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gas prices

#41
Are you kidding me? That's MY oil! And bs'ing around is the American Politically Korrekt WAY!

Another thing about the oil in ANWR, it is semi-solid, very thick, and hard to pump. Steam is used to reduce the viscosity and warm it enough to be pumped. That steam has to be generated, as it is in short supply up there. So the environmental lobby wants us to do without oil, which I can understand- not agree with, but understand- and we aren't allowed to build new refineries. So we're at the tipping point, as I see it. Something's gotta give...either the tree huggers, or the oil lobby. Something tells me it's not looking so good for the tree huggers...
 
#42
Rusty Chainsaw said:
This is America reaping what it sowed with stuff like single-use zoning regulations, basically necessitating driving everywhere. As a British expat, I do miss being able to actually walk places or take a bus instead of having to drive everywhere.

People are definitely downsizing their cars though - when I go past car dealerships, I've been seeing quite a difference lately... look at a Honda dealership, there's loads of Ridgelines, Elements, etc, but no Civics or Fits. Go past a Toyota dealership, and I see loads of Highlanders, Tundras, Sequoias, etc, but no Yarises, Priuses or Corollas (and definitely no Scions)... seems they must be having a bit of a run on them! Even the fugly new Ford Focus seems to be selling out everywhere... all of a sudden, anything that gets over 30mpg is in big demand.
Click to expand...

That fugly focus is a Mazda 3. Same engine and chasis. Just the fugly ford design. Don't see many of them on the lots either. ;)
 
#43
And another thing- the talk from the gubmint about a temporary suspension of the federales' gas tax won't do a darn thing for real-world peons who have to buy gas to keep working. The oil companies will find another way to get their "pound of flesh" off the backs of Average Joe and his family...be it cries of "reformulation- summer blend is just harder to make, and we gotta refit the refineries to make it" or "We are experiencing unpresidented demand for crude in other parts of the world, leading to a shortage" and leading to greater demand...

Anybody noticed how much it costs to ship stuff nowadays? Even postage stamps are going up. I know that gas prices are going to double in the next year or two, and I'll REALLY be glad I own a Metro...
 
#45
MakiSupaStar said:
That fugly focus is a Mazda 3. Same engine and chasis. Just the fugly ford design. Don't see many of them on the lots either. ;)
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Nope, it's not. The Mazda3 is based on Ford's C2 chassis and mechanicals, which underpin the European Mk2 Focus. The C2 mechanicals also underpin the Volvo S40 and C30 models as well as several other European Ford models (the C-MAX and the new Kuga).

The "new" US Focus sold in the US is still based on the old C1 underpinnings, so it's basically the old-style Focus with a makeover, rather than the newer, better mechanicals used in the above cars.

Basically, the Mazda3 is a mechanically much better car than the Focus. :D
 
#46
Rusty Chainsaw said:
Nope, it's not. The Mazda3 is based on Ford's C2 chassis and mechanicals, which underpin the European Mk2 Focus. The C2 mechanicals also underpin the Volvo S40 and C30 models as well as several other European Ford models (the C-MAX and the new Kuga).

The "new" US Focus sold in the US is still based on the old C1 underpinnings, so it's basically the old-style Focus with a makeover, rather than the newer, better mechanicals used in the above cars.

Basically, the Mazda3 is a mechanically much better car than the Focus. :D
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In Croatian, Serbian, and Bosnian the word "kuga" is a direct translation of the word "plague."

Shades of the Chevy Nova in Mexico. No va means "Doesn't Go!" in spanish.

Marketer's dream, that one...:hiding:
 
#47
Rusty Chainsaw said:
... all of a sudden, anything that gets over 30mpg is in big demand.
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30??!?! I want 100 MPG, dang it!!! I know it's possible. Why are we settling for a half-a$$ed attempt at fuel efficiency?
Hybrids are not the answer, either. The price to savings ratio is not even equal when you factor in the cost of the vehicle and the cost of repairs. Hybrids need a battery overhaul at about the 5 yr. mark...a very costly repair (about 5-6k dollars). A friend of the family is a high up at GMC and let us know this little tidbit.
Or how about the electric car that once existed...I know with a bit more research, we won't need gas at all. Solar, Wind, Thermal, etc.... it's all free energy. One source by itself isn't enough, but all combined is plenty of power. Yes, it's expensive..NOW....but remember how much your Playstation 1 cost you? Now you can't pay people to take em! Things get cheaper as people start using them.

As far as living next to where you work...that is just a silly notion. I work a construction job...my workplace is wherever the next building is going up...am I to move every 6 months? I chose a pretty central location for the area, but work locations are always shifting.

