Gas Prices (esp in CA)

[AmazonBabe]

I received this e-mail today and I don't know about you guys but the gas prices are beginning to irritate me... not to mention it's costing a small fortune every week! Maybe this will work. Couldn't hurt to try.

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Subject: Gas Prices

Did you hear, we are going to hit close to $3.00 a gallon by the summer. Want gasoline prices to come down? We need to take some intelligent, united action. someone, offered this good idea:

This makes MUCH MORE SENSE than the "don't buy gas on a certain day" campaign that was going around last April or May! The oil companies just laughed at that because they knew we wouldn't continue to "hurt" ourselves by refusing to buy gas. It was more of an inconvenience to us than it was a problem for them. BUT, whoever thought of this idea, has come up with a plan that can really work.
With the price of gasoline going up more each day, we consumers need to take action. The only way we are going to see the price of gas come down is if we hit someone in the pocketbook by not purchasing their gas! And we can do that WITHOUT hurting ourselves.

How? Since we all rely on our cars, we can't just stop buying gas. But we CAN have an impact on gas prices if we all act together to force a price war. Here's the idea: For the rest of this year, DON'T purchase ANY gasoline from the two biggest companies (which now are one), EXXON and MOBIL. If they are not selling any gas, they will be inclined to reduce their prices. If they reduce their prices, the other companies will have to follow suit.

But to have an impact, we need to reach literally millions of Exxon and Mobil gas buyers. It's really simple to do!! Now, don't whimp out on me at this point...keep reading and I'll explain how simple it is to reach millions of people I am sending this note to about thirty people. If each of you send it to at least ten more (30 x 10 = 300) .. and those 300 send it to at least ten more (300 x 10 = 3,000)...and so on, by the time the message reaches the sixth generation of people, we will have reached over THREE MILLION consumers! If those three million get excited and pass this on to ten friends each, then 30 million people will have been contacted! If it goes one level further, you guessed it..... THREE HUNDRED MILLION PEOPLE!!!


How long would all that take? If each of us sends this email out to ten more people within one day of receipt, all 300 MILLION people could conceivably be contacted within the next 8 days!!! I'll bet you I didn't think you and I had that much potential, did you! Acting together we can make a difference. If this makes sense to you, please pass this message on.

I don't buy from Exxon or Mobil anyways, so I'm set. It'd be interesting to see how many people actually got this message and how many actually followed it's suggestion. Who knows... it could work...

[Dan the Man]

This is a stupid idea.

Petroleum is an inelastically-demanded commodity, by definition. Therefore, all a price cut will do is to murder Exxon-Mobil's bottom line. There's no reason for them to cut prices, even in the face of flatlining demand. What's more likely to happen is that competitors such as Chevron, Texaco, British Petroleum, etc, will work in turn to expand their own bloated capacity and simply gobble up Exxon-Mobil's market share.

That is, however, assuming this whole grass roots effort would work, which it wouldn't.

Just suck it up, carpool, and deal with the increases.

[AmazonBabe]

Well, I do carpool with the only person I know that lives near me that works at the same place I do. But I can only carpool twice a week due to scheduling conflicts. And even then sometimes carpooling doesn't work to serious scheduling conflicts (i.e. if my carpool buddy has jurry duty, doctor appointment, etc.)

And as to dealing with the increases... do you pay on average $30 at the pump each week (more like every 5 or 6 days)?

[imported_Blade Ice]

What we need to do is ether.

A. do some good old fire squad excutions. First all these butholes in the goverment for tapping into the oil reserve and untaping good wells in Texas and alaska. Then after those guys are dead head over to france shot the skunks that telling the opec nation to cut back on oil production. After french is dead kill the opec people who listen to them. Problem fixed with a good old bullet to the head.

B. Convince the goverment to go to a form of isolationism and open up are perfectly good tapped wells that will get well into the next mellenium with gas prices staying resonable. This won't happen because well the goverment and oil companies want money.

C. force the oil companies that by the rights to new high tech engines that eat allot less gas or don't even use gas at all to hand them over. Hell make the Hydrogen egine standard in all new cars and make gas stations switch there gas pumps into hydrogen pumps.

