Originally posted by myself, USFiero on 3/4/2005: Quick! Go gas up RIGHT NOW! I heard on the news that an up to 20 cent per gallon jump in gas prices MAY occur next week.
and then....
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Originally posted by me, USFiero on 3/12/2005: Well, since I last posted premium gas went from 1.99 to 2.14 per gallon.
Gas today is at 2.25 at the same station I tracked above.... here it is a year later, and again on the news while driving to Richmond I hear in the next week we shall see another 20 cent per gallon rise. Now, it may be my imagination, but I have noticed increases in consumer goods, mostly groceries. I wonder how much impact another increase will affect the American and ultimately the world economies. Not to think America is the center of the Universe, but our consumer based economy does drive the economies in many smaller nations, keeping them just this side of being a third world country. Throw the potential of the bird flu (if it should mutate?) into the mix and the disaster will be historic in the world's history. What a bad time for Americans to have such a low opinion of their government.
The end(times) is/are in sight... gas at the discount station is $2.47/gal today. Another dollar to go to hit Katrina pices.
So what's your point? Demand is up all over the world (rising demand, supply NOT rising), and the price of gas *still* hasn't caught up with inflation.
So what's your point? Demand is up all over the world (rising demand, supply NOT rising), and the price of gas *still* hasn't caught up with inflation.
What date are you using as a reference for your inflation comparison? As you can see, like most commodities, the price - adjusted for inflation - has fluctuated over the years. For the longest period of time, the adjusted price fell around $2.00 - $2.50 per gallon. We're comparable with that, and slightly above it. The only times gas prices went much higher was at the beginning of the automotive era, during the Great Depression, and in the early 80's. The price spike in 1981 was the highest since before World War II. And we're pretty close to that historical high.
So, what do you think the adjusted price should be? $3.00? $4.00? More?
To be honest, I don't think pointing only to gas to make some vague point about the economy is really any good. I mean, if it were a real poblem, we would all be driving hybrids a long time ago. And Reagan wouldn't have been able to repeal the energy tax credit back in the 80's. America got itself into this mess of being led by the nose over fuel prices, and really asked for it with over-the-top SUV purchases. Everybody lives on a too-tight budget, and a 10-20% increase in a common commodity like gas can really upset the week-to-week expenses of a household. I mean, here at my house it's four tankfulls of gas among all the cars a week, average 11 gallon tanks (10.5 in the Fiero, it gets two fillups a week). 44 x .20 (so far in the last week) = $8.80 with no gurantee it will end. That's about what two home-cooked meals cost to make or almost another four gallons of gas - 80-90 miles avg of travel - two days for me to and from work. And that's just immediate costs. There will be increase costs in food because of fuel costs to farms, pocessing plants, packaging, delivery and other petroleum products... although petroleum jelly hasn't seemed to have gone up as much....
Originally posted by fierobear:Demand is up all over the world (rising demand, supply NOT rising), and the price of gas *still* hasn't caught up with inflation.
I am willing to bet the process of finding, pumping, processing, transporting, distributing, etc has gotten a whole lot more efficient. That's how the oil-producing countries have gotten so wealthy so quickly. Not to mention our cars (in spite of our increased demand) have gotten more efficient MPG wise. Let's see... gas was about .26 a gallon when my parents bought their house in 1959 fo $26,000. Gas is now almost 10 times as much but their house is worth seven times as much. Does that mean gas has exceeded inflation? A macDonald's hambuger was 5 cents back then, now a cheap burger is a buck, a twenty-fold increase. Is gas way behind? Economies of scale aren't linear. Inflation is a complex measurment. My first computer was $2400 in 1989 and outdated before I paid it off. I built this one fo less than $300 out of pocket, and it runs circles aound the best computer avalible three and a half years ago. I could go on, but I'm tired and this isn't that much fun to debate. I just thought it interesting to track the hoopla ove gas pices and the doom and gloom forcasts associated with it to take the edge off those perrineal reports of economic crisis. Fierobear seems to blame it on the liberal media, while I believe it's a whip used by anyone who finds it convenient to sti the herd.... our ultra-conservative president included, who says we're 'addicted' to oil. As a former addict himself, I guess he's got a right to talk.aaa and why do we care about what happens in the middle east more than, say... Africa? You know, if Sierra Leone turned up to have enomous oil reserves we'd be there in a heartbeat to help end over thirty years of civil war and genocide and impose democracy. Yes, I'm tired. and cranky. and feeling a bit cynical. Our next president will be an Democrat because of this. Nice going, Bush (and the whole republican party). Way to make Clinton look like the best thing since sliced cheese. Man, i hope there's a strong Independant presidential ticket in 2008, or Mark Warner will be our next Prez. Not a bad thing mind you, another fiscally conservative democrat.
