Road Trip Forecast: The Cost of Gas {Gadling}

Apr 21st 2006 8:25AM If your family vehicle is a gas guzzler why take it on a long trip? Rent a new high mileage efficient vehicle for the trip. My SUV (used primarily to tow my boat) but which is very comfortable on long trips gets 14-16 mpg loaded -- a full size rental that gets 26-30 mpg would cost about $300 for a two week trip. A two week long round trip from Colorado to New York and sightseeing the Durango would burn 500 gallons at $3 a gallon $1500 -- the rental would burn 250 gallons at $3 or $750 saving $750. You can rent a vehicle for less than $300 for the entire trip thus saving over $450 plus wear and tear on your own vehicle. An added bonus is if there is a breakdown or an accident you just call up the rental and tell them to bring you another one. I have done this for road trips for the past 20 years just to save wear and tear and no worry about breakdown or accidents. Olus, it is nice to drive a brand new vehicle on a long trip.