Gas prices are going to........(wait for it....)

[HardDrive]

[RANT]

Rise

That right, there going to go up.

Just like they have EVERY ****** SUMMER for the past 50 years.

A quick primer so we can avoid any gas price related posts for the rest of the summer:

1) Gas prices are set by supply and demand. Get over it.

2) One day 'don't buy gas today' ideas are beyond stupid. And as an e-mail systems administrator, I would ask that you please not forward the inane e-mails promoting this idea to everyone in your contact list.

3) Prices will never be returning to 'the good old days', get the f*ck over it, and don't drive a Yukon if you don't like it. While your at it, try living within 30 miles of your job dumb ass.

4) Shockingly enough, taking public transportation will not kill you. Sure, you might have to see a person with a skin color that is different that your own. You might even be required to *GASP* talk to them. But chances are, you will not fall dead from the experience.

Am I being an a55hole? Yep. Sure am. Just damn feed up sitting in meetings with some idiot who drives an Expedition 80 miles round trip to work everyday gripe about prices.

I DO feel bad for guys who need to make their living with a truck. It must be hard on contractors and service folks. They can't just put up a 'Due to increased fuel cost, our prices are going up....' sign and expect people to eat the cost.

[/RANT]

[carnutzzz]

Feel better?

[The Gaijin]

RANT part II.

Please somebody make gas $10 a gallon! I am sick of the crowded roads, bad drivers, idiots in SUVs/Pickups and with the driving I do can well afford it.

Dont like my rant? Post your own.

[widebody911]

...but when indexed against Elbonian yak dung futures, gas prices are the lowest they've been in history...

[cowtown]

Originally posted by The Gaijin
Please somebody make gas $10 a gallon! I am sick of the crowded roads, bad drivers, idiots in SUVs/Pickups and with the driving I do can well afford it.

Hear hear!

Originally posted by HardDrive
4) Shockingly enough, taking public transportation will not kill you.

Well, I don't know...I'm pretty sure it will.

After taking buses, trains, and ferryboats through 19 years of school plus the first 7 years of my working career (SF Bay Area), I've damn well earned the right to drive my 993 to work every day....

But that's just selfish me.

[hytem]

Well, you get the cookie. Right on.

My local gas station owner has a Hummer. He makes about 8 cents a gallon on gas he sells. I told him the price was set by supply and demand. And his Hummer and the rest of those guzzling SUVs were keeping the price high. Price increases with demand. Economics 101. He said if all cars were gas guzzlers, they would sell more gas and the price would be lower. He does not get a cookie. He fails Economics 101. Good mechanic, though.

[HardDrive]

Originally posted by cowtown
After taking buses, trains, and ferryboats through 19 years of school plus the first 7 years of my working career (SF Bay Area), I've damn well earned the right to drive my 993 to work every day....

But that's just selfish me.

Your not selfish. You worked your ass off, and now that you can afford it, you drive a nice car. No crime there.

Nah, this post is about jerks who commute (alone) in a Ford F150 crew cab, then have the brass to b!tch about gas.

[VINMAN]

Originally posted by HardDrive
Nah, this post is about jerks who commute (alone) in a Ford F150 crew cab, then have the brass to b!tch about gas.

YAWN...........

[tobster1911]

Originally posted by HardDrive
Your not selfish. You worked your ass off, and now that you can afford it, you drive a nice car. No crime there.

[RANT]

Since this seems to be the rant central....

This is the perfect example of one of my gripes. Typical rich vs. poor hypocrisy. You feel that just because someone has money is the only reason they are entitled to drive a nice car that gets "bad" gas mileage. But those people who are "poor", meaning they are on the edge and rising gas prices can really effect their budget, should have to drive some small, gutless, POS (and like it) just to make you feel better. Even better you think that they should have to live within some distance from their job, without even considering if they can afford to do so.

The classic "Do as I say, not as I do" because "I can afford not to have to do the same".

[/RANT]

Your specific instance seems like a valid case for ranting though.

[Jims5543]

I wish someone would come out with a totally electric small pickup truck that had about a 200 mile range on a charge. I would snap 2 up right away.

We use 2 Toyota Tacoma 4X4 trucks with 4 cyl engines and manual trannies. I drive one and consistantly get 23MPG and if I REALLY try hard I get 25 MPG. I get about 430-460 miles from a tank of gas. That will last me just about a week.

The prices are affecting my business because my co-worker that drives the other truck cannot get more than 17 MPG with his driving style. So eats up 2-3 tanks a week to my 1-2 a week.

I was talking to a guy at my sons school that owns a pool company and his gas prices are in the $7500 a month range. I stopped crying the blues after that.

I still want an electric pickup truck for local runs. I wish one existed.

