Gas Prices -- the Cause

[JS]

...
Yeah...I guess I contributed some to the price of gas when I opted for a 300M in 1999. But even then, it was getting twice the mileage that most SUV's got. And when I bought the Prius, gas was "only" about $2 a gallon. But...how come, when gas hit $4 a gallon, nobody seemed to stand up and say "mea culpa" because their vehicle of choice for the past 20 years got abysmal mileage? Very few. Instead it was speculators, OPEC, democrats for not letting us drill offshore, and treehuggers for not letting us drill in Alaska. Nobody said "gee, I was burning 50 gallons of gas a week for the past 20 years, mostly to and from work...I wonder if THAT had anything to do with today's gas prices".

very little, actually

 

[KCFlyer]

very little, actually

So let me get this straight JS....burning millions of gallons of gasoline a day for 20 years has "very little" impact on the price of gasoline? Seeing how even a "gas hog" 300M gets double the mileage of your typical SUV, and seeing how we use 20 million barrels of oil per day, it would seem like if everybody switched to a similar "gas hog" sedan like a 300M, our demand for oil would drop by half. Now...we don't use ALL 20 million barrels on gasoline, but let's say we use "only" 10 million for gasoline...cutting that demand in half would mean we are saving 5 million barrels of oil per day. Are you saying that's not significant?

 

[JS]

So let me get this straight JS....burning millions of gallons of gasoline a day for 20 years has "very little" impact on the price of gasoline? Seeing how even a "gas hog" 300M gets double the mileage of your typical SUV, and seeing how we use 20 million barrels of oil per day, it would seem like if everybody switched to a similar "gas hog" sedan like a 300M, our demand for oil would drop by half. Now...we don't use ALL 20 million barrels on gasoline, but let's say we use "only" 10 million for gasoline...cutting that demand in half would mean we are saving 5 million barrels of oil per day. Are you saying that's not significant?

First of all, oil is a world market, most of which is outside the U.S. There is little we can do about the demand for oil from other countries, short of slapping huge tarriffs on India and China. This would cause more economic damage to ourselves than the piddly amount we would save in gasoline prices from their slightly lower demand for oil.

Secondly, you're assuming that every single motor vehicle in the U.S. driven over the last 20 years was an SUV bought solely for the purpose of being a status symbol. It's a small fraction and has a negligible impact on the price of gasoline today.

 

[Cosworth]

Are you sure you want to stick with that answer? The F150 has been the top selling vehicle in the US for quite some time (close to 20 years I believe). In 2005, of the top 5 vehicles sold in the US, 3 were trucks. The top two were the F150 and Silverado. 2005 car sales Are you really arguing that most of the trucks are actually used as designed a majority of the time? How many times do you see a tuck driving around with something in the bed verses empty? If the people who bought trucks just to be in a truck were to have bought a fuel efficient vehicle the reduction of consumption would be quite dramatic.

2008 has been the first time in 17 years that the F150 has not been the number ones selling vehicle in the US. It actually dropped to 4th position in 2008. 2008 car sales. So did all the people who needed a truck change jobs? I doubt it. I am guessing that they realized they could no longer rationalize wasting money on gas for a status symbol they did not need.

If people would get a vehicle based on their needs verses what they want or what the Johnsons have, we would not be as bad off as we are now. Unfortunately we live in an incredibly superficial and self centered society. We let our wants governed our decisions. Now we pay the price.

No one here is talking about the demands of other nations other than to say that the demand for oil by China and India is increasing world cost. What I believe most are arguing is for the US to control it's consumption and to get away from oil use so that the price of oil and the needs of India and China will not affect our economy and lives as it does now.

 

[Bobbie]

I drive a Mercedes-Benz GL550 SUV. I rarely exceed 15 miles per gallon and that would be on a good day. I spend thousands on fuel annually driving throughout Southern California and up as far as the Central Coast. I think, compared to a cup of Starbucks coffee or a gallon of milk, neither of which will carry me 15 miles in top-notch comfort and safety, gasoline is remarkably inexpensive.

