Just paid $2.84 for premium!

[Da Hapa]

With all due respect, who cares what they pay over there. We don't live there but rather here.

Honestly, I do.

Here in sunny S. CA I can't tell you how prevalent it is to see someone driving a humongous H2 or lifted Excursion with only one person on board. To each his own, I normally say, but when someone can justify that kind of stupidity, then gas aint expensive enough. Don't misunderstand me. I actually have nothing against SUV's. At least not when they're used as designed. But they've become the ubiquitous soccer mom mobile and our cultures seemingly uncaring attitude towards wasting a finite resource just isn't right.

I don't know if it's the right answer or not but maybe we do need to set MPG limits for trucks and SUV's (ie CAFE standards) like we do passenger cars. Or maybe we need to institute higher fuel taxes to help pay for either more refineries or additional fuel sources.

I don't pretend to have all the answers (or really any answers for that matter :smile: ) but I do know that eventually, our short-term and selfish attitude towards an undeniably finite resource will bite us in the ass.

 

[NeoNSX]

i paid AUD$1.12/Litre for Premium here... and that was the cheapest I could find. Not sure what that works out to in gallons, but it sure hurt my wallet.

 

[K.O.]

It's only ~$2.25 for premium here in Jersey and you don't have to pump your own gas. Though with an Nsx, I think I would rather pump my own gas.

 

[SNDSOUL]

Honestly, I do.

Here in sunny S. CA I can't tell you how prevalent it is to see someone driving a humongous H2 or lifted Excursion with only one person on board. To each his own, I normally say, but when someone can justify that kind of stupidity, then gas aint expensive enough. Don't misunderstand me. I actually have nothing against SUV's. At least not when they're used as designed. But they've become the ubiquitous soccer mom mobile and our cultures seemingly uncaring attitude towards wasting a finite resource just isn't right.

I don't know if it's the right answer or not but maybe we do need to set MPG limits for trucks and SUV's (ie CAFE standards) like we do passenger cars. Or maybe we need to institute higher fuel taxes to help pay for either more refineries or additional fuel sources.

I don't pretend to have all the answers (or really any answers for that matter :smile: ) but I do know that eventually, our short-term and selfish attitude towards an undeniably finite resource will bite us in the ass.

so what do you drive? besides an NSX. And who's "ubiquitous soccer mom SUV" do you BORROW when you need to haul something? SUV's and trucks are convienent for everything, thats why they are so popular. Have you ever tried to squeeze six kids into a Geo Metro. Its a tight squeeze, but you'd get great gas mileage (BTW I dont have any kids, so I dont speak from experience, but I have been told an Expedition size vehicle helps)

I drive an SUV, and yes it does get crappy gas mileage(about 15mpg), but it is convienent, comfortable, capable in stormy weather, fun offroad and safe. All of those benifets out way the one negative of poor gas mileage for me and I definetly would not consider myself stupid or selfish. I made a decision based on what was best for my situation and I would think that the majority of SUV owners weighed the same positives and negatives to make their purchase decision.
Diesel fuel is the least expensive fuel to produce, yet it is one of the most expensive to buy. That is the fuel companies being selfish. They know 18 wheelers are the lifeline for businesses and must be on the road no matter what the fuel price is. Because of them, shipping expenses have gone up, the retailer raises prices, which in turn effects the price for the end buyer. People buy less b/c they cant afford anything but gas, business goes down, unemployment goes up and there goes the economy.

 

[newby]

so what do you drive? besides an NSX. And who's "ubiquitous soccer mom SUV" do you BORROW when you need to haul something? SUV's and trucks are convienent for everything, thats why they are so popular. Have you ever tried to squeeze six kids into a Geo Metro. Its a tight squeeze, but you'd get great gas mileage (BTW I dont have any kids, so I dont speak from experience, but I have been told an Expedition size vehicle helps)

I drive an SUV, and yes it does get crappy gas mileage(about 15mpg), but it is convienent, comfortable, capable in stormy weather, fun offroad and safe. All of those benifets out way the one negative of poor gas mileage for me and I definetly would not consider myself stupid or selfish. I made a decision based on what was best for my situation and I would think that the majority of SUV owners weighed the same positives and negatives to make their purchase decision.
Diesel fuel is the least expensive fuel to produce, yet it is one of the most expensive to buy. That is the fuel companies being selfish. They know 18 wheelers are the lifeline for businesses and must be on the road no matter what the fuel price is. Because of them, shipping expenses have gone up, the retailer raises prices, which in turn effects the price for the end buyer. People buy less b/c they cant afford anything but gas, business goes down, unemployment goes up and there goes the economy.

