You’ve likely noticed that the price of gasoline and diesel is going up. Way up. It’s now topped $5 a gallon in some areas and shows no sign of going down any time soon. Filling the fuel tank of a truck, motorhome or big diesel pusher is getting pretty darn steep.
Does this concern you? If it continues to rise will you cut back on your RVing? Heck, maybe you already have.
Our question today is about whether you would change your RVing habits if the price were to reach $6. We asked a similar question six months ago about the possibility of the price reaching $5. We’ll compare the results after the results of today’s poll are in. We’ll report back next week. (Please leave politics out of your comments. Thank you.)
With gas prices going so high, may be forced to get rid of my MH, and return to car travel, as my car gets 50-60 mpg, and my MH only gets 9-10 mpg, and I wouldn’t be faced with trying to find some place to crash at night.
This last trip to California we left the trailer behind and either slept in the Honda Odyssey or our tent. Pulling our trailer we get 12 to14 mpg, the van got 27+ this trip so future long distance trips will not include the trailer. Since we have averaged 20,000 miles a year in our travels around the country and still have many places to travel to we just can’t afford pulling the trailer at “build back better” gas prices.
I was only able to take one camping trip (1,600 miles round trip) to West Virginia this year, my tow vehicle only gets 10 mpg towing my 5th wheel. I saw an average of $3.25 a gallon for diesel and one fill up was $3.60 a gallon, my tow vehicle holds 38 gallons, and I stopped for fuel 3 times each way. I set the cruise control for 65mph, (3.73 gearing) and had several 7 & 5% grades each way.
I ordered a new truck in august and it should be here in early December, hopefully the gearing I had the truck built with (3.31) will give me much better fuel mileage when towing, I already know my non towing highway mileage will be over 20 mpg (@ 74 mph) versus the 15.5 mpg (at the same speed) I’m currently getting out of my truck.
So if diesel keeps going up I’ll be forced to sell my 2 year old 5th wheel, or take a huge loss and trade the truck in for a truck with a gasoline powered engine. Either way I can’t tow my 5th wheel with my wife’s 2020 Ford Ranger.
We are Workampers and travel to those destinations and then back home for the winter months. If diesel were to get to $6 a gallon we would have to build into the Workamping contract a fee to offset the higher fuel costs. No fee, no work!
We currently are traveling cross country (PA to AZ). Our sweet spot is 63 MPH giving us 11 MPG. (Diesel) We paid $3.89/gal to get out of PA and as little as $3.12/gal in AR. (Thanks to the EFS fuel card) So roughly we are paying .30/mile or $840 for the trip across country. Since we are boondocking in the desert for .66/Day the answer is yes. We would still go across the county if fuel prices went up.
Let’s be honest with ourselves here. This is a first world problem. If we can afford RV’s and their lifestyle, what difference does expense fuel make? If it really makes a difference to someone’s plans, they are probably over extended on personal finances.
Must be nice to be above concerns about the cost of fuel. Most people live in a world where such things are important. Enjoy your lifestyle in the upper income level but remember most people are not so fortunate.
Easy to say that when you look at it in a vacuum. The rising cost of fuel doesn’t just affect the price you pay to fill your fuel tank. Everything you purchase requires fuel as well as heating your home. Rising fuel costs has a bigger affect on budgets than you think.
Leonard, I could not agree with you more. AND – I have never been in the upper income class – more like the lower middle class, at least compared to my peers. I want jobs back in the USA and I know that will be higher prices. I am willing to pay for that. A ‘Class B’, used as a daily driver, fits me just fine – I saved 10 years for it. The price of fuel will not keep me from doing what I wish. It will just make more room for me on the road and more camping spots, as the over extended will no longer be on the roads. The gas crunch of the 70’s proved that to me. We do not know how good we have it here in the USA, but I guess it is just too easy to complain.
$6 a gallon wouldn’t affect our RVing, it would affect the grocery bill and the places we stay.
I am still in the work force so most of our camping trips is weekends and within 2 – 3 hours from home. So it hurts the wallet but we enjoy it too much to quit.
👍 Same here.
I would cut back by going shorter distances. But since I own lots of oil companies stock it would not economicly hurt at all. Like most people you adjust and go on.
I live in Canada where the cost of gas is about $1.45 per litre…meaning 3.8 (roughly) litres to each of your gallon. That equates to $5.50Cdn for your gallon, or $4.40 USD.
I agree with Leonard—it is the cost of travelling. It won’t affect our travel. If we want to go, we’ll scrimp on other things, like eating out etc.
No, but I’ll continue to be pissed as I watch my bank account drop and our economy fail in such a short time.
Take note that the economy is not dropping. 4.5% unemployment rate. More money in average people’s bank accounts than before Biden. Stock market at record highs. This is a talking point that many people falsely assume is correct.
