Foo - Uggh, gas prices hit home...

Nothing like having to re-auth your credit card twice at the pump because a fillup goes over $75.

Ouch...at least you're not filling up a Semi. Right now it would run...let's see 3.83 x 200 = $766 a fill up!




Record Diesel Prices Nail Hard-Hit Truckers
New York Times | Christopher Maag | March 11, 2008 06:33 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

According to AAA, the motor club, the average nationwide diesel price has set records on 18 of the past 19 days, including Monday, when it hit $3.83 a gallon.

In the nation's tool and die plants, in the driver's seats of farm tractors and in the cabs of the long-haul semis that ply America's highways, people are feeling the pain.

"It's killing us," said Chad Beachler, co-owner of Beachler Trucking, which operates nine trucks in Loudonville, Ohio. "Every day, I come in here and wonder if I have enough money to buy fuel."

Both diesel and gasoline prices had lagged behind the big increase in the price of oil, as slack wintertime demand helped to suppress increases at the pump. But now both fuels are rising rapidly. Gasoline was selling for a nationwide average of nearly $3.23 a gallon on Monday, a half-penny shy of the record set last May. Oil closed up sharply on Monday to hit a record, $107.90 a barrel, in trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/11/record-diesel-prices-nail_n_90874.html?view=print

Oh, hell, I"ve been doing that for quite a while now. 35 gallons, diesel and I usually run it to about empty before refilling each time. I hover around $90-105 or so. With prices nearing $4/gal for diesel, my next one may be closer to $120!

My new motorcycle can't get here soon enough....

Thankfully what I drive only has a 25 gallon gas tank.

Guess my next vehicle will be a FJ cruiser -- only a 19 gallon gas tank, and almost twice the MPG of what I drive now.

Thankfully what I drive only has a 25 gallon gas tank.

Guess my next vehicle will be a FJ cruiser -- only a 19 gallon gas tank, and almost twice the MPG of what I drive now.

The FJ gets pretty decent MPG for its size.

I only pay about $45 for a full tank. 15 gallon tank:o

The FJ gets pretty decent MPG for its size.

I only pay about $45 for a full tank. 15 gallon tank:o

Cease with the obscenity please. :p

Get a Discover cash back card, 5% back on gas purchases. That'd be like a free gallon of gas everytime you fill up.

Or, drive less?

Can someone explain to me why diesel costs (so much) more than gasoline now? It used to be cheaper.

Can someone explain to me why diesel costs (so much) more than gasoline now? It used to be cheaper.

OK...I'll bite...I have 2 trucker friends...I consider them "in the know", and we've had this conversation already.

All these have added to the price:

Refining cost of the Federally mandated low sulfur diesel formulation. (biggest contributor)

In spring and summer, the peak driving season, gasoline sells at a premium to diesel fuel. In the autumn, demand for distillate fuels (heating oil and diesel) picks up ahead of the winter at the same time that gasoline demand begins to soften. Refineries begin to build inventories of high sulfur distillate fuel (heating oil) late in the summer, while diesel fuel consumption increases in the fall due to farm use and trucking of goods ahead of the holidays. Heating oil prices put a floor under diesel prices through the winter, since if diesel were selling at a discount to heating oil, diesel could be used for home heating.

China, India and Europe are now all using much more diesel than ever before.

As always, crude prices affect the price of diesel as well.

Hond Civic - 10gal tank = $38 approx to fill completely.
Gets decent mileage and is reasonably comfortable...:D
40+ mpg on the HWY by the way.

China, India and Europe are now all using much more diesel than ever before.




oooooohhhhhh.... I see.

China and india are the real reasons I think gas prices will never really go down again.

http://www.petrolprices.com/

$75 for a fill up? WTF are you driving?

I drive a windstar and it is around $60 for 3/4 of a tank.
However, I fill up once every month to month and a half.

Nothing like having to re-auth your credit card twice at the pump because a fillup goes over $75.

How do you like your Hummer?

I think an h2 has a gas tank around 32 gal in size. So at $3 a gal= almost a $100 a fill up. lol

My Nissan Titan has been around $72.00 to fill it up recently.

Those of us in Europe give you no sympathy! :p

Those of us in Europe give you no sympathy! :p

+ eleventy bazillion

I think an h2 has a gas tank around 32 gal in size. So at $3 a gal= almost a $100 a fill up. lol

and those things only get 7mpg

Those of us in Europe give you no sympathy! :p

True, but you guys across the pond have functioning public transportation. :( A major improvement where I live is a random new toll road, rather than a new bus, tram, or train line put in.

