car gas

[Brian Austin]

92 bucks for a tank... and how long does that tank last usually?

If I drive it to work everyday (38 miles one way), a little over 7 days.

If I drive it to school twice a week (5 miles, one way)...at least two months.

 

[mikea]

28 mpg on the road in my Ford 500 4WD. 18+ in the city. Not too bad for a LARGE Car.

Yeahbut. Bruce, YOUR city takes 20 minutes to circumnavigate - when the bridge isn't out.

I TWICE got burned out here in the northwest 'burbs because I couldn't drive the straight shot 2 mile trip to the last commuter train to town in the 20 minutes I allowed. On both Monday and Friday it was total a standstill and after sat for 10 minutes I saw there were flashing lights a half mile ahead.

My alternate train is 10 miles down the other road. I once came across THAT road being closed by the cops as I made the turn nearby.

I'm glad I'm allowed to work from home once in a while.

Seeing that the premium gas around here is now $2.9x a gallon, it turns out that *I* could pay $40 for a fill-up real soon.

 

[woodstock]

Functionally:

Both get you from A to B in the same amount of time, given legal speed limits (or even reasonable transgressions of said speed limit).

Both have basic luxuries like air conditioning, automatic transmission, CD players, etc.

Both have safety systems in place, ie air bags, restraints, etc..

Both have reasonable warranties and mean time between failures...although it costs considerably more to maintain a MB as you already know.

Aside from a slightly better ride in the Mercedes, the only difference between the two is the head turning factor. People look at you and KNOW you're making good money. In the Kia...it's assumed you're not making the kind of money you are.

Personally, I gravitate toward working trucks...but so did Sam Walton.

I have a hard time listening (reading) someone complain over a $3 increase in their gas costs per week and then happily skip into a Starbucks for a $5 cup of coffee. Expensive house...expensive car...expensive hobbies (flying, international traveling)...and you're really, seriously ticked off over $3??

you really think I'm ticked off, because it's all about me? wow.

think about what these gas prices are doing to this country.

 

[Bill]

what morons.

Your POV. Someone else may think spending your discretionary income on world travel is moronic, its all about how you want to spend your money. And as long as folks are willing to spend discretionary income on gas guzzlers, we'll continue to see gas prices rise. (That, and China, which is a monster of our own making.)

 

[Bill]

think about what these gas prices are doing to this country.

From what I see so far, not a whole hell of a lot. People are still buying giant vehicles and running them 85mph on the highway, and racing each other stoplight to stoplight in that daily GP that is commuting.

 

[woodstock]

Your POV. Someone else may think spending your discretionary income on world travel is moronic, its all about how you want to spend your money. And as long as folks are willing to spend discretionary income on gas guzzlers, we'll continue to see gas prices rise. (That, and China, which is a monster of our own making.)

well, but traveling at least supports a wider variety of industries - not primarily the oil producers, and the carmakers who have been digging their own hole with these behemoths. in both of my major hobbies I'm surely supporting aviation. B)

and true - spending it on travel versus say squirreling it away for a rainy day IS moronic, but, you can't take it with you and I'd prefer to broaden my mind/horizons.

 

[Brian Austin]

you really think I'm ticked off, because it's all about me? wow.

Not getting personal but you haven't said anything about the country's predicament...just yours.

think about what these gas prices are doing to this country.

We survived the seventies with similar situations. At least we're not lining up for it. It's still here, in quantity.

Every economy adjusts. Fuel prices go up, product costs rise to compensate for increased transportation fees, cost of living goes up, people demand more money to maintain their living standards...and product costs rise again. Never ending cycle.

Historically, fuel costs haven't kept up with inflation. What we're seeing now can't really even be termed an adjustment, simply because it's not an inflationary effect. It's a bidding war going on in the commodities market between the US, China and India. We're not the only ones that are going to be feeling this. At least our national income level can tolerate increased fuel costs with minor impact. Watch China and India for massive inflation issues in a year or two.