It's hard to say what side I should take on this. I own a Dodge Dakota with a V8 (about 15mpg) that I use as my daily driver (daily in the cold seasons....not as much in the summer) But I think I have to agree with "Da Happa". I mean, I own a truck because I hall my motorcycle, 4-wheeler, my dogs and many things from wood to a new tool for the shop. It's very handy, however I would prefer a smaller car with better gas mileage for a daily driver. But who has the space for so many vehicles (I already have 3 cars and 2 motorcycles....my garage is full).
However I know many people who buy big ass SUVs for daily drivers and haul nothing but themselves and some groceries once and awhile. I see 5' tall woman driving these huge F250s around town as their personal vehicle. Why, because they like to be up high to see and if they are in an accident...they'll be just fine, however the guy in the honda accord has to be airlifted to the hospital.
I work around these gas prices....I'll use my NSX (decent mileage :smile: ) or take a motorcycle which gets around 50mph. My wife had a new beetle that gets mid-20's. My truck will just sit until I need it.
I don't know what I'm saying here.... some of us do need trucks...but most don't. And if you own a H2 or a Chev Avalanche and have never even used the 4-wheel drive...(like my sister) ...don't bitch about gas prices. Maybe these high prices will encourage people to buy more conservative vehicles and lower the demand that way.

you're it!

 

[Da Hapa]

so what do you drive? besides an NSX. And who's "ubiquitous soccer mom SUV" do you BORROW when you need to haul something? SUV's and trucks are convienent for everything, thats why they are so popular. Have you ever tried to squeeze six kids into a Geo Metro. Its a tight squeeze, but you'd get great gas mileage (BTW I dont have any kids, so I dont speak from experience, but I have been told an Expedition size vehicle helps)

I drive an SUV, and yes it does get crappy gas mileage(about 15mpg), but it is convienent, comfortable, capable in stormy weather, fun offroad and safe. All of those benifets out way the one negative of poor gas mileage for me and I definetly would not consider myself stupid or selfish. I made a decision based on what was best for my situation and I would think that the majority of SUV owners weighed the same positives and negatives to make their purchase decision.

Easy there killer.

We also have a Lexus IS300 and a Lexus RX300 AWD. The IS is our daily driver and the RX is our Home Depot/dog/airport vehicle. We live in S. CA and our RX is AWD. It is plenty vehicle for the rain we get and occassional trips to the snow. It hauls 4 grown adults very comfortably and yet still avg's nearly 20 mpg in mixed driving and 24 on road trips.

So I appreciate the desire to have an SUV. What I don't appreciate it folks that buy vehicles that they don't need or use simply because it's a fad. It may well be different wherever you live but I swear to God, in Newport Beach it's almost a law that you have to have either a P car or a BMW as well as a huge SUV (Denali, Escalade or Range Rover preferred). I guarantee you that a very, very small minority of the owners of these SUV's ever: (1) takes them off road, (2) carries more than one passenger with them, (3) actually loads them with anything more combersome than a cellphone and a Venti Latte from Starbucks or (4) considered anything more practical purely because it's cool. That, to me, is stupid and selfish.

If you have 4 kids, and you tow your boat to the lake, hey... you need something other than a CRV. But honestly, here in S.CA that is the extreme minority. And IMO, that's wasteful and selfish.

 

[Meeyatch1]

My wife and I spend time in both the United States and Canada, and when we are up there the price (after conversion) is close to $4.00 per gallon lots of the time. It makes filling up here look more attractive, yet I still get pissed when the girl at Meijer forgets to apply my gas discount coupon correctly. ARGH!!

 

[ChopsJazz]

At least you have pretty scenery in HMB. :biggrin: My dad grew up just south of there, and I was raised in Belmont. It's still one of my favorite places in California.

Thanks, but the price just went up to $2.99 yesterday. That's a pretty hefty price for a nice view!

 

[Da Hapa]

Thanks, but the price just went up to $2.99 yesterday. That's a pretty hefty price for a nice view!

Wait for it... we're not done yet. Oil dropped a bit but wait until summer gets into full swing and inventories drop again.

