Fuel prices...GRRRR!
 

Here in Reno, gas prices have reached $3.49 a gal for regular, from the major companys. Some places, we can still get it for $3.27.
I think this is an outrage! [:@]
I wish there was something we could do to effect these price increases. [&o]
What are the prices where you buy gas? :eek:

RE: Fuel prices...GRRRR!
 

I just got rid of the Navigator at 14 mpg. Traded it in on the new 2008 Mercury Mariner hybrid. The 93 octane that the Navigator was sucking down is around 3.29, and the Mariner likes 87 octane at 2.97. The Mariner is getting just over 30 mpg with me driving it, and about 26 with my wife behind the wheel. Surprisingly, the Mariner is quite zippy. It has decent acceleration, and is very drivable at anything under 80 mph. The best mileage is between 40-55 mph, making it perfect for the moderate commuter traffic on the highways around here. Last night I drove the whole way through town (under 30 mph) on electric-only mode. It was very cool.

bill.

RE: Fuel prices...GRRRR!
 

Oh yeah, Starship, I feel your pain, literally. They've only reached $3.34 a gallon here.

I don't know about your daily driver, but your 'vette is certainly set up (some would say the ultimate in fact) to do what I do to try to save gas: shift at low RPMs all that time. Let the torque do the work.

I try to shift my 'vette (6 speed manual) or Porsche (5 speed auto but it's the Tiptronic which has paddle shifters and a computer so I can override what the trans wants to do) at as low an RPM as possible. I play a sort of game on the way to work: "Can I keep the RPMs below a certain level, all the way to work, all the time (even right before a shift). So I shift at very low RPM but often keep the throttle open all the way (nearly floored) when acclerating from a light, etc.
Lowest I have ever done in the 'vette all the way to work is keep it below 1300 RPM (really, it will pull it - bet yours will pull even lower), best in the Porsche is 18-1900. This gives me a couple more MPG and is fun. And it is safe: at 1000-1500 RPM a vette like mine our yours is still putting out 100 HP: that is more power than some heavier cars have, period.

Reason it works: All car engines decrease fuel economy with revs for the same amount of power: floor a 454 at 1200 RPM and you might get only as much power as you do at 1/4 throttle at 4800 RPM, but you use less gas to do it at the lower RPM. Reason is: 1) less friction: at 1200 RPM their is roughly 1/4 the friction. 2) something called pumping losses - when the throttle is fully open it is easier for the engine to suck air throughit and down into its cylindersthan when the throttle is 1/4 open (realize that to make X amount of power the engine is going to have to get roughly the same amount of air into it at 1200 or 4800 RPM and its easier with the throttle fully open.) Most people think about the friction but forget about pumping losses: add them together and they really hurt fuel economy if you let the engine rev higher.

Thus, while it takes some getting used to, the way to get maybe 10% more fuel economy: keep revs very low: floor the throttle if needed at these low revs to keep up or ahead of traffic, but always shift at very low revs. It works, and actually, its sort of fun to try this.

There is no secret about this, by the way. BMW used to sell a 5 series model called the "eta" (Greek symbol for efficiency). It had cams and gears to shift at a maximum of 1800 RPM, and got 3-5 mpg more than the normal model (same size 6 cylinder). The reason manufcturers are now going to 7 and 8 speed auto transmissions is to keep the revs low around town, shifting more often: the Mercedes with the 7 speed auto will do the same top speed in its top 4 gears -- they are there to let it run at very low revs at speed, for economy.

RE: Fuel prices...GRRRR!
 

Dang Lee, you have put into words, what I have always thought, but couldn't express half as inteligently.
Thanks for the explanation! :)

RE: Fuel prices...GRRRR!
 

Premium up here just hit $4.52/gallon, approximately, this week.



Anyone wanna buy 2 slightly used kids? :D:D:D:D

RE: Fuel prices...GRRRR!
 

Is that $4.52 in USD or Canadian?

RE: Fuel prices...GRRRR!
 

Yeh, sorry my friend, that's $4.52 USD. (Approximate conversion)



Interested in the kids? :D

RE: Fuel prices...GRRRR!
 

Wow, that hurts. So you're looking at upwards of $60 to fill her up?. Ouch.

RE: Fuel prices...GRRRR!
 

That sounds about right, my friend. It's really nasty.

Our lease is up next Feb where we live right now. It's a beautiful house, butwe thought the rent was a little on the high side of things... been ponderin' a move next Feb, but now with gas prices being what they are, and how closewe both live to work right now... I'm not so sure anymore that moving would actually save us any money!! We are actually talking about staying for a while longer, now.... no point moving into a barn and saving $300/month in rent, when you have to pay an extra $500/month in gas just to get to work.

