I don't have to tell most of you that American gas prices are now at virtually an all-time high, exceeded perhaps for only a very short period, right after Katrina, in 2005. In my neighborhood, good name brand 87 octane is from $3.00 to $3.10 or so; premium 93 octane around $3.40. You guys in California, with its traditionally higher prices, may be paying more than that. Ditto for a few other high gas-price areas like Chicago and New York.

This, of course, is due primarily to the start of the summer driving season, a lack of refinery capacity, and high......and increasing....demand, both here and abroad, especially in China and India. We can't change the world, but we can all do our part to conserve use of gas....and help curb demand. the more that people conserve and the more demand drops, the more likely prices are to drop.

In the meantime, all of us can take these steps to lessen our own use of fuel and cut gas costs:


Clean all of the junk out of your trunks and interiors that you don't actually NEED while you are driving, especially the heavy stuff. More weight means lower mileage.

Keep tire pressures up....but don't overinflate them. Soft tires mean more rolling resistance and more power needed from the engine. In most cases, the recommended PSI is best. Overinflated tires mean an overly stiff ride, a smaller contact patch, and poorer handling. Tire pressure is best checked when the tires are cold, out of the sun, or having been driven less than a mile.

If your spark plugs are old or worn, replace them. Plugs last anywhere from 30,000 to 100,000 miles on paper, but, in real life, that may not be the case. And, of course, on some sideways-mounted V6's, it can be VERY difficult to replace the rear bank of 3 plugs.....that is best left to a professional service shop.

Some of you, on the radar detector threads, have criticized my advice to keep your speed down, but it works, especially on the Interstate at high speeds. Gas mileage, in high gear, on most vehicles, drops off rapidly after 60-65 MPH or so....and even more rapidly above 75 MPH, as air resistance builds.

If you have more than one vehicle, don't take the Suburban or Expedition out if the Prius or Chevy Aveo will do the job just as well. This, of course, is just common sense...but if you DO have a gas hog that sits at home, make sure you DO run it enough to keep the battery charged, oil, coolant, and transmission fluids circulating and the A/C system up to snuff and prevent the seals from deteriorating.

Try to combine trips and run as many errands together as possible.

Avoid jackrabbit starts and rapid acceleration. The harder you press the gas pedal, the more gas your engine uses.

If you tow a trailer or motor home, take as much weight of of THAT as possible, too. The less weight you tow, the less gas you use.


Try to stay on level roads as much as possible. Steep hills, of course, allow you to coast down at low engine speeds, but they also use a LOT of gas going uphill.

Avoid the morning and evening rush hours as much as possible. Stop-and go driving in traffic uses more gas than if you can keep moving. Same goes for roads with a lot of stop signs, traffic lights, speed bumps, etc, though more and more of this crap is being installed all the time...it is getting more and more difficult to avoid it.


And, last, even at $3-4 a gallon, thank all your a**es you don't live in Europe where you pay REAL money for gas.

Thanks for the advice.

MY ADVICE TO EVERYONE: get a motorcycle... :D

Thanks for the advice.

MY ADVICE TO EVERYONE: get a motorcycle... :D

Unless you get down to the very-low-cc motor scooter, mini-bike, and moped class, many of today's compact cars, especially the hybrids and diesels, get mileage as good as a lot of motorcycles.

Unless you get down to the very-low-cc motor scooter, mini-bike, and moped class, many of today's compact cars, especially the hybrids and diesels, get mileage as good as a lot of motorcycles.
True.

My first bike was actually a 250cc scooter (Honda Reflex). Great commuter: 65-70 mpg and it can go up to 80 mph. Most 250 cc scooters/motorcycles can do this. I would actually get a Vespa before ever getting a Harley. Sometimes, these are more practical for city/urban travel (read "from point A to point B") than any compact car.

But for anyone looking for 30-40 mpg cars, there are definately a good selection out there. We just don't discuss them too much, considering that a lot of people on the boards are performance enthusiasts... :D

Its hitting people. I'm on multiple forums and outside of the Ferrari forum, people are like "wtf". Chi-town hit $4 a gallon this weekend. I am reading multiple threads on multiple forums on how the high gas prices are keeping people from driving and taking some of the enthusiasm out of driving.

In Atlanta, I've noticed people don't "cruise" like the used to and people make more rational decisions when it comes to driving to car shows and events "I can hold off".

Around $5 a gallon, there will be a shift to smaller and more fuel efficient cars as the average person's incomes are not rising like gas prices.