As for gas, a H2 has a 32 gallon gas tank, so the $100 for a complete fillup is about right. Given the choice, I'd rather have a 4x4 Suburban or Expedition rather than a H2, mainly because driving a H2 is perceived as driving a big middle finger around, and if you look at the specs, other than the tires with the auto pressure, there isn't much difference between an H2 and Chevy's more common cousins.

I wonder how good in reality the new Chevy Tahoe hybrid will be. Supposedly it gets 20mpg, which is darn good for something that size, but the MSRP on that (~$50,000, or 2€ with the current exchange rate) is a bit steep.

True, but you guys across the pond have functioning public transportation. :( A major improvement where I live is a random new toll road, rather than a new bus, tram, or train line put in.

As for gas, a H2 has a 32 gallon gas tank, so the $100 for a complete fillup is about right. Given the choice, I'd rather have a 4x4 Suburban or Expedition rather than a H2, mainly because driving a H2 is perceived as driving a big middle finger around, and if you look at the specs, other than the tires with the auto pressure, there isn't much difference between an H2 and Chevy's more common cousins.

I wonder how good in reality the new Chevy Tahoe hybrid will be. Supposedly it gets 20mpg, which is darn good for something that size, but the MSRP on that (~$50,000, or 2€ with the current exchange rate) is a bit steep.

you do realize that Europe covers a large tract of land, and a lot of countries with different public transportation systems, right?

True, but you guys across the pond have functioning public transportation. :( A major improvement where I live is a random new toll road, rather than a new bus, tram, or train line put in.


I have to wait at least half an hour for a bus and there are none anywhere near me which go to the shops, and I live in the capital city. Don't believe everything you read about European public transport, although in some places it is better than in the States.

I have to wait at least half an hour for a bus and there are none anywhere near me which go to the shops, and I live in the capital city. Don't believe everything you read about European public transport, although in some places it is better than in the States.

But it is still functional. Until people over here regard public transportation as the price of doing business, it is unlikely to change much. Here it is the last thing on the budget, and city councils throw a hissy fit when it doesn't turn a profit.

China and india are the real reasons I think gas prices will never really go down again.
You're right, more or less. According to this site (http://www.energy.ca.gov/gasoline/margins/index.html), which had the most recent cost breakdown I could find, the price of a barrel of crude is roughly 2/3 the cost of the gasoline (I've heard up to 80%, but couldn't find any sources). The more global demand for oil, the higher that base price will climb and the vast expanse of the world that wasn't industrialized only a few decades ago is making up for it very quickly. Added on top of that are all the environmental regulations from end-user emissions to refiner emissions (my bread 'n butter). The consumer is absorbing those costs.

I always get a good little chuckle when I hear someone saying that the price of gas will go down. Prepare to take it in the pooper until wide-spread, varying sources of energy start becoming common place.

The good news is that the price of nuke power is pretty much on parity with fossil fuel power. I've heard recently that Texas is putting in two plants. Hopefully others will soon follow.

But it is still functional. Until people over here regard public transportation as the price of doing business, it is unlikely to change much. Here it is the last thing on the budget, and city councils throw a hissy fit when it doesn't turn a profit.

It's not nearly as bad as you make it out to be. Unless you live in Dallas/FTW or Houston, then it's horrible.

you haven't seen my city council:p

you haven't seen my city council:p

Yes I have. Is The Library still around?

HAAAAAAAAAAA! you have seen it!

No, something else has moved in. There is so much renovation going on it's ridiculous. Chimes Street isn't so funky anmore.

HAAAAAAAAAAA! you have seen it!

No, something else has moved in. There is so much renovation going on it's ridiculous. Chimes Street isn't so funky anmore.

Wow, that's sad. They had cheap Abita in big paper cups as I recall.

abita isn't so cheap anymore either. It's gone big time. 30 states or so...

abita isn't so cheap anymore either. It's gone big time. 30 states or so...

Time do change, I guess.....

this is why I've started commuting nearly every day by bike. My Ford Exploder is just killing me on the gas.

to the op: what are you driving that gets 10mpg? the toyota fjcrusier only gets about 20mpg hiway.

