Re: MPG and costs and safety
I have a trip planned in May from Calgary to the Burr Trail in Utah. So plenty of 70+ mph highway on the way down, and then lots of 4x4 and gravel road once I am there.
I expect to get 12 mpg overall with my rig, which is a 2002 ¾ ton GMC with a big gas engine and a Hawk on the back, plus me and my spouse.
I estimated gas costs at $3.50/USgal. Cost of gas for the trip works out to $849.
I do maybe 2 such trips a year, plus in between some shorter trips. Total mileage per year is around 8000 miles per year. That’s about $2400 in gas. If I got 2x that (in a newer diesel Colorado for example) I would save $1200 in gas per year.
If I sold my truck today I could get $8k for it (maybe… Canadian funny money)
I’m seeing 2017 Colorado’s going for about $45K up here. The difference is $37k. Saving $1200/year would mean my break even would be 30.8 years.
I think I will keep my gas guzzler.
And my Hawk which would overload the Colorado.