More money to buy inflated items which is pretty much everything from a candy bar to a house does not equate with more money in your bank account, in fact it could very well be a negative pay raise. Take for example…social security increase of 4% but Medicare increase 4.5%, is that increasing your bank account? Nope it just negated the increase and you are getting less than the year before.
You won’t be the only one watching your bank account…….
You got that right…
It would suck to see gas prices go to 6 but I don’t see it happening until the electric vehicles take center stage. It would suck if it happened but I do not see me slowing down in RV travel. Just hope it goes back to the way it was during Trumps presidency. Fingers crossed.
We live in PA and travel to a destination for two weeks per month beginning in May. Most of our travels are not over 400 miles, so the price of gas would not bother us. We stay in state parks 90% of the time.
I voted no effect….due to the fact that we make an annual trip from our home in Sou Cal to our motorhome resort on the Oregon coast (almost exactly 1000 miles). We then spend all the summer months there and in early fall, travel back to our home. So yes, the cost to drive that 1000 miles each way would increase, but we could make up the difference (approximately $400 between $4 per gallon and $6 per gallon) in other ways or just absorb what we couldn’t.
If you think $6.00/gallon would only impact your ability to RV, your not seeing the big picture. The groceries you buy? How did they get to the store? (Trucks!) Even farmers growing fresh foods and getting them to the market? (Tractors, harvesting equipment..) There will be a cascade effect that will not only affect our recreational activity, but every aspect of our lives. Oh, and taxes are based on money spent, not what was purchased, so the price of EVERYTHING will go through the roof! Add on the $15.00 minimum wage, and the only outcome of all of this comes down to two words: WE’RE SCREWED!
When I bought my 21′ camping trailer in 2014, I assumed gas might go as high as $10/ gallon. So my answer is that “It would have no effect on my RV travels”
The US government is encouraging Saudi Arabia to increase their oil production so prices would come down.
Yet this same government seems to be doing everything they can to reduce imports of Canadian oil. Saudi Arabia has no emission controls while Canada’s oil create less emissions and are continuing to improve.
I am Canadian and cannot understand this decision.
Canadian Snowbird.
You are not alone my friend.
The overall RVing cost increases have already caused us to start looking for Workamping jobs to supplement our incomes to help pay for our RV lifestyle.
It just amazes me how we can go from $1.85/gal and energy independence to $4+/gal and dependent on OPEC and Russa again in less than 2yrs. Elections HAVE CONSEQUENCES!
My RVing plans will not be impacted by fuel price. At the same time prices have risen my personal net worth has continued to rise as the stock market continues to boom. Yes I am spending more for fuel and food and parking, but the increases are offset, for me, by the improvement in the stock market. Yes I know I am fortunate to have put away sufficient funds for my retirement, it was a financial plan I put together for myself many years ago. It is working far better than I might have hoped. The past 6 years have been a boon for those invested in the stock market. Neither administration has had any impact on the direction of the market, it is driven by people with money to invest and low interest rates on bonds.
I needed a “maybe”. We travel from CA to FL in mid Jan, return mid/late March. The cost of the trip is significant, so the extra cost of fuel would be small compared to total trip. We’ve paid a wide range of diesel prices in the last 20 yrs. Some years awesome, a buck something in some places, to yikes in other years, in the high 3’s to 4’s. We’re nearing the end of our RV travels, at least to far away places, so it would be hard not to go in Jan and then have something happen that ended our travels for the future.
I really couldn’t say one way or another. It is pure conjecture since nobody knows for certain. I once said I would stop driving if gas hit $1 a gallon but situations changed. One thing I have considered is trailering an EV.
Bitter pill, but we love our full timing life. New tires, RV repairs, memberships, mail service, etc. It’s just another acceptable trade off to be true citizens of America!
I’d be reducing my time, or sticking closer to my home base, but it wouldn’t be a big change from the last year of COVID. I doubt it will get that high, but we didn’t exactly expect high power rates when ENRON was screwing us, or the Texas issues when the electric companies were charging $9k/KWh by employing that same ENRON model (and lying about ‘frozen’ wind turbines (when they didn’t have issues in El Paso!!) – so, anything is possible when a LOT of money is on the table.
My rig gets between 8-10 MPG, I fill tank at half tank. At 6.00 gallon, that is 300 dollars, If I have to do that 4 times a month, My SSI is gone to fuel. I have it up for sale now, suspect, no one in right mind will buy expensive RV to let it sit, but I am not giving it away, so it can sit, with trips less than 100 miles to keep things working. . If fuel costs that much, RV’ing is dead, and the funeral is going to be held on March 1st, 2022. (bleeped)
For those who do not think gas is going that high. I suspect you better research history, in 2009, oil was over 115.00 barrel, and diesel was 4.29 gallon. Under today’s system, currently oil is priced at 81.79 close on Friday. Gas where we live is 3.089 gallon RU. Diesel is 3.289-3.49 gallon. Experts who follow price say 100.00 barrel by end of year, and 200 barrell by end summer 2022. Let Go brandon, turned off thousands of wells here in US, we were energy independent prior to 1-20-2020. Now he wants Saudi Araba to turn on their wells to make up shortage, the man is an idiot, giving up independence for servitude to another naiton. 100 dollar a barrel, will mean about 10.00 gallon for gas, diesel would be 12.00 or so. Figure it out for yourself. The economy will shatter with those prices. Better have pleanty of food.
