So how come housing prices are declining then? ;)

I know, I'm a smartass.

Happy 2011.

A 50 HP difference I could see being worth it, but 10-15? Your butt dyno won't feel that.

There are a couple of very large refineries owned by a couple of well known companies within 50 miles of Chicago. And the area south of Chicago is a major hub for pipelines....

In Chicago....it's simply the taxes.

The declining dollar, inflation, what ever you want to toss in therdoesn't explain gas station prices going from $2.99 to $3.29 within a work week. I pass several stations on my commute and I see a $0.10 bump from morning to night. If the station down the street can sustain it, the others will jack up the price too. Why not? Cars are still streaming in to fill up.

When it does hit $4, we'll hear discussions at the office again about alternatives to commuting and folks looking to buy used CRXs and Insights. Until then 3.50 is acceptable by Americans. Everytime this happens our expectation changes and the new high becomes the norm....

Our demand is relatively inelastic

I've been looking at used VW desiels and their resale value is amazing. And I'm talking about early 2000's to current. They just get snapped up within days. Is it a VW following or the MPG?

Illinois GAS
 

We here have a large refinery in Whiting Ind aand several close by associated facility. Most all the oil they refine is Canadian.

Most of the high prices in Chicago and the Collar counties are due to taxes for the "high" level of services we receive.

I do agree that we will not return to the highest standards of living we once had - I see that we will live in a prolonged time of economic malaise -highish unemployment. high taxation, crumbling infrastructure, etc.

As for fuel prices the declining dollar and demand will drive up the price. And while there is more oil that we are able to drill for the costs of such operations such as shale oil, and say deep water drilling will be higher despite better technology to get at the oil.

Government barriers will inflate the price - one sees this in relation to the building resistance to fracking technology in the natural gas business.

The oil age may be ending but the end will be slow and expensive barring any big break throughs in energy technology.

Mflo

LOL! Considering how much early 911 folks pay for 10-15 horsepower...:rolleyes:

True, that some will spend thousands to gain a few more HP (I'm guilty here), but in the case of the 911, that's what has to be done, as the engineering was done up front to get all that could be had. Unlike a Mustang (and I've had a few) where HP was left on the table and aftermarket parts are cheap and easily available to obtain big HP numbers.

My point was that you won't feel 10-15, as it takes 25 or maybe 50 HP to where you can feel it.

Yep....the most common route for Mustangs seems to be to run a blower. A quick bolt on, easily getting past 425 horsepower. I've thought about it, but I'm not big on boosted engines. Plus I worry about the added power taking away from the good overall balance the car currently has.

Another factor is the slippery slope more power brings...a blower would only begin the mods.

I man, how much horsepower does it take to get to the pool hall & back? Autocross & track days are well behind me.

So far, I'm resisting the modifications temptations...

Throwing on a NOS system or supercharger is the easy answer, but you have to think about fuel and ignition, just like a turbo. Then do you add an intercooler, etc...

Better flowing exhaust, heads, intake, cam, etc. can give you just about the same results, with a engine that has a longer lifespan. Just takes more homework to do right and more work to install. Something many are too lazy to do.

I'm at 400 rwhp with CIS. I just couldn't spend the money to go EFI, as 400 was enough (well you can never have too much, but I had to draw the line some where).

You named 'em all...and they are out there....and when done with a supercharger or Turbo? Well, 600 horsepower Mustangs aren't all that unique these days.

Man, if 15% ethanol becomes the norm, will your CIS handle it???...I'd be thinking EFI if I had a CIS car in this "green" state full of "blue" votes.

There is nothing, nothing at all anywhere that can compare to positive intake manifold pressure.
I've had a turbocharged bug, a turbo 914, a turbo 911SC, and a blown gas hemi in a flatbottom. I came real close to putting a blower in my tundra but I sold it before I got around to it.

Boost is gud! Real gud! Girls may not like it but real men do ;)

and what's this balance crap? A myth, that's what it is.
That's just like the doofuses who say if you add HP you need to upgrade the brakes too, even though one has nothing to do with the other unless you increase the top speed or the weight.

More power doesn't do anything to the "balance" of a car. It just makes it more powerful.
And believe me, I've never driven or ridden in a moostang that had too much power ;)

I'm curious what this new Israel discovery will do to the supply/demand equation: Big Gas Find Sparks a Frenzy in Israel - WSJ.com

To contribute to the 87/91 octane tangent, my wife's 2004 4Runner did 3-4 MPG better on 91 octane, which was "recommended for best performance" in the owner's manual. It also seemed to run smoother, enough so that my wife asked me what I had fixed on her car after I started filling it with 91.

Nothing, as it is a nat gas field.

Doh! I just linked to an article, I could have sworn they said oil on the news.