[V8] On the end of the V8 because of fuel....

[Roger Woodbury]

Well, no.  At least that is what I decided, although my decision was based
purely on personal habits and not on statistics.

My pure intent is to drop the number of miles that I drive daily, weekly and
monthly by at least 50% over the next year.  There are some personal reasons
why I believe that this will be so, mostly having to do with the recent
death of my parents and my decision to now begin to devote my life to the
sole interests of my wife and myself.  In short I am selling out of all the
commercial ventures and retiring...or something like that.

So that leaves us with the fleet as it will be at the end of the year most
likely.  The Audi V8 (aka The Silver Wraith) , Michele's Green Horney ('94
100CS Avant), The Runt (1992 Ford F150 shorty for plowing), and The Black
Ox, a 1998 Chevrolet 1Ton pickup ex-cab with dual rear wheels.  (I am not
sure what to do with the Old Gray Mare at this point, although she may
become my winter beater.).

In her maiden voyage on Mothers Day, The Silver Wraith averaged 23 miles per
gallon by the computer, and I will check that against a road trip to
Portland and back next week.   I expect to average better than 20 so long as
I don't do a lot of intown driving.  But then, "intown" is a relative term,
since a traffic jam here is three dozen cars stopped at the light where
Route One and Route Three divide in the ugliness that is Ellsworth.  Lasts
all of ten minutes.

The Green Horney is running so well, and is so useful that it will remain as
long as Michele can drive, I imagine.  At least another 100,000 miles.

The F150 is truly a runty little thing, with its small box and all, but man!
Does it ever plow snow.  It is paid for, has a new engine and newer
transmission and represents a plow truck that I can't duplicate.  I have
thought about replacing the bed with an 8 foot stake body, but see no need.

The vehicle that I have real trouble with is the Chevy which is HUGE.
Ideally the granite company should buy it, but I am not sure that the
granite company will survive, and I suspect that the real estate will get
sold and the granite company dissolved.  Not much market right now for a big
pickup.  On the other hand, if and when I need a REAL truck, the chevy is
all of that.  I pulled a Uhaul transporter to Pittsburg when I pickup up the
V8, and out and back, averaged around eleven miles per gallon overall
throughout the hilly trip.  454 Vortec is an animal, and is unaffected by
load.  Painful to fill the tank at $3.95 per gallon, but if it is driven
three to five thousand miles per year, what difference does it really make?
Certainly not enough to spend money for a different truck.

So, I expect to keep what I've got, using the V8 for those trips that we
have planned, and the rest of the vehicles will get not excessive use at
all.  Once we have built the new house and moved, I don't even have to
register The Runt at all.  

Just build a bigger barn, probably.

Roger