Proof that gas isn't too expensive

[SoonerInKCMO]

I have two pieces of evidence:

1) Last week as the wind here in KC was whipping around at about 30-40 mph, two guys in our landscaping company were out with their gas-powered leaf-blowers. Blowing grass and leaves from one place to another just to have the wind blow it somewhere else.

2) On my trip to OKC this weekend, while going 70 on I-35 I was repeatedly passed by all manner of F-250s & 350s, Silverado 2500s & 3500s, whatever Dodge's 3/4 and 1-ton trucks are called - some towing trailers with all manner of 4-wheelers, 3-wheelers, etc. - going 80+.

[Veritas]

Yeah, I like to whine about it but I haven't changed my driving habits a bit.

[tommieharris91]

I go slower on the roads now. It's a secret that no one seems to know about...

[Curly Bill]

I go slower on the roads now. It's a secret that no one seems to know about...

I know about the going slower thing...

...I'm just not gonna do it...

...so get the hell out my way! :D

[TheHumanAlphabet]

I have been a trailblazer...I usually use a broom and a dust pan to sweep up clippings and leaves from the gutters and driveway and then put them in the yard waste bag. I think I am the only person on my block that does this.

[yermom]

that's my motto

[OklahomaRed]

Got rid of my Yukon XL before it's value dropped to Zero, and bought a Toyota Camry 4 cylinder. Went from 12 city/17 highway to 21 city/31 highway. That's $1,556 annual savings at 15,000 miles driven per year, as well as saving the $6,500 a year loss in devaluation of the Yukon (thing was dropping like a rock), plus I get to feel all good about myself going green! :D That was the least of my reasons. I'm a bottom line kind of person. How many individuals here think it will hit $4.00 by the 4th of July?

[yermom]

i've already seen it over $4

i paid like $4.20 for premium a week or two ago

[JohnnyMack]

i've already seen it over $4

i paid like $4.20 for premium a week or two ago

Geo Storms require premium?

[OklahomaRed]

Diesel in Texas is $4.60 a gallon at some places. I see those dudes driving around and wonder how the heck they make their truck payment and still afford to put diesel in the thing? :confused:

[yermom]

Geo Storms require premium?

300 HP four bangers do...

i've been driving it as little as possible :eek:

i wish i had a Geo :D

[OklahomaRed]

My son has an 06 Honda Si. We've always did the 91 octane in the thing. What's the lowest octane you can run in a Si or WRX without causing an issue that will be a lot more money than another $0.20 a gallon?

[r5TPsooner]

I filled up the wife's kid hauler yesterday which cost $88.

I filled up my kid hauler this morning which cost $92.

I'll only use one tank of gas a month but it will cost us almost $400 a month just to gas up the wife's hauler.

No sense in bitchin about it I guess, you gotta have it so just do it I guess.

[yermom]

My son has an 06 Honda Si. We've always did the 91 octane in the thing. What's the lowest octane you can run in a Si or WRX without causing an issue that will be a lot more money than another $0.20 a gallon?

i've never tried anything lower than 90 in my STi (dang Western states)

i didn't know the Si needed premium, it's not that high compression, is it?

[OklahomaRed]

i've never tried anything lower than 90 in my STi (dang Western states)

i didn't know the Si needed premium, it's not that high compression, is it?

Redlines at 8,000. Manufacturer recommends premium. I don't know what the compression is. 200 HP out of a 2.0 liter. You can feel the HP kick in around 6,500.

[soonerboomer93]

last weekend I drove 311 miles on 11 or 12 gallons of gas

in my V6 accord

oh, and for most of it, i drove with the cruise on 85

(I did cheat and find some gas without ethanol though, that's the only benefit of having to travel down where i am every week)

[OklahomaRed]

11:1 is the compression ratio.

The normally aspirated, 2.0-liter mill makes 197 horsepower at 7800 rpm and 139 lb.ft. of torque at 6100 rpm. A high revver, you say? That’s for sure. This 16-valve, dual overhead cam, normally aspirated, Multi-Point fuel injected engine is CARB certified as LEV2 (Low Emissions Vehicle). Honda’s iVTEC™ valve control system uses cams with 2 profiles to maximize low end and high end efficiency. Compression ratio is 11:1. Of course, with that high compression premium fuel is recommended. With modest torque the low-end grunt is less than impressive, but get her over 4500 and feel the fun. There’s something exciting and race-car-like about driving at higher revs all the time.