MMarshall, thanks for the great tips.

Of all the tips you mentioned, probably the biggest impact on saving fuel is to avoid rush hours. Or better yet, make use of public transit, if possible. When you consider the cost difference between taking the bus and driving your car to work, especially if you work "downtown", there simply is no comparison. For a buck or two each way, you avoid the costs associated with gas, parking, mileage, wear and tear. You probably get to/from work quicker as well (I used to). It's a no-brainer.

Another option often overlooked is to see if your company will allow you to work from home 1 or 2 days/week (or more). See if they will support a program that lets workers in your office do so on a rotating schedule.

I don't have to tell most of you that American gas prices are now at virtually an all-time high, exceeded perhaps for only a very short period, right after Katrina, in 2005.

Actually, adjusted for inflation, we're now at the same price as 1981 during the Iran/Iraq war, according to this article:
http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN2135732920070521?feedType=RSS&rpc=22

> Clean all of the junk out of your trunks and interiors...
> Keep tire pressures up....but don't overinflate them. ...
> If your spark plugs are old or worn, replace them. ...
> ...

Excellent advice.

> If you have more than one vehicle, don't take the Suburban or Expedition out if the Prius or Chevy Aveo will do the job just as well.

Another excellent point. :thumbup: and guess what, I've found I can easily fit 8 bags of groceries in my MX-5 which gets 30mpg, vs. my Explorer which gets 17! :D And guess which vehicle is more fun.

As an aside, had visitors this weekend and we drove 550miles in the Explorer which is about $100 worth of gas. Fortunately the Explorer runs great on 87.

> Try to stay on level roads as much as possible.

Not much of a problem in Florida. :D Although I do live in a 'hilly' part.

> Avoid the morning and evening rush hours as much as possible.

Most have no choice on this unfortunately.

And, last, even at $3-4 a gallon, thank all your a**es you don't live in Europe where you pay REAL money for gas.

Yes - check http://petrolprices.com :eek2: Translate 'p' (pennies) price x2 for cents and x3.8 from liters to U.S. gallons, or just do one multiplication of 0.076. :yikes:

nice writeup mmarshall. May I add a few things?


Please rinse the underside of your car. I was washing my friend's 4Runner and I swear I lightened his SUV by 1 or 2kg lol. There was soooo much sand, mud, leaves and who knows what other crud in the crevices and such underneath the vehicle. Get your hose/nozzle in there and clean it out!


Also with the tyres, I think if they've been sitting in the shade for > 3 hours, they should be cool enough to get a good cold pressure reading, no?

If you can't avoid hills, take the route with rolling hills to take advantage of coasting down the hill and up the other.

Also with the tyres, I think if they've been sitting in the shade for > 3 hours, they should be cool enough to get a good cold pressure reading, no?



Generally, yes. And it is especially important with AWD to keep all 4 tires where they are supposed to be, to avoid differences in rotational speeds which, if constant and continuous, can strain the center differential. Same applies with tire condition on an AWD vehicle.....you don't want worn tires mixed with good ones because worn tires, even of the exact brand, size, and PSI, will rotate faster than new ones due to a slightly smaller outside diameter from the worn-off tread.

What does this have to do with gas mileage?:uh:
Well, people often screw around with the recommended tire pressures determined by the engineers who designed the car, in an effort to improve mileage or handling. While that is not recommended in any vehicle (with rare exceptions, like the Ford Explorers whose factory PSI recommendations on the Firestone Wilderness tires were inadequate, leading to tire failure), it is especially detrimental to AWD systems and can cause serious problems.

I just look at the (unfortunately, digital) instant fuel consumption readout on my BMW X3. Yes its very distracting, but its kinda cool and I end up obsessed with keeping the consumption numbers as low as possible.

I just look at the (unfortunately, digital) instant fuel consumption readout on my BMW X3. Yes its very distracting, but its kinda cool and I end up obsessed with keeping the consumption numbers as low as possible.

Well, since BMW didn't put the I-Drive into the X3......they had to put in SOMETHING that was distracting. :D

Good advice. Just read this over at my.is yesterday.

Nice find Bit...

As Ive stated MANY times...Adjusted for long periods of time, ALL natural resources decline in price over time relative to the price of labor and real(adjusted for inflation) prices. Its just that we've all experienced such a trough when it was a dollar, 1.50, 2 that now at 3 it feels like it hurts because we were spoiled.

