mmarshall

I agree that too-cheap gas has its downsides, too, but a lot of people (irrationally, IMO) just don't think like you or I do along these lines. They think that anything over $1.50 at the pumps is price-gouging.

I also agree that a lot of people could make better decisions in what kind of vehicle they choose (and that is part of the advice we give out to posters here in CAR CHAT).....but let's face it, except for some E85 stations in the Midwest and some tax/HOV credits for hybrids, we've done very little as a nation to help build up the infrastructure for alternate-fuel vehicles, and to encourage their sales.

ArmyofOne

People will stop buying big trucks like mine, because they suck gas down (mine really doesnt do any worse than a Regular GS or IS, believe it or not)...and then gas will stabilize at a price around $3.50-$4.00 a gallon, and truckmakers will make their designs to get better mileage than they do even now, and people will buy big again. Its gonna happen. Its happened that way my whole life.

Gas went to $4 a gallon 3 years ago (nearly). People stopped buying trucks. Truck mileage went from 14mpg hwy to over 20. Then gas prices dropped (coincedentally) a little bit and people started buying trucks again. I did not buy a truck for good gas mileage. I can average 16-17 city if I keep my foot out of it. Thats about the same as an IS250 AWD in the city. I get 22 hwy if I set the cruise at 65. Trucks today are not the ecological burden they once were. The only drawback to having a truck, is that it has a 26+ gallon gas tank, that hurts at fillup.

mmarshall

Yes, but Josh, unlike some people, you bought a full-size truck and actually USE it for something....to do work and carry or tow things, which is what they were meant to do. You're not running around, burning up gas at that rate, just to make a macho or image statement, like a lot of truck-buyers do. They buy and drive their trucks as fashion statements more than as work vehicles (the Ford F-150/Harley Davidson, King-Ranch, and Dodge Longhorn trucks come to mind there). Which is OK, if that's how they want to spend their money, but, to me, it makes little sense just to buy a show-truck.

And, 16-17 MPG really isn't that bad...especially for a full-size truck. I had a 3.0L, in-line-6, Lexus IS300, for almost 5 years, which averaged about that, on premium gas, running around town, in cooler weather.

ArmyofOne

oh but it hurts to fill it Mike, we are talking A hundred bucks from E here. LOL.

Honestly, most of the time My truck is a commuter. BUT...I do use it quite a bit, like a truck.

lamar411

Was watching the news and the new highest price for gas in the US is $5.33 in Florida.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

i think that's a couple of gas stations right by disneyworld that rip off tourists.

around here it's about 3.50 for regular now.

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

mmarshall

I agree it's a rip-off. There's actually several tourist-traps in FL that could be doing this, not just Disney World. In fact, some states have a special phone hot-line set up to the State Attorney General's office to report price-gouging.....they take it seriously.

Infra

iTrader: (1)

And the rest of the country is stuck