There is allot of Ideas that cheap and would go easy on a person wallet but frankly the goverment and oil companies don't care. There getting rich and we are just getting more broke. Its life I guess.

[Dan the Man]

Depends on what I'm doing. If I'm at school and living on campus, I'm burning a tank maybe every 3 or 4 weeks.

If I'm commuting/working in the summer, its a tank every 2 days.

Yes it sucks, but there isn't a damn thing you can do other than carpool the best you can (and you seem to be doing so).

It would be nice to find empowerment here, but it isn't gonna happen. We're just gonna have to wait it out.

[Khendon Sevon]

My teacher already brought up this idea in class (before the email was even circulating)--was a great laugh. 'Cept he decided we should boycott Shell stations.

Doesn't matter, I'm sure prices will drop eventually,

[Kieran Devaneaux]

Sure, prices will drop. When Hell freezes over....see, I live in Southern California, and SoCal is probably one of the WORST places to need to refuel...

[imported_Blade Ice]

It won't drop you know why?

Because once they realize that people will continue to pay sucha price for gas they will leave it that high. Its a great tatic to make money test how far you can push something then kept at the very edge to make the most profit off of your product.

[Charley]

Originally posted by Kieran Devaneaux
Sure, prices will drop. When Hell freezes over....see, I live in Southern California, and SoCal is probably one of the WORST places to need to refuel...

And you make more money than anywhere else to offset cost of living discrepancies.

[Kieran Devaneaux]

Well, I live in a house that's older than me and my elder sister combined, and money is tight....if we were to spruce up the house and sell it, we'd get about half a mil out of it. But still....

[AmazonBabe]

Originally posted by Charley
And you make more money than anywhere else to offset cost of living discrepancies.

Except that that hasn't been working much lately. Sure there are demand for more workers (like here at Raytheon they keep scrambling to find more new hires), but the wages don't seem to go up. They just kinda level out.

I feel for ppl like my sis who makes peanuts, work's her butt off, and barely makes it through. As it is, she's still living with my parents. With the salary she makes, she can't move out. She'd be left with nothing and living on the streets.

As for your take on things "Dan", seems my husband agrees along the same lines:


Of course, the fundamental flaw with that line of reasoning is it assumes certain false premises, such as current gas prices are high because of price fixing among the oil companies and that they are merely charging an unjust wage, much higher than what the gas actually costs. It ignores certain facts, such as 1) Supply and demand (people drive more during the summer) 2) Environmental regulations which require costlier refining formulas, 3) 1/3 of the cost of a gallon of gas is taxes, 4) International factors (such as the situation in Iraq) are influencing the market, and 5) The best way to lower prices is not to cut off demand, but to increase supply, chiefly from the OPEC countries, such as Saudi Arabia.

Read up on it:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/27/national/main619942.shtml

The only sort of effect some sort of boycott like this would have would be to hurt the small-business owners of the local gas stations.

Speaking of taxes on gas... I heard something on news radio that there might be some sort of vote in the future (at least her in CA) on the tax for gas. I heard this a couple of weeks ago, though I haven't heard anything else about it.

[AmazonBabe]

Originally posted by Blade Ice
A. do some good old fire squad excutions. First all these butholes in the goverment for tapping into the oil reserve and untaping good wells in Texas and alaska. Then after those guys are dead head over to france shot the skunks that telling the opec nation to cut back on oil production. After french is dead kill the opec people who listen to them. Problem fixed with a good old bullet to the head.

I was gonna comment on this... I know we have enough reserves in Texas and Alaska to take care of the US' needs for gas, but I get the distinct feeling we have some environmentalists out there stopping such productions to go forward.

[Figrin D'an]

Of course, the fundamental flaw with that line of reasoning is it assumes certain false premises, such as current gas prices are high because of price fixing among the oil companies and that they are merely charging an unjust wage, much higher than what the gas actually costs. It ignores certain facts, such as 1) Supply and demand (people drive more during the summer) 2) Environmental regulations which require costlier refining formulas, 3) 1/3 of the cost of a gallon of gas is taxes, 4) International factors (such as the situation in Iraq) are influencing the market, and 5) The best way to lower prices is not to cut off demand, but to increase supply, chiefly from the OPEC countries, such as Saudi Arabia.

