OT - $4/gal Gas Threshold Crossed - Dam Breaking

[FrozenNorth]

A buddy had one, but that was a pain in winter, in Canada, having to scrape the inside of the windshield while driving.

[Leon]

The original gas lines were because of the price freeze on every thing that Nixon imposed. Oil companies said they could not make a profit and quit buying expensive foreign oil. That caused a shortage. Once the price freeze was lifted, so were the shortages and lines. Gas hogs and high performance vehicles got less than 10 mpg back then, and get about 50% better now.

[B A R R Y]

The Saudis started selling us oil again, that's why prices dropped.

There isn't a singular reason right now why oil is climbing in the US, so I'd think twice about jumping on that "great" deal on a gas guzzler. Nowadays, we beg for oil on a world market with a weak dollar, in full competition with other buyers, like India and China, we are now in the genuine world market. India and China weren't there in '72.

On the other hand, for those folks who really genuinely NEED a powerful tow or hauling vehicle... Personally, I would have to incorporate the lack of resale value into any gas guzzler purchased today when analyzing a prospective purchase, but there are some real "must sells" out there!

I bicycle to work ~ 150 days a year, and I'm amazed at the difference in driving "spirit" I see this spring vs. last fall during my commute displayed by "style trucks". Folks are driving with an egg under the accelerator foot! Last year, these folks never missed an opportunity to smoke it from traffic light to traffic light. I'm enjoying the lack of noise.

By "style truck", I'm describing the loaded to the gills, 4x4 w/ 20" rims and low profile tires, leather quad-cab, short-bed, 3/4+ ton, and Hemi trucks, usually with Harley stickers and fiberglass tonneau covers with spoilers, used as commuter vehicles, as opposed to the typical trades-rig with a long bed, racks and boxes and dirt on it.

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[John]

My new truck is much easier on my herniated disk than my wife's Camry

- and the grab handles are better located. The mileage isn't record-breaking at 21 city, 24+ highway with an automatic, but not bad for a vehicle that can carry a 1300lb payload or pull a 3500lb trailer.

Gas prices in the suburbs on the west side of Atlanta are about $3.88/gallon today, with downtown Atlanta prices about $4.09/gallon.

For possible alternative near-future vehicles, look at some of the contenders for the Automotive X-Prize, a $10 million competition for fuel efficient vehicles:

[B A R R Y]

I've *loved* my Toyotas, Subarus, and Hondas! All made in the USA, too.

I've heard some VW horrors, as well. However, no VW could possibly compete with my Jeeps for shop time...

I think I have my wife headed towards a MINI Clubman in '09 or '10 to replace the '99 Wrangler.

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[B A R R Y]

As much as I liked mine, that was also a pain in Connecticut. I can only imagine that car in Canada!

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[PCPaul]

Not quite that quickly here, but that's only because the tax (and the tax on the tax) hasn't gone up as quickly as the underlying oil costs..

The dear gubmint are still planning to put 2p/litre on in the Autumn to 'discourage unnecessary use' though(!)

[mac davis]

I feel your pain, Charlie... Though we're lucky enough to live in Mexico and complain about unleaded going up to $2.30 a Gal, we all make trips to the States.. My neighbor just got back from Fresno, the land of $5.50 a gal diesel.. He's been paying $2.10 here..

We have to go to California on the July 4th weekend for our daughter's wedding and expect the fuel cost to be more than the room charge for 2 nights...

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

[B A R R Y]

At least you get BBC without having to buy an expensive package...

I hate TV, but absolutely *love* "Top Gear", with Clarkson, May, and Hamster!

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[Leon]

My son has stepped in my shoes for car enthusiast. He has read that the MINI is one of the most economical to operate and maintain. Pretty reliable IIRC.

[Richard Evans]

Not necessarily. My '69 Mercury Cyclone Cobra Jet 428 got 12mpg around town and 16mpg on the highway. And I eventually traded it because hi-test gas was too expensive at $.429 per gallon.

Damn, I miss that car.

[Mortimer Schnerd, RN]

How many MPG do you get in that Miata? I've been thinking about one for a long time.

[B A R R Y]

The Cooper is too small for my wife's teaching "work wagon" she carts back and forth every day, but the Clubman is about a foot longer, with all the cool features of the Cooper intact.

Your son should see the Coopers whip around Lime Rock Park.

Check out the air he catches ~ 00:59, you'll hear it in the RPM's. I also like the Porsche waving him by...

I've had the good fortune to do some Skip Barber class days @ LRP, given as a gift, it's really fun!

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[Chris Friesen]

Have you ever tried a Toyota Matrix? Lots of head and leg room. My father-in-law recently had hip surgery and he figures the back seat of our Matrix is the easiest thing around for him to get in/out.

Chris

[FrozenNorth]

At least buy the Pontiac Vibe then, same thing but it has to help somehow.

[B A R R Y]

A buddy of mine has one, and it's been a great daily driving, runaround car. He doesn't have the 4WD version, but he still likes the way it goes in snow. This guy gets tired of cars fast, and he's kept the Matrix longer than anything I remember.

The sister Pontiac Vibe can sometimes be purchased for less, and it's made in the same building as my Toyota Tacoma in Fremont, CA. I believe the Matrix is built in Canada.

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[J. Clarke]

Well, the ones with the Harley stickers are forgivable--they need the truck to haul the bike to and from the bar.

[Rod & Betty Jo]

Actually it was more of OPEC flexing its new found power.....the first oil embargo doubled gas from approx. 30 cents to 60 cents in 1973. The second embargo in 1979 took it from 60 cents to approx. $1.20. Nixon's ill fated inflation inspired price controls did raise havoc with beef and a wide assortment of other products. Nonetheless oil price controls did interfere with the market place since "old oil" was controlled, with new oil exempt .....it did make the lines longer as "well owners" withheld their old oil from the market place.......Thus the 1973 lines were worse than the 1979 lines...both sucked. Rod

[J. Clarke]

The '76 460 Lincoln that's slowly rusting away in my driveway (sooner or later I hope to restore it--it was my mother's car and has sentimental value) usually did about the same.

[Rod & Betty Jo]

Hey Mac Do you know if Mexico subsidizes the price of gas? A few of the oil exporting countries sell gas locally well below world market prices (keeps the natives happy). Rod