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$36.46



 
 
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  #1  
Old August 20th 05, 12:11 AM
dwight
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default $36.46

Stopped to gas up this morning, and 87 was going for $2.659 (I know it's
higher in some areas). The Sunoco was selling its Ultra94 for only two cents
more, so I chipped in another 26 cents for that.

Still, $36.46 is my new record for a tankful of gas. (It really wasn't that
long ago... I remember breaking the $20.00 barrier for the first time.)

What's really amazing to me is my own reaction. I just shrug, fill up, and
continue to drive the same way I always do.

If my tires were suddenly $250 apiece, I'd probably take it a little easier
on start-ups and turns. If my brakes became $1,000 jobs, I'd be doing a lot
more coasting. But seeing gas nearly double in price in a very short time
hasn't affected my driving or slowed me down.

Is it because the price comes in little bumps two and three times a week?

How has the gas price increases affected your own driving, folks?

dwight


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  #2  
Old August 20th 05, 12:39 AM
trotzo
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

I think locking gas caps are about to make a big comeback......

  #3  
Old August 20th 05, 02:31 AM
AGuyNamedSteve
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

I've been riding the bus for quite some time now - since before it was
even $1.75/gallon. With my Ranger, my last fillup was $45, but I only
fill up a few times/month with my regular driving.

However, I'm getting closer to replacing the Ranger. If it hadn't been
for the $5000 engine replacement, it'd be paid off and gone. My
original plan was to have an SUV and a coupe for my wife and I. I was
thinking Toyota 4Runner with the V8 engine - could actually use it to
trailer the Buick if I were to do that in the future, and an Infiniti
G35 coupe.

Unfortunately the G35 coupe requires premium fuel... that may have to
get axed. The V8 4Runner only gets a little better mileage than the
Ranger... may have to change that plan.

Right now I'm sort of in limbo. I do know that we don't like having to
have other people drive when we go out with them (currently have my
Ranger and wife's 95 Civic). I've considered cars like the Audi A4 3.2
AWD, BMW 330xi (2005 they stopped making it with the body change), Acura
TL, and a variety of others. Personally I'd like AWD for this if I
don't end up with an SUV.

There isn't one American car that really interests me, for my practical
purposes. It's a sad truth, and I've really tried to find one.

So the gas prices are affecting potential replacement vehicle choices.
We'll see what happens.

Steve
72 Skylark Custom455

dwight wrote:
> Stopped to gas up this morning, and 87 was going for $2.659 (I know it's
> higher in some areas). The Sunoco was selling its Ultra94 for only two cents
> more, so I chipped in another 26 cents for that.
>
> Still, $36.46 is my new record for a tankful of gas. (It really wasn't that
> long ago... I remember breaking the $20.00 barrier for the first time.)
>
> What's really amazing to me is my own reaction. I just shrug, fill up, and
> continue to drive the same way I always do.
>
> If my tires were suddenly $250 apiece, I'd probably take it a little easier
> on start-ups and turns. If my brakes became $1,000 jobs, I'd be doing a lot
> more coasting. But seeing gas nearly double in price in a very short time
> hasn't affected my driving or slowed me down.
>
> Is it because the price comes in little bumps two and three times a week?
>
> How has the gas price increases affected your own driving, folks?
>
> dwight
>
>

  #4  
Old August 20th 05, 02:56 AM
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

In Cali the price has been stuck at $2.xx for quite awhile (topping $3
these days), and $40 fillups for the 21 gallon '70 Cougar are old hat.
But until this Spring I had always driven the Coug or my kids' '65 289
Mustang fb whenever I had an out of town appointment. Even though I
got reimbursed at $0.375 per mile (now it's $0.405) and that was more
than enough to cover the 12 mpg of either one of these old heaps, I
guess it just sunk in that I was still paying a $20/day premium to
drive them compared to the 37-40 mpg I get with an '01 Echo. So I
quit. Since I already take the bus or the subway to the office
($28/day parking will do that to you), the old heaps just don't get
much use anymore.

180 Out

  #5  
Old August 20th 05, 04:07 AM
Jeff
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Gas is expensive, no matter how you look at it. What I do to "ease" the pain
is use my Discover card that pays 5% on gas. Hey, at $2.50 a gallon, .125
cents per gallon back helps!