A motorcycle or scooter or bike is wonderful...except when it rains/snows/is cold out/you need to carry something...anything! In essence, not practical about 90% of the time.

This just in: Exxon Mobile's profit...not income...profit for the first quarter of 2008....roughly 11 billion dollars. A New Record!!!!


So...what are we to do? There is no reason for gas prices to go down. The USA has proven that we WILL pay more for gas....I mean, if gas was 5 bucks tomorrow...would you still buy it? How about 7? what about 10? You have to get to work, right? So, you think the gas prices should go down sometime? Basic economics tells you NO.


Gas tax holiday for the summer...sheesh:rollno: The tax is 47 cents a gallon...that would make gas by my house about $3.10. Not good enough. Plus, what's to say that the oil companies, if forced to eat the gas tax, wouldn't just RAISE THE PRICE OF GAS to make up the difference? In January of 2001...gas was 1.52 (average). I assure you, I am not just making up these numbers...I'm looking them up.

The worst part isn't just the gas...it effects the price of everything. Food, products, vacations, homes...everything.

I am desperately trying to find my next car soon...something with better than 30 MPG, Not a Hybrid, not crazy expensive (under 20k new) and doesn't have a body style that resembles a windup toy! I'm thinking Focus...Civic...?
 
#49
Ya, I am not as mad about gas prices (I understand them for the most part) as I am about the lack of research into alternatives energy. I have always heard about oil companies buying these ideas out and that really pisses me off. Something I believe about Americans however is that they will much sooner find an alternative source of energy than conform to outrageous prices of gasoline ($6.00+).
 
#50
I lived without a car for about two years (lived in a beach town...the car drowned in a tidal surge).

Rode a bike everywhere...took the rail road to work. Got seriously fit...dated chicks who were serious cyclists (good move when you dont drive).

Now i have three cars and am fat.

Maybe getting rid of the cars is a good thing.
 
#54
Masher88 said:
Solar, Wind, Thermal, etc.... it's all free energy. One source by itself isn't enough, but all combined is plenty of power.
Click to expand...

Do really think an automobile company in the US will ever manufacture a car that utilizes free energy? Hell no ! The bigwigs at the oil companies just so happen to be the bigwigs at the auto companies and Congress. They will never give up that revenue stream. They sell you a car. Then they sell you fuel. Then they sell you insurance. Then they sell you car parts. They tax your income to pay for transportation infrastructure. They mark up the price if every item you purchase to cover transportation costs. So what do you say? Maybe 30-40% of every dollar you earn is spent on transportation? More? Then add the cost of other energy like electricity. Yeah, right.
 
#56
I think that some people need to watch the way they drive... Lead foot driving really does suck the gas up.

I have a 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis LS (I need it, I am 6' 8" can't really fit into anyhting else, besides a truck) with a 4.6ltr V8 and I get 23 mpg around town and about 27-30mpg on the highway. It used to be really bad (17-20mpg), but I curved my driving habits and it has payed off.

This of course does not take care of the real issue, but I feel that we as a country will be able to overcome these issues.
 
#58
1) The federal government gets more money on a gallon of gas then the oil company. This doesn't even include the 35% corporate income taxes they pay. Remember this money is double taxed, because every employee and stock holder also pays tax on the profit as income.

2) Your state probably gets more money per gallon of gas then Exxon does too.

3) Why don't you ask your congressman how many dry wells they hit, how much money they lost in oil exploration to receive these "windfall profits" of a gallon of gas?:hmm:

4) The average GROI (Gross return on investment) of an American Business is about 9.5%. the oil companies average 8.5%

5) The reason the oil companies are making big bucks is we use a LOT of gas. And world demand has skyrocketed. In the meanwhile the regulator class in the US will not let Oil Companies, build refineries, won't let us take advantage of the best alternative for power (nuclear) and won't us drill in the US anywhere new. So lets see, much of the worlds energy is controlled by despots, and the regulator class of the US won't let us drill in ANWR, or offshore in the gulf (Cuba and Mexico are drilling new wells there). It would seem to me that we might want to ask the regulators why they want to decrease the supply while demand is accelerating. And then they complain about prices and oil company profit margins?:rollno: Perhaps it's because the regulators are the same people in DC who are spending all these new Gas tax revenues?:hmm:

6) The Oil companies are not without fault. Like most American big businesses they are run buy a bunch of short-sided arrogant A@#. And they haven't tried very hard to change the situation. But, the regulator class, has given them all the excuses they need. I sure wouldn't be taking any risks, investing in new refineries, and technologies, when the regulator class was talking about a windfall profits tax.
 

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