Read up on it:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004...ain619942.shtml

The only sort of effect some sort of boycott like this would have would be to hurt the small-business owners of the local gas stations.

There's really no need for me to repeat my opinions on the matter, because this essentially outlines them fairly well.

I don't want to insult anyone or come off as snobby, but most people I find who really complain about this are those who are completely uninformed and uneducated on the subject. Maybe it's because my studies in college gave me an insight into petroleum refining that very few people see, or because I have friends who are in the industry and know a lot more than consuming public. Either way, I usually end up being a decenting voice against the "Oil Companies are Satan's Spawn, kill kill kill" mentality.

[AmazonBabe]

Either way, I usually end up being a decenting voice against the "Oil Companies are Satan's Spawn, kill kill kill" mentality.

I know this is a serious convo, but I found that quoted line to be amusing. :)

I don't hate the oil companies, nor do I want to "kill, kill, kill" them. I just wish prices weren't so high. I really do sympathize for those that don't make a whole lot and are paying small fortunes for gas.

I remember (and it was only about 7 months ago) when I paid $1.99 at the pump for premium. How I do miss those days.



(Figs... looks like you'd get along with Joe just fine. When you're here again, we'll have you over for some tea. ^_^ )

[imported_Grev Drasen]

Originally posted by AmazonBabe
I was gonna comment on this... I know we have enough reserves in Texas and Alaska to take care of the US' needs for gas, but I get the distinct feeling we have some environmentalists out there stopping such productions to go forward.
I was going to say the same.

Don't blame the government. Blame the hippies.

[ReaperFett]

$3 fuel. A dream for us, with our $5 :)


Flaw in the logic though:

If they are not selling any gas, they will be inclined to reduce their prices.
They might also be inclined to INCREASE prices.

[Morgan Evanar]

Originally posted by Grev Drasen
Don't blame the government. Blame the hippies. Oh yes, makes perfect sense. AFAIK most of the Alaska crude isn't good for fuel. I blame CARB (California Air Resources Board) for a terrible lack of awesome european diesels. I hate CARB so much. If more of the hippies and everyone else bought more fuel efficient cars, the fuel demand would probably level out for a while.


If they are not selling any gas, they will be inclined to reduce their prices. Thats hilarious, because you're going to have to buy gas soon. Boycotts only work with products that aren't essential or have easily available alternatives.

Also, non-comedy neuclear energy option.
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/environment/story.jsp?story=524313

Even a green energy proponet is saying its our only hope at this point. That is pretty scary.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

We could all sign a petition...

No wait.

And I heard that gas prices were going to hit $4 a gallon by the end of summer. *shrug*

The best thing we can do is buy bikes and stop driving cars all together, other wise they'll still sell us gas, and we'll still buy it. Or get a hybrid car, and start a letter campaign for more alternative fuel vehicles on the production lines. I'd get a hybrid but they're too pricey for me.

But what we'd save in gas would make it worth it. Just got a V6 truck to replace my fiance's V8 Jeep (higher miles-per-gallon) and when we have the $$ I'm going to push for a hybrid to replace my POS car.

[Kieran Devaneaux]

$4 a gallon?!?!?! Jesus Christ, we don't need it any higher! My God....

[Morgan Evanar]

My mom is one of those hippies who put her money where her mouth is: she bought a hybrid Prius. Its boring and gets great gas milage.

The Jetta TDI gets similar milage, but its a VW, and therefore the build quality is suspect at best, and a disaster at worst.

Why does your fiance need a truck?

[Kieran Devaneaux]

Volkswagen has its goodies and its baddies. Anything Jetta tends to be a goody. *grin* I rode in one from Bakersfield to San Diego, no problems. And there's a VW car called the Jedi (I kid you not) and it uses a diesel engine.

[Morgan Evanar]

You're a funny guy, because there are a gazillion known issues with Jettas. Google for "Window regulator" or "coil pack". Volkswagens are heavy, slow without modification, and have questionable build quality. Some of the ones out of Germany are pretty reliable, the ones from Mexico are crap, and the engineering is questionable sometimes. [/hijack]

Toyota has liscened it's hybrid tech out to Nissan. There should be a hybrid Altima in 2005, and a Toyota Highlander and Camry hybrids in 2005. Ford is releasing a hybrid Escape soon, too. I still think that if we had more of Mercedes and Audi's larger diesels we'd be better off, but thanks to CARB its not happening. IMO almost all truck engines should be diesel.