All I know is eexon or one of the big companies, I forget which, posted the biggest profit increase in world history last year, to the tune of 30+ billion dollars, so Im not buying the crap about it cost more because they pay more
For all of you how are considering switching to ethanol I am more than happy to act as your Realtor to buy that farm land to grow some corn on.
The funny thing is, it takes a LOT of petroleum to grow corn. Even more petroleum to turn it into ethanol. Sigh. Apparently this won't help, either.
"Author Michael Pollan: 'The Omnivore's Dilemma'
Talk of the Nation, April 14, 2006 · In his new book, The Omnivore's Dilemma, journalist and writer Michael Pollan argues that many Americans suffer from a national eating disorder based on super-sized, corn-fed diets. "
This is mostly written about corn as an ingredient in more foods than you can imagine, but its use as fuel is just as wasteful. Who knew?
Oh, yeah. Regular gas is $2.809 in my neighborhood, $3.009 per gallon and up on the turnpike and around the airport and tourist world areas. It was 2.139 Valentines day. And as bad as that seems, when adjusted for inflation thats still no worse than 50 years ago.
[This message has been edited by NEPTUNE (edited 04-17-2006).]
The funny thing is, it takes a LOT of petroleum to grow corn. Even more petroleum to turn it into ethanol. Sigh. Apparently this won't help, either.
Not sure where you get that idea. Brazil is an example of a total fuel independant nation. They use ethanol exculsively...virtually zero petroleum. They produce it from their agriculture business and the cost to produce ethanol is MORE than covered by the sale price. We have a greater capacity to do this than Brazil does. And it gives us a reason to kill farm subsidies since we will need all the corn they can grow!
Not sure where you get that idea. Brazil is an example of a total fuel independant nation. They use ethanol exculsively...virtually zero petroleum. They produce it from their agriculture business and the cost to produce ethanol is MORE than covered by the sale price. We have a greater capacity to do this than Brazil does. And it gives us a reason to kill farm subsidies since we will need all the corn they can grow!
Brazil makes ethanol from sugar cane. Because of cheap farm labor and a fovorable climate, sugar is cheaper to produce in Brazil than in the USA. In the US, sugar cane (and beet) farmers are subsidized by the government, because it costs much more to produce sugar here. We in the USA pay more for sugar than any other nation because of price supports, import quotas, and what amounts to government welfare to the US sugar growers. They could not survive in a free, open market. That leaves corn (dependent on petroleum based fertilizers) or soybeans as possible sources of biofuel. I don't know much about soybean farming...yet. JSTRIKER????? can the USA grow our way out of our "addiction to oil?"
[This message has been edited by NEPTUNE (edited 04-18-2006).]
this last week i saw a biodiesel plant, which makes fuel out of used cooking oil. apparently it's made from a water heater and some plastic tanks. the by-product is glycerine, from which the owner makes soap.
the possibility of making fuel without benefit of corporations and arabs appeals to me, but i forsee problems. in the short term, i dont own a diesel engine and cant afford one. more important in the long run, just how much used cooking oil is there? how much will it cost to buy a barrel of KFC brand grease, once we're all cooking it up in batches in our garage?