Famous bet between an economist and biologist
http://www.overpopulation.com/faq/People/julian_simon.html

Study on natural resources
http://www.econlib.org/library/ENC/NaturalResources.html

Actually, adjusted for inflation, we're now at the same price as 1981 during the Iran/Iraq war, according to this article:
http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN2135732920070521?feedType=RSS&rpc=22

> Clean all of the junk out of your trunks and interiors...
> Keep tire pressures up....but don't overinflate them. ...
> If your spark plugs are old or worn, replace them. ...
> ...

My advice to everyone is that we should start putting pressure on the Energy companies to expand their existing oil refineries and on politicians to start putting into legislation new laws which will make it easier to drill for new oil deposits and also force the oil companies to expand their refining capacities which is the main culprit in rising oil prices. Right now they have a severe defficiancy in the amount of oil they can refine but the oil companies don't want to expand their refineries or add new ones because they benefit from the higher oil prices.

Start putting pressure on these two entities to expand our refining capacity and we will start to see gas prices fall.

Start putting pressure on these two entities to expand our refining capacity and we will start to see gas prices fall.
Yup, because we need to stop the current trend towards more fuel efficient cars. Long live the Hummer!

(with rare exceptions, like the Ford Explorers whose factory PSI recommendations on the Firestone Wilderness tires were inadequate, leading to tire failure)
Finally, I've met another person that didn't fall for the media hype surrounding Firestone, and realized that the problem was with Ford and the Explorer, not with the tires.

Yup, because we need to stop the current trend towards more fuel efficient cars. Long live the Hummer!


If people can afford it, who are you tell them what they can and can't do with their money?

If people can afford it, who are you tell them what they can and can't do with their money?

Where did I tell people what they can/can't do with their money? I'm talking about trends here (i.e. the types of cars that mfg's choose to produce and market), not singling out specific people. Vehicles like the Hummer and Excursion will probably always be around for those people that want to show how big a man they are.

Finally, I've met another person that didn't fall for the media hype surrounding Firestone, and realized that the problem was with Ford and the Explorer, not with the tires.

Actually the problem was split 3 ways. First, Ford wanted customers to have a softer ride, because the early Explorer's stiff, trucklike ride was the source of owner complaints....so they lowered the tire PSI recommendation from 30 to 26, which may have been inadequate (which is on Ford). Second, most tires today have a built-in margin of error for safety when it comes to slightly lower pressure and heat buildup......the Wilderness AT's apparantly didn't (which is on Firestone). Third, some Explorer owners severely componded the above two problems by not checking their tires regularly and keeping the pressures at LEAST at the 26 recommended, and THEN, on top of that, overloading their vehicles and driving them at high speeds on sun-baked desert roads in the Southwest (where most of the tires failures took place), creating massive heat build-up in the tires. Obviously, that third part of the problem is on the public itself.....but the media did not even mention that.

The bad thing is, Ford came out smelling like a rose (undeserved), while Firestone all but disappeared off the face of the planet (undeserved).

In the case of Explorer, I think 100% of the fault is on Ford. A car should not roll over because of a tire failure, because no tire is 100% failure proof. I had a front tire blow out on my old GS300 at around 85mph, and the car didn't even hint about rollover possibility. I know the Explorer has a higher center of gravity, etc, etc, but it all comes down to it being a poorly engineered piece of junk.

Finally, I've met another person that didn't fall for the media hype surrounding Firestone, and realized that the problem was with Ford and the Explorer, not with the tires.

Agreed. My understanding from everything I saw and read on this was that Ford did not go along with Firestone's recommended pressures and stated a lower recommended one for those tires on the Explorer. BUT that was compounded by so many losers who never check their tire pressures so you had seriously underinflated tires on the Explorer and that means one thing - they will run MUCH hotter than usual, plus the handling (in particular steering) will be much worse. So these factors conspired to cause a heavy SUV with less than inspired handling to begin with to be an unwieldy handful prone to tire failure and possible vehicle rollover. A bad combo.

Having said that, wasn't the actual number of cases of accidents caused by this pretty small and (as usual) blown out of proportion by the media?

Of Firestone and Ford, the blame is clearly with Ford because they get to choose and approve what tires they put on the vehicle, and they get to set recommended pressures. They should not have gotten into a p*ssing contest with Firestone.

Well, since BMW didn't put the I-Drive into the X3......they had to put in SOMETHING that was distracting. :D
Well, actually there isn't that analog fuel consumption gauge like in most other BMWs. I go into the diagnostic modes to get it to display the data. So in a way, I'm purposely distracting myself :p

And yes, although I can accept iDrive, I'm glad the X3 has similiar controls to the E46.

