Better to pay tolls and a lower gas price, than to pay tolls and 4 dollars or more per gallon for gas. Many libres now are catching up in terms of road conditions. Time is another factor, some people don't have the patience to drive on a two-lane highway and stay behind big rigs.
We use tolls because we are in a hurry, at least until the end of this year.
Marbil, you are right about the discussion being futile, who knows what the prices will be like when we head down there next winter!
I didn't look at the gas prices in Mexico, but the diesel in Mexico was a bargain (just over 50% of the cost of the US diesel on the return trip).
It will be more expensive to get down there this winter, but the lower costs of just about everything down there plus the great weather makes it worth it. I enjoyed putting the blog together, now all we need up here is to get some comparable weather (so far it's been a cool spring!).
In order to keep fuel prices down, try lowering your speed. I don't know what the cost difference travelling 100 kms per hr. vs 80, but perhaps someone could give us some insight on what savings are if we are travelling slower.
People are funny are they not?
***** and moan about cheap produce from Mexico, complain about car plants moving to Mexico, then come here and tell how great it is to buy cheaper Mexican fuel which everyone seems to agree is refined by a corrupt government agency!
moparmaga2 wrote: Instead of Mexicans smuggling drugs, we are going to see them running across the border with 5 gallon fuel tanks strapped to their backs.
Um, I take offense... How about rephrasing this to "instead of people smuggling ....." If Mexicans are all drug smugglers, one had better stay home where things are so much better. Thanks!
jimlouisesophie wrote: In order to keep fuel prices down, try lowering your speed. I don't know what the cost difference traveling 100 kms per hr. vs 80, but perhaps someone could give us some insight on what savings are if we are travelling slower.
I don't have any actual figures, but a little while ago we traveled the full length of the Natchez Trace, which has a 50 MPH speed limit. Normally I have to fill my 75 gallon tank once a day in my 37' Class A gasser (7 MPG at 65 70 MPH), but on the Trace, it was every other day!
When I leave the Olympic National Park in the NW and head south to the RGV this fall, I will definitely be traveling at a maximum of 55 MPH. And to **** with the horn-honking, finger-waving citizens in their SUV's; They don't have to pay my fuel bill!
Turtle & Toad, On the Road
37' Georgetown XL w/3 slides, 1 1/2 bath, & 275 watts of solar power
06 Taco TRD (for "Off the Road") www.turtleandtoad.com I am here
Only States/Provinces that I have spent at least a week in are shown
Still plenty of pot holes and topes down here in Jalisco, Chris.
Our grand plan was to live in Mexico and RV in the U.S. and Canada. Our RV is garaged in La Feria, outside of McAllen. So far so good but we sure didn't expect diesel prices to darn near double in a year. Simply to drive to Dallas and back would cost $700 in fuel. Not sure what we'll do with the rig at this point as it is basically worthless now.
The good news is that the Mexico living part is working great. Lake Chapala is a climatic paradise compared to anyplace in the U.S. except southern California and who can afford that? In the lakeside village where we live, Ajijic, we walk to everything. Have used less than one tank of gas, 14 gallons, in two months. The weather is near perfect year round, unbelieveable!
The comment above about the toll roads here is well taken. They are expensive! And some of them, like the one between Guad. and Manzanillo, they should pay you to use. Rough and over 30 miles of two lane with no passing lanes, making it truly hazardous to get past extremely slow moving trucks on the hilly parts. Up where Chris is, the roads are better but could hardly be compared to those in the U.S.
Mexico 80 east of Lagos de Moreno has to be one of the worst and most dangerous roads I've ever driven. Between the rotten pavement and the trucks, you take your life in your hands to drive it. I would never drive my rig over it, we drive it in a sport ute. Once you get to the San Luis Potosi Corta, the roads are good all the way to Texas.
Anyway, the problem with a lot of RVers coming down here is the lack of decent places to park rigs in the more popular places. We checked out some RV parks in Melaque and they were simply awful. We rent a deluxe 3BR condo on Santiago Bay (south of Melaque), right on the beach, for $120 per night high season. Thats why the rig is NOB.
jimlouisesophie wrote: In order to keep fuel prices down, try lowering your speed. I don't know what the cost difference travelling 100 kms per hr. vs 80, but perhaps someone could give us some insight on what savings are if we are travelling slower.
We did just that on our trip home a few weeks ago. Over a 3,500 mile stretch going around 55-59 mph, we increased our fuel efficiency by about 1 mpg. (40' DP with toad)
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