> wrote in message
oups.com...
> In Cali the price has been stuck at $2.xx for quite awhile (topping $3
> these days), and $40 fillups for the 21 gallon '70 Cougar are old hat.
> But until this Spring I had always driven the Coug or my kids' '65 289
> Mustang fb whenever I had an out of town appointment. Even though I
> got reimbursed at $0.375 per mile (now it's $0.405) and that was more
> than enough to cover the 12 mpg of either one of these old heaps, I
> guess it just sunk in that I was still paying a $20/day premium to
> drive them compared to the 37-40 mpg I get with an '01 Echo. So I
> quit. Since I already take the bus or the subway to the office
> ($28/day parking will do that to you), the old heaps just don't get
> much use anymore.
>
> 180 Out
>



  #6  
Old August 20th 05, 05:08 AM
Michael Johnson, PE
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Hey Steve, have you looked at the Escape hybrid? It looks interesting.
Here's a link:

http://www.fordvehicles.com/escapehybrid/home/

AGuyNamedSteve wrote:
> I've been riding the bus for quite some time now - since before it was
> even $1.75/gallon. With my Ranger, my last fillup was $45, but I only
> fill up a few times/month with my regular driving.
>
> However, I'm getting closer to replacing the Ranger. If it hadn't been
> for the $5000 engine replacement, it'd be paid off and gone. My
> original plan was to have an SUV and a coupe for my wife and I. I was
> thinking Toyota 4Runner with the V8 engine - could actually use it to
> trailer the Buick if I were to do that in the future, and an Infiniti
> G35 coupe.
>
> Unfortunately the G35 coupe requires premium fuel... that may have to
> get axed. The V8 4Runner only gets a little better mileage than the
> Ranger... may have to change that plan.
>
> Right now I'm sort of in limbo. I do know that we don't like having to
> have other people drive when we go out with them (currently have my
> Ranger and wife's 95 Civic). I've considered cars like the Audi A4 3.2
> AWD, BMW 330xi (2005 they stopped making it with the body change), Acura
> TL, and a variety of others. Personally I'd like AWD for this if I
> don't end up with an SUV.
>
> There isn't one American car that really interests me, for my practical
> purposes. It's a sad truth, and I've really tried to find one.
>
> So the gas prices are affecting potential replacement vehicle choices.
> We'll see what happens.
>
> Steve
> 72 Skylark Custom455
>
> dwight wrote:
>
>> Stopped to gas up this morning, and 87 was going for $2.659 (I know
>> it's higher in some areas). The Sunoco was selling its Ultra94 for
>> only two cents more, so I chipped in another 26 cents for that.
>>
>> Still, $36.46 is my new record for a tankful of gas. (It really wasn't
>> that long ago... I remember breaking the $20.00 barrier for the first
>> time.)
>>
>> What's really amazing to me is my own reaction. I just shrug, fill up,
>> and continue to drive the same way I always do.
>>
>> If my tires were suddenly $250 apiece, I'd probably take it a little
>> easier on start-ups and turns. If my brakes became $1,000 jobs, I'd be
>> doing a lot more coasting. But seeing gas nearly double in price in a
>> very short time hasn't affected my driving or slowed me down.
>>
>> Is it because the price comes in little bumps two and three times a week?
>>
>> How has the gas price increases affected your own driving, folks?
>>
>> dwight
>>
>>

  #7  
Old August 20th 05, 06:25 AM
Joe
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

"dwight" > wrote in
:

> Stopped to gas up this morning, and 87 was going for $2.659 (I know
> it's higher in some areas). The Sunoco was selling its Ultra94 for
> only two cents more, so I chipped in another 26 cents for that.
>
> Still, $36.46 is my new record for a tankful of gas. (It really
> wasn't that long ago... I remember breaking the $20.00 barrier for
> the first time.)
>
> What's really amazing to me is my own reaction. I just shrug, fill
> up, and continue to drive the same way I always do.
>
> If my tires were suddenly $250 apiece, I'd probably take it a little
> easier on start-ups and turns. If my brakes became $1,000 jobs, I'd
> be doing a lot more coasting. But seeing gas nearly double in price
> in a very short time hasn't affected my driving or slowed me down.
>
> Is it because the price comes in little bumps two and three times a
> week?
>
> How has the gas price increases affected your own driving, folks?
>
> dwight


I got my boss to let me work 3 days a week from home. At the moment,
I'm actually saving money.
  #8  
Old August 20th 05, 01:33 PM
Scott Van Nest
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Hey Steve-

