Gas Price Talk Radio

[bozodog]

When I popped the hood none of the belts were turning. Drove the thing almost halfway home on battery power.

Now what the heck would cause all the belts to quit turning while the engine still ran? Were they all cut down and just hanging there? Like a broken pully cut them? I woulda driven home with the 4-way flashers on...

[tenmm]

..

Edited August 27, 2005 by tenmm

[blim]

Yeah, but if its nighttime in the country, you need those headlights (well, I do! ) Also, what about cars that their headlights turn on automatically, no matter what? That's a concern I've always had about Hubby's Malibu And everythings power on it. Grrrr. I never thought about brake lights using juice--that's a good idea to remember (especially if I ever get popped for going through a stop "my alternator's dying, officer! And I need to get home".

Macmarauder!! You need to invent a car with a back up alternator

Gas now $2.67 (!!) and blessing that half tank!!

Liz

[bozodog]

Best to not use any lights or radio including brake lights and turn lights if you can do so safely.

The 4-way flashers use a *lot* less power than headlights and taillights, also a good idea to kill/cut back the dashlights too. Turn off anything you can, and the flashers will usually provide enough lighting to get you down the road carefully. Been there, done that. In cool weather, I have even unplugged the electric fan.. Always got home to the "charger".

[robroy]

It was all Interstate driving at 11:00pm Had to have lights on. If it had been daytime then I may have made it home. The front bearing went bad and the crank sheared the key to the harmonic balance or the shaft behind it. The belts were still good and tight but the failed bearing put metal through the lower end of the crankcase basically destroying the motor

[blim]

What, Robroy, it destroyed the motor, meaning ENGINE??? (gosh, I hope not!)

Liz

[robroy]

Yeah Liz the engine is shot

[bozodog]

Ooh, man. That is rotten luck. I have never heard of a engine going like that. *looks around in the "auto" spareparts corner for an engine. Nope, have a top end for a 2.6L Mitsubishi, starter, alternator, and other bits. No engine, sorry robroy.

[bozodog]

Environment drives Hummer vs Hybrid row

With ever-soaring world oil prices, you can receive up to an 80-percent tax credit when you buy a Hummer H2, but only $1500 when you buy a hybrid.

Hummer v Hybrid

[blim]

Wow, Bozodog, that article is just crazy!!! USA needs a new "American Symbol". I would love a hybrid, but no way would I be able to afford one

All these folks who buy these "huge 4WD sport-utility vehicles" to do "townie" driving baffle me. They don't seem more comfortable or easier to drive than cars....

I remember when my Dad bought a brand new truck and took it down two-tracks to cut and haul firewood. Oh, the folks who yelled at him for risking a scratch on the truck. My Dad replied, "Its--A--TRUCK!!! I bought it to use as--a--TRUCK!! They are SUPPOSED to haul stuff!! TRUCKS GET SCRATCHED!!"

At least his 'new-to-him' truck is prescratched and prerusted He even mentioned that at least no one's going to yell at him for pulling stumps or hauling manure anymore!

Robroy, I'm so sorry to hear that the engine died I agree with Bozodog, that is an unusual way to wreck an engine! An expensive pain! Are you going to replace the engine or go car shopping?

Liz

[robroy]

Car shopping, the accord was 14 yrs old andshowing rust on the body. An engine would cost as much as I paid for the car

found nothing yet though

[Chappy]

My first reply into this thread.

I guess I just may have to sell off my beloved 4 X 4 and get some sensible smaller vehicle thats easier on gas.

Gas prices just went over $1.00 a LITRE yeterday here!!!

For those of you who are non-metric, that works out to around $4.54 a gallon. It cost me well over $100 to fill my truck yeterday and I average around 400 km per tank, so thats about a doller per km.....OUCH!!!!

I've sworn up & down that I will never go thru another Saskatchewan winter without 4 wheel drive, once you've had one you'll never go back. Well, I may have to look for something in the all wheel drive category, like a Subaru or something like that, but better gas milage.

I sold my boat so I don't need the truck to tow it, and I really don't do anything that I need the truck bed for either anymore....guess I have no reason to keep the thing.