Well said
A keyboard warrior comments. Turn off the wells and save our oil.
Spoken like a true liberal
True enough. Except the Prez has so little effect on price. Oil is based on the manipuliting wall street brokers. We never had a shortage. Even in the 70’s. I wittnessed this in 81 after Reagan s trickle down economy forced me into Midland/Odessa Texas for work. The Oil cartel was re installing pumpjacks on wells previously capped in the 70’s in there attempt too manipulate prices up ward. The Foriegn oil we imported; was our Oil from Alaska’s oil pipeline put on barges sent overseas, unloaded onto joint ventured Iraqi and Iranian barges and returned via the Gulf coast Louisiana and Texas. While at the same time,, big oil was, again, ” joint venture” helping Saudi Arabia develope its oil fields with ” U.S. Corporate protected Oil Co’s technology and know how.
Now for the truth. Our economy is in shambles due mainly too our inept participation in our self absorbed blind sited desires.
With the NEEDED clean energy we are seeing coming, comes more profiteers! These ICE vehicals we all bought that use too be worth there demanded ransom from the Big 3, they employed thousands and were in my opinion, much better built, “BY HAND!” Than the computerized PLASTIC JUNK produced by robotics today @ PRICE unparalleled.
In comes thee EV JUST as expensive, “which fewer and fewer can afford”. So we’re kinda stuck with our old reliable, lest some Jay Leno type with more money than brains comes along.
Refineries dont operate at a loss,, the shut down and go bankrupt. That mans too stay open, the gal will definitely HAVE TO INCREASE! Less output demand, “you and I” who dosent own thee EV, we will be the punished.
We will be doubly punished because electricity will probably go way up too.
The thing the “pro democrat” media forgets to tell you is the power companies use fossil fuel to generate electricity. Except for a few who use hydroelectric. Elon Musk has all ready stated our current infrastructure will not support massive EVs. So along with the ICEs there will be a lot of EVs sitting still.
Diesel fuel is already over $6.50/gallon here in Ontario, Canada, and I don’t believe it has made much of a difference in the amount of RV travel. Our American friends should count their blessings when it comes to fuel prices.
Don’t really know what it will/would do. Will depend on what the associated circumstances are. Said that it wouldn’t matter. Maybe it will and maybe it won’t. We’ll see.
The “No Potable Water” State Campground 30 miles from my home would be my most likely destination.
If it goes too $4.00 here, I will either sell it or block it up permanently and get a new back pack and walking cane.
I have a 1988 35′ Holiday Rambler
Imperial with a gas guzzling 454!
Things in better shape than my financial well being and Im too old to work anymore. Wall Streeters get enough of my money @ the grocery and liquor stores!
At present, I’m on a mountain for winter in Southern Oregon, gas is 3.59 a gal “to much” its still below $3 bucks in west Texas.
Bought my 2,400(?) lb 17 ft molded fiberglass trailer in 2016. Had one trip to the mountains (Ga_Nc) 2 to Eastern Canada and 3-4 to my children/grandchildren in the SE US. My plan as discussed with partner prior to purchase was to spend time in multiple destinations that have cooler summer temps than extreme SCentral FL. The best laid plans of mice and men aft gang aglie. If gasoline costs continue to rise I’ll rejoin Boondockers Welcome and Harvest Host and try to take 2-3 day trips around the state where I can run the generator to power the medically neccessary AC. We’ve both had health problems that have interfered with summer trips. Partner doesn’t regard travel as important whereas I grew up in a family that took major road trips twice a year. Since I get 25 mpg from my van using hypermiling techniques gas will have to reach higher than $10/gal before I sell my trailer.
I hope your hypermiling doesn’t include tailgating semi’s. Easiest way to end your RVing forever!
Interesting… The average price of gasoline in Europe has been about $6/gallon for decades, yet they have a thriving RVing population. They also have arguably much superior quality of designs and manufacturing, probably because folks there have an average of 6 weeks vacation every year compared to Americans’ measly 2 weeks… Their RVs also cost about half as much in euros as equivalent RVs in America cost in dollars (ie, average Class B RVs cost about 75K euro compared to $180K in America, with an exchange rate of $1.16/euro.)
Once again I would regret not buying a Leisure Lite trailer and a Subaru Wagon.
That would just about put an end to my camping.
Changing nothing except eat less ice cream.