Comments on: Yesterday’s Near Death Experience http://romanedirisinghe.com/2005/09/28/yesterdays-near-death-experience/ The Web Site of Roman Edirisinghe Thu, 04 Dec 2008 04:20:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: <img class="identicon" src="http://romanedirisinghe.com/wp/wp-content/plugins/wp-identicon/identicon/2eaa4eea287d405.png" alt="Roman Edirisinghe Identicon Icon" height="35" width="35" /> Roman Edirisinghe http://romanedirisinghe.com/2005/09/28/yesterdays-near-death-experience/#comment-2088 Roman Edirisinghe Identicon Icon Roman Edirisinghe Wed, 09 Aug 2006 21:29:05 +0000 http://romanedirisinghe.com/2005/09/28/yesterdays-near-death-experience/#comment-2088 I've got no regrets about buying a flex fuel vehicle. In Milwaukee, gas prices have soared as high as $3.25 a gallon, and E85 has stuck at $2.65 a gallon. I’ve got no regrets about buying a flex fuel vehicle. In Milwaukee, gas prices have soared as high as $3.25 a gallon, and E85 has stuck at $2.65 a gallon.

]]> By: <img class="identicon" src="http://romanedirisinghe.com/wp/wp-content/plugins/wp-identicon/identicon/a3cdac1d0401fdb.png" alt="Gary Dikkers Identicon Icon" height="35" width="35" /> Gary Dikkers http://romanedirisinghe.com/2005/09/28/yesterdays-near-death-experience/#comment-630 Gary Dikkers Identicon Icon Gary Dikkers Wed, 05 Oct 2005 03:52:36 +0000 http://romanedirisinghe.com/2005/09/28/yesterdays-near-death-experience/#comment-630 Before you buy a flex-fuel vehicle, do yourself a favor and check the EPA's mileage figures for E85. (I know, the EPA figures are notoriously off, but they are consistently off and offer a baseline for comparison.) Here's an example for the Ford Explorer, but the drop with E85 is about the same for other flex-fuel vehicles: 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV Gas: 15 City 20 Hwy E85: 11 City 15 Hwy 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 4WD FFV Gas: 14 City 20 Hwy E85: 11 City 15 Hwy 2005 Ford Explorer FFV 2WD Gas: 15 City 20 Hwy E85: 11 City 15 Hwy 2005 Ford Explorer FFV 4WD Gas: 14 City 20 Hwy E85: 11 City 15 Hwy Source: U.S. Dept of Energy E85 contains about 72% the energy in gasoline, and not surprisingly the mileage with E85 is about 75% that of the mileage with gasoline. Unless you can buy E85 for 72% or less per gallon than gasoline, it actually costs more to buy and burn E85. Having a flex-fuel car might be nice if there's no other fuel to buy, but don't do it because you think it will save you money. You might also want to notice that although E85 is 85% ethanol, it's price moves up and down with the price of oil, just like gasoline. Not what you'd expect for something with only 15% gasoline in it. It appears the ethanol people deliberately keep the price of E85 close to that of gasoline. Before you buy a flex-fuel vehicle, do yourself a favor and check the EPA’s mileage figures for E85. (I know, the EPA figures are notoriously off, but they are consistently off and offer a baseline for comparison.) Here’s an example for the Ford Explorer, but the drop with E85 is about the same for other flex-fuel vehicles:

2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV
Gas: 15 City 20 Hwy
E85: 11 City 15 Hwy

2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 4WD FFV
Gas: 14 City 20 Hwy
E85: 11 City 15 Hwy

2005 Ford Explorer FFV 2WD
Gas: 15 City 20 Hwy
E85: 11 City 15 Hwy

2005 Ford Explorer FFV 4WD
Gas: 14 City 20 Hwy
E85: 11 City 15 Hwy

Source: U.S. Dept of Energy

E85 contains about 72% the energy in gasoline, and not surprisingly the mileage with E85 is about 75% that of the mileage with gasoline. Unless you can buy E85 for 72% or less per gallon than gasoline, it actually costs more to buy and burn E85.

Having a flex-fuel car might be nice if there’s no other fuel to buy, but don’t do it because you think it will save you money.

You might also want to notice that although E85 is 85% ethanol, it’s price moves up and down with the price of oil, just like gasoline. Not what you’d expect for something with only 15% gasoline in it. It appears the ethanol people deliberately keep the price of E85 close to that of gasoline.

]]> By: <img class="identicon" src="http://romanedirisinghe.com/wp/wp-content/plugins/wp-identicon/identicon/2eaa4eea287d405.png" alt="Roman Edirisinghe Identicon Icon" height="35" width="35" /> Roman Edirisinghe http://romanedirisinghe.com/2005/09/28/yesterdays-near-death-experience/#comment-629 Roman Edirisinghe Identicon Icon Roman Edirisinghe Thu, 29 Sep 2005 04:13:59 +0000 http://romanedirisinghe.com/2005/09/28/yesterdays-near-death-experience/#comment-629 I'm looking at flexible fuel vehicles that accept either gasoline or E85. I’m looking at flexible fuel vehicles that accept either gasoline or E85.

]]> By: <img class="identicon" src="http://romanedirisinghe.com/wp/wp-content/plugins/wp-identicon/identicon/076f8fe894efccd.png" alt="me Identicon Icon" height="35" width="35" /> me http://romanedirisinghe.com/2005/09/28/yesterdays-near-death-experience/#comment-628 me Identicon Icon me Thu, 29 Sep 2005 03:27:37 +0000 http://romanedirisinghe.com/2005/09/28/yesterdays-near-death-experience/#comment-628 how about getting a vehicle that burns biodeisel? how about getting a vehicle that burns biodeisel?

]]> By: <img class="identicon" src="http://romanedirisinghe.com/wp/wp-content/plugins/wp-identicon/identicon/076f8fe894efccd.png" alt="me Identicon Icon" height="35" width="35" /> me http://romanedirisinghe.com/2005/09/28/yesterdays-near-death-experience/#comment-627 me Identicon Icon me Thu, 29 Sep 2005 02:57:21 +0000 http://romanedirisinghe.com/2005/09/28/yesterdays-near-death-experience/#comment-627 It is about time you got rid of that death trap. What kind of loser would have sold you such a piece of shit? It is about time you got rid of that death trap. What kind of loser would have sold you such a piece of shit?

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