I love this truck tho, its a fully loaded 95 GMC SLT, leather interior, electric this & that, those bells and that whistle....comfortable as heck with a rockin stereo system, and of course 4 X 4 for those Canadian winters. Only has 148,000 KM on it (92,000 miles) and runs like its new, looks like it to, I've looked after this thing very well.

Well....anyone looking for a good used truck??

:(

[bozodog]

Saskatchewan? I thought you lived in Ontario. Man, I'd love to have that truck, but I need a Great Dane hauler. And I don't really need 4x4 here. When are gas prices gonna stablize? It costs $60 to fill my GMC van. And at 16-18 MPH I'm being careful about doing errands at the same time so I don't make extra trips. Thank God I live 10 mins. from work.

[blim]

Aw, Chappy Is there any way you can buy a car and use the truck when you need it as a winter ride?? I grew up practically on Lake Michigan (I'm a towny now) and I can imagine your winter driving is a lot worse!!

I have heard Subarus are very reliable cars, I remember Pat loves hers.

That reminds me, I heard the "newest thing" in cars is....rear wheel drive?!?? Never in a million years would I go back to rear wheel drive in a Michigan winter!

Liz

[robroy]

Found another Accord for $800, in good condition clean, new timing belt and cv joints. Think I will probably get it tomorrow. Damn this means another 2 hr wait at the DMV.

[bozodog]

Two hours?? Crap, if I had to wait that long I'd be calling/writing whoever/whatever state department "squeeking my wheel" If folks would just b*tch when they are put out.... the system *can* change. Yes, folks! *ALL* of us....

Sounds like a good buy for you robroy. But you know what it takes to keep a decent car running.

[thesidekickcat]

Yikes!!! Chappy, Yikes!!!

How come Canadian gas is so much higher than it is in US?

Am I thinking right that at exchange rate, though I don't know current rate, of last I heard it was around 70 cents to our buck, that would mean it is even higher cost with your translating the conversion of litre to gallon at $4.54 Canadian...So that would be Canadian $ right? So is my math wrong, or is it even higher when converted to U.S $??? Help me out here folks, I am terrible at math and thought problems!!!

I really think this whole gas price thing from the barrel cost, to the pump cost, is driven by fear of future unknowns, and greed!!! They jack the prices up to cover whatever bad things might happen in the Middle East politically, also physically to oil fields and pumping, pipelines, and every thing else connected to getting it out of the ground and on it's way to refineries which are also having problems. So the futures markets drive up the price down the road, as do the various bad guys running the show behind the scenes of various oil cartels. Fear, greed, that is the name of the game. Plus they are trying to see how far they can push prices up for the U.S. and Canada to see what the limit they will pay before they cut usage back drastically. Once that limit line is reached for a few months, then it will come down. though probably not as low as it was before this gouging run up started. I am sure there is a base price already set by those in charge of such things and right now they are just milking the gravy train before they go down to that previously settled base price.

I don't usually believe in conspiracies, (except for one or two, such as JFK shooting and also the Oklahoma bombing being the most notable) but I do believe in oil price and oil shortage conspiracies. Went through the "shortages" in 70's, lived through the contrived shortages here and the wierd odd/even numbers of license plates determining the day you could buy gas if you could find a station open that had gas, and didn't run out while you waited in long lines. Yet when we had to do an emergency run up to Tacoma Washington when my Dad was in serious condition in the hospital, we found out no problems with availability of gas at any stations about 50 miles north of us on up the road. Yes it was more expensive, but not nearly as high as here in Portland. Why the difference? Who knows. Other than our state was politically not playing the gasoline company ballgame by their rules. ( We don't have self serve here...and that's what they want us to do...even though we repeatedly vote against it!) That and other things that I have forgotten over the years, but all across the country this played out to a certain extent, but we were hit the hardest in Oregon I think. Anyhow the same thing happened then and in next one as I predict will happen this time. Once the fear and greed do it's number on us, then the gas prices will go down to the previously secretly set base low price that the ptb wanted in first place. So when will that happen, hard to say because I don't think the top threshold has been met yet. People aren't in a rebellious mood yet, they are not cutting back, no gov agency is is threatening to do anything, no fallout is happening that would adversely affect the oil companies or the oil cartels. So it probably will keep on for months, while the oil spoilers milk the gravy train. But just wait folks for heating season. That will be a disaster for folks filling up oil furnace tanks. Then people might rebel and then something will happen.