I try to keep my rpms under 2k at all times...which is really hard to do with all that temptation to just mash the gas pedal.

I have a 50cc mopod and a 89 Civic for daily work commute. Between the two, I fill up the Civic maybe once every 1.5 months, and fill up the moped's 1.3 gallon tank every 2 weeks.:p If it is a good day, I ride the moped to work (About 5 miles round trip). If it is a bad weather day, I take the Civic which still gets 28 MPH average even with its age and 120K miles on it. My wife takes the LS400 to every day though. Still, our total monthly gas bill has been cut in half at least. The one good thing about the moped is buying aftermarket parts for it is cheap compared to cars. I can buy a complete 70cc kit for about $150 that will raise my top speed to over 60MPH. $150 gets you practically nothing when modding cars:D

In the case of Explorer, I think 100% of the fault is on Ford. A car should not roll over because of a tire failure, because no tire is 100% failure proof. I had a front tire blow out on my old GS300 at around 85mph, and the car didn't even hint about rollover possibility. I know the Explorer has a higher center of gravity, etc, etc, but it all comes down to it being a poorly engineered piece of junk.

The public themselves is partly to blame for driving some of the Explorers in a negligent, overloaded manner, and the Wilderness AT tires did not have much of a safety margin like some some other tires do either ( see my explanation above). But Ford definitely DOES bear part of the blame for lowering the air pressure recommendations too much. They tried to make soft tires compensate too much for a trucklike suspension and poor ride comfort, and this was compounded by negligence on the public's part in checking the tires before driving....which is owner responsibility.

And as to the question of the Explorerer's stability, it certainly could be improved, but by no means was the worst. There were far more unstable vehicles on the road at that time.....used Jeep CJ-7's, Suzuki Samurais, and some versions of the Chevy Blazer.



Let's get back on topic, though......tips for saving gas at $3-plus a gallon.

Gas price hikes’ cost: $146 a car so far this year
GAO tells Congress that the record levels have burned up $20 billion

Updated: 1:52 a.m. PT May 23, 2007

WASHINGTON - The jump in U.S. gasoline prices this year has so far drained consumers of an extra $20 billion, or about $146 for each passenger car in the country, the Government Accountability Office told Congress on Tuesday.

The national price for regular unleaded gasoline hit a record $3.22 a gallon this week, and is up $1.05 since the beginning of February, according to the Energy Department.

The added expense is taking money away from consumers to spend on other goods and services.

"Spending billions more on gasoline constrains consumers' budgets, leaving less money available for other purchases," GAO's Thomas McCool said in written testimony to a House Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing on the cause of record prices.

Like many other energy experts, McCool said the GAO has found that current high pump costs are the result of a large amount of oil refining capacity being offline, strong gasoline demand and lower fuel inventories.

May 22: Gas prices are hitting record highs, so is there price gouging at the pump? Two experts discuss the issue on CNBC.
CNBC

Many lawmakers blame the lack of competition in the oil industry from mega oil company mergers for the run-up in gasoline prices.

McCool said company mergers in the 1990s caused wholesale gasoline prices to rise during that period, but the agency has not performed modeling on mergers that occurred since 2000 and therefore could not say what the effect has been on current fuel prices.

However, he said, "These mergers would further increase market concentration nationwide since there are now fewer oil companies."

Officials from oil giants Exxon Mobil, Chevron and Shell Oil, along with major oil refiner Valero Energy Corp., were asked to testify at the hearing but declined to appear.

Federal Trade Commission member William Kovacic said his agency was closely monitoring the U.S. gasoline market for any unusual moves in prices.

"Because gasoline consumers typically do not reduce their purchases substantially in response to price increases, they are vulnerable to substantial price increases," he said.

Speaking to reporters before the hearing, he declined to comment on whether the FTC has found any evidence in the current price rise of oil companies overcharging consumers.

Kovacic said in his written testimony that the "lion's share" of the increase in pump prices appears to be attributable to refinery outages, higher gasoline use and lower fuel imports.

He said the FTC's experience from past investigations and from its current monitoring program shows that unusual movements in gasoline prices "typically have a business-related cause," such as changes in crude oil costs, refinery problems or pipeline disruptions.

Oil companies have pointed out that more than 30 prior government investigations into alleged gasoline profiteering has proven the industry did nothing illegal.