[AmazonBabe]

I wouldn't mind a hybrid if they weren't so boring (and some just ugly).

What can I say... I'm vain when it comes to what I drive and how good I look in it. ^_^;

[Khendon Sevon]

There are a lot of factors to the "crisis" at hand--though I don't believe it's extreme enough to really call it a crisis. As I see it:

1) China is revving up its economy and its demand for black gold is increase along with it. They're a large market--that's what happens when you have billions of people. Also, India is not a small factor, they may be somewhat behind compared to China, but they still are taking up a chunk of the crude. Remember, China has many times more people than America, as does India.
2) Each state requires different specifications for its gas. This means that refineries have to put out multiple types of gas and thus, their own prices increase. This price increase is passed along to us--justly.
3) Americans (such as myself) don't always choose cars for their gas mileage. For example, how many people do you know with SUV's? My little Mazda RX8 only gets 18 miles to the gallon.
4) OPEC is always a factor. Remember, they were formed so that the price of gas to the US could be regulated--unless my history is wrong.

Those are the reasons, as I see them, for our current fuel prices.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

AB- the Honda Civic Hybrid will get my money when we're to that point. It looks just like the regular Civic (blah may say some) and it's got the good gas milage.

Plus it's a bit cheaper than the Toyota Prius. :p At least it was when I did my pricing of them a few weeks ago.

[Marcus Telcontar]

Original email = frelling waste of time. There's an actual genuine shortage of fuel quality oil right now and a lack of refining capability, plus also factor in uncertainty in Middle east politics, caused by the boofheads in the Bush admin. Fuel refiners have got almost nothing to do with the present leap in price

Your still paying the lowest prices in the world by a huge margin. I WISH I WAS PAYING 70-90 CENTS A LITRE - today I filled up on 108 cents. You still have it incredibly good with fuel prices, so stop drivng thirsty trucks, and get back to me when you can justify a fuel price whinge, okay?

[Dark Lord Rivin]

Up here in Canada in some places in BC the prices have gotten up to 115 cent per litre, but for most of the province is it sitting at 98.9 cents per litre. and In Canada about 65% of the cost of gas is Tax...

[AmazonBabe]

2) Each state requires different specifications for its gas. This means that refineries have to put out multiple types of gas and thus, their own prices increase. This price increase is passed along to us--justly.

I've always wondered why the US just didn't standardize one type of gas so that the refineries didn't have to bust their backs making different types for each freakin state. Wouldn't it be cheaper and more cost efective in the long run?


3) Americans (such as myself) don't always choose cars for their gas mileage. For example, how many people do you know with SUV's? My little Mazda RX8 only gets 18 miles to the gallon.

True dat. I came to the conclusion yesterday that I would rather choose a car that's sexy/sleek looking rather than something that's gas efficiant (unless they make a gas efficiant car that's sexy/sleek and doesn't look like a car that looks like it was meant to be afforded by a high schooler).


AB- the Honda Civic Hybrid will get my money when we're to that point. It looks just like the regular Civic (blah may say some) and it's got the good gas milage.

I never said it shouldn't. Just stating my opinion that i think it looks blah.


Your still paying the lowest prices in the world by a huge margin.

I think what's happened is we've gotten so spoiled with paying something lower than what we're paying now that we forget the rest of the world is paying through the nose when it comes to gas prices.


and In Canada about 65% of the cost of gas is Tax...

O_o Good greif! While I understand why taxes are in place, I still think they're evil when the government puts too much tax on one particular product... especially a product you need in order to live somewhat normally. It makes me feel (and this is just my personal opinion) like they're take advantage and almost stealing from us.

[Morgan Evanar]

Your fuel prices are higher than everyone elses in CA because of CARB. Go whine to them. Also, you bought an automatic. Boo hoo. You could have had 30mpg highway but you are too lazy to shift.