 

[robr]

it is getting pretty unaffordable, i think i'm paying around $1 per 8-10 miles with the NSX (at $2.50 gal here in MA). i've been taking the bus to work ($13/day), gas and parking ($8/day 1 mile from work, plus $3 toll) are just too obscene. im seriously considering a used cheap motorcycle. free parking at work in downtown boston and much better mileage.

 

[newby]

it is getting pretty unaffordable, i think i'm paying around $1 per 8-10 miles with the NSX (at $2.50 gal here in MA). i've been taking the bus to work ($13/day), gas and parking ($8/day 1 mile from work, plus $3 toll) are just too obscene. im seriously considering a used cheap motorcycle. free parking at work in downtown boston and much better mileage.

This is exactly why prices need to go up once and awhile. (not picking on you specifically Robr) But people do need to change their patterns and use less fuel. Not just for the well being of our oil supplies....but for mother nature. If Robr got an inexpensive motorcycle and drove it to work a couple days a week...think of the savings. I take my motorcycle (50mpg) to work as much as possible in the summer. My 40 mile round trip costs me about $1.80 on the bike...as apposed to $6.42 in my truck (14 mpg...40 mile trip). Not only do you save money....but less fuel is used.

I don't like the $45 fill ups either, but sometimes we all could you a swift kick in the pants to change our behavior for mankind :smile:

 

[robr]

I see what you're getting at, but the logic there doesn't really work too well. I'm trying to find exact figures, this 1990 report is obviously a little out of date, but in 1990, only 25% of fossil fuels were consumed by the transportation industry which includes rail, air and ship. Of that 25%, about 75% was auto, or just over 18% of global fossil fuel consumption.
http://www.esri.go.jp/jp/prj-rc/kankyou/kankyou16/01-1-R-1.pdf


Sure, 18% is still pretty steep, but even if 50% of us on the planet switch to motorcycles, in the big picture it's really not going to make a whole hell of a lot of difference.

Can I have my $1.50/gal prices back please? (I never thought I'd be happy with a $1.50 when we were hitting those numbers 5 years ago). Doubling the prices of gas in a 5 year period just seems nuts.

 

[LJSB]

When I started pumping gas it was 23 cents a gallon.
When someone asked for 3 you had to ask if they meant dollars or gallons.
The average sale was $2.00 and our profit was a penny a gallon.
Milk was 25 cents a gallon. Seems like milk and gas stay about the same price as one and other with milk being just a little more.

Ok have a rip wise guys with the old jokes. :tongue:

 

[NSXLuvr]

As someone pointed out to me this weekend, it's probably gonna be cheaper to just buy race gas pretty soon.

So it can't be all bad.

:biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: - That's my kind of thinking.

 

[len3.8]

When I started pumping gas it was 23 cents a gallon.
When someone asked for 3 you had to ask if they meant dollars or gallons.
The average sale was $2.00 and our profit was a penny a gallon.
Milk was 25 cents a gallon. Seems like milk and gas stay about the same price as one and other with milk being just a little more.

Ok have a rip wise guys with the old jokes. :tongue:

They are both still cheaper than Most bottled water.
That is what pisses me off when traveling.. :wink:

 

[ChopsJazz]

No kidding, I actually saw $3.42 for full serve premium.

What has this world come to!?! (Or should I say, "To what has this world come!?!" :wink:

 

[Dtrigg]

My wife and I were in Scotland not too long ago. The price of a gallon, with the dollar/pound converson, etc. was around $8.00.

 

[newby]

My wife and I were in Scotland not too long ago. The price of a gallon, with the dollar/pound converson, etc. was around $8.00.

Thanks for posting this..... It should put our prices into perspective. I don't like it, but it could always be worse.

And Robr.... if those figures are right...great. Just because we might have 70 some % of our supplies left doesn't mean we should be more conservative. Unless this world ends they day you keel over. :smile:

Your right though...you definately take it for granted when prices were at 1.50 - 1.80 last summer. I almost think they scare us with these high numbers so at the end of the summer when we are paying $2.00-2.20 a gallon....we are all thinking...."Finally, $2 a gallon"

 

[robr]

According to the URL I posted (which again is 15 years out of date), it's not that we're eating up 18% of our supplies, its that 18% of the fossil fuels used annually are used by autos, trucks and busses. If every car, truck and bus on the planet never started its motor for a year, we'd only reduce fossil fuel consumption by 18%. At least in 1990 that would be the case, I find that pretty interesting. Statistics for air pollution are similar as well.

Most oil consumption and pollution is from heavy industry rather than motor vehicles.