Well, a couple places have hit $3 a gallon, and many of them are out of gas right now. I understand it is a temporary thing until the 'new' formula comes out.... but I'm concerned about the ethanol putting crud in my fuel tank. Guess I'll be doing fuel filter changes all around. And what's this about worse fuel mileage? Is there something we should do to prep our cars for this? Hotter plugs? Bigger gaps? Higher temp T-stat? O2 sensor tweeks?
Originally posted by Me a yaer ago: Prices went up a couple cents, then back down to 1.86 again - then BAM right back to 1.99 overnite. It's summertime.
a couple days ago, it was hard to find gas for less than $2.90 per gal. Got it for $2.83/gallon today.
Since my last post gas went up to about $2.98 at one point at my 'reference' gas station. I've switched to buying it at BJ's, it's been 9-10 cents cheaper per gallon. Since then we've gotten 10% ethanol added (less dependance on foreign oil, right?) and my Fiero doesn't run as well. Gas milage down a smidge, and hard to start. Now we brace for the effect of a shut down Alaskan pipeline.
Yet, I am paying the same as I was in the post above. Should I/we be thankful for the 'stable' price?
It's interesting to read back through this thread, a log of gas prices and people's thoughts as they happened. I don't have anything to add, just thought it was neat
Originally posted by USFiero way back on Aug 10, 2005:
Ouch. Hit $2.31/gal today. I forsee $3/gallon. Despite the economy being 'strong' I think the economy is at something of a tipping point with the Fed bent on continuing to raise rates and Bush changing credit card laws.
Another look back to a year ago. Oil prices actually dropped and gas has fallen to $2.68 locally. Again, I am relieved. Don't think there was that much fat in the economy to sustain $3 a gallon very long. I have made cuts in spending and more are on the way. Don't drive as much as I used to either, but still plenty.
[This message has been edited by USFiero (edited 08-21-2006).]
Originally posted by USFiero Sept 2, 2005: If I coulda only seen this far into the future... $3.19 today...
Remember what Katrina did to gas prices?. I only bring it up since the anniversary is nigh. Gas has been as low as $2.49 and the highest $2.55 at the same gas station I posted from above. I wonder what effect the 10% ethanol will have long-term on our 20 year old cars?
[This message has been edited by USFiero (edited 08-28-2006).]
GAS PRICES ARE COMMING DOWN IN AUSTRALIA sorry about the caps some one said down to $1.15 a litre by the end of the year The honda is working well in 10% ethenol. I haven't tried it on the fiero yet
Bet the mileage is down a bit also using that ethanol, unfortunate side effect.. perfect a/f ratio is different for alcohol than gasoline, it has a higher ratio of fuel to air for a clean efficient burn and less energy is released. So cost of a gallon of ethanol isn't a direct comparison to a gallon of 'straight' gasoline (let's say tier one). It may cost less to buy, yet cost more to use because you need more of it.
Originally posted by me last year about this time: If I coulda only seen this far into the future... $3.19 today...
And now, lower prices. $2.34 at the same station. Mind you, it is ethanol-laced. I think it has gotten some junk past my filter (so I changed it) and I suspect the Duke is running a little lean. It snuck up on me, I get no codes so I checked my vacuum lines, ignition wires and tightened the throttle body bolts (they were a little loose) after melting a throttle cable because of glowing-hot exhaust manifold. The throttle plate doesn't look wet when the car is idling like I'm used to, though I don't lack for top-end speed. There maybe a injector overhaul in my future...
$2.19 Still higher than last year's prices overall, about 10% - but I think the damage is done. Ford plant closings, layoffs, the trickle down effect on the economy. Reports already say that retailers had much-reduced revenue from the anticipated back-to-school shopping. I have shopped much less for groceries and meat to the point I just unplugged my freezer in the garage and moved the last little bit of stuff into the kitchen freezer... and I had filled the thing from last Christmas season through the great meat sales early this year. I'm still cutting expenses... the YMCA membership that we weren't using as much as we should, the Blockbuster rentals (okay, I'm doing the online thing with them now, a couple bucks cheaper and more simultaneous rentals...) We don't go out to dinner like used to.. down from once a week to maybe once a month now.
