The only way to fight it is to make your own biodiesel. I guess it all depends on how much money you make and if spending $300-1000/mo on fuel bothers you or not. If you're making $200k/yr, then spending $1k/mo on diesel probably doesn't bother you as much as somebody making $40k/yr.

 

Good point...

This morning I was headed to Sierra Blanca, TX., about 60 miles east of here, and saw a truck stop selling diesel for $3.68 a gallon.

 

That's way too expensive. The caveat to this is that you pretty much need an F-250/F-350/F-450, etc to be able to get used cooking oil from places. If you have an Excursion or other diesel, it's not easy to drive around carrying 55 gallon drums behind you. I guess that's where a pickup with a long bed shines! You can probably squeeze a lot of 55 gallon drums back there and visit many restaurants to fill them all up. I remember watching the news well over 10+ years ago where they showed some VW crossing the country stopping at restaurants along the way to get fuel. Grease Car web page Back in the early 2000's this web page had a photo of the VW that said "Powered by Vegetable Oil" on the back window. If you go to acrhive.org you can see the old web page the way it looked.

 

I remember that VW endeavor.I lived in CA at the time, and that made the news. A local country radio station was giving reports on that VW trip.
My dad lives in Perris, CA., and he told me that he was buying diesel for $4.05 a gallon a the local Chevron near his house. I remember seeing diesel prices in Ludlow, CA, a very small town (population no-one) with only two gas stations, Chevron and Unocal 76. The Unocal 76 was selling diesel for $6.99 a gallon. That was about 8 years ago. That town was in the middle of nowhere in the desert. Probably the only revenue that town gets. CRAZY!!
Fortunately I have a 60 gallon Tru-flow in-bed fuel tank, on my truck. That helps a lot, especially while pulling a 34 ft. travel trailer.

 

With 60 gallons, I'd DEFINITELY look at making your own fuel. Man, that's big bucks to fill that. I hope the new Explorers come with the new diesel that they are going to be putting in the F-150. I used to have a BMW X5 diesel and that thing would get almost 30 MPG on the highway. I would think the Explorer would get about the same since it's nearly the same shape.

Yeah, that TV coverage is what reminded me about that web site. I can't believe that web site is still running.

 

Yeah, the initial filling up before a trip can be a might tough on the wallet, but when I travel, I like driving the backroads and highways, off the interstate(s). Theres more to see, but more so, I can drive right through those small country bumpkin towns with high fuel prices, and just keep going. When I pull my travel trailer, I only drive at 60-62 mph, sometimes 58 mph depending on road condition, so Im tooling right along at just below 1700 rpms. Fuel consumption is not that bad, my engine is happy, my wallet is happy, the bride is happy, and Im happy.
I literally don't want to hassle with making my own fuel. Its a great idea but just not my thing.....yet. But, I may change my tune if fuel prices get way out of control.
That little Eco-boost diesel is the **** from what I hear. I have a neighbor that bought an Eco-boost Ford f150. That's a peppy little truck, and fuel mileage is nothing short of amazing. Ford has come along way for sure.

 

Yeah, speed has a lot to do with fuel economy. 60 MPH seems to be the magic number. Anything over that and fuel consumption just goes up. It takes too much inertia to go faster. I've done lots of highway tests and 65 is about the max to go in a car. With a flat faced truck that's not aerodynamic, you want to keep it 55-60.

 

Amen to that brother! Im retired, and for me, im not in a hurry to get anywhere. If I want speed I'll drive my other dually and spin the supercharger up.

BTW, digging your truck in your avatar.

 

Yep, cruise control is my best friend. And now with Adaptive Cruise Control, it's even better.

 

Diesel down a few cents at the station near me (El Paso, TX). Now down to $2.87 a gallon. Probably just being tossed a bone....