Staycations: The New “GET-AWAY” With High Gas Prices

Do you know what the hottest buzzword is when it comes to summer vacations this year? It’s staycation, a portmanteau word (that means one word made from blending two others) that combines stay, as in stay-at-home, and vacation, and it’s popularity in the media is growing about as fast as gasoline prices are.

With gas prices nearing $4/gallon for the cheap stuff, even in “oil” states like Texas, where gas is traditionally less expensive, more and more Americans are choosing to skip the traditional summer road trip or spendy family vacation, and have a staycation instead. This means that instead heading out in your new car and driving nine hundred miles to the mountains or the beach, they’ll be staying at home and making short day trips, or making use of camping, hiking and swimming facilities in or near the cities in which they live.

Why Choose a Staycation?

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Car Sales Down: Record Low Car Sales Due To Economy and High Gas Prices? WELL DUH!

Politicians currently in office will argue you down if you ever talk to them about the USA being in a current recession. They may tell you that we are not in a recession and to go home and pay your ever-so-rising interest-only mortgage on time. Well, they may get some back-lash from the current “Middle to Low class” America. Automotive companies are feeling the crunch as the economy slips. Sales of Trucks, SUV’s and anything that drinks a large amount of gas are at all-time lows. You really cannot blame the American consumer, who wants to spend close to $100 for a tank of gas?

We all know that America’s BIG THREE is no-longer; it is more like Toyota in the mix now with a final elimination round for GM. Autoblog posted the figures of the sales decline (and increase) of each auto-maker that currently sales vehicles in the US. It is interesting to see who is doing “okay” and who is not. Maybe with the introduction of some more hybrid vehicles the auto companies can recoup the big lose from the 1st quarter of this year (2008).

stats source: autoblog.com

Biggest Winner
MINI 28.6% at 4,713 (4/07: 3,382)

Biggest Loser
HUMMER –49.8% at 2,380 (4/07: 4,375)

BRANDS
Audi –12% at 7,730 (4/07: 8,106)
BMW –2.5% at 26,735 (4/07: 25,310)
Buick –11.7% at 12,665 (4/07: 13,234)
Cadillac –21.3% at 14,359 (4/07: 16,839)
Chevrolet –21.9% at 157,187 (4/07: 185,759)
Chrysler –45% at 30,670 (4/07: 51,441)
Dodge –23% at 83,348 (4/07: 100,463)
Ford –17.4% at 165,997 (4/07: 185,553)
GMC –29.6% at 31,854 (4/07: 41,748)
HUMMER –49.8% at 2,380 (4/07: 4,375)
Hyundai –7.4% at 39,280 (4/07: 39,137)
Infiniti –11.5% at 9,537 (4/07: 9,945)
Jaguar 15.7% at 1,785 (4/07: 1,424)
Jeep –24.4% at 33,733 (4/07: 41,200)
Land Rover –43.9% at 2,557 (4/07: 4,211)
Lexus –17.1% at 23,350 (4/07: 25,995)
Lincoln –19.3% at 10,340 (4/07: 11,832)
Mazda 4.1% at 23,760 (4/07: 23,760)
Mercedes-Benz –10.4% at 20,271 (4/07: 20,895)
Mercury –31.8% at 12,910 (4/07: 17,481)
MINI 28.6% at 4,713 (4/07: 3,382)
Mitsubishi –32% at 8,878 (4/07: 12,047)
Nissan 0.1% at 66,318 (4/07: 61,179)
Pontiac –15.9% at 24,009 (4/07: 26,346)
Porsche –11.9% at 3,099 (4/07: 3,248)
Saab –37.9% at 1,580 (4/07: 2,350)
Saturn –22% at 16,888 (4/07: 19,977)
Subaru 12% at 16,771 (4/07: 13,786)
Suzuki –2.8% at 9,669 (4/07: 9,179)
Toyota –2.7% at 194,350 (4/07: 184,462)
Volkswagen –6.1% at 19,415 (4/07: 19,086)
Volvo –18.9% at 7,138 (4/07: 8,122)

N/A: Kia, Honda and Acura (Delayed)

COMPANIES
BMW Group 1.2% at 31,448 (4/07: 28,692)
Chrysler LLC –29% at 147,751 (4/07: 193,104)
Ford Motor Co –19% at 200,727 (4/07: 228,623)
General Motors –22.7% at 260,922 (4/07: 311,687)
Honda America (Delayed)
Nissan North America –1.6% at 75,855 (4/07: 71,124)
Toyota Motor Co. –4.5% at 217,700 (4/07: 210,457)

*All percentages are reported as the change in Daily Sales Rate because there were 26 selling days in April 2008 versus 24 in April 2007. Comparing the raw number of vehicles sold both months would not be accurate because of this discrepancy in selling days, so we report the change in the average number of vehicles sold per day.

Hybrid vehicle Pros and Cons

Pros:

1. Gas is expensive and you will need less of it. It is always a plus when you do not have to empty out your wallet while stopping by your nearest yellow, green, or bright red pit stop. This is the main reason why the new Hybrid cars, trucks, and SUV’s get a second look despite the high initial sticker price.

2. Hybrids generally have better fuel economy. We all know for a fact that new hybrid vehicles will use a lot less gas than your current $80 to-fill-me-up family hauler or the ever so hungry daily commuter rice-n-gas burner or if you’re lucky the “only I can drive it” sports car in the garage that is only driven on the weekends. Hybrids use and take advantage of advance technology to only consume a small percentage of gasoline when compared to any normal fuel burning vehicle currently on the road.

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Gas Prices Funnies – Not So Funny Or Very Funny?

Here are a few gas funnies in an attempt to lighten up the burden of the extremely high gas prices that we all face today and in the near future.

Sorry if any of the funnies are offensive to those who just cannot afford to fill their tank. Don’t worry, I had to pick up my friend from the side of the road on I-95 Monday because he ran slap out of gas.

[source: various online sites... including partner - blazeof-glory2.blogspot.com]

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Tips to improve your gas mileage – Save Money On Gas

Tips to improve your gas mileage

  

  

Drive Sensibly

Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town. Sensible driving is also safer for you and others, so you may save more than gas money.

	Fuel Economy Benefit:	5-33%
	Equivalent Gasoline Savings:	$0.11-$0.73/gallon

Observe the Speed Limit Gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. Each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.15 per gallon for gas. Observing the speed limit is also safer.

	Fuel Economy Benefit:	7-23%
	Equivalent Gasoline Savings:	$0.15-$0.51/gallon

  

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