Just out of curiosity

[GarminGPSMap]

Since Gas prices keep going up....

 

[GarminGPSMap]

Man the good ol' days. I remember filling up my 86' Toyota Tercel at Arco for 79c/gal. $8 would fill the tank, running 35mpg.

Now I'm paying $2.35/gal, $40 to fill the tank running 25mpg. **sigh**

"Hey, there's a refinery shutdown so that's why prices are going up .25cents" ...."Refinery problem fixed, we are happy to announce a .10cent decrease in price!" /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif

 

[Darell]

No fair! Where's "zero" on the second list for those of us who don't really buy gasoline any longer? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

 

[GarminGPSMap]

DOH! Didn't even think of that. I just got a new car and I really really thought about getting the Honda Civic Hybrid. I would save so much money it's sick... but the 250 lbs-ft torque got the best of me /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jpshakehead.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jpshakehead.gif

 

[MichiganMan]

Its easy to blame the oil companies, and they no doubt engage in their share of opportunistic market manipulation where they can. As does McDonalds, Walmart, milk producers, GM, Toyota, ToysR'Us, and that 10 year old robber baron down the street selling kool-aid for a buck a cup in July (Gad, how I hate paying that little extortionist!) But other price influences are being let off the hook too easily, ie. Here in Michigan, a significant portion of the 1.69 price we're paying for gas right now is a 55 cent tax on every gallon of gas. Somehow, I suspect the tax burden isn't any lighter in places like California where gas is well over $2.00 a gallon. But virtually nothing is said about these taxes when news stories bemoan the price of gas.

And don't underestimate the expense to the oil industries in complying with the maze of decades of environmental and regulatory laws. Sure we feel better knowing that the parts per zillion of petroleum molecules in our air/ground/water is kept to an infinitesimal minimum by triple walled tanks and delivery systems composed of high tech polymers, air scrubbers, and special runoff systems, all supervised from oil well to gas pump by expensive environmental specialists who's very job depends on eliminating the possibility that the EPA is going to fine the company this year. And sure, we think its great when a new additive that increases fuel efficiency 3% in the summer is found, and legislators hurry into law a regulation requiring that the refineries start buying the additive and design a system of incorporating it into their manufacturing system in spring and out in fall. And in addition to the warm fuzzy all this gets us, we just love knowing that the companies making us pay so much for gas are having to pay for all of this out of their own pocket. So we never question our politicians when they propose more regulations, for the children of course, and viciously attack those who would dare question the cost benefit of new regulations as tools of the greedy oil industry. All that makes us feel good.

Just one question... who exactly is paying the money that the oil companies are using to pay for all this stuff we demand?

 

[smokinbasser]

This will date me for sure I had the good fortune to be stationed in texas in the midst of vietnamand they had agas war of sorts going on across from Texas Tech and gas was 11.9 to 13.9 gallon and my vehicles were a scoot that got around 20 MPG(good for 143MPH) and a supercharged Austin Healy Sprite that got 35 mpg and between the two of them we had 13 gallon capacity if both had dust in the tanks. I wanted to buy a 500 gallon storage tank sooo bad.

 

[Mark_van_Gorkom]

ISTR it's €1.20 per litre around here (anybody care to do the math? I forgot how much litres to the gallon). Compared to average inflation, the gas prices have actually gone down a bit.

 

[Bravo25]

I remember the gas wars when prices were 13 cents a gallon. That was many moons ago though.

 

[FrUitSkI]

Well, nothing to whine about guys, here in europe we're paying at least 5.6 USD a gallon, that's 1.20 euro a liter,
well at least I drive a smaller car (1.4 liter /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif )

 

[OZ]

And here I thought gas prices in Hawaii was high! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banned2.gif

 

[MenaceSQL]

The lowest I can remember filling up is $0.79/gallon for regular unleaded here in Georgia. That was sometime around seven years ago. Currently it's $1.49/gallon for regular unleaded. Add $0.10/gallon for mid-grade and another $0.10/gallon for premium.

 

[jayflash]

Bravo, 13 cents!? I remember pumping ethyl when it was 29 cents during gas wars of the oily 70's - but 13? Was that closer to the source than way up 'ere in 'consin?

 

[Bravo25]

[ QUOTE ]
jayflash said:
Bravo, 13 cents!? I remember pumping ethyl when it was 29 cents during gas wars of the oily 70's - but 13? Was that closer to the source than way up 'ere in 'consin?

[/ QUOTE ]

Well it was a little before my pumpin years. I remember going to the stations accross from each other, and my dad would fill the car at $.13 a gallon. And just think back then that is when you got the tires check the oil, the radiator, and the windows cleaned for that price. Now we pay an average of $2.00, and have to do all the work ourselves. Not to mention you can't even find a "gas station" any more. Now all we get are kisoks that peddle gas. Used to be able to go get a tire busted, or engine overhaul from the guy you bought your gas from. And if you bought pretty regular from the same service station, if your car wouldn't start in the winter, guess who you would call? He would come out, and work on it to get it going so you could get on to work. Try doing that with a Casey's, Quik Trip,or Walmart fuel station today. What ever happened?
When I started driving in the 70's I think my gas was costing me around $.29, or.30 as well.

 

[GarminGPSMap]

So. Bottom line is:

We know the oil companies and politicians are ripping us off, but we do nothing about it. I think there is a breaking point for us, and the oil companies and politicians will no doubt keep it up until then.