My vehicle hasn't seen any non-pavement other than a soccer field on occasion. I like the ride height, the comfort, and the way it drives. It's a "want" not a "need." And I'm willing to pay for it. So what if it's not the vehicle for you.

 

[Cosworth]

I drive a Mercedes-Benz GL550 SUV. I rarely exceed 15 miles per gallon and that would be on a good day. I spend thousands on fuel annually driving throughout Southern California and up as far as the Central Coast. I think, compared to a cup of Starbucks coffee or a gallon of milk, neither of which will carry me 15 miles in top-notch comfort and safety, gasoline is remarkably inexpensive.

My vehicle hasn't seen any non-pavement other than a soccer field on occasion. I like the ride height, the comfort, and the way it drives. It's a "want" not a "need." And I'm willing to pay for it. So what if it's not the vehicle for you.

Very easy. Your over consumption increases the need to for fuel to be imported and drives the cost up for everyone. No one needs coffee. Living in most US cities where the is no public transportation having a car is a need. A car is needed to get to work and make a living.

You are part of the problem IMO.

 

[Seatacus]

Very easy. Your over consumption increases the need to for fuel to be imported and drives the cost up for everyone. No one needs coffee. Living in most US cities where the is no public transportation having a car is a need. A car is needed to get to work and make a living.

You are part of the problem IMO.

Over consumption is in the eye of the beholder................... At what point is one over consuming? Or is an over consumer anyone who consumes more than you. If someone rides a bike to work then everyone who can ride a bike but drives to work is an over consumer.

 

[Cosworth]

Over consumption is in the eye of the beholder................... At what point is one over consuming? Or is an over consumer anyone who consumes more than you. If someone rides a bike to work then everyone who can ride a bike but drives to work is an over consumer.

Or how about we use the CAFE avg and start from there? Do you think 15MPG is reasonable much less avg among cars manufactured today?

Just because someone says "day" does not mean you have to say "night" There is time in between like dawn and dusk.

 

[Bobbie]

If there's a problem, then i proudly embrace being a part of it. Fuel remains an outstanding value. I'm not trading my SUV in for anything other than a larger SUV. The ability to, upon encountering a traffic jam, exit the freeway in places where there is no exit (like a median, embankment, or curb) is very important to me. It's a distinct advantage in traffic and allows me to get to my destination more quickly and efficiently than others around me. I value my ability to drive for any or no reason at any given moment. It's important to me and my family. What's efficient to me is being able to haul three boys, a dog, and my husband wherever I want with room for our luggage, sports equipment, boat, barbeque pit, or anything else we deem necessary on our family outings.

I commute to work, as well. My husband drives an even more fuel thirsty truck than I do... Guess what? He commutes alone too. We work 3 miles from one another and commute separately. We have different things to do at lunch and before and after work. There's no way we could do it with just one truck.

For me, there is no other vehicle than a truck or an SUV. I would never drive anything that impractical.

To add to it, my truck requires Premium fuel!

 

[Gilding the Lily]

If there's a problem, then i proudly embrace being a part of it. Fuel remains an outstanding value. I'm not trading my SUV in for anything other than a larger SUV. The ability to, upon encountering a traffic jam, exit the freeway in places where there is no exit (like a median, embankment, or curb) is very important to me. It's a distinct advantage in traffic and allows me to get to my destination more quickly and efficiently than others around me. I value my ability to drive for any or no reason at any given moment. It's important to me and my family. What's efficient to me is being able to haul three boys, a dog, and my husband wherever I want with room for our luggage, sports equipment, boat, barbeque pit, or anything else we deem necessary on our family outings.

I commute to work, as well. My husband drives an even more fuel thirsty truck than I do... Guess what? He commutes alone too. We work 3 miles from one another and commute separately. We have different things to do at lunch and before and after work. There's no way we could do it with just one truck.

For me, there is no other vehicle than a truck or an SUV. I would never drive anything that impractical.

To add to it, my truck requires Premium fuel!

I suppose it is no different than a morbidly obese person or excessive smoker proudly claiming their responsibility for a health care crisis. Keep smoking that pack, Boobie.