[AmazonBabe]

3) Americans (such as myself) don't always choose cars for their gas mileage. For example, how many people do you know with SUV's? My little Mazda RX8 only gets 18 miles to the gallon.

Khendon, you and I are in the same boat. I drive a Camaro Z28 which gets 18 mpg city-driving and 25 mpg highway-driving.


Also, you bought an automatic. Boo hoo. You could have had 30mpg highway but you are too lazy to shift.

That's right, I am too lazy to shift. Hell, I'm too lazy/have no interest in learning a manual.

Besides, I need my hands free to talk on my cell, drink my Starbucks machiato, flip the guy off next to me that tried to merge into my spot as if I were invisible (this also requires a two-handed swerving technique with the evil-eye-of-death-laser-stare that will spontaniously combust his engine), while at the same time applying my makeup and doing my hair. (Luckily my radio controls are literally at my fingertips... I have the controls on my steering wheel). :p

^_^;

[Sanis Prent]

Originally posted by AmazonBabe
Besides, I need my hands free to talk on my cell, drink my Starbucks machiato, flip the guy off next to me that tried to merge into my spot as if I were invisible (this also requires a two-handed swerving technique with the evil-eye-of-death-laser-stare that will spontaniously combust his engine), while at the same time applying my makeup and doing my hair. (Luckily my radio controls are literally at my fingertips... I have the controls on my steering wheel). :p

^_^;

I really really hope you're kidding.

[AmazonBabe]

And what if I weren't? ;) :mneh

[Sanis Prent]

Well, you did buy an automatic Camaro. There's little we'd put past you now :mneh

[Figrin D'an]

Originally posted by AmazonBabe
And what if I weren't? ;) :mneh

We'll call some people who know some people who will revoke your license.

[Morgan Evanar]

I can answer/dial my cell, and you know exactly what I drive. You knew the car had less than stellar gas milage when you bought it. Don't complain. I don't (I just complain that I don't have the newer KA24DE engine that gets better milage and puts out more power than my KA24E.)

[Sanis Prent]

I didn't buy my truck for the gas mileage, ergo I don't complain about it when it gets pricey.

[AmazonBabe]

True dat. I came to the conclusion yesterday that I would rather choose a car that's sexy/sleek looking rather than something that's gas efficiant (unless they make a gas efficiant car that's sexy/sleek and doesn't look like a car that looks like it was meant to be afforded by a high schooler).

And because of that, and knowing my high-class tastes, I won't be complaining.

(I'll just fume quietly.)

:mneh


We'll call some people who know some people who will revoke your license.

The whole "people" thing works great here in Hollywood. :lol

[Sanis Prent]

Originally posted by AmazonBabe
The whole "people" thing works great here in Hollywood. :lol

It also works well in both the government and the mafia. :cool

[AmazonBabe]

"I'll have my people talk to your people." :smokin

[Kieran Devaneaux]

Indeed so....funny how that works.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

I love how people say we have the best prices anywhere, and so we shouldn't complain.

But why shouldn't we complain if prices jump a dollar a gallon in two months? If you guys in Australia and England want better gas prices, move here. If I want to pay $5 a gallon, I'll move to England.

So...THERE!

:p

[ReaperFett]

Originally posted by Lilaena De'Ville
If you guys in Australia and England want better gas prices, move here.
Can't, your laws on Green Cards are strict :p

[Marcus Telcontar]

Originally posted by Lilaena De'Ville
I love how people say we have the best prices anywhere, and so we shouldn't complain.

But why shouldn't we complain if prices jump a dollar a gallon in two months? If you guys in Australia and England want better gas prices, move here. If I want to pay $5 a gallon, I'll move to England.

So...THERE!

:p



You have had articifically low prices for years. Welcome to reality would be the way I would put the current jumps.

Also because you have enormous thirsty and stupid trucks as general road cars, I definantly dotn have sympathy. Most of the rest of the world has lil buzz boxes that sip fuel, not drink it in vast quantities like the average truck.

[Master Yoghurt]

Ditto to everything Marcus said in this thread :p

[Loki Ahmrah]

Originally posted by Master Yoghurt
Ditto to everything Marcus said in this thread :p

Same here. I'm far from all knowing when it comes to cars and motoring but I am in total agreement here.

