RE: Gas prices

RE: Gas prices (Full Version)

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[Poll]

Gas prices

I've cut back already

54% (40)

I won't cut back even if it's $10.00 a gallon lol

6% (5)

$4.00 a gallon is when I slow down

1% (1)

$5.00 a gallon is when I slow down

2% (2)

I need a @#$%! bicycle

10% (8)

I need a rickshaw pulled by a subbie

24% (18)

Total Votes : 74

(last vote on : 2/21/2008 4:19:52 PM)
(Poll will run till: -- )

Message

petdave -> RE: Gas prices (5/21/2007 3:52:26 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: thompsonx Archer: Please tell us which U.S. cars get 25mpg.? The last I read on this subject was that the "U.S, fleet" averages 15mpg, If you are going by the sticker in the window that has been shown to be nothing more than ink on paper and not related to reality in any fashion what so ever. i'm not sure what your "fleet average" is from... The majority of passenger cars sold in the U.S. nowadays get 20 MPG or better. My wife's Mazda3 pretty much hits the EPA estimates on the sticker, and so did the Dodge Neon she had before that- both would break 30MPG highway. Light trucks and SUVs are in a different class, but contrary to what some people seem to believe, not everyone in the U.S. owns one. And yes, i started changing my driving habits around $2/gallon... my motorcycle currently has more miles on it than my truck does. It was probably false economy at $2, but it's saving me money at $3. i'm a cheap SOB. ...dave

Sinergy -> RE: Gas prices (5/21/2007 5:06:50 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: LaTigresse My 4wheel drive extended cab dodge that sits in the garage all the time gets more than 15mpg.......the daily commute car gets a little over 30 mpg. I used to fill my gas tank up, keep track of the mileage, and do the math when I filled the tank back up. My Honda gets approximately 21mpg downhill with a tailwind and the engine off. The sticker stated it got 32mpg. My old Saturn used to get 29 mpg. The sticker stated 36mpg. The way mileage is determined is by putting the test car on rollers and running it on no load on these rollers. A more effective way of figuring out what mileage to expect is the size of the gas tank. Due to consumer demand, people want to drive 300 or so miles between tanks. My Saturn had a 12 gallon tank, or approximately 346 miles per tank. My Honda has a 15 gallon tank, or approximately 315 miles per tank. The math works out, despite what the sticker wants you to believe. There is a movement in Congress to force auto makers to provide factual and reliable mileage statistics under normal driving conditions. Sinergy

thompsonx -> RE: Gas prices (5/21/2007 5:20:32 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: petdave quote: ORIGINAL: thompsonx Archer: Please tell us which U.S. cars get 25mpg.? The last I read on this subject was that the "U.S, fleet" averages 15mpg, If you are going by the sticker in the window that has been shown to be nothing more than ink on paper and not related to reality in any fashion what so ever. i'm not sure what your "fleet average" is from... The majority of passenger cars sold in the U.S. nowadays get 20 MPG or better. My wife's Mazda3 pretty much hits the EPA estimates on the sticker, and so did the Dodge Neon she had before that- both would break 30MPG highway. Light trucks and SUVs are in a different class, but contrary to what some people seem to believe, not everyone in the U.S. owns one. And yes, i started changing my driving habits around $2/gallon... my motorcycle currently has more miles on it than my truck does. It was probably false economy at $2, but it's saving me money at $3. i'm a cheap SOB. ...dave dave: Since my bike runs on gasoline and gets 42mpg and my truck runs on propane and get 20 mpg it is cheaper for me to drive my truck. Then there is the advantage that my truck can carry a little more than my bike. I am still collecting some odds and ends of hardware to make the propane conversion to my bike. thompson

Archer -> RE: Gas prices (5/21/2007 8:43:30 PM)
The old Chevy Midsized Blazer we had until last year did about 24 mpg highway, My old 95 Escort wagon, I had 8 years ago was getting in the low 30's highway, I use highway for most of my comparisons simply because that's what most people I know drive, many more highway miles than city miles. My current Jeep Wrangler gets about 16-20 depending on the prevailing winds. Elegant's Pathfinder anywhere from 14 city to 23 highway. My estimates for mileage were not based on the entire fleet of the US they were based on what is available out there for a midsized car. Most midsized sedans here will get 25 or close to it. The gas price estimates one has to pick how far back we are going to compare. because if I'm talking 3 months back and you're talking 2 years back then obviously we're not going to have numbers that jive. I set artificial numbers and thought I made it clear that the numbers were pulled roughly from the area of my ass. (when I hear "Lets say" it generally tells me that the numbers are to establish a concept not the factual numbers). Also contributing to the "low" side is the fact that prices in Atlanta do tend to be among the lowest in the country. Will I be buying something more fuel efficient next vehicle around for me? Likely I figure a year or two from now I'll be buying a new vehicle (lets see yeah that's about right 10 years with this Jeep) I figure by then the bugs should be worked out of the Hybrid pickups, and I'll be looking at one then. My thought being simply that the resources saved by not buying a new car every few years makes up for the resources I spend on lower mileage. I bought the Jeep simply because it suits the activities I enjoy most and I could only afford one vehicle for myself at the time so it had to do EVERYTHING including off road time.

swtnsparkling -> RE: Gas prices (5/22/2007 2:32:52 AM)
My trip across country. Miles driven 5,642 cost of gas $ 545.73 Highest cost 3.19 Erie Pa.