RE: Fuel prices...GRRRR!
 

I can understand that. It's to the point where the cost of traveling has become a real consideration. We live way out in the sticks and I drive about 80 miles a day to work and back. My camary gets ~30mpg and my truck (which I drive in the winter) gets about 15. The vette runs right around 24 mpg. At $4/gallon...you can do the math. The problem with moving is that my wife works in the opposite direction, so moving closer to my work is a loss for her.

Here's something that I thought of last weekend: The last time that I bought racing fuel (for my dirt bikes), it cost about $3.25/gal. Granted that was last fall but I think that the price of regular 87 octane at that time was about $2.75. I'm pretty sure that if you mix high octane fuel with low octane fuel you get something in between. Like if you mix a gallon of 87 with a gallon of 106 you get two gallons of ~95 octane. I may start mixing fuel for the vette if premium (which, if I'm lucky is 93 octane) goes above the price of race fuel (which may already be the case since I haven't checked on race gas prices this year yet).

RE: Fuel prices...GRRRR!
 

Last week regular was between 3.19 and 3.29, must be people stopped buying as much 'cus they dropped it to 3.13 by the end of the week and thats where it's at now, I'm in southeast lower Michigan- a relativley high cost of living area comparred to the rest of the state.

RE: Fuel prices...GRRRR!
 

Here's something I got as an email last week......sounds interesting and could possably work. oh well!

Body: ...in April 1997, there was a "gas out" conducted nationwide in protest of gas prices.
Gasoline prices dropped 30 cents a gallon overnight.
On May 15th 2007, all internet users are to not go to a gas station
in protest of high gas prices. Gas is now over $3.00 a gallon in most places.
There are 73,000,000+ American members currently on the internet network, and the average car takes about 30 to 50 dollars to fill up. If all users did not go to the pump on the 15th, it would take $2,292,000,000.00 (that'sclose to3 BILLION) out of the oil companys
pockets for just one day, so please do not go to the gas station on May 15th and lets try to put a dent in the Middle Eastern oil industry for at least one day.

RE: Fuel prices...GRRRR!
 

I got that email too, I'll try that and well see what happends, with my luck the price will be $.30 higher on the 16th. Tuesday must be a slow day for gas sales as Exxon knocks off $.04 every Tuesday.
RE Lee: I could shift at a lower RPM if I had a stick. Besides it's springtime and I enjoy a ride with the T-Tops off so there wind resistance to further reduce my mileage.
I paid $3.289 today and thats the most it's cost since last year. PG

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Must be a little price war going on here, it's down again to $3.08 for regular.

RE: Fuel prices...GRRRR!
 

just paid $3.69 per .. for a few gallons of 91 octane in L.A.

RE: Fuel prices...GRRRR!
 

Wow and i thought it was bad here in Kansas City, its about 3.33 for 92 oct...which is why i drove my car 20 miles this week[&:]

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Geez, Riley, that's a pretty good idea!! I never thought of that. I wonder where I could get that here... I am sure I haven't seen it at the local 7-11..... :D

RE: Fuel prices...GRRRR!
 

Top,

I checked the price last weekend when I was getting the propane tanks filled (the race gas pump is right next to the propane refill tank). The price had gone up to $4.25USD/gal of 110 octane. I don't think that it works out to be such a good deal at that price. To mix and get 94 octane it would be about $3.50/gal. That is, if octane mixing is linear (which I don't know for sure).

Race gas probably sits around for awhile and the price is probably based on cost to make etc (Unlike pump gas which is commodity priced).

We have two gas stations that sell race fuel in our area. We have a motocross track and the racers use race fuel. We also have over 100 lakes in our county and there are many people who think that they need race fuel for their boats.

RE: Fuel prices...GRRRR!
 

Riiiight, thanks Riley! Yeh, I haven't seen that up here to be honest... small city type stuff I imagine. We do have a track here, though, so you'd think someone would sell it.

Keep me posted on your thoughts, my friend, and if it comes to it I'll start diggin' a little here to see if I can find a supply.

RE: Fuel prices...GRRRR!
 

All these examples do NOT imply that gasoline is cheap;
it just illustrates how outrageous some prices are....
You will be really shocked by the last one!!!!
(At least, I was...)

Compared with Gasoline......



Think a gallon of gas is expensive?




This makes one think, and also puts things in perspective.