[Figrin D'an]

I do feel sympathy for those in the trucking industry. Increases in fuel prices have really hit them hard. In most cases, trucking companies can't increase their rates because of exisiting contracts or simply out of the fear of being undercut and losing business, so the each time fuel prices increase, it cuts into their bottom line. It's really tough on smaller trucking companies. A lot of them are simply calling it quits because they can't afford to do business anymore.

For the average consumer, I feel little pity, because there are options available to alleviate effects of increased prices. It's those who depend upon such things for their livelihood and are locked into a no-win scenario that are getting screwed at the moment.

[Kieran Devaneaux]

Diesel fuel either costs slightly more or slightly less than the regular unleaded...now, last I checked, it's usually a LOT less than the regular unleaded.

[Lady Mylia]

I don't know if this has been said anywhere in the thread because I just skimmed over it and I might have missed it, but I read in the news that we are supposed to be shipped a lot more kewl from the Saudies and we will start feeling that in July sometime. Has anyone else heard that? Also... I saw that someone said they wished they were still paying 1.99 for gas... geesh! That's what I'm paying now... I thought that was bad... *suddenly realizes how naive she is to the outside world*

[Telan Desaria]

Wouldn't the simpler solution be to order manufacturers to stop producing low-efficiency cars. Any vehciles that does not get over 39 miles per gallon is tyo be confiscated and replaced.

Secondly - ban and confiscate all SUVs. We got along fine in the 80s/90s without them.

[Marcus Telcontar]

Originally posted by Telan Desaria
Wouldn't the simpler solution be to order manufacturers to stop producing low-efficiency cars. Any vehciles that does not get over 39 miles per gallon is tyo be confiscated and replaced.

Secondly - ban and confiscate all SUVs. We got along fine in the 80s/90s without them.



Your post is so dumb, it doesnt deserve any other response than this.

[Morgan Evanar]

Wouldn't the simpler solution be to order manufacturers to stop producing low-efficiency cars. Any vehciles that does not get over 39 miles per gallon is tyo be confiscated and replaced. Your disconnection from reality is fantastic. Please, list a midsize car that gets 40mpg city. Now try 40 mpg highway.

Examples of midsized cars: Camry, Accord, Taurus.

Go, do it.

[Sejah Haversh]

You know what's funny? When I switch to driving my '67 Falcon again, I will only be losing one mile per gallon from my '90 Corolla.

I don't think that SUVs should be banned, I jsut wish people would seriously think about what they are going to use their vehicle for before purchasing one. If you're a business executive and travel alone, don't buy a Suburban, get a little sports car instead.

And, yes, we did quite well in the 80's and 90's without so many SUVs on the road because we had minvans and station wagons that got exactly the same mileage per gallon of gas as most SUVs that replaced them.

[Kieran Devaneaux]

I am forced to agree with Marcus and Morgan. If you were to ban all vehicles that do not get over 40mpg, there'd most likely be nothing left to drive!

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

I dont even think my car gets 40mpg :\

[Sejah Haversh]

Nope, yours gets 24-26 in city, and about 30-31 freeway.

[Marcus Telcontar]

Originally posted by Sejah Haversh
You know what's funny? When I switch to driving my '67 Falcon again, I will only be losing one mile per gallon from my '90 Corolla.

I don't think that SUVs should be banned, I jsut wish people would seriously think about what they are going to use their vehicle for before purchasing one. If you're a business executive and travel alone, don't buy a Suburban, get a little sports car instead.

And, yes, we did quite well in the 80's and 90's without so many SUVs on the road because we had minvans and station wagons that got exactly the same mileage per gallon of gas as most SUVs that replaced them.



Damn right Skip. You dont need a truck (frell, I hate the term SUV) if your running kids to school and shopping.

I am glad tho, Cross-over vehicles are gaining headway. They have proper car dynamics, proper car safety, usually quite good AWD, the image of an offroader. Things like Foresters are perfect for the average soccer mum.

My car gets 10.8 L per 100 km (24 odd mpg for the metric retarded). For what it is, a high performance cross-over, which seats 5, can tow, handles, stops, has AWD and outruns anything this side of a Porsche turbo, I'll take the consumption hit, even if in reality, 10 l per 100 km is actually pretty good for a 2.5 litre with a large turbo.