Rep. Bart Stupak, the chairman of the subcommittee, said the FTC needs more authority to punish oil companies that gouge drivers at the pump.

A bill he has introduced that would give the agency that authority, which has support from over 120 lawmakers, is scheduled to be voted Wednesday by the House of Representatives.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18807181/
.

Of Firestone and Ford, the blame is clearly with Ford because they get to choose and approve what tires they put on the vehicle, and they get to set recommended pressures. They should not have gotten into a p*ssing contest with Firestone.

Perhaps. If so, the blame wasn't with the Ford engineers.....they knew better. They were overruled by their superiors, who wanted a quick easy fix to something that would normally require different tires and suspension modifications, which of course would be.......what else.......$$$$$$$.

"Because gasoline consumers typically do not reduce their purchases substantially in response to price increases, they are vulnerable to substantial price increases," he said.


Well, hopefully, that's what we have threads like this for.....to discuss ways to do so.

Indianapolis's gas price just skyrocketed again because of the Indy500. I put premium in my car and it was 3.79/gallon.

My advice to everyone is that we should start putting pressure on the Energy companies to expand their existing oil refineries and on politicians to start putting into legislation new laws which will make it easier to drill for new oil deposits and also force the oil companies to expand their refining capacities which is the main culprit in rising oil prices. Right now they have a severe defficiancy in the amount of oil they can refine but the oil companies don't want to expand their refineries or add new ones because they benefit from the higher oil prices.

Start putting pressure on these two entities to expand our refining capacity and we will start to see gas prices fall.Nothing puts pressure on production and refining than unmet demand. We have two problems in the US that have driven fuel prices upward.
No drilling on federal lands. While the ANWR has gotten the headlines, it is only the tip of the iceberg. A huge region of the Rockies and Great Basin is federal land, on which no exploration is currently allowed. Worse, the entire Outer Continental Shelf (http://www.gomr.mms.gov/homepg/whoismms/whatsocs.html) (OCS) is currently off-limits to exploration. That's huge. It means that we are not even considering exploration of the entire east and west coasts of the US, and only limited ares of the Gulf - where platforms are already operating - is available for lease. This means we have to search private lands onshore, or go into the deep ocean for our energy needs. That's doable, but expensive in the extreme.

Why are drilling leases unavailable? It's politics. Everyone wants a clean and green world, and oil exploration is seen as an environmental catastrophe waiting to happen. Politicians (and most of the rest of us) know nothing about the extraordinary technologies that are at work daily both onshore and offshore - and have been for over 20 years - to ensure our world remains as pollution-free as possible. It's a popular political cause - but it has a lot of hidden costs.

The Santa Barbara Channel off California was the site of an environmental disaster in 1969 when a crew drilling for Union Oil some six miles offshore hit a shallow gas pocket and responded rather precipitously to the impending blowout. The result of the gas kick was a fracture of an old fault line and some 200,000 barrels of oil leaked to the surface from existing oil seeps along the coast. The immediate solution was to band drilling off the West Coast. Oil was smeared in the headlines as the bane of the environment - the one oily sea otter wasn't worth the evils of oil.

Today we have equipment and highly trained men on our offshore installations that all but eliminate the chance of a repeat of such a disaster - but our lawmakers find it easier to show pictures of oil-soaked seabirds from nearly forty years ago and rail against oil as an institution. Rather than DO something to find a realistic alternative energy, politicians in California and the rest of the nation saw an opportunity for themselves in the "environmental" movement. Oil production ended on the West Coast - and we harnessed our energy future to the Middle East and Latin America.

I just spent a week ant the annual Offshore Technology Conference in Houston - and had an opportunity to see the emerging technologies that will one day revolutionize our search for hydrocarbon. They are - in a word - incredible. They will also carry a hefty price tag. Computer power, automation, security, data acquisition, environmental protection, and operational efficiency are the general areas of concern - and the focus of dozens of new developments. Yes, we can produce oil from previously unreachable zones, in the most remote areas of the planet - but it will be expensive. Technology's like that.

But before any of this technology can be put to work, we need to open the OCS and other federally controlled lands to exploration. We are potentially sitting on large reserves in the Gulf, offshore Atlantic and Pacific - but we can't even get the permits to see if the potential is REALLY there. Politics is like THAT.