I had been looking at all those Jag adds on the net. started looking at
comperable $30k sport Lux cars. and damn if they all don't want 91 fuel.
I will likely be in the market for one of these sometime next year. But do
any of them not require 91? I had read on one of the Jag forums that people
are running 87 regardless. Have you ever heard of such a thing? running 87
octane when the manufactures says 91?
But anyways, my options are a really tricked out F150 or a sport Lux.
hmmm

Scott
"AGuyNamedSteve" > wrote in message
ink.net...
> I've been riding the bus for quite some time now - since before it was
> even $1.75/gallon. With my Ranger, my last fillup was $45, but I only
> fill up a few times/month with my regular driving.
>
> However, I'm getting closer to replacing the Ranger. If it hadn't been
> for the $5000 engine replacement, it'd be paid off and gone. My
> original plan was to have an SUV and a coupe for my wife and I. I was
> thinking Toyota 4Runner with the V8 engine - could actually use it to
> trailer the Buick if I were to do that in the future, and an Infiniti
> G35 coupe.
>
> Unfortunately the G35 coupe requires premium fuel... that may have to
> get axed. The V8 4Runner only gets a little better mileage than the
> Ranger... may have to change that plan.
>
> Right now I'm sort of in limbo. I do know that we don't like having to
> have other people drive when we go out with them (currently have my
> Ranger and wife's 95 Civic). I've considered cars like the Audi A4 3.2
> AWD, BMW 330xi (2005 they stopped making it with the body change), Acura
> TL, and a variety of others. Personally I'd like AWD for this if I
> don't end up with an SUV.
>
> There isn't one American car that really interests me, for my practical
> purposes. It's a sad truth, and I've really tried to find one.
>
> So the gas prices are affecting potential replacement vehicle choices.
> We'll see what happens.
>
> Steve
> 72 Skylark Custom455
>
> dwight wrote:
> > Stopped to gas up this morning, and 87 was going for $2.659 (I know it's
> > higher in some areas). The Sunoco was selling its Ultra94 for only two

cents
> > more, so I chipped in another 26 cents for that.
> >
> > Still, $36.46 is my new record for a tankful of gas. (It really wasn't

that
> > long ago... I remember breaking the $20.00 barrier for the first time.)
> >
> > What's really amazing to me is my own reaction. I just shrug, fill up,

and
> > continue to drive the same way I always do.
> >
> > If my tires were suddenly $250 apiece, I'd probably take it a little

easier
> > on start-ups and turns. If my brakes became $1,000 jobs, I'd be doing a

lot
> > more coasting. But seeing gas nearly double in price in a very short

time
> > hasn't affected my driving or slowed me down.
> >
> > Is it because the price comes in little bumps two and three times a

week?
> >
> > How has the gas price increases affected your own driving, folks?
> >
> > dwight
> >
> >



  #9  
Old August 20th 05, 03:26 PM
dwight
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

"Michael Johnson, PE" > wrote in message
...
> Hey Steve, have you looked at the Escape hybrid? It looks interesting.
> Here's a link:
>
> http://www.fordvehicles.com/escapehybrid/home/


The Hybrid would be a fair replacement for my wife's current Escape, since
it's mostly used as a commuter and some very light hauling. But that I4
engine putting out 133hp and torque at only 124... might not do what Steve
needs it to do.

dwight

> AGuyNamedSteve wrote:
>> I've been riding the bus for quite some time now - since before it was
>> even $1.75/gallon. With my Ranger, my last fillup was $45, but I only
>> fill up a few times/month with my regular driving.
>>
>> However, I'm getting closer to replacing the Ranger. If it hadn't been
>> for the $5000 engine replacement, it'd be paid off and gone. My original
>> plan was to have an SUV and a coupe for my wife and I. I was thinking
>> Toyota 4Runner with the V8 engine - could actually use it to trailer the
>> Buick if I were to do that in the future, and an Infiniti G35 coupe.
>>
>> Unfortunately the G35 coupe requires premium fuel... that may have to get
>> axed. The V8 4Runner only gets a little better mileage than the
>> Ranger... may have to change that plan.
>>
>> Right now I'm sort of in limbo. I do know that we don't like having to
>> have other people drive when we go out with them (currently have my
>> Ranger and wife's 95 Civic). I've considered cars like the Audi A4 3.2
>> AWD, BMW 330xi (2005 they stopped making it with the body change), Acura
>> TL, and a variety of others. Personally I'd like AWD for this if I don't
>> end up with an SUV.
>>
>> There isn't one American car that really interests me, for my practical
>> purposes. It's a sad truth, and I've really tried to find one.
>>
>> So the gas prices are affecting potential replacement vehicle choices.
>> We'll see what happens.
>>
>> Steve
>> 72 Skylark Custom455
>>
>> dwight wrote:
>>
>>> Stopped to gas up this morning, and 87 was going for $2.659 (I know it's
>>> higher in some areas). The Sunoco was selling its Ultra94 for only two
>>> cents more, so I chipped in another 26 cents for that.
>>>
>>> Still, $36.46 is my new record for a tankful of gas. (It really wasn't
>>> that long ago... I remember breaking the $20.00 barrier for the first
>>> time.)
>>>
>>> What's really amazing to me is my own reaction. I just shrug, fill up,
>>> and continue to drive the same way I always do.
>>>
>>> If my tires were suddenly $250 apiece, I'd probably take it a little
>>> easier on start-ups and turns. If my brakes became $1,000 jobs, I'd be
>>> doing a lot more coasting. But seeing gas nearly double in price in a
>>> very short time hasn't affected my driving or slowed me down.
>>>
>>> Is it because the price comes in little bumps two and three times a
>>> week?
>>>
>>> How has the gas price increases affected your own driving, folks?
>>>
>>> dwight
>>>
>>>