Yes, Europe is not perfect, but its far better than the US where between cities you either take a plane or a very rudimentary bus service (Greyhound). For example, if I wanted to go from north Austin to San Marcos without a vehicle, I'd either have to ride a bike or walk the 30-40 miles or so. A 30 mile trip would be an all day endeavor. In Europe, should I need to do similar, I could find some way of getting there in a couple hours, be it bus, tram, trolley, or Puppeteer teleportation pads.

Yes, Europe is not perfect, but its far better than the US where between cities you either take a plane or a very rudimentary bus service (Greyhound). For example, if I wanted to go from north Austin to San Marcos without a vehicle, I'd either have to ride a bike or walk the 30-40 miles or so. A 30 mile trip would be an all day endeavor. In Europe, should I need to do similar, I could find some way of getting there in a couple hours, be it bus, tram, trolley, or Puppeteer teleportation pads.

I think you have an idealistic view of Europe. It's not so easy to get around in all places. In any event once you reach San Marcos you have a beautiful river to swim in and float down. (At least until you hit LBJ....)

I think you have an idealistic view of Europe. It's not so easy to get around in all places. In any event once you reach San Marcos you have a beautiful river to swim in and float down. (At least until you hit LBJ....)

So, they don't have the Puppeteer teleportation pads between cities?

Rats... Guess I need to visit there for a long time to see how its like firsthand.

So, they don't have the Puppeteer teleportation pads between cities?

Rats... Guess I need to visit there for a long time to see how its like firsthand.

wasn't there a problem with flies getting in the pods at the time of teletransport, and the dna mixing up?
Pretty sure I saw something about this a few years ago.

Yes, Europe is not perfect, but its far better than the US where between cities you either take a plane or a very rudimentary bus service (Greyhound). For example, if I wanted to go from north Austin to San Marcos without a vehicle, I'd either have to ride a bike or walk the 30-40 miles or so. A 30 mile trip would be an all day endeavor. In Europe, should I need to do similar, I could find some way of getting there in a couple hours, be it bus, tram, trolley, or Puppeteer teleportation pads.

Capital cities such as London have good arterial public transport but the further out/into suburbs you get the more patchy it becomes. If you're in a rural/semi-rural area the only public transport may be a weekly bus service with only an hour between trips. That is, get on the bus and immediately have to get on the return bus :( and that's it until next week.

OK...I'll bite...I have 2 trucker friends...I consider them "in the know", and we've had this conversation already.

All these have added to the price:

Refining cost of the Federally mandated low sulfur diesel formulation. (biggest contributor)

In spring and summer, the peak driving season, gasoline sells at a premium to diesel fuel. In the autumn, demand for distillate fuels (heating oil and diesel) picks up ahead of the winter at the same time that gasoline demand begins to soften. Refineries begin to build inventories of high sulfur distillate fuel (heating oil) late in the summer, while diesel fuel consumption increases in the fall due to farm use and trucking of goods ahead of the holidays. Heating oil prices put a floor under diesel prices through the winter, since if diesel were selling at a discount to heating oil, diesel could be used for home heating.

China, India and Europe are now all using much more diesel than ever before.

As always, crude prices affect the price of diesel as well.

In addition, refining capacity of diesel here in the US is not very high, since the motoring public and environmentalists have essentially made diesel a bad word. That comes from the diesel offerings of the 70s/80s, like the Mercedes, VW Rabbit and such. Gutless, loud and smelly. No demand, no reason to make the stuff here.

Now that modern diesels are creeping back into the mix, we have more trucks on the road delivering goods and cold winters (home heating oil #2 is essentially diesel), mean there's not enough to go around and prices of this produce - that is cheaper to make than gasoline - are 75 cents or more higher than regular gas.

Still wouldn't trade my diesel pickup and I'd love to get a diesel car like a Passat or Mercedes E320. But since the truck's my choice, the wife gets her choice and hasn't made that leap yet.

It's not nearly as bad as you make it out to be. Unless you live in Dallas/FTW or Houston, then it's horrible.

True. DFW was not built with mass transit in mind.

Those of us in Europe give you no sympathy! :p
Just out of curiosity...how does the health care system work in most
European Countries. And how about educating your children in University...
does that run $20,000 to $30,000 per year per student?

To be fair we must remember on both sides of the pond to look at the Whole
financial picture, not just transportation costs.

90-100 mpg on my scooter, and it goes highway speeds.