 

[gismo]

According to a few reputable sources, gas would have to cost about $3.00/gallon today to equal the price in 1980 when adjusted for inflation. People did drive less for a while when the price spiked, but for the most part they complained about the high cost and returned to their same driving habits fairly quickly. Chances are we will do the same today. Other costs of driving have increased by at least as much if not more. In 1980 you could buy a new luxury sport coupe for around $10k and an equivalent car would cost between 4 and 5 times as much.

 

[woodstock]

Not getting personal but you haven't said anything about the country's predicament...just yours.


I hardly think grumbling about 3 bucks is a predicament.

I didn't realize it needed to be spelled out - I already know I can afford this as can most people posting on a pilot's board. It isn't going to affect one single decision in my day or in my spending habits - but I know a lot of people in this country can't afford it - and I'm just talking about the direct costs of gas in their cars, not even mentioning the prices of everything else that actually gets transported by things that consume gas/oil. (what isn't?) and it hits people who are the transporters the hardest - do you think even the paper carriers get raises when the gas goes up? not bloody likely.

even my initial post was the result of an article I read that day about how some experts are saying (as was pointed out by others) that many cars nowadays really don't need to use premium, it's a ripoff. will I switch? no, I'll just grumble about it on the off chance that it actually would do something to my car down the line and it's a false economy to save 30 cents a gallon and have to do major repair work to my car. but clearly the oil companies are profiteering from all this and I want to know - who is it benefiting?

 

[Brian Austin]

I hardly think grumbling about 3 bucks is a predicament.

That was the tone of your posts. Sorry if I misinterpreted.

I didn't realize it needed to be spelled out - I already know I can afford this as can most people posting on a pilot's board. It isn't going to affect one single decision in my day or in my spending habits - but I know a lot of people in this country can't afford it - and I'm just talking about the direct costs of gas in their cars, not even mentioning the prices of everything else that actually gets transported by things that consume gas/oil. (what isn't?) and it hits people who are the transporters the hardest - do you think even the paper carriers get raises when the gas goes up? not bloody likely.

even my initial post was the result of an article I read that day about how some experts are saying (as was pointed out by others) that many cars nowadays really don't need to use premium, it's a ripoff. will I switch? no, I'll just grumble about it on the off chance that it actually would do something to my car down the line and it's a false economy to save 30 cents a gallon and have to do major repair work to my car. but clearly the oil companies are profiteering from all this and I want to know - who is it benefiting?

Obviously the oil companies are benefiting at the moment.

But we're also talking about a commodity market. Oil prices are for future deliveries, not current shipments. The oil hitting the refineries today is 3 months old (maybe less, can't remember the avg timeline from well to refinery). So the profits you're seeing at end of quarter have to be used for paying for oil shipments in 3 months (or whatever). That's why the rise in gas prices shortly after the rise in oil prices. We (the consumers) are paying for future oil deliveries.

Of course, the oil companies see a handsome return since they invest the money we give them now before writing the check in three months.

Again...this happened in the seventies and we're still here, better than ever. The paperboy will tell his supervisor that he can't keep delivering the paper for that kind of money. Advertising rates will go up and your paper may go from 50 cents per day to 75 cents per day. Capitalism at work.

This is a pain in the neck but it's not a crisis. And when people stop traveling so much because it's finally hurting their pocketbook...prices will stabilize. Might even come down a little (demand).

 

[wsuffa]

It's a free market, supply and demand. As long as we demand more and more gasoline, the price will keep going up.

Not totally free market. We have a real crunch in refineries in the US. No new ones being built - and old ones are maintained as well as they can. Why no new ones? Environmental and other regulations. Not worth the time, trouble, cost, hassle.

The US refining industry could not process more petroleum if it were immediately available.

Free market would see more refining capacity added.

Gas prices will continue to rise as does demand. Period.

Correct. And it's worldwide demand.

 

[Bill]

Why no new ones? Environmental and other regulations. Not worth the time, trouble, cost, hassle.

That, and NIMBY.