  #10  
Old August 20th 05, 03:56 PM
dwight
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

"AGuyNamedSteve" > wrote in message
ink.net...
> I've been riding the bus for quite some time now - since before it was
> even $1.75/gallon. With my Ranger, my last fillup was $45, but I only
> fill up a few times/month with my regular driving.


Three times a week, between the two 5.0's...

> However, I'm getting closer to replacing the Ranger. If it hadn't been
> for the $5000 engine replacement, it'd be paid off and gone. My original
> plan was to have an SUV and a coupe for my wife and I. I was thinking
> Toyota 4Runner with the V8 engine - could actually use it to trailer the
> Buick if I were to do that in the future, and an Infiniti G35 coupe.


Trailering a 5,000 relic means that your choices are limited. )

> Unfortunately the G35 coupe requires premium fuel... that may have to get
> axed. The V8 4Runner only gets a little better mileage than the Ranger...
> may have to change that plan.


So, you're predicting that this huge bump in fuel costs is a long-term thing
and not just a blip?

> Right now I'm sort of in limbo. I do know that we don't like having to
> have other people drive when we go out with them (currently have my Ranger
> and wife's 95 Civic). I've considered cars like the Audi A4 3.2 AWD, BMW
> 330xi (2005 they stopped making it with the body change), Acura TL, and a
> variety of others. Personally I'd like AWD for this if I don't end up
> with an SUV.


Fulltime AWD or AWD on demand? I don't particularly care for either, since
it's not necessary 'round these parts, but Jean's Escape has a handy-dandy
little button we push when we need to get help from the rear wheels. I don't
see AWD as a necessity for a going-out vehicle...

> There isn't one American car that really interests me, for my practical
> purposes. It's a sad truth, and I've really tried to find one.
>
> So the gas prices are affecting potential replacement vehicle choices.
> We'll see what happens.
>
> Steve
> 72 Skylark Custom455


It's not quite 1973, but the possibilities are there. Seems to me that the
SUV market was already starting to cool off before the big increases in gas
prices, but there's still strong demand for the larger vehicles, even with
gas at $2.60 and above. The Hybrid Escape is Ford's answer to two competing
camps and must be selling strong, but it's not the answer to your real-world
concerns.

I know your dilemma (no, not for me personally - there's only been one car
for me for the past 30 years, but my wife goes through these convulsions
every other year). You get one shot at getting it right, and everything you
look at is "not quite it". The vehicle you plunk your money down on will
probably end up as the closest compromise to what you really want.

Some of us fall in love and just have to have it. Some approach the question
with logic and rationale, then fall in love and have to have it. A few do
the research, find the vehicle that most closely fills the bill, and then
"live with it" for the next however-many years. (I won't even mention the
folks who see a commercial, run right out and buy a ridiculous piece of
*#%&.)

You need to get yourself to an auto show. (Or at the least an "auto mall".)
I've always found it very helpful to see all of the different makes and
models up close and personal. Call me crazy, but I really believe that,
after you've done the research and narrowed down the choices, there has to
be an "emotional connection" to the vehicle. It has to tingle the short
hairs on the back of your neck. You're going to live with it for the next
four or five years, on average.

The question is, are gas prices going to continue upward or will we return
to those halcyon days of $1.87/gallon? How you predict the future is going
to determine, in large part, what you end up with.

dwight


 




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