I take solace in the fact that you are willing to pay for your vice. The fat person's vice often costs them additional health care premiums, additional life insurance premiums, constant ridicule, etc. The smoker's vice costs them additional tax, yellow teeth, bad breath, additional health care premiums, additional life insurance premiums, etc. Your vice now brings additional costs such as premium fuel, less travel for the money, perhaps future additional taxes, perhaps higher insurance premiums. It will not be long till your fellow LAers start ridiculing the SUV owners like they have with fat people and smokers. You are willing to happily pay those costs now; time will tell if you are willing once the persecution begins.

 

[Bobbie]

I suppose it is no different than a morbidly obese person or excessive smoker proudly claiming their responsibility for a health care crisis. Keep smoking that pack, Boobie.

I take solace in the fact that you are willing to pay for your vice. The fat person's vice often costs them additional health care premiums, additional life insurance premiums, constant ridicule, etc. The smoker's vice costs them additional tax, yellow teeth, bad breath, additional health care premiums, additional life insurance premiums, etc. Your vice now brings additional costs such as premium fuel, less travel for the money, perhaps future additional taxes, perhaps higher insurance premiums. It will not be long till your fellow LAers start ridiculing the SUV owners like they have with fat people and smokers. You are willing to happily pay those costs now; time will tell if you are willing once the persecution begins.

There's a truck and SUV revolution happening in California and all across America. The prices are now at such a point that people are doing real-world math and realizing that the total cost of ownership (including fuel) of SUV's and trucks is below many of these supposedly "green" vehicles which are commanding massive premiums. In my case, I paid substantially less than MSRP for my vehicle. It will be 4 years before I even approach the cost of ownership of a Mercedes-Benz car that gets DOUBLE the fuel economy of my SUV.

I drive an SUV in 2008 because I had add, subtract, multiply, and divide. I'm saving money on the backs of the auto industry... I've got no problem with that.

God bless you,

 

[Gilding the Lily]

There's a truck and SUV revolution happening in California and all across America. The prices are now at such a point that people are doing real-world math and realizing that the total cost of ownership (including fuel) of SUV's and trucks is below many of these supposedly "green" vehicles which are commanding massive premiums. In my case, I paid substantially less than MSRP for my vehicle. It will be 4 years before I even approach the cost of ownership of a Mercedes-Benz car that gets DOUBLE the fuel economy of my SUV.

I drive an SUV in 2008 because I had add, subtract, multiply, and divide. I'm saving money on the backs of the auto industry... I've got no problem with that.

God bless you,

HAHAHA. Too funny, Bobbie. Comparing to a "Mercedes-Benz car!!!" Why not compare it to a ferrari, or a Maybach, that way you can convince yourself you are saving hundreds of thousands of dollars!

 

[Tug McGroin]

HAHAHA. Too funny, Bobbie. Comparing to a "Mercedes-Benz car!!!" Why not compare it to a ferrari, or a Maybach, that way you can convince yourself you are saving hundreds of thousands of dollars!

And you thought arguing over similar UN resolutions was silly!! LOL

 

[Seatacus]

Just because someone says "day" does not mean you have to say "night" There is time in between like dawn and dusk.

I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride it where I like
You say black I say white
You say bark I say bite
You say shark I say hey man
Jaws was never my scene
And I don't like Star Wars
You say Rolls I say Royce
You say God give me a choice

 

[tech2101]

There's a truck and SUV revolution happening in California and all across America. The prices are now at such a point that people are doing real-world math and realizing that the total cost of ownership (including fuel) of SUV's and trucks is below many of these supposedly "green" vehicles which are commanding massive premiums. In my case, I paid substantially less than MSRP for my vehicle. It will be 4 years before I even approach the cost of ownership of a Mercedes-Benz car that gets DOUBLE the fuel economy of my SUV.

I drive an SUV in 2008 because I had add, subtract, multiply, and divide. I'm saving money on the backs of the auto industry... I've got no problem with that.

God bless you,

Let them eat cake Ms. Antoinette.

Or in a more recent term/acronym...

FTW!...I own it...(insert the laugh out loud acronym and the obligatory god reference here)

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