Hell, the Gen III V8 isnt exactly a fuel drinker anymore. Most cars these days are actually pretty good. But then again, we dont see too many Yank Tanks here, only Japs, aussie and Euros, which all are quite decent, fuel wise.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

It's at times like these that I'm thankful for the car I have. Also, because I mostly work out of home now, having to buy gas hasn't really hurt my already stretched finances. Even while driving from Dallas to Tuscaloosa though, I only end up stopping to refuel twice over the course of 600 miles. I worked it out while on the drive from Sac to Houston (like there was anything else I could do), that I either get right under or right on 200 miles to half a tank. Of course, that's while at a cruising speed of seventy.

Yay for Teggies.

[Sejah Haversh]

My grandparents have a 2002 Buick LeSaber Limited with the massive V8 in it, and somehow that beast of an engine and mass of a car still acheives 25 MPG in city, and 31 on freeway.

The new Chrysler 300C, which will be my next car, gets 17 city and 26 freeway with the HEMI V8, and 24 city and 31 freeway with the high-power V6, plus it apparently drives and rides liek a dream, and is solid as a rock. Not to mention it's ten ways to gorgeousville, seats five, and has a massive trunk for anything I'd ever need to haul, and has a good towing capability, too.

[Morgan Evanar]

The 300c, with the exception of powerplants, is much more Mercedes than Chrysler. That would be a good thing. :)

[Kieran Devaneaux]

My stepfather has a 2002 Ford Focus. We filled up the tank before leaving Poway - northern San Diego County, California - and we were down to just above half a tank when we arrived north of Ontario (the California city, not the Canadian province :D). Then we were down to a quarter tank when we returned, though I had thought the car would go dead before we got to the house.

[AmazonBabe]

Secondly - ban and confiscate all SUVs. We got along fine in the 80s/90s without them.

Funny how you say that, seeing as how we did have SUVs during those times, and way past that. Example: Chevy Suburban, 1935 - present.

Perhaps they weren't as abundent then, but they still existed and were used (I knew and still know several large families with 5+ kids that use SUVs and vans (both of which are gas-guzlers and have high emissios) for transporation. The smaller cars can't accomodate for their needs when it comes to transporting their large families.

Sometimes you just need something bigger.

[Charley]

Originally posted by Telan Desaria
Secondly - ban and confiscate all SUVs. We got along fine in the 80s/90s without them.

:lol you're funny

And no, I'd rather not. Our society is already so incredibly ban-happy on damn-near everything as it is. Take some personal responsiblilty and don't buy and SUV if that's your want, but don't you dare enforce that authoritarian crap on me.

[Marcus Telcontar]

SUV is a marketing term, not a class of vehicle. It did not exist until the early 90's and has, rather unfortunantly, spread in usage, much like cancer. It has been applied to a wide range of vehicle classes, from light truck to compact 4wd.

It is unfortunante, becuase the vehicles with that label are normally not Sport, they are not Utes and they barely pass as vehicles. A proper Sports Utility Vehicle is a Holden Ute SS. A Subhuman is well and truly well out of the SUV range, being neither sporty, a ute, or even a vehicle, except if you define a vehicle as having four wheels and an engine. A Subhuman is more precisely classed as a obnoxious excuse for a conveyance.

[Arya Ravenwing]

The Toyota Corolla gets about 40 mpg on the freeway. . . we drove one up from Portland to Seattle and back, and filled up once. We spent 22 dollars on gas, and the needle appeared to be just under Full when we got home. (Portland to Seattle is about 150 miles? I could be wrong.)

My Nissan Maxima gets about 30 mpg. Hate/love that car.

Subhuman? You mean Suburban, right? ;)

[Kieran Devaneaux]

Originally posted by Arya Ravenwing
(Portland to Seattle is about 150 miles? I could be wrong.)

Sounds about right...I've been along that route.

And I think he does mean the Suburban. We have lots of demeaning names for these things....I call the Ford Explorer the Ford Exploder now (because my Wood Technology teacher last year had an incident with his Explorer that he related to the class).

-K.