SanDieganMichael -> RE: Gas prices (5/22/2007 2:39:05 AM)
I paid $3.41 this Saturday. The average today was $3.40. Record Profits ... I wish I had a bigger stake in Gas/Oil industry.

Archer -> RE: Gas prices (5/22/2007 2:58:30 AM)
Record Profits OK sure but what was their Profit Margin. One could have a margin of 5% profit and a gross profit of $2 or $2 Zillion. One could even reduce their margin and have a higher gross profit. The general profit margin the Oil Companies have been showing has not changed very much at all. The large $ figures reflect 5-7% on Billions of dolars invested. If you had shares in the company what return do you expect? If they don't make 5% or better profit most folks would be selling off the stock.

TheHeretic -> RE: Gas prices (5/22/2007 7:22:31 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Sinergy My Honda gets approximately 21mpg downhill with a tailwind and the engine off. The sticker stated it got 32mpg. My old Saturn used to get 29 mpg. The sticker stated 36mpg. This is interesting. My experience has consistently been the opposite. HOW you drive is maybe more important than WHAT you drive. Running at high RPM, jackrabbit starts, changing speed constantly, will kill your mileage. Regular maintanence plays a big role as well. A Honda getting 60% of the estimated mpg needs help. Try replacing the spark plugs and wires and the air filter and perhaps take the tire pressure a bit higher (I run 38 psi instead of the reccomended 35). Also, once you hit about 45 mph, it's more efficient to run the a/c than to have the windows down. I'm currently doing a stop and go commute with a 50 mph speed limit (about worst case for economy) and I'm squeezing better than 20 mpg out of an AWD Subaru Legacy.

thompsonx -> RE: Gas prices (5/22/2007 9:11:57 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Archer Record Profits OK sure but what was their Profit Margin. One could have a margin of 5% profit and a gross profit of $2 or $2 Zillion. One could even reduce their margin and have a higher gross profit. The general profit margin the Oil Companies have been showing has not changed very much at all. The large $ figures reflect 5-7% on Billions of dolars invested. If you had shares in the company what return do you expect? If they don't make 5% or better profit most folks would be selling off the stock. Archer: Would you mind sharing your actual figures with us. The numbers you have posted do not seem to correspond with numbers published by the oil companies. thompson

MasDom -> RE: Gas prices (5/22/2007 9:46:22 AM)
Maybe I can use this to my advantage. I can be the only dumb son of a .......... who go's every were on bike. And while most of you stubborn apes don't get around enough for meets. I,ll have twice the spread and all the need to... Laughs.. Just being my typical arrogant self today.

Sinergy -> RE: Gas prices (5/22/2007 1:31:09 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: TheHeretic A Honda getting 60% of the estimated mpg needs help. Try replacing the spark plugs and wires and the air filter and perhaps take the tire pressure a bit higher (I run 38 psi instead of the reccomended 35). Also, once you hit about 45 mph, it's more efficient to run the a/c than to have the windows down. I make these comments over the lifetime of the car. I have had it in to numerous specialists to figure the problem out. When I have convinced other car owners to figure out the real gas usage, they come up with the same result. I used to drive like a nut, but over the past few years I have self-actualized an attitude of "what the fuck is my hurry?" and now mosey along. I almost never roll down the windows. There is enough road noise as it is, and I want my eardrums to bleed from blasting the Vandals. quote: I'm currently doing a stop and go commute with a 50 mph speed limit (about worst case for economy) and I'm squeezing better than 20 mpg out of an AWD Subaru Legacy. Since I moved to the harbor from San Clemente, I fill my gas tank on Friday whether it needs it or not. Sinergy