 

[Osiris_x11]

My next car is gonna be a 3cylinder 6spd, lol...

hmmm... AndyV, where are you?!? :biggrin:

Ok, I got alot to say! First off, the rest of the world pays more than the U.S.A. for gasoline due to higher government taxes and environmental regulations. I'm currently in London England and I've heard that if you take out the taxes, the remaining cost of 'petrol' would be similar to the cost of 'gas' in the States, minus Uncle Sam's taxes. Also alot of these places 'elsewhere' are much closer to the origin of the fuel resources (Middle East, Central Asia, Russia, South East Asia), but that doesn't seem to affect the price much at all.

According to my friend who's a PetroChemical engineer in Houston (recent UT grad), the biggest factor impacting the cost of a barrel of oil is discovery of new reserves (on par w/ market forecast & projections). Also important is the relative cost of THAT particular barrel of oil extracted to be refined into consumer usable fuel (the cost to extract a barrel of North Sea crude maybe double/triple the cost to extract a barrel offshore in Vietnam... just because you extract a barrel of "Texas-tea" doesn't mean it's really a barrel of just oil; often there is alot of sedimentation, minerals, water, etc and the inclusions of such 'impurities' affects the relative profitability of that particular reserve)

Until Marx & Lenin rise from the ashes like a phoenix in the U.S.A., freedom to drive what/when/where you choose to will not be infringed on. SUV's, Fullsized light trucks, etc are a miniscule part of the freedom we have. Of-course, they might not be in good tastes to be wasteful (ie. an ad exec. using a Ford Excursion to commute to work). Don't blame the player (consumers), blame the game (manufacturers). Alot of environmental groups in the UK are trying to get airlines to compensate for the C02 produced by fuel they use, by funding windmill air-turbine generators. Interesting idea...

My dismay w/ the rising cost of refined fuels is that it'll trickle down to other consumer goods and slowly start to raise prices across many staples of daily life (agricultural goods, groceries, and other consumer products). Fuel prices can of-course comeback down in time; but once the prices of consumer goods rise, they don't generally comedown. :frown:

 

[Patdeisa]

No kidding, I actually saw $3.42 for full serve premium.

What has this world come to!?! (Or should I say, "To what has this world come!?!" :wink:

Did you stop by Woodside? That Chevron by Cañada Rd. is always expensive. Last time I was up there, it was almost $1 more than other gas stations 5 miles away for self serve...

I'm bummed because it now costs me over $30 to fill up my RSX-S tank... I should be good for another 350+ miles, though.

 

[Patdeisa]

When I started pumping gas it was 23 cents a gallon.
When someone asked for 3 you had to ask if they meant dollars or gallons.
The average sale was $2.00 and our profit was a penny a gallon.
Milk was 25 cents a gallon. Seems like milk and gas stay about the same price as one and other with milk being just a little more.

Ok have a rip wise guys with the old jokes. :tongue:

I remember filling up for 79¢/gallon for regular when I was in high school. That was less than 10 years ago!

 

[Da Hapa]

Re: My next car is gonna be a 3cylinder 6spd, lol...

My dismay w/ the rising cost of refined fuels is that it'll trickle down to other consumer goods and slowly start to raise prices across many staples of daily life (agricultural goods, groceries, and other consumer products). Fuel prices can of-course comeback down in time; but once the prices of consumer goods rise, they don't generally comedown. :frown:

Slowly nothing. The front page of today's paper (LA Times or OC Register, I can't remembe which) had an article discussing the fact that for the first time in something like 14 years the avg. American is making less money than before once inflation was factored in. The biggest contributors to inflation? Rising health care costs and rising energy costs.

Wham, bam and bend over for the slam.

 

[NSX2398]

Could be worse .. you could live in Canada. I paid $1.049 Cdn per liter for premium at a full serve. So, assuming 1 US gallon = 3.78 liters and $0.80 US = $1 CDN, I was paying the equiv of about $3.17/gallon US.

Most of the time I run mid-grade (one below premium) around town but I often do highway miles (350 at a time) and just use regular. I figure it doesn't take a lot of octane to maintain a steady 65 MPH and the knock sensors will step in if needed. Any one done this and regretted it later due to mechanical failure?

 

[Casper91]

I've posed this before, but it looks like a good time to repost.
Here's a couple of resources for those hunting down the cheaper gas prices:
www.gasbuddy.com
www.gaspricewatch.com

Time to ride the motorcycle more.