[sammyg2]

For the record, I believe the wholesale price has peaked and will not go much higher unless the speculators can drive it higher on sheer optomism or unless something happens in the world to affect the market. I have a hunch that the media is hyping this out of proportion on purpose and are about three weeks behind reality.
But... We (the US) are using about 2.5% more gas than we were last year at this time so the price has not affected demand. We are still burning it even though it it is more expensive.
The imported fuel that normally makes up the gap has not been as redily available because of higher demand overseas. There have been several significant refinery problems that have hurt supply. The US givernment has investigated every one, they are real, they are unfortunate and undesired, and they are hurting the refineries that are down big time while the competitors are benefitting. No sandbaggging, the refineries that are down on production are missing the boat. I nkow of two vice-presidents who have lost their jobs because the refineries they were responsible for are not producing. Pretty soon they will be back up and I "think" the market will catch up and by the end of June there will be a glut and the price will come down.

BTW I sold off all my TSO stock a few weeks ago at $104 (and left some money on the table) and sold my VLO stock last wednesday for $72.80
only time will tell if I timed it right. If someone wanted to gamble they might want to short TSO or VLO in the next few weeks. I'm not in the mood to gamble right now, the refining sector has already outperformed my expectations so I'm not real confident.
I have no real vested interest in the refining market right now except for curiosity.
I'll get back into the market in November or December, until then my money is in safe haven.

In the next year or so the governments (state first, then federal) will start a campain to brainwash consumers to slow down consumption. They did it with cigarettes, they are trying to do it with fat and soda, it's just a matter of time. California will probably lead the campain, with Al Gore and Rob Reiner. they are convinced we are not smart enough to make our own decisions and will play god and make them for us.
The campain will include negative cost incentives (taxes, fines, fees etc) and also mis-information and lies. They will take the extra taxes and use them against all of us. It worked with cigarettes, it'll work on the weak minded again. The cost of a gallon will hit $6 a gallon because of all the special fees and taxes, but the extra cost will be used to punish us. Do you really think a new SUV will be targetted first? No, old, innefficent, dirty vehicles (like older Porshes) will be the first to fall. They won't really outlaw them at first, they will make them so expensive to own and make the owners look like satan so the general public will rise up against the owners. The cars won't be worth scrap. After the older cars, they will go after the bigger cars. It doesn't matter if you have a need, it will still cost you big time.
Don't believe me? Hide and watch. The next time you drive by a group of smokers who have been herded into a little pen, just remember you are next.
After all, you are not smart enough to decide on your own. They know what's best for us. We don't. The global warming scam was the first step, the higher cost is the next in the progression, they have the perfect opportunity all set up for them.
You heard it here first.
I can't wait to bump this thread after it all comes true, I love to say I told you so but I hope I'm wrong in this case. They've tried before unsuccessfully but now they have the general population beleiving their crap and all primed for programming.

[pwd72s]

Can you imagine trying to keep a MFI early 911S running on E85?
I made a good choice in Evren as the next caretaker of my old beater. Turkey still uses leaded fuel...you see, only the USA contributes to pollution & global warming...

Sammy has a point...I believe the era of enthusiast cars is winding down in the USA...the various "green" minded politicians will see to that.

[Aurel]

Originally posted by Jim Cesiro
I wish someone would come out with a totally electric small pickup truck that had about a 200 mile range on a charge. I would snap 2 up right away.

We use 2 Toyota Tacoma 4X4 trucks with 4 cyl engines and manual trannies. I drive one and consistantly get 23MPG and if I REALLY try hard I get 25 MPG. I get about 430-460 miles from a tank of gas. That will last me just about a week.

The prices are affecting my business because my co-worker that drives the other truck cannot get more than 17 MPG with his driving style. So eats up 2-3 tanks a week to my 1-2 a week.

I was talking to a guy at my sons school that owns a pool company and his gas prices are in the $7500 a month range. I stopped crying the blues after that.

I still want an electric pickup truck for local runs. I wish one existed.

The company I do research with makes the batteries for this vehicle.. Looks a lot like what you are looking for...

Aurel

[hytem]

Originally posted by Jim Cesiro
I wish someone would come out with a totally electric small pickup truck that had about a 200 mile range on a charge. I would snap 2 up right away.

There is a tremendous market out there for electric or hybrid cars and small trucks in urban areas. A tremendous market. The American car companies have a great opportunity to recapture the market with one big leapfrog. So what are they doing? Following the oil companies, like they usually do--over a cliff.

[jyl]

Enthusiast cars are not going away yet. Today you can buy a mid-priced four-door sedan with more horsepower, acceleration, and handling than almost any Porsche you could buy before 1990, and a fraction of the emissions. Tommorrow you'll be able to buy a sports car that does 0-60 in 4 seconds and uses no gas at all. Actually, you can buy that today.

