Topic: Looking at driving costs: dollars per hour

[paulk]

I thought I'd share this.  Usually we talk about miles per gallon or litres per 100km, but one strategy I've found useful for helping to plan my driving more effectively is to think in terms of dollars per hour of driving.

Thinking this way requires some assumptions, but the specific numbers don't matter too much.  Here I'll assume city driving, averaging 50 km/h, with gas at $1.10/litre.  The mileage numbers I'm using come from Canada's Energuide.  I'm ignoring all other costs (insurance, maintenance, etc.) which would push the dollars per hour costs higher.

For example, a Ford Explorer costs $11.44 per hour to drive in the city.  Putting this in context, if you zip out to Tim's for a $1.20 medium coffee, and the drive there and back only takes 20 minutes total, your coffee ends up costing $5.01!  A 30 minute total zip out to the movie rental store to rent a DVD for $3.99 ends up costing a total of $9.71!

Kind of puts things in perspective?  It definitely pays to plan to combine multiple trips whenever you go anywhere.

Other examples:
- a manual transmission, base Ford F150 costs $8.75 / hour
- a manual transmission, base Honda Accord costs $4.95 / hour
- a manual transmission Toyota Echo costs $3.69 / hour

[tpl]

OK interesting!  so I'll assume 40km/h   11 l/100 and premium at 1.20   for my urban trip  Cabbagetown to Bathurst& queen via Richmond and back via Adelaide on a Saturday   ( hence the 40km/h) that is $5.88/hr

I estimate it takes me 12 minutes or so each way  so thats $2.12    add a buck for parking for 45 minutes on Richmond itself  and that is a $3.12 trip


The problem is that if I go by TTC    (Carllton car parliament to bathurst, bathurst to queen and back) it costs $4 and on late morning saturday  I may have to wait for street cars for several minutes.

Either Gas or parking has to get more expensive or the TTC has to get cheaper

[wing]

Interesting calculations.  I was thinking the same today.  I bought a box of screws, at home depot.  Then later we went out and I decided I needed more screws, since I was close to home depot I bought another box. 

If I have to return the box of screws it might cost me more to drive to home depot and back than the box of screws costs!

[citydude]

Mail order is becoming more appealing now.  Hmm do I want to drive 50KM round trip to the store, or make use of the shipping option for $5?

Assuming my car uses 8.2L/100KM.  50KM is 4.1L @ $1.2/L = $4.92

Citydude

[barrie1]

Good point and well taken on this way of thinking as I also plan my shopping trips as much as I can when I go out for the day. Laying out a proper route and trip pattern can save you some pretty good money as well as a lot less frustration some days.   

[is_dead]

Hey this is Canadiandriver... we ALWAY want to drive 50km round trip to the store!!!!

Seriously though another thing to do these days is watch the little trips we never used to think about. I'm dropping my sister off at the airport, and it occured to me after that I'm looking at something like 80 km, so 8 dollars. Dropping someone off at the airport is not something that would normally register with me as a cost, just a favor or a nice way to go for a drive.

[The Mighty Duck]

I need a nav thingy to plan my trips for me...  I waste far to much gas driving back and forth...

[tpl]

The airport thing.  From my location its $38 in a limo/taxi so car will continue to be cheaper for gas alone


But that cost per hour I suppose really should include depreciation and insurance and maybe maintenance.   

A note in Yesterdays paper said that a Hummer H1 the big one depreciates at about $1000 per month!

[Snowman]

Driving because you like it = Priceless.

[safristi]

..OR ..you could get really anal...and ADD yer wage/hour your missing by driving around buyin' crap AND the cost of said JUNK...then FREAK OUT...!!!!....prolly  make ya hide under the bed...personally I think the costs are iBELL CURVED and 80% plus of us are paying relatively the same......FUN THOUGH......