I do not think people should sell off their vehicles. If it is a gas guzzler, then no one will pay what it is worth which would be bad if money still owed on it and you might get 'upside down' on loan and still have to pay it off while paying for the new good mileage car with jacked up prices because of the supply/demand issue.

And if it is paid for, it still wont get what it is worth because it is a guzzler. So I think that Liz's idea has merit to park it and only use it when you need it for it's special abilities, then look for a smaller more gas efficient car. Though if you think about it that doesn't even make financial sense. If you have the money to buy the car, it could be in bank earning interest, if you don't have the money so would have to finance car purchase, then it will cost even more in interest. So in long run it probably makes sense to keep and use the gas guzzler paying the price at the pump instead of to car dealers or bank.

As for a new car, we like Subaru and this little 1990 Justy is still hanging in there and gets good gas mileage. But new ones are bigger and heavier, and not as gas efficient. Yes the all wheel drive feature (wasn't available for ours) is one of the strong points of why we will probably get another Subaru when we have to. The Justy is our 3rd Subaru since 1970. And for the most part we feel they are good cars. But they all had their peculiar problems just like any brand. But it seems to me, like Ford and Chevy, that once people own one of them, they will get another Subaru down the road. So that is always a good indicator I think. I have never run into anyone who hated them, and this area was the first I think to ever get them so there are alot of them around. Yes people cussed them out for oddball peculiar problems, but just wrote it off as a bad year and went out and got another one. Sort of like wine, good years and bad. Ha!

So Chappy and everyone, don't rush into a drastic decision to sell off a good vehicle that does what you want it to do, is set up the way you want, is in good repair, etc just because some gas crisis is currently happening. Make adjustments where you can cutting back on trips etc, but don't let them scare you into selling into a bad market.

God bless everyone.

[tenmm]

..

Edited August 27, 2005 by tenmm

[rv56]

My first reply into this thread.

I guess I just may have to sell off my beloved 4 X 4 and get some sensible smaller vehicle thats easier on gas.

Gas prices just went over $1.00 a LITRE yesterday here!!!

For those of you who are non-metric, that works out to around $4.54 a gallon. It cost me well over $100 to fill my truck yesterday and I average around 400 km per tank, so thats about a doller per km.....OUCH!!!!

I've sworn up & down that I will never go thru another Saskatchewan winter without 4 wheel drive, once you've had one you'll never go back. Well, I may have to look for something in the all wheel drive category, like a Subaru or something like that, but better gas milage.

I sold my boat so I don't need the truck to tow it, and I really don't do anything that I need the truck bed for either anymore....guess I have no reason to keep the thing.

I love this truck tho, its a fully loaded 95 GMC SLT, leather interior, electric this & that, those bells and that whistle....comfortable as heck with a rockin stereo system, and of course 4 X 4 for those Canadian winters. Only has 148,000 KM on it (92,000 miles) and runs like its new, looks like it to, I've looked after this thing very well.

Well....anyone looking for a good used truck??

:(

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Boy do I hear ya on this Chappy....

Cost me 87.00$ to fill my 92 GMC last week....and it wasn't even on empty yet. I saw a station that is running at 1.05 per/litre today...geez.

[blim]

Pat, I am STILL angry over the "gas crisis" in the 1970's!!!!! I hate being lied to!!

As far as conspiricies go, I think the car industry is a big factor. Think about it, in the '70s, folks drove big cars. Then the economy slipped, gas prices went up, people bought small cars, car industry was able hire people and grow, economy got better. Car industry began making bigger powerful cars, folks bought them because they could afford them due to a good economy. 2000, folks are driving minivans, SUV's, Hummers, economy started slipping again, gas went up, car industry "just happened to come out with the hybrids", see a pattern???