[yermom]

yeah, i was going to say the punch at 6500 would be the iVTEC

i forgot they were up to around 200HP and not the 160 like they were in like 2003, so yeah, i'd guess premium is probably warranted

[bluedogok]

That is around the same compression as my motorcycle, which recommends premium fuel. I get 45-55 mpg on it and it only has a 5.5 gallon tank so filling it up doesn't seem that bad. I still drive my F-150 to work 90% of the time because I have the aversion to commuting on the bike in 100 degree heat. I likes my A/C.

[TheHumanAlphabet]

Diesel in Texas is $4.60 a gallon at some places. I see those dudes driving around and wonder how the heck they make their truck payment and still afford to put diesel in the thing? :confused:

I read that most diesel today is imported into the country from Europe. I hadn't known that. I did know they refined lots more diesel than us, but for us to import? I guess we are making gas and av-gas/jet A and/or chemical feedstock...

[TheHumanAlphabet]

(I did cheat and find some gas without ethanol though, that's the only benefit of having to travel down where i am every week)

How, MTBE has been banned and is not used as an oxygenator. Don't think anything else is being used. Where is this?

And I am looking for a new to me car, I was thinking about a diesel engine or a luxury vehicle. Looks like the Accord EX-L (new) or an older US car using regular may be the ticket.

[Sooner_Havok]

Heh, I was stopped at a light in Reno last night and some jackhole in a brand new Dodge Ram pulled up next to me and started revving his engine. Light turned green and he floored it. I caught back up to him at the next light, and again he started revving his engine. This time, when the light turned green, I gunned it and his poor little Dodge was left in the dust. By the next light, he had learned that his big V8, 12 MPG Dodge had no chance against a Mustang, so he didn't rev his engine. :D

[TheHumanAlphabet]

Heh, I was stopped at a light in Reno last night and some jackhole in a brand new Dodge Ram pulled up next to me and started revving his engine. Light turned green and he floored it. I caught back up to him at the next light, and again he started revving his engine. This time, when the light turned green, I gunned it and his poor little Dodge was left in the dust. By the next light, he had learned that his big V8, 12 MPG Dodge had no chance against a Mustang, so he didn't rev his engine. :D

I'd love to do that with my '96 Impala SS.

[ousoonerfan]

I drive an F-150 Supercrew. My wife has been calling me gramps lately because I don't drive any faster than 65 at all anymore. I get better gas mileage than her V6 Xterra.

[Sooner_Havok]

I'd love to do that with my '96 Impala SS.

It is fun. 90% of the time I accelerate normally, but when some jerk off in his new toy wants to try and be an ***, I am more than willing to remind them that I can smoke their brand new V8 truck, and not waste 1/4 of a tank in the process. :D

[soonerboomer93]

How, MTBE has been banned and is not used as an oxygenator. Don't think anything else is being used. Where is this?

And I am looking for a new to me car, I was thinking about a diesel engine or a luxury vehicle. Looks like the Accord EX-L (new) or an older US car using regular may be the ticket.

um, down by Corpus

no ethanol stickers on the pumps (which are mandatory I thought)

don't know for sure if it has ethanol, but I know everytime i fill up from this station, i get better gas mileage.

[TheHumanAlphabet]

um, down by Corpus

no ethanol stickers on the pumps (which are mandatory I thought)

don't know for sure if it has ethanol, but I know everytime i fill up from this station, i get better gas mileage.

Pretty much all gas has up to 10% ethanol as an oxygenator. Though I do think they have to place a sticker stating that fact, not sure though.

[royalfan5]

um, down by Corpus

no ethanol stickers on the pumps (which are mandatory I thought)

don't know for sure if it has ethanol, but I know everytime i fill up from this station, i get better gas mileage.

Ethanol stickers aren't manadatory in every state. Their mostly mandatory in big ethanol producing states because the ethanol boards wanted consumers to pick ethanol to support local industry. The exception to this is Minnesota where ethanol use is mandated in all blends, so they don't have stickers.

[Ike]

Heh, I was stopped at a light in Reno last night and some jackhole in a brand new Dodge Ram pulled up next to me and started revving his engine. Light turned green and he floored it. I caught back up to him at the next light, and again he started revving his engine. This time, when the light turned green, I gunned it and his poor little Dodge was left in the dust. By the next light, he had learned that his big V8, 12 MPG Dodge had no chance against a Mustang, so he didn't rev his engine. :D


This somewhat reminds me:

A friend of mine has one of those prius hybrid thingys. Being the good experimentalist that he is, he wanted to see what driving habits in the city gave him better gas mileage, if they affected things at all. What he found was that he got somewhat better mileage if he floored it from a 0 to whatever his cruising speed was going to be than if he gently accelerated up to his cruising speed.