Author Topic: gasoline prices (Read 2336 times)

Ripper29 · « **Reply #30 on:** November 25, 2005, 06:54:56 PM »

Filled up today .71 cents a litre

beet1e · « **Reply #31 on:** November 26, 2005, 05:57:34 AM »

LOL - dago drives a truck. The cap fits - perfectly!

Bet it even has some sort of home town bumper sticker!

Go on dago - post a pic!

Well I'm getting my new Audi on Wednesday. The VW I'll be parting with has averaged 47.5mpg over the last 5500 miles and it's no slouch either - 120mph can be reached with consummate ease, as I discovered on the French autoroute a few months ago - sorry straffo! The Audi has a slightly different engine, with similar performance and economy.

Now I could buy a 3-ton Range Rover, VW Toureng with a 5.0l V10 engine, or a BMW X5... but I don't need a vehicle of such grandiose proportions. And I don't believe in paying for something I don't need. I don't want to be like cpxxx's friend and have to think twice about making a long trip because of a car that gets only 12mpg. I much prefer to enjoy travelling, and going 500+ miles between refuelling stops. Coming back down here from Scotland in September, average consumption was 52mpg for the 430 mile trip, and I was cruising at 80-95mph most of the time on the motorways, but less than that for the first 180 miles through the Scottish glens. Totally relaxed - with the engine on about 2600rpm for 90mph.

The point I'm trying to make is.... the world's resources could be stretched if only people would consider alternatives, and a break with tradition in the form of 3 tonners where clearly one is not needed. As the recent oil price blip shows, 60 would-be customers at storch's one dealership alone did not buy one of those V8 monsters, but bought something more frugal. One assumes they were happy with their choice. Think of the oil resources that could be saved if that scenario were to be repeated nationwide.

On the other hand...

J_A_B · « **Reply #32 on:** November 26, 2005, 07:23:44 AM »

"The point I'm trying to make is.... the world's resources could be stretched if only people would consider alternatives, and a break with tradition in the form of 3 tonners where clearly one is not needed."

That's a very socialist outlook; live only with what you need , and not what you like . There's a larger problem. Who decides what everyone needs? I'm sure you like your Audi, but I'd rate it as a flimsy tin can and insufficient for my needs. Some other guy might think that nobody should own private cars and we could all use mass transit. Heck, the local Amish need only horse-drawn buggies. Maybe we should all use their standard of living. It would certainly reduce our oil usage!

That's the problem with this sort of socialist outlook--most people only want to get rid of what they don't use anyway. (As an aside, just how many people do you think own non-commercial 3-tonne vehicles?)

I remember my primary school textbooks which had dire predictions about how the world would be totally out of oil before the year 2000. Seems they were a bit mistaken, eh? Given the massive stores of coal and oil shale located within the continental US and Alaska, I sincerely doubt that any REAL (as opposed to artifically contrived) fossil fuel shortage will occur any time in the next couple centuries. I'm all for using up the supplies of fuel in other countries first. That seems to make good strategic sense.

J_A_B

Dago · « **Reply #33 on:** November 26, 2005, 08:50:19 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by beet1e
LOL - dago drives a truck. The cap fits - perfectly! Bet it even has some sort of home town bumper sticker! Go on dago - post a pic!

Well I'm getting my new Audi on Wednesday. The VW I'll be parting with has averaged 47.5mpg over the last 5500 miles and it's no slouch either - 120mph can be reached with consummate ease, as I discovered on the French autoroute a few months ago - sorry straffo! The Audi has a slightly different engine, with similar performance and economy.

Now I could buy a 3-ton Range Rover, VW Toureng with a 5.0l V10 engine, or a BMW X5... but I don't need a vehicle of such grandiose proportions. And I don't believe in paying for something I don't need. I don't want to be like cpxxx's friend and have to think twice about making a long trip because of a car that gets only 12mpg. I much prefer to enjoy travelling, and going 500+ miles between refuelling stops. Coming back down here from Scotland in September, average consumption was 52mpg for the 430 mile trip, and I was cruising at 80-95mph most of the time on the motorways, but less than that for the first 180 miles through the Scottish glens. Totally relaxed - with the engine on about 2600rpm for 90mph.

