles to justify it.



P.S. With all that big money coming in ya wanna help a brother out and pay my $1000+ a week fuel bill ..... No that is not a typo

 

[LCAM-01XA]

My theory is if they can affoard the truck, they should be able to affoard the fuel.

My take on things exactly - we actually had someone come to our office at school today, and tell the girls he has to quit school for now as he can no longer afford gas for his SUV - well dumbie, who put the gun to your head and made you buy the luxury gas-guzzler? Some people, man, some people

By the way I only use my truck as a daily driver as well, but to me once a truck man, you're always a truck man, I just don't see myself driving an econobox even with the climbing cost to fill up the dually...

However, may I ask why you pay so much for insurance? I pay like $100/month for basic for my Lincoln landyacht and my truck, and I'm 24, had my license for only a bit over 3 years, and within the first year of driving I even managed to get a 2-pt misdemeanor ticket and also got in an accident! My health-related coverage ain't bad either, and I think I even checked the "uninsured" option as well... So yeah, did the boys in blue catch you using your diesel to hand some pretty ricer boy his ass?

 

[LCAM-01XA]

Oh yes, I also totally agree with what was already said about the real cost of a new vehicle - pretty much you have to either get one that you know the maintenance history of (usually buy from a relative/friend you can trust), or be very very lucky... Also if you do end up getting a new econobox, every time you have to go to places where a truck would be useful (you did mention you gonna work on a farm, right, well cars don't really do well in fields) you'll be kickin yourself in the butt, I can pretty much guarantee you that.

 

[funnyman06]

I really do know how you feel. Being in college, and driving a truck are expensive. I pay for all my gas, parts, and school with books, plus any tickets along the way . Its hard but its even harder finding a car that gets sooo much better gas mileage its worth it. Maybe you just need to get an old MB 300TD. That way you are still a diesel, and you get 30 - 40 mpg normally. I have consitered getting a motorcycle. For a couple G's you can get a new 250 and get 70ish MPG. Idk man, its hard driving a truck.

 

[towcat]

well....let's see here....
you are prolly going to want full pop for your truck if you have to sell it in order to get a more economical ride for the summer. Even on CL, the full pop rides will be relisted for weeks. The stuff at 50 percent of full pop sell relatively well since there are bargain hunters lurking all over there. You are selling a vehicle that you know most of the quirks and starting all over again with the econobox. You are also selling a vehicle that has the flexibility to burn darn near anything(as long as you mod the fuel system correctly) and buying a vehicle that will lock you into one type of fuel.
None of the issues of insurance or longevity of the compared vehicles are factored. The only thing that is motivating you to do this is fuel economy alone.
good luck.
btw......
remember a year or so ago when you made your stand with your folks about "it's my money and I'm going to paint my truck"? do you think it's coming around and biting you in the ass now? a little humility dealing with the folks is a good thing and often is learned the hard way. I used to fight with my folks tooth and nail and got kicked out of the house as a result. Went to live with my grandfather who had only a few rules but with penalties of a terminal nature. Learned real fast you don't argue with him.

 

[Shadetreemechanic]

I really do know how you feel. Being in college, and driving a truck are expensive. I pay for all my gas, parts, and school with books, plus any tickets along the way . Its hard but its even harder finding a car that gets sooo much better gas mileage its worth it. Maybe you just need to get an old MB 300TD. That way you are still a diesel, and you get 30 - 40 mpg normally. I have consitered getting a motorcycle. For a couple G's you can get a new 250 and get 70ish MPG. Idk man, its hard driving a truck.

I hardly drive my truck anymore. I bought an 84 300 SD turbo and haven't looked back. 5cyl indestructable turbo that gets around 30 on the highway.
It does suck off road, however.

 

[subway]

you should be able to shop around for insurance to get a better rate. depending on where you are moving and how far away it is the rates can go down in the country verses a urban area.

how far will you be driving? if you are living on the farm you really shouldent need much fuel. i picked up an old jetta to rack up miles on but between my wife and me we are racking up around 100miles a day. it was only $10 extra month to add another vehicle. i also did the motorcycle thing also because i love riding and it can save a ton in fuel if the weather isent to bad. hold onto the truck though, you will be kicking yourself later when you are better off for letting it go.

 

[FordGuy100]

Dont worry guys, I havent made any rash decisions yet. I'm going to try as hard as I can to get a source of WMO, if I can, I will be keeping my truck. If not, then who knows, maybe I'll bike to school (couple hours each way , 15 miles each way, with a pretty good elevation change going from town to my house).

I do realise what you are saying about getting an econobox and not knowing the history, and having to spend the extra money getting it in working order, that makes sense and I didnt think of it before.

My insurance sucks. Its around $86 a month, and I basically have no coverage. Its allstate, I should shop around and see if I can get it cheaper.

My commute to work would be around 40-50 miles a day, school is around 35 miles a day.

At this point in time, I dont think I could sell my truck. I see trucks going on CL way low, I know I would only get a couple 2-3 grand for my truck, and that aint happening.

Calvin, it was actually about the turbo...... ....they wanted me to paint my truck . I will try to convince them its for the better good that they pay for it still

Hey just a little question for you guys. I usually dont read the WMO threads. Can you cut WMO with Kerosens instead of diesel? If so, is Kerosene dyed?

I think if I could get a source of WMO, my parents will cut me some slack. They have there RV with the old mechanical 8.3 cummins in it, and to fill it up its in the couple hundred dollar range, and its not even empty. If they could run WMO in it, I would bet they would buy my fuel.

Hell, you know what, I have our business credit card that I buy stuff with, fuel, food, ect...I dont see them taking that away. If they dont take it away, maybe I will still be in the clear as far as fuel goes .

 

[FordGuy100]

Price of oil has dropped to $127 a barrel, down from $134 last Thursday . Lets hope it keeps dropping.

 

[dsblack]

wishing does not help. I do not see the price of anything coming down any time soon!
Lots to think about. My MB gets a constant 23-25mpg. and needs a lot of work. The days of free WVO are going if not gone. and it is getting harder to find. I have not moved to the point of WMO in my cars.... yet..... The little local place is siting at 4.99 and I suppose by the end of the week they will cross the $5.

 

[Agnem]

Son, your in the same position as the rest of us in the working world, trying to deal with a new reality that is a real mind shifter. My fuel expenses are 31% of my total budget! That's an increase that went from "don't think about it much" to "Should I turn off the land line to get rid of one more bill". I've been crunching numbers in all kinds of directions. The thing that is killing me, is I can run WMO or home brew BIO in a diesel. If I get a gasser, it won't matter how many MPG it gets. I'll still have to pay whatever the price of gas ends up at. I'm looking real hard at the train and a bicycle. I think we are all going to have to make our own fuel to survive soon. I heard a rumor that gas could hit $12 a gallon by 2010.