How much gasoline money does it take to drive 1002 miles at $3.67 per gallon?

You would have to know your vehicle’s average MPG before that question can be answered.

You’ll need to know what your gas mileage will be in the minivan, before you can figure it out.

We’d need to know how much mileage the vehicle that you are driving gets.

Amount of miles you are driving (1002) divided by number of miles per gallon on average the vehicle gets.

Then take the answer as gallons of fuel you will need and nultiply it times the price per gallon (3.67).

$306.45 based on a industry wide average of 12 MPG

Does anyone know what mpg a minivan would be?

My old Voyager, which was a 1996, used to average 18 mpg, but did better on long road trips. Figure out what brand/model you want to rent, then look up what the average mpg rating is for that.

If you assume 20 MPG on the open highway, then it would cost you about $183.87.

The rental company should be able to tell you about what mileage the minivan gets. How you drive and where you drive will make a difference too.

I would use the lowest MPG estimate when making my calculations. If you have money left over at the end of the trip you can save it for something else, but if you run out of gas money you will be SOL.

Take enough extra money to buy a quart of oil too.

Is that the calculation for the 1002 miles? I am needing the total round trip amount. The round trip is 1002 miles.

My calculation is based on 1002 miles. If the return trip path is congruous with the departing trip path, then double it.

I have a Saturn Vue, which is kind of a minivan. It gets 25 miles per gallon, so $3.67 times 1002 divided by 25 is $147.09 depending on your mpg.

Based on the Dodge Caravan that I had, I’d use 15 mpg as an estimate. But gas in Northern California is NOT $3.67.

In Contra Costa it’s $3.93 pretty much everywhere. And if you have to fill up at Kirkwood you’re paying mountain prices. Gas on I-5 will be in the $3.80 to $3.90 range.

To be prudent I’d use 15 mpg = 66.8 gallons x $3.90 =$260.52 Plus this assumes no other driving at any of your destinations.

When I lived in Kirkwood gas was $4.00. So no I won’t be filling up there.

Make sure to check when the oil was changed before you accept the rental van. If not you may have to have the oil changed halfway through the trip. And while the rental company should reimburse you for that expense, it don’t help when you are on the road.

I had an Aerostar that would get from 15 to 23 MPG depending on the weather. That would take between 43.5 and 67 gallons or between $160 and $250. (I rounded a little bit.) And since you will likely run into places where gas is closer to $4.00/gallon, and you may do a little other driving (like rest areas, eating, refueling…), I would count on closer to $300.

In the end, there is no way to predict exactly how much it will cost you. From the above answers, I would go with @jerv‘s nice, round $300. It could be less, it could be more. If it’s smooth sailing the whole way, you should get MPG near the top of the minivan’s MPG because it will be mostly highway driving and you get better MPG under highway conditions, but if you hit construction or heavy traffic along the way, you may have a lot of stop and go driving at points, and stop and go will reduce your MPG.

Also, if you are loading up the van, the increased weight will reduce your gas mileage.

My mini van Olds Silhouette gets 23mpg, loaded 4 people and luggage,. on the highway. That would be a good guess for you

So 1002 mile/ 23 mpg = 43 gallons x $3.67/gal = $159.88 Bring extra just in case. And don’t forget tolls.

Based on an average cost of gas of $3.67 per gallon for approximately 1000 miles, your costs for gasoline only should range from a high of about $367 (if your van gets 10 miles per gallon) to as low as $150 if your mileage is around 24 miles per gallon. (If the fully loaded van performs at less than 10 mpg, then your cost will be higher. This could also be the case if you have to drive into strong headwinds or uphill for long distances.)

But gasoline probably won’t be your only expense. (I wouldn’t expect to perform an oil change at any point during a 1000-mile trip. Any vehicle in reasonably drivable condition can put that off for 1000 miles or so.)

I expect that you’ll have some tolls to pay somewhere along the way, and it’s pretty uncommon to make a drive of that distance without stopping for cold drinks and snacks along the way.

I also wouldn’t expect that every place you want to stop for fuel will have it at the price you want to pay; expect to pay up to $4.00 per gallon in some places. I wouldn’t make this trip with less than $500 cash – or a credit card with at least that much “charge room” available.

@CWOTUS There are only a few experimental toll roads in California, that’s why we call it the freeway.

I agree, $500 allowance for gas and car expenses is best way to go.

In addition to knowing the MPG of the vehicle, you might need to calculate in any extra added weight. If you’re carrying a bunch of heavy stuff (like if you’re moving) you will use more gas. Also, make sure that your tires are properly inflated before you head out, and check them multiple times along your trip. Under inflated tires, will cause you to use more gas.