Refining capacity is shrinking. Katrina was only the last straw. Our domestic refining output has run over 90% of full capacity since the 1970's. That's bad because it needs to run somewhere near 72% to allow process units to be shut down for maintenance, upgrades, repairs, and rebuilds. If you drive your car every day for thirty years without taking it into the shop for more than a quick check and a few patch-ups, it's going to be in pretty sorry shape - and you can count on it suffer a total meltdown at probably the worst time.

Our refineries are the same way. We have not built a new refinery or added significant new process units in over thirty years. We can't even upgrade the process units we have because they can't be taken out of production for a year or two to bring them up to the newest standards. Why? Federal permits are required to build these facilities and they are simply not being issued. After jumping through all of the hoops put in their way by federal regulators, our domestic refiners are unable to secure the construction permits required by environmental and safety agencies to add capacity or build new facilities.

Even if we continue to purchase oil from overseas, we can now no longer refine it - we don't have the capacity. We have to purchase far more expensive gasoline from overseas refiners that are not chained by our federal laws just to meet demand.
Our political leaders - Democrat and Republican - think you and I are too stupid to understand the disaster we face. They talk a big game of "environmentalism", but they are, in fact, destroying it by handcuffing the domestic industry to forty and fifty-year-old standards.

With a HUGE percentage of our onshore hydrocarbon potential under tight federal control, and ALL of the OCS under their dominion, they are forcing us to fight rising pump prices with both hands tied behind us. We can't get the permits to explore our own lands and offshore waters, and just to compound the problems, we can't even BUY our way out of the problem with foreign oil because we can't expand our refineries to fill the growing demand for motor fuel.

Think about what you are paying for gasoline when you go to the polls next year. Certainly inflation and taxation are large components of the problem, but the FUTURE cost of fuel is going to continue its climb - and our dependence on other nations will grow - UNLESS we demand our government unleash the industry to explore, produce, and refine our own resources. Let's put the pressure where it belongs - on our elected representatives.

Our annual expenses on average still maintain. While gas specifically has risen, other 's have not or some have dropped. At times like this, I'm conscious of mileage though it still has not removed all impulsive jaunts to get out and drive. So some in-efficiency still exists. ;)

Generally, yes. And it is especially important with AWD to keep all 4 tires where they are supposed to be, to avoid differences in rotational speeds which, if constant and continuous, can strain the center differential. Same applies with tire condition on an AWD vehicle.....you don't want worn tires mixed with good ones because worn tires, even of the exact brand, size, and PSI, will rotate faster than new ones due to a slightly smaller outside diameter from the worn-off tread.

What does this have to do with gas mileage?:uh:
Well, people often screw around with the recommended tire pressures determined by the engineers who designed the car, in an effort to improve mileage or handling. While that is not recommended in any vehicle (with rare exceptions, like the Ford Explorers whose factory PSI recommendations on the Firestone Wilderness tires were inadequate, leading to tire failure), it is especially detrimental to AWD systems and can cause serious problems.
What do you mean "where they're supposed to be"? Don't you rotate them to even out the wear?


Also, I don't know about the 2nd paragraph. My recommended pressure is 35/33. I bumped it up to 38/36 and my outside tread still wore out faster :sad:. Doesn't that mean underinflation if the outside tread wears first? I can't imagine if I left it at 35/33. I mean, I'd get a slightly more comfortable ride but my (****ty) stock tyres wouldn't have last as long. :(

the FUTURE cost of fuel is going to continue its climb - and our dependence on other nations will grow - UNLESS we demand our government unleash the industry to explore, produce, and refine our own resources.

Or we (society in general) could be more responsible and cut back on buying gas guzzling SUVs and trucks (this is the current trend already :thumbup: ), and start using public transit. Not that you could do much about the former, since the SUVs already produced and sold are here until they wear out and die. But at least a trend towards more efficient cars is going to reduce the "hurt" at some point in the future.

I guess I'm just tired of the mindset that we should be commuting alone in 12 MPG vehicles, and the argument that we have the right to cheap gas, and finally, that government should be finding ways to continue to encourage that mindset.

Bring on $4/gallon! :thumbup:

Also, I don't know about the 2nd paragraph. My recommended pressure is 35/33. I bumped it up to 38/36 and my outside tread still wore out faster :sad:. Doesn't that mean underinflation if the outside tread wears first? I can't imagine if I left it at 35/33. I mean, I'd get a slightly more comfortable ride but my (****ty) stock tyres wouldn't have last as long. :(

By outside tread do you just mean the outer tread (Side facing the outside of the vehicle), or both the outer and inner tread? If both the outer and inner tread wear out first that is a sign of under inflation. If the middle wears out faster than the outer and inner tread, that is a sign of over inflation. If just your outer tread wore out while the middle and inner tread still had life that is an alignment problem. Possibly a toe in problem.