Enthusiast cars are changing, that's all. Any they always have. In 1960, when our beloved 911 was born, someone was probably moaning that they didn't make Blower Bentleys any more.

At some point, technology, emissions, and fuel prices won't be the biggest challenges to the enthusiast car. "Relevance" will be the challenge. When a hot mom Volvo hybrid minivan has 400HP and gets to 60MPH in 5 seconds, what will an enthusiast Porsche have to do? 700HP and 3 seconds? Where will you drive such a thing? How long will you stay out of jail, or morgue? Look at what's happening to the autobahn in Germany. The performance of enthusiast cars is going to outstrip the ability of roads to safely accomodate them. We'll all have to move to Nevada, or do our driving at 3AM.

[JavaBrewer]

Those new clumsy looking minvans can be downright butt fast. Two kids, soccer balls falling out the back, Mom drinking a latte ordering new shoes from Nordstroms by cell phone riding your 911 butt at 90mph on the freeway fast.

[HardDrive]

Originally posted by tobster1911
[RANT]

Since this seems to be the rant central....

This is the perfect example of one of my gripes. Typical rich vs. poor hypocrisy. You feel that just because someone has money is the only reason they are entitled to drive a nice car that gets "bad" gas mileage. But those people who are "poor", meaning they are on the edge and rising gas prices can really effect their budget, should have to drive some small, gutless, POS (and like it) just to make you feel better. Even better you think that they should have to live within some distance from their job, without even considering if they can afford to do so.

The classic "Do as I say, not as I do" because "I can afford not to have to do the same".

[/RANT]


Your specific instance seems like a valid case for ranting though.

Your reading a bit to much into my statement. Moreover, I assure you, the persons that sparked this thread CAN afford it.

Part of your statement, about the less wealthy having to drive "some small, gutless, POS ", well.......yeah. Its called capitalism. Our social/governmental system rewards certain behaviors and skills, and part of that reward is the ability to afford a more luxurious car. So what? Are you advocating some kind of automotive socialism?

"just to make you feel better" ??????????????????

Have to many espresso shots? Where are you getting that man? I never said anything suggesting that I take pleasure in other people misfortune.

Now with all that out of the way, lets be clear: The poor can kiss my ass.


(kidding.....)

[white87911]

make me glad to be drving this today.

[tobster1911]

Originally posted by HardDrive
Your reading a bit to much into my statement. Moreover, I assure you, the persons that sparked this thread CAN afford it.

Part of your statement, about the less wealthy having to drive "some small, gutless, POS ", well.......yeah. Its called capitalism. Our social/governmental system rewards certain behaviors and skills, and part of that reward is the ability to afford a more luxurious car. So what? Are you advocating some kind of automotive socialism?

"just to make you feel better" ??????????????????

Have to many espresso shots? Where are you getting that man? I never said anything suggesting that I take pleasure in other people misfortune.

Now with all that out of the way, lets be clear: The poor can kiss my ass.


(kidding.....)

Like I said, your case seems warranted. By "just to make you feel better" I mean that many (lets call them rich snobs) seem to think that those on the edge of their budget do not have a valid complaint (in general not this specific case) that the vehicle that they are currently driving is becoming too expensive to fill up. The snobs even applaud this and think gas prices should go up. Snobs feel that these people should have to downsize to a POS just so the snobs don't have to listen to them "complain". They already have the nicer vehicle that fits their needs and now they have to give that up? To the snobs it is just "complaining" because it does not really affect them. It is just less play money. To that person it can be the difference in being able to pay the bills and going into debt.

Snobs cellabrate these peoples problems because the snobs don't personally like the choice of vehicle. And snobs look down on them because they don't have the money to drive whatever they want like the snob.

My family spends 7% of our expenses on gas and maintenance of our vehicles. For comparison, we spend 13% on food. It helps that we own our vehicles in full.

[kaisen]

I'm with Hard Drive on the hypocricy issue. But it goes both ways.

If you want to drive a gas guzzler, it's your right. If you want to drive a fuel sipper, that's your right too. But I don't want to hear about why your choice is the only one that's right.

There is a Prius-owner in my neighborhood that preaches his brilliance every chance he gets, and condemns all the suburban soccer moms who drive big vehicles and anyone who drives a pickup or SUV, regardless of their need for it.

Of course he's also the guy who brags on what a genius consumer he is and how he spent countless hours researching the very best price on his Prius. Saved $700 over the local Toyota dealer (8 minutes away) by buying one 600 miles away then having it shipped for $400, netting a $300 savings. Of course, it came on a semi with a flatbed. 600 miles at 5-6mpg. 100+ gallons of dino-bones burned to save him $300 that would have supported our local family-owned dealer.

We should start rating the hybrid emissions on smug-per-mile.