Driving Frugally in Winter Weather
Snow, slush, black ice . . . How does one drive more frugally in winter weather? By driving slower and more carefully on backroads that aren't as plowed, salted, and sanded as the main roads.
I have a $500 deducible on my auto insurance, so I eat the first 500 of any self-inflicted damage to our vehicles. I just wish some of my fellow drivers grasped that concept . . .
Anyway, it is up to you . . . drive frugally this winter.
Related posts, Automotive Posts Revisited
Posted by DDFD at 12/24/2008 2:49 PM 
Categories: Automotive, Frugality, Money Savers
Tags: Automotive Frugal Frugality Money Savers
Categories: Automotive, Frugality, Money Savers
Tags: Automotive Frugal Frugality Money Savers
I think the block heater is a valuable assist. Suppose it draws 100 watts, then it would use one kilowatt-hour in a ten hour period. According to my current electric bill, I pay 8.5 cents per kwh. Since gasoline is about $2.00 per gallon at the moment, this is equal to $0.085/$2.00 or 0.0425 gal, which is about 1/20 of a gallon. (If gas goes back to $4.25 then it would be 1/10 of a gallon . . .)
The question then, is how much this twentieth or tenth or a gallon would save. At zero degrees your normally 20 mpg car probably starts out at 10mpg or worse. If having the block preheated moves this up to an initial 15mpg you would, first, avoid some obnoxious air pollution, but also go 15 miles on that first cold morning gallon instead of merely 10. You would have saved half a gallon, or $1.00 at the present price for the cost of eight and a half cents.
It also means that you would get interior heat more quickly, and lessen engine wear.
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I am not familiar with block heaters-- Is it installed? Is it an over night drop in? How much do they cost? I would like you to share more . . .
I have heard of some sort of installed heaters for diesel engines and people putting light bulbs in their engines overnight to keep them warm . . . related?
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In cold climate places cars come from the factory with them. Elsewhere you have to install it yourself. There are several types: freeze plug heater, dipstick heater, stick-on heater, water hose heater, etc. You need to make sure the kind you get is OK for your car. The easiest installation is the dipstick, of course. The freeze plug heater requires you to remove a freeze plug from your block and put this in its place. The water (coolant) hose heater requires that you cut a section out of a hose and patch in the heating element.
Yes, using a light bulb under the hood produces the same effect, except that it’s less efficient. Something that goes directly inside, like the freeze plug, transfers more heat for a given number of watts.
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Thanks for the details. I will look into it further and perhaps it warrants a full post.
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