Nothing puts pressure on production and refining than unmet demand. We have two problems in the US that have driven fuel prices upward. ...

As usual, an outstanding post! :thumbup:

The problem with public transit is in most cities its almost useless. You still have to drive to get to the bus/train etc. The are inconvient.

I tried in Atlanta and it ads more time than commuting, between transfers and waiting etc.

NY is a great example but back in the 1900s, people marveled at the train. Today, everyone is acting so STANK, they don't WANT public transit around their neighborhood.

Or we (society in general) could be more responsible and cut back on buying gas guzzling SUVs and trucks (this is the current trend already :thumbup: ), and start using public transit. Not that you could do much about the former, since the SUVs already produced and sold are here until they wear out and die. But at least a trend towards more efficient cars is going to reduce the "hurt" at some point in the future.

So the market forces are already doing what you would like then. :thumbup: But remember some people NEED SUVs and trucks.

As for public transit, yeah right. May work right in the city, but everywhere else, forget it. Either not served, lousy schedule, or who wants to wait outside in the freezing, boiling, or humid, or rain, or whatever. And then who wants to get on the bus/train and sit in a smelly seat closer to many other people than is comfortable and be jostled around for an hour or so twice a day. No thanks. In densely populated parts of the world where mass transit is more used (I wouldn't say 'popular') it's only because the roads are choked, and the gas prices are insane. That doesn't mean people LIKE mass transit. It sucks almost everywhere.

I guess I'm just tired of the mindset that we should be commuting alone in 12 MPG vehicles, and the argument that we have the right to cheap gas, and finally, that government should be finding ways to continue to encourage that mindset.

Bring on $4/gallon! :thumbup:

Higher gas prices hurt the poorest people. So that's what you're in favor of, huh? The poorest, who often live farthest from their jobs, who have the crappiest commutes, should pay the most? :uh:

Rather than higher gas prices across the board, the only way I can see to reduce consumption is graduated gas guzzler taxes, 'encouraging' people to buy more fuel efficient vehicles. So if you want a Hummer, have the govt slap $5K tarriff on it. In exchange for all the tarriffs, LOWER federal taxes on gasoline so the poor are whacked so bad. I don't see poor people driving Hummers anyway. ;)

Higher gas prices hurt the poorest people.

This is going to sound cold, but if they can't afford the additional $20/week for gas, then maybe they can't really afford a car at all. For people that can't, there are other modes of transportation available that cost little to nothing in comparison to owning a car.

As for public transit, if you're in an area where the system is available, and does work well, that's an option. A very good option. If someone wants to continue driving something that gets bad mileage, that's their choice. But I don't want to hear them complaining about gas prices as they take out second mortgages to fill their tanks. As you know (and some people don't), low fuel prices aren't something that we have a right to. The current trend is a very welcome change, IMO.

Car pooling is fun. Don't forget about that. :D

What do you mean "where they're supposed to be"? Don't you rotate them to even out the wear?


Also, I don't know about the 2nd paragraph. My recommended pressure is 35/33. I bumped it up to 38/36 and my outside tread still wore out faster :sad:. Doesn't that mean underinflation if the outside tread wears first? I can't imagine if I left it at 35/33. I mean, I'd get a slightly more comfortable ride but my (****ty) stock tyres wouldn't have last as long. :(

On the first part, I was unclear...sorry. I meant where tire PSI's are supposed to be.

On the second part, I can't give you a reasonably firm answer without looking at the tires, knowing how often you check them, whether they have any leaks or not, comparing toe/camber settings with factory specs, and knowing your driving and cornering habits. Ordinarily, overinflated tires bulge out somewhat in the center, ride harshly, cut down on braking response, and make the car somewhat more unstable due to the small tire contact patches in the centers. They also tend, not surprisingly, to wear in the center and preserve the edges. But aggressive cornering, even with overinflated tires, may end up wearing the edges in spite of the above factors.

Car pooling is fun. Don't forget about that. :D

It is? I found the novelty quickly wore off.

It is? I found the novelty quickly wore off.

I guess it would, stuffing five people in a Miata :D

(Just kidding...I know you have an Explorer)

When I give my friends a ride, I inevitably have lots of discussions/talking with them. That distracts me from driving as efficiently as possible. I end up driving "normally" as opposed to "efficiently".