The point I'm trying to make is.... the world's resources could be stretched if only people would consider alternatives, and a break with tradition in the form of 3 tonners where clearly one is not needed. As the recent oil price blip shows, 60 would-be customers at storch's one dealership alone did not buy one of those V8 monsters, but bought something more frugal. One assumes they were happy with their choice. Think of the oil resources that could be saved if that scenario were to be repeated nationwide.

They still let you drive? We try and stop habitual drunks from driving here in the USA, thought not always with success.

My truck (which I have talked about before and shown pictures of), sorry if they are large pics, dont feel like resizing right now:

Sorry to dissapoint, no bumperstickers, no gun rack, but it is great in snow and very comfortable to drive. Pictures taken outside the office one.

storch · « **Reply #34 on:** November 26, 2005, 09:46:00 AM »

nice truck dago I drive it's little brother, same color

lazs2 · « **Reply #35 on:** November 26, 2005, 09:57:48 AM »

beet... I am only telling it as I see it... your gas and ours all costs about the same per barell and to refine...

The reason you fuel costs so much is the punitive taxes on it... and now you are saying that we are paying too little.. the only way we could pay more is to add tax.

Sooo.. if you are asking for more expensive gas you are asking for more socialism.

I am not complaining about prices except for them being manipulated and for the worthless tax put on fuel.

lazs

Dago · « **Reply #36 on:** November 26, 2005, 11:35:50 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by storch
nice truck dago I drive it's little brother, same color

Thanks, I enjoy it.

BTW beetle, the only sticker in the back window is a sticker that says my son is a member of the 82nd Airborne division. I hope you dont find my pride in my son a little to redneck for your drunken ass.

beet1e · « **Reply #37 on:** November 26, 2005, 12:51:05 PM »

Well that's a nice truck, Dago - much cleaner than I expected, considering its owner. I see you're in Minnesota! That's one of the 9 states to which I have never been. Would you believe I was offered a job there in 1980? Long story - maybe next time. I'm sort of surprised that you drive something Japanese, as full of patriotic fervour as you are for America. Anyway, glad you take pride in your son - that's as it should be.

Yes, my driving licence is clean, ie free from DD or any other form of conviction. The UK and US have a reciprocal arrangement whereby my licence entitles me to drive in your country and your license entitles you to drive in mine. In both cases there's a 90 day limit before the driving test must be passed. I passed mine in IL.

J_A_B you are a decent bloke, and I've even added your name to NUKE's party list, but like Lazs, I think you are getting the wrong idea about me.
Quote
That's a very socialist outlook; live only with what you need , and not what you like . There's a larger problem. Who decides what everyone needs? I'm sure you like your Audi, but I'd rate it as a flimsy tin can and insufficient for my needs.
All I said was that I choose MY car in accordance with MY needs. I'm not trying to stop anyone from buying a VW Toureng or BMW X5, if that's what they want. Without quoting my bank balance, I can tell you that I could easily afford the 3.2 litre V6 petrol variant of the Audi, with a top speed of 155mph. But I don't need that sort of performance, and it pains me to think of paying all that extra tax into the Blair govt. - you might as well take the money and flush it down the toilet.

As for the Audi being a flimsy tin can, no sir - you have clearly never driven one. At 90mph it's as solid as a rock. Mine will be the 4WD "quattro" variant. And, being a German car, it's better than any American car. We've had this discussion before - you tried to portray the VW Passat as a tin can, but in independent US tests it emerged as the safest car on America's roads - data provided by Mr. Toad. As for oil running out scare stories, we would do well to recognise the world's oil as a finite resource and respect it as such - and not piss it away by accepting 12mpg as "pretty economical".