TheHeretic -> RE: Gas prices (5/22/2007 6:07:44 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Sinergy When I have convinced other car owners to figure out the real gas usage, they come up with the same result. Sinergy I'm going to have to keep on being suprised by this. I calculate mileage by the simple system of a trip odometer, reset at every fill, and a calculator. How many miles I've travelled, divided by how much gas it takes to fill the tank back up. I'm pretty consistent about filling early in the morning, when the impact of temperature expansion will be lowest. Based on what you've presented here, my speculative diagnosis of your poor mileage would be A) a glitch in the fuel injection electronics (possibly from something overheating if the diagnostic machines haven't picked it up) or B) A loose nut behind the wheel. Something that might be worth a shot would to be to fill the tank with premium from one of the expensive stations and "blow the gunk out" with a road trip up to oh, let's say, somewhere in the middle of the state. Burn the good stuff both ways and drive hard. Change the oil when you get back, using one of the high mileage sythetics, and see what happens. You do realize, you're killing the Earth driving a gas-guzzler like that. [:D]

Sinergy -> RE: Gas prices (5/22/2007 6:10:28 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: TheHeretic You do realize, you're killing the Earth driving a gas-guzzler like that. [:D] Long story, but the car was a gift. Far as Im concerned, it is worth every penny I paid for it. Sinergy p.s. Looking to buy a Fit, although I may buy one (or similar) that runs on Propane instead of gasoline.

TheHeretic -> RE: Gas prices (5/22/2007 6:49:15 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Sinergy quote: ORIGINAL: TheHeretic You do realize, you're killing the Earth driving a gas-guzzler like that. [:D] Long story, but the car was a gift. Far as Im concerned, it is worth every penny I paid for it. Sinergy Sinergy: Thank you for admitting that your concern for our environment and reduction of dependence on foreign oil vanishes when it might cause you a fraction of inconvenience or cost you a few of those many dollars you make standing around, driving up the prices of imported goods.

farglebargle -> RE: Gas prices (5/22/2007 7:04:30 PM)
If you were really concerned about dependence on foreign oil, wouldn't you have taken the 450 billion dollars spent on the Iraq war the past 4 years and spent it on that constellation of beamed-microwave solar power satellites and ground stations? It would have only cost 300 Billion dollars, and with the extra, we could give all the kids healthcare... I mean IF you were really concerned....

TheHeretic -> RE: Gas prices (5/22/2007 7:06:37 PM)
Fargle, if I had control over 450 billion dollars, do you think I'd be hanging out around here?

farglebargle -> RE: Gas prices (5/22/2007 7:11:01 PM)
If that's your opinion, I think you would be incredibly surprised by the cross section of people we attract in this nuthouse.

Sanity -> RE: Gas prices (5/22/2007 7:19:44 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: farglebargle If you were really concerned about dependence on foreign oil, wouldn't you have taken the 450 billion dollars spent on the Iraq war the past 4 years and spent it on that constellation of beamed-microwave solar power satellites and ground stations? It would have only cost 300 Billion dollars, and with the extra, we could give all the kids healthcare... I mean IF you were really concerned.... Ha! If you really think your Liberal friends would let you beam bird-killing solar beams anywhere near this planet, you're dreaming. They'd find Spotted Owls or Rat Finches or endangered Dingleberry Birds anywhere you'd want to set it up.

farglebargle -> RE: Gas prices (5/22/2007 7:39:48 PM)
My liberal friends are the ones who originally told me about the technology being mature. Not being a liberal, however, I figure, if we got Need Another Seven Astronauts out of the way, and let the market of orbital access handle itself, we could get to the 10 dollar a pound range / daily flights in a decade. The only thing stopping us is little minds who make up reasons not to. Like George W. Bush and his supporters, who WASTED THE MONEY WE HAD TO DO IT. I mean, it's not an "IF", it's a "IF we wrote the check, we could have told the Saudis to go bathe in their oil reserves, cause we ain't buying. Would there be ANY ACT more supportive to our National Security? I don't think so. And to NOT do this, and CONTINUE to ask for funds from the treasury? Well, we all knew George Bush was a fucking moron going in. Molly Ivans told us.

Sanity -> RE: Gas prices (5/22/2007 7:49:53 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: farglebargle My liberal friends are the ones who originally told me about the technology being mature. Not being a liberal, however, I figure, if we got Need Another Seven Astronauts out of the way, and let the market of orbital access handle itself, we could get to the 10 dollar a pound range / daily flights in a decade. The only thing stopping us is little minds who make up reasons not to. Like George W. Bush and his supporters, who WASTED THE MONEY WE HAD TO DO IT. I mean, it's not an "IF", it's a "IF we wrote the check, we could have told the Saudis to go bathe in their oil reserves, cause we ain't buying. Would there be ANY ACT more supportive to our National Security? I don't think so. And to NOT do this, and CONTINUE to ask for funds from the treasury? You would never get it past the initial environmental impact study. It's like wind power, all the big Libs love the idea until you try to set up a wind farm then it's "not in my back yard" with it. You'd have the equivalent of Libs screaming about Arctic oil wells killing the endangered Tundra Teat Mouse... it doesn't matter where you want to get energy, Libs will shoot you down - count on it. It's a good idea, farglebargle, but pointless and futile.

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