I guess it would, stuffing five people in a Miata :D

(Just kidding...I know you have an Explorer)

Haha, well doesn't apply to me now as I'm self-employed and work at home.

But years ago I carpooled for a while. Pretty soon ran out of things to talk about it seemed and we seemed to all just want peace and quiet so there was sought of an awkward silence. Music's out because everyone's taste is different.

Then there's having to leave work at the same time which is impossible if you're ambitious.

It is? I found the novelty quickly wore off.

Maybe you just needed to find some hot women (or men, depending on your preference) to carpool with. :cool:;)

I just look at the (unfortunately, digital) instant fuel consumption readout on my BMW X3. Yes its very distracting, but its kinda cool and I end up obsessed with keeping the consumption numbers as low as possible.

IS300 has the instantainious fuel guage too ... and yea, unless i'm driving spiritedly, i too somewhat obsess about where the needle is on that guage
*grumble*

IS300 has the instantainious fuel guage too ... and yea, unless i'm driving spiritedly, i too somewhat obsess about where the needle is on that guage
*grumble*

I had an IS300 too. While I loved the chronogragh style of the gauge panel, I agree that that vaccum/gas gauge was awkward and practically worthless. Lexus would have done better to put an oil-pressure gauge in there instead (they can help save your engine)......and I think they DID that on the vitrually identical overseas-market Toyota Altezza. It was only the American-market IS300's that got the mileage/vacuum gauge instead.

Awesome advice again mmarshall:thumbup:

So, remove dead body-check.:p
Easy on the acceleration-check.

I agree about the public transportation. Only if was more accessible, more pleasant, I don't think any of us would object.

I remember in Hawaii when we took the public transit, it was so much better than the hustle and bustle than the crazy city life here.:thumbup:

Awesome advice again mmarshall:thumbup:
Thanks, GS3...but it really isn't rocket science. Most of it is just common sense. Anyone with even rudimentary auto knowledge should be able to figure it out.



I agree about the public transportation. Only if was more accessible, more pleasant, I don't think any of us would object.

I remember in Hawaii when we took the public transit, it was so much better than the hustle and bustle than the crazy city life here.:thumbup:

It's nice that you got to live in Hawaii...a beautiful place, but quite expensive.

I use the D.C.-area subway for much of my daily Monday-Friday commuting. We get a transit subsidy for that...but, for me, it doesn't cover all the cost; maybe 40% of it, including fare and parking. I do drive back and forth to the station every day...I could take a bus but don't want to leave my Outback home every day. It is generally safer from storms and vandals in the big Metro parking garage...I don't have a garage of my own.

Maybe you just needed to find some hot women (or men, depending on your preference) to carpool with. :cool:;)

Then we may never have gotten to the office. :D

I remember in Hawaii when we took the public transit, it was so much better than the hustle and bustle than the crazy city life here.:thumbup:

That is only if you travel during normal business hours. In the city I would say we have one of the best bus systems around. Buses come every 5 or so minutes and you can get anywhere in town. The further away from the city/town you get the less routes there are. On the widward side you may have to wait for a bus every 15-30 minutes. Past 11PM and you are just out of luck pretty much anywhere on the Island as the bus system shuts down. If you live out in the country, you may have to walk a half mile or more to the nearest bus stop.

Honestly, I haven't rode our city bus in more than 10 years. My work schedule just didn't allow for it. Otherwise, yes, I agree. For those that actually can make use of the bus it is a good transit system.

Improving Driving Habits. :D

It's been in the mid to high 80's over the last couple of days in the Northeast which means folks are riding around with the windows up and the A/C on. Even more consumption of fuel. Since I work closer to home, I don't feel rushed anymore and my lead foot has seemed a bit lighter.

It's been in the mid to high 80's over the last couple of days in the Northeast which means folks are riding around with the windows up and the A/C on. Even more consumption of fuel. Since I work closer to home, I don't feel rushed anymore and my lead foot has seemed a bit lighter.

No, not really. For the most part, it doesn't make much if any difference in gas mileage. In hot weather, the alternative to using A/C, usually, is driving with the windows down....which creates extra drag and turbulence and makes the car use more fuel to overcome it just like it would with the A/C compressor.

Now, of course, you are correct, if the temperature is low enough to keep the windows up AND the A/C compressor off....but remember that in most of today's cars, the compressor comes on automatically with the front defroster...which means that you have to add a touch of heat to keep the winshield from chilling down to the point that moisture condenses on the outside and you need the wipers.