Lazs said
Quote
"Sooo.. if you are asking for more expensive gas you are asking for more socialism."
I never said I demanded higher gas prices. That would be unfair on people like yourself who have gas guzzlers which you acquired when gas was cheaper - would be like pulling the rug out from under you. I don't have bang up to date info, but I do believe CA has more road vehicles than any other state, with NY coming in second with about half as many. IIRC, to register a vehicle in CA involves making a payment which is four figures of dollars based on the vehicle's value. This charge is one area which could be manipulated to favour more frugal cars. It might not have to be varied by much to achieve the desired effect...

lazs2 · « **Reply #38 on:** November 26, 2005, 12:59:19 PM »

beet... you didn't say anything... "pulling the rug out from under" me? forget that... is that the only reason you don't want higher gas prices?

answer me... Do you realize that higher gas prices are only the effect of more tax? To want higher gas prices is to want more tax and bigger government. There is no other way to see it. Your gas costs more because you give it to your government to further socialism... I don't need to drive boring cars to further socialism.

I am not worried about how much gas costs... only how much goes to tax and price gouging... if it ever does become rare... so much the better..

private industry will have an even bigger incentive to get another power source.

lazs

Dago · « **Reply #39 on:** November 26, 2005, 02:04:38 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by beet1e
I'm sort of surprised that you drive something Japanese, as full of patriotic fervour as you are for America.

I am not the complete flag waving redneck you envision me to be based on the television shows you import.

I bought the best product for the money, the one that I liked. I always do that. All things being equal I probably would buy a USA product, but this wasn't an equal. I thought it a better product and bought it for that reason.

For my next gun purchase, I plan on a Sig Sauer. Not USA either, but I like it and find it a top quality product.

dago

J_A_B · « **Reply #40 on:** November 26, 2005, 02:04:59 PM »

"J_A_B you are a decent bloke, and I've even added your name to NUKE's party list, but like Lazs, I think you are getting the wrong idea about me. "

I'll accept that this may be the case, and I appreciate clarification. I'm sure you can see why I might get the wrong idea--internet communication is notorious for that. For my part, I hope you appreciate that while I may sound critical of you, it's in a healthy sense as I enjoy a spirited debate.

"you tried to portray the VW Passat as a tin can, but in independent US tests it emerged as the safest car on America's roads - data provided by Mr. Toad."

"Safety" is notoriously subjective. Crash tests differ in what they measure--the Passat, for example, is probably better than my own car in a single-car crash, but my vehicle will devastate the VW should I hit one. I'm mostly concerned with the threat of being hit by another vehicle, and so in my opinion a 5-axle articulated lorry is the safest vehicle on the road.

"and not piss it away by accepting 12mpg as "pretty economical."

I agree that 12 MPG is lousy. My own car--not exactly a great vehicle for mileage--still manages twice that (and somewhat better on the highway). My cousin used to own a 1978 Chevy Nova which was heavily modified. It got roughly 9 MPG, and ran on 94 octane fuel. I laughed at that car all the time (in addition to bad mileage, it was painted mostly with primer in true "rural ohio" fashion), but he loved it.

J_A_B

Ripsnort · « **Reply #41 on:** November 26, 2005, 02:16:24 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by beet1e
I'm sort of surprised that you drive something Japanese, as full of patriotic fervour as you are for America.

Welcome to the late 20th and early 21st century, Beet. Japanese cars have been made over here and visa versa.
http://www.toyotageorgetown.com/

storch · « **Reply #42 on:** November 26, 2005, 02:52:31 PM »

Toyota Trucks are American made

beet1e · « **Reply #43 on:** November 26, 2005, 02:55:40 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Ripsnort
Welcome to the late 20th and early 21st century, Beet. Japanese cars have been made over here and visa versa.
http://www.toyotageorgetown.com/

You're a doofus. I know all about Japanese makes being made in other countries. I used to work for Honda UK (1990-92), remember. In addition there are Toyota and Nissan which have vehicle manufacture plants here.

eagl · « **Reply #44 on:** November 26, 2005, 02:56:31 PM »

Wow. Did he really say doofus?