Diet Snapple 16 oz $1.29 ... $10.32 per gallon



Lipton Ice Tea 16 oz $1.19 ..........$9.52 per gallon


Gatorade 20 oz $1.59 .... $10.17 per gallon



Ocean Spray 16 oz $1.25 ......... $10.00 per gallon




Brake Fluid 12 oz $3.15 ......... $33.60 per gallon



Vick's Nyquil 6 oz $8.35 ... $178.13 per gallon


Pepto Bismol 4 oz $3.85 .. $123.20 per gallo n



Whiteout 7 oz $1.39 ....... . $25.42 per gallon



Scope 1.5 oz $0.99 .....$84.48 per gallon


And this is the REAL KICKER...

Evian water 9 oz $1.49..........$21.19 per gallon!
$21.19 for WATER
and the buyers don't even know the source.
(Evian spelled backwards is Naive.)
Ever wonder why computer printers are so cheap?
So they have you hooked for the ink.
Someone calculated the cost of the ink at................
you won't believe it...................
but it is true.........................
$5,200 a gal. (five thousand two hundred dollars)
So, the next time you're at the pump,
be glad your car doesn't run on
water, Scope, or Whiteout, Pepto Bismol, Nyquil
or God forbid, Printer Ink!!!!!


And - If you don't pass this along to at least one person,
your muffler will fall off!!

[/align]

RE: Fuel prices...GRRRR!
 

Dude, my muffler fell off. :D:D:D:D

The thing about Snapple and all that is, you don't chug 10 gallons of it in one go. LOL


At least I don't. :D:D:D:D:D

RE: Fuel prices...GRRRR!
 

:DPress harder on the pedle to the right. :D

RE: Fuel prices...GRRRR!
 

Well I knew it would happen eventually. Seems as thought the punks have taken to siphoning gas from my vehicles. Guess it's time to tie Cody to the post on the carport. I'll have to set up a camera too....wouldn't want to miss any surprises like that when they sneak up on him

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[sm=icon_rofl.gif]Now that's the movie I want ta see! [sm=icon_rofl.gif]

RE: Fuel prices...GRRRR!
 

Should be entertaining to say the least.[sm=trust_me.gif]

RE: Fuel prices...GRRRR!
 

How is our little bro? Haven't heard about him for quite a while. :eek:

RE: Fuel prices...GRRRR!
 

He's as fiesty as always. Stillpineing for the dang cats. Had him in the yard the other day while I was working on the old tracter and he was makeing believe he was asleep, sneaky little bugger,Slim, one of the youger cats thought he would do a run by but got a little too close. Boy was he surprized. Black fur everywhere. he's still walking funny and won't go in the back yard for some reason. Looks funny with that little patch of fur missing from his butt. poor cat, violated like that, didn't even get dinner.

RE: Fuel prices...GRRRR!
 

:D[sm=icon_rofl.gif]:DGlad to hear he's still got it! :D[sm=icon_rofl.gif]:D

RE: Fuel prices...GRRRR!
 

Buy stock in a petroleum index fund. I have.

Gas goes up - I win.

Gas goes down - I win.

RE: Fuel prices...GRRRR!
 

*falls outta chair* Bwaaaaahahahaha!!! Oh Lord, me too!!!

Dang,we can just hope that Cody performs one of his "special cat-type services" upon the thief..... [sm=icon_rofl.gif]

RE: Fuel prices...GRRRR!
 

I think somethin happened in the '60's, I can visualize this very well! [sm=icon_rofl.gif]
His buddy asks, " So....how did ya get the seat torn out of yer pants?" :eek:
"Don't ask!" , he sighs. [&o]

RE: Fuel prices...GRRRR!
 

I think something happened back in the '60's, I can visualize this very well! [sm=icon_rofl.gif]

His buddy asks, "So,....how did ya get the seat torn out of yer pants?" :eek:
"Don't ask!", he sighs. [&o]

RE: Fuel prices...GRRRR!
 

Something like ...."Dude ?...Did ya hurt your back or do ya got hemroids?" "Why you walking funny man?, and what the hell is that smell?" "Wanna go to zoo?"

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Ahhhhhhh Schmidt! :D[sm=icon_rofl.gif]

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*thumps on desk* Bwaaaaaahahahahahaa!! That's ripe; in more than one way, too! :D

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.....As he continues sucking his thumb and fingering the coller of is torn T shirt....." I want my mommy"

RE: Fuel prices...GRRRR!
 

After lookin' at some quarterly dividend reports, I think I have to change the "I win.", to "I don't lose as much".[:@]