An article in the paper had me howling in anger today. The owner of a gas company was interviewed about high gas prices. Of course, he stated all "the reasons" why gas was high, Texas refinery explosions, Tropical Storm Irene, stated that in comparison to 1980 pricing, gas is a bargain (??) blah, blah, blah...

But get this....."he blames the press for complaints his store employees have to take from customers about the cost of gasoline.

'The press, in general, is inappropriately blaming us as purveyors', said Westgate. A purveyor is someone who supplies provisions."

The PRESS???? Ahem, the customers complain because they see the signs in front of the stations with the outrageous prices!!! AND those clerks have to put up with customer shell-shock over the crazy up-down-up milk prices, too. Pulllleeeaase.

AND may I mention that Mr. Westgate lives in a multi-million dollar lakeside home in the most expensive suburb in the county??????

Oh Gosh, where are my manners, I forgot to post earlier, WELCOME Chappy to the Gas Talk Forums!!!

Liz

[thesidekickcat]

I totally agree the car manufacturers have a big share of blame in this mess. You are right on that cycle, I hadn't thought it out in full. And they all are to short sighted to see what to do down the road long term, they could have solved this a long time ago, or at least been a lot closer to solving it.

But since they stalled out on doing their job to make more efficient cars (because they couldn't get enough r+d tax credits from government or whatever other free ride they wanted), the spineless politicians should have way upped the mpg fuel average and closed off the loopholes for trucks, SUV etc. to not count as cars.

It isn't just the feds either, our state waffled out this year too on toughening rules for cleaner emissions like California. Washington had a setup deal to do the same (I think) as California...but Only if Oregon also did it. So now both states get out of pushing car mfgrs. I think if whole west coast had new rules in effect, that not only cleaner burning engines would be on the market faster but so would newer technologies such as fuel cell engines. Someone has to start the ball rolling to make it more than a more expensive, if even available, alternative. If enough states push for it, if Congress did more than backroom deals to finance their next campaigns, if people start screaming at the politicians at all levels to make things happen to get us started on the road to less gas use in cars, then we might actually get a better cleaner more efficient car.

Another thing our state quietly pulled this session, was deny (last I heard) lottery profits to a fledgeling new industry here with I think one or two new plants to manufacture bio-diesel fuel (using cooking grease from fast food places and cleaning it up), and start the infrastructure to make it available in wider area than just the plants themselves. Now this was highly against the rules for lottery dollars to Not be used for new businesses, especially ones that have potential to add quite a few jobs. So I am wondering who paid off whom and why to stop the new industry plant from getting the money. Not enough in our paper to explain the who and the why.

I hate that comment that so many seem to be using about gas prices...."in comparison to 1980 pricing, gas is a bargain". Who the ...cares what it was then, it's what it is now that is scaring folks, and taking a big dent out of already tight budgets. I just know that this winter, people will freeze because they can't afford the oil for their furnaces. No one is even talking in the press, about the coming furnace oil sticker shock. It was bad last year, and this time it will be a lot worse, especially if we get an extra cold winter.

Oh I just thought of another part in all this, those who are pushing for everyone to use public transportation, or bike to work, with heavy propaganda here for both. I am so sick of expensive for taxpayers to build and to subsidize those who use it, light rail, but I'd better not get going on that subject or my blood pressure will skyrocket.

Take care folks,

God bless everyone.

[bozodog]

about the coming furnace oil sticker shock.

Jeesh, our natural gas prices doubled in the last year. What's up with that? And today regular is $2.80 a gal. The b4st4rds ain't gonna stop till it's $3 and the settle back to 25 cents higher then a few monthst ago. Maybe $2.50....

Hey Chappy, you can buy beer in the US cheaper than your gas...

[tenmm]

..

Edited August 27, 2005 by tenmm

[robroy]

$2.59 and up here, don't see it getting any cheaper for a while

Did finally find another vehicle. eagle summit (the price is right) 1992 one owner and well maintained. I know that as the owner is a friend

[blim]

Robroy, my sister had an Eagle and absolutely loved it. I still don't think she forgave her Hubby for making her get a Buick when the Eagle finally gave out...it was her favorite car!

Was $2.80 yesterday, went to $2.68 today. I sure see Irregularjoe's pattern!!

Liz