What is your average trip length?

Mtn Mike · 01-25-2005, 11:35 PM

What is your average trip length in your truck? Okay, this may sound silly and obsessive, but something has been nagging away at me since I got my new truck. It has been said that most of the wear and tear that occurs on vehicles is the result of the short, 1-5 mile trips around town that we all take. I want my engine to last for a long time. I now find myself avoiding these short trips, and actually planning so I don't have to make short trips. Instead of driving my truck 1 mile to my workplace, I usually ride my bike. Same with shopping trips in the neighborhood; I ride my bike. Do I have a problem? Does anyone else obsess about planning errands and short trips in order to save wear and tear on your truck??

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Flamedx4 · 01-26-2005, 12:18 AM

Nope, not obsessive. You have it right. The worst thing you can do (okay aside from never changing your oil or running with no air filter etc) is short trips where the engine doesn't really warm up properly. It will drastically shorten the engine life.

bike4miles · 01-26-2005, 01:25 AM

Yea, I kind of leave mine parked unless I really have a list of places to go. Figure the chance of getting in an accident is allso a lot less if I cut out pointless trips.

Rick F. · 01-26-2005, 04:55 AM

I usually try to do the same thing. I'd prefer to walk instead of drive those short trips, not just to save wear-and-tear on the truck but for the excercise. I sit at a desk most of the day and look forward to stretching my legs. If I have a short trip that I need to drive, then I try to plan it around other trips I take with the vehicle. It drives me nuts to see people get in there car and drive about 200 yards. I actually dated a girl that drove from her driveway to her parents house which I paced off at about 75 paces! Unbelievable!

BTW, my 1-way drive to work is ~32 miles of backroads.

Roadtripr · 01-26-2005, 10:34 AM

I got 4 miles to work and I have to get on the highway, not much fun on a bike. But in my new job I will have 1 mile. I will bike. Save the 4runner and get a little exercise

Scottiac · 01-26-2005, 10:52 AM

my average trip in the truck is around 1,500 miles or so!

I use my old Acura for the day to day stuff...

stevrock · 01-26-2005, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flamedx4

is short trips where the engine doesn't really warm up properly. It will drastically shorten the engine life.

But even on long trips the same damage would be done in those couple of miles, regardless of how far you go. You are still driving them.

I personally don't think they are that bad, it only takes a EFI engine about 30 seconds to warm up so the oil is flowing freely.

The wost of the short trips are the stop and go driving where your engine strains, and then your brakes, then engine, then brakes.

I just throw my truck in reveres to save the wear on my brakes........

fiveofeen · 01-26-2005, 01:57 PM

5000 miles in 1.5 months. not once leaving the state and no more than probably 10 drives longer 100 miles. I'm always runnin short errands with the truck. I let it warm up to temp before hand. OCD can be helped with medication ya know!!! j/k!

dexter · 01-26-2005, 06:42 PM

12 hours a little under 900 miles from denver to missoula and then durring the summer 6-8 hour trips every other weekend for bike races

VolcomTacoma · 01-26-2005, 06:52 PM

I drive about 40+ miles a day during the week. 90% highway driving.

01-26-2005, 12:18 AM	#2 (permalink)
Flamedx4 Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Location: 100 miles offshore as much as possible, & Springfield Oregon USA Posts: 3,285	Nope, not obsessive. You have it right. The worst thing you can do (okay aside from never changing your oil or running with no air filter etc) is short trips where the engine doesn't really warm up properly. It will drastically shorten the engine life. __________________ All my Yotas are gone. Stuff to sell: http://www.yotatech.com/showthread.p...39#post1009839 -Phil Last edited by Flamedx4; 01-26-2005 at 12:19 AM.

01-26-2005, 01:25 AM	#3 (permalink)
bike4miles Contributing Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 3,402	Yea, I kind of leave mine parked unless I really have a list of places to go. Figure the chance of getting in an accident is allso a lot less if I cut out pointless trips. __________________ --Miles Sold '91 4runner, 22re, 5 spd manual, 180,000 miles, cone filter, Downey 1.5"HD coils, SkyJacker Nitrogens, Magnaflow Exhaust, Stull grill, Clears all around. Check out my sound proofing project and other mods: My 4runner page My 2006 Camry page I'm a Myspace Addict!

01-26-2005, 04:55 AM	#4 (permalink)
Rick F. Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Far western Kentucky (transplanted from central PA) Posts: 1,063	I usually try to do the same thing. I'd prefer to walk instead of drive those short trips, not just to save wear-and-tear on the truck but for the excercise. I sit at a desk most of the day and look forward to stretching my legs. If I have a short trip that I need to drive, then I try to plan it around other trips I take with the vehicle. It drives me nuts to see people get in there car and drive about 200 yards. I actually dated a girl that drove from her driveway to her parents house which I paced off at about 75 paces! Unbelievable! BTW, my 1-way drive to work is ~32 miles of backroads. __________________ '00 SR5, Desert Dune: 4" Deckplate, Amsoil TS-115, Bilsteins, Brembo rotors w/Performance Friction pads, Fiam Highway Blasters, Sylvania Silverstars, Hella Micro DE Fog Lights w/Hella Yellow Star Lamps - SOLD 1/24/09 '08 Sport, Salsa Red: Hella Optilux fogs, Silverstar Ultra Hi beams. Pending: Borla dual catback, CAI, shocks

01-26-2005, 10:34 AM	#5 (permalink)
Roadtripr Registered User Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 927	I got 4 miles to work and I have to get on the highway, not much fun on a bike. But in my new job I will have 1 mile. I will bike. Save the 4runner and get a little exercise __________________ Carsten -------------------------- 99 4runner SR5 4x4 5spd

01-26-2005, 10:52 AM	#6 (permalink)
Scottiac Contributing Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 882	my average trip in the truck is around 1,500 miles or so! I use my old Acura for the day to day stuff... __________________ Scott '97 4runner LTD. SC, URD, Tundra/OME (SS #7), TJM-15 bumper, BruceTS rear bumper, trail carnage skid plates, stubbs sliders, cobra 18wxstii cb, 99 headlights, upgraded headlight wiring, maglite mod, aux fuse boxes, Airaid MIT, Hayden tranny cooler, deckplate, parts for entirely too many mods lying around...

01-26-2005, 01:57 PM	#8 (permalink)
fiveofeen Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Midland, MI Posts: 2,015	5000 miles in 1.5 months. not once leaving the state and no more than probably 10 drives longer 100 miles. I'm always runnin short errands with the truck. I let it warm up to temp before hand. OCD can be helped with medication ya know!!! j/k! __________________ Tim - www.TGTINT.com 1994 4Runner SR5 - 3.0 5spd - Eibach springs, CB, Hella 500's, M/T's, and a very nice tint job..

01-26-2005, 06:42 PM	#9 (permalink)
dexter Contributing Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: denver-home missoula,mt-school Posts: 753	12 hours a little under 900 miles from denver to missoula and then durring the summer 6-8 hour trips every other weekend for bike races __________________ 2007 streak blue tundra SR5 TRD 5.7l. nav w/ backup cam, sonar, line x'd, de badged, husky liners mods to come: new grill, tint, push bar, new wheels and tires, custom dual exhaust

01-26-2005, 06:52 PM	#10 (permalink)
VolcomTacoma Registered User Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 411	I drive about 40+ miles a day during the week. 90% highway driving.

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