Keep in mind $2 a gallon gas (with 10% ethanol) is not the same $2 a gallon gas of times before The ethanol has dinged my mileage, but not by much, maybe a half a mile per gallon, if I'm averaging these figures right. If it would help my car run cooler, I'd run hotter plugs to compensate. I dumped in a bottle of Techroline to hopefully clean my injector some, the Fiero has become hard to start... Has to crank a few seconds before it fires up, didn't used to do that. It idles and runs fine on the highway, but after melting and having to replace the throttle cable (not fun) from a glowing hot exhaust manifold I'm worried I could fry my newly-rebuilt AC system if the problem returns (I think I had some vacuum leak before, and I had some arcing from the ignition wires which I have corrected). Gas has been $2.07 or so. Me personally, I think it could fluctuate wildly in the future as it did this last year, and that sucks.
I thought this thread would've archived by now. Gas prices were below $2 a gallon up until a week ago. I guess the severe weather in the Midwest (and now cold temps here finally) have caused prices to climb since demand will be up for heating oil? Discount gas is around $2.03 a gallon for regular.
I found BP @ 2.19.9 today. Thats really good for our area, usually its 2.27.9 or more. LOTS more near tourist world. DEISEL is 2.37.9 to 2.55.9 !!!!! Its just crude oil with the rocks and sticks filtered out. It won't even run a Kerosun heater. Why is deisel more expensive than premium gasoline? In Europe they have quick little cars like Jettas powered with turbodeisel engines. Deisel fuel can be made from corn or soybean oil or recycled fryer oil from McDonalds. Why is the government (Own3d by the oil companies) pushing hydrogen instead of BIODEISEL as an alternative fuel? The USA has the most productive, efficient farms in the world. We COULD be growing our own fuel instead of fighting wars to control foreign oil! Just my $.02.9 worth.
A better question is why are we funding corn ethanol that cant even break even instead of cane sugar ethanol which has been fueling Brazil for years.
A better question is why are we funding corn ethanol that cant even break even instead of cane sugar ethanol which has been fueling Brazil for years.
Americas climate is not sugar cane friendly. Sugar beats how ever have a better turnover and with the low hieght it can be grown in layers in a green house year round anywhere. The energy to grow can come fron solar and wind. Hemp would also make a better source for biomass fuels for its acreage yeilds.
Prices creeping up again.I suppose I'd have to check way back in this thread, is this a routine thing this time of year? Gas is $2.11 lowest I can find but $2.19 - $2.24 elsewhere. And it's gonna be 60 degrees this weekend.
its been about 2.12 around here. my local state rep sent me a questionaire a few days ago. it covered a variety of Q's but one of them was a "gas holiday" where they would exclude the state tax (like 10-12 cents) and maybe the fed tax also. not sure how they would do that. it would be on a holiday weekend like memorial day or inpependence day. i thought it was a good idea. hey it might be just a few bucks but it helps.
Happy Birthday to this thread, Happy Birthday to this thread...
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Originally posted by YoungFieroMan754 on 3-6-2006: paid $2.49 to fill up my 25 gallon tank.
$2.39 this year at this time here now....
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Originally posted by USFiero at the beginning of this whole thing: Fuel the national paranoia! ... Or a giant meteor could smash into Nebraska.
Have a nice day.
Okay, when I started this, I wasn't expecting this. Honestly.
I did say some time ago when Ford started hinting at it's problems, that if they announced a radical shift to Hybrid production, they could bolster sales and capture market share. When I visited Europe, I saw a lot of Ford Focuses. If Ford took the lead, I could only guess that Chrysler, with their affiliation with Mercedes Benz (who makes the Smart Car) would have a bunch of efficient performance diesels on the market toot sweet. Diversity in the automotive industry could be a good thing right now. My brother, who designed and built what he called the IndyCycle, has been contemplating his next design: an electric car. We've been kicking around concepts. Maybe the Tesla Roadster will catch on at last?
[This message has been edited by USFiero (edited 03-06-2007).]
