$4+ gas
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 6,480
Likes: 555
$4+ gas
Just curious if your driving habits changed back when gas was $4 or more (and I'm assuming the C5 requires premium, which is even more expensive). I would guess it probably affected those of you less who only drive your C5 on nice days, but how 'bout those of you who use yours as a DD? I know the C5 can be excellent on gas if you baby it, but I would also imagine fuel economy goes down hard when you start honking on it...when I get mine I guess it will be considered as something in between a daily driver and a nice weather only car, so gas prices are somewhat of a concern for me...
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 4,260
Likes: 429
From: Houston TX
I wouldn't worry about the "what if" scenarios. Find a nice car and buy it. If fuel prices go up, you'll find a way to adapt. One positive of the C5 is that it gets pretty good mileage, so it wouldn't affect you as much as if you were driving a full size truck, which is what I was driving last time it hit $4+ a gallon. Life is short, buy what you want and enjoy it for as long as you can.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 19,980
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Believe it or not, my nearly stock 2000 Corvette has nearly equivalent mpg of my daily driver Cobalt. 
If you are concerned about gas mileage, you can always get a Corvette with the slower-acceleration 2.73 gears which result in about ~24/30 mpg. 
Dont stress too much about $4 gas though. The US drillers were a much smaller part of the oil industry in 2008. They have become immensely more efficient, to the point that they have significantly shifted the supply/demand curve for oil, which should cap oil at $75-$90 MAX over the next decade...meaning in most areas regular fuel will not surpass $3.00 or so and premium will not surpass $3.50 or so. And that is a worst case scenario other than a "curve ball" (ie war, terrorists vandalizing oil pipelines, etc).
You should be fine. These cars get fantastic gas mileage for a high performance sports car.
If you are concerned about gas mileage, you can always get a Corvette with the slower-acceleration 2.73 gears which result in about ~24/30 mpg. Dont stress too much about $4 gas though. The US drillers were a much smaller part of the oil industry in 2008. They have become immensely more efficient, to the point that they have significantly shifted the supply/demand curve for oil, which should cap oil at $75-$90 MAX over the next decade...meaning in most areas regular fuel will not surpass $3.00 or so and premium will not surpass $3.50 or so. And that is a worst case scenario other than a "curve ball" (ie war, terrorists vandalizing oil pipelines, etc).
You should be fine. These cars get fantastic gas mileage for a high performance sports car.
1/4 mile/AutoX
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 11,439
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From: Buffalo Texas
I live 50 plus miles from closest family or friends, so when I go to Grand Rapids it is always 100 plus miles. I just sold my full size GMC (average 15 mpg) now have a 02 Monte SS 28 to 30 mpg and I miss the truck but not the gas mileage or lack there of ???(find myself going to GR more) 
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,957
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From: Shell Point (Crawfordville) Florida
My 2000 A4 is my DD unless I need to take more than one passenger or pick up a load of wood or something large somewhere, and I routinely get 24-30mpg around town or on road trips, and I kid everybody that this is my economy car. Much better than my Saturn Vue or Chevy Suburban, and a lot more fun. While a gallon of premium is more expensive than regular, the mpg cost is actually less for the 'vette.
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When gas hit nearly $4/gallon here I will say I did cut out any unnecessary local trips since I really hate giving money to the oil companies, but it didn't stop me from going places like visiting the kids. You really do adapt to the swing in gas prices.
Now if gas went to $6-7 a gallon or higher, it could be another story.
Now if gas went to $6-7 a gallon or higher, it could be another story.
Racer
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 405
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From: Rural Iowa
We were vacationing up in the UP of Michigan, in 2007, when gas went way over $4 up there (around $4.75 I think). My company cell phone quit working while I was up there and returned home from vacation to find out I'd been laid off while on vacation. Without the 75 mile commute to and from work, I saved a bunch of money.
Jim
Jim
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2014
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From: Kelowna BC
$1-2 per trip is not going to change if, how often/far or how I drive my DDZ. If it did, time to buy a gas mizer.
P.S. I'm in Canada, great health care, but pretty sure we're always above $5/US gallon.
P.S. I'm in Canada, great health care, but pretty sure we're always above $5/US gallon.
Last edited by grantv; Jan 15, 2017 at 12:53 PM.
Race Director
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From: Iowa
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Considering my 02 Corvette gets the best gas mileage of any vehicle I own, no. I can get up to 30 mpg in her, between 26-28 for my 98 Corvette, 20-24 in my 1991 Eagle Talon, and only 13-16 in my 2000 Ford Expedition.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,146
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From: Edmonton Alberta, Canada
There are SO many more vehicles eg trucks and SUV's that far worse fuel mileage than the C5 (which get excellent MPG's) why would you think the C5 would be on the chopping block then? Better reason to keep it(or buy one) and and try to sell your trucks/SUV's IMHO. Just hope it doesn't come to this or there will be a ton of trucks/SUV's for sale!
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 6,480
Likes: 555
We were vacationing up in the UP of Michigan, in 2007, when gas went way over $4 up there (around $4.75 I think). My company cell phone quit working while I was up there and returned home from vacation to find out I'd been laid off while on vacation. Without the 75 mile commute to and from work, I saved a bunch of money.
Jim
Jim
I have a 325 mile commute every weekend. If I just quit my job, I'd get rich with all the money I'd be saving....well, I would if I didn't quit my job that is...
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 6,480
Likes: 555
There are SO many more vehicles eg trucks and SUV's that far worse fuel mileage than the C5 (which get excellent MPG's) why would you think the C5 would be on the chopping block then? Better reason to keep it(or buy one) and and try to sell your trucks/SUV's IMHO. Just hope it doesn't come to this or there will be a ton of trucks/SUV's for sale!
The C5 does get excellent mileage, so I probably wouldn't change my driving habits at all, unless gas prices went insanely high...
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 1,256
Likes: 157
From: Pennsylvania
I do not concern myself with the things out of my control Plus my c5 is my fun car and I use at as my stress reliever. Fuel prices will not stop me from enjoying my car. Plus fuel prices will drop dramatically here when trump changes some laws and let's this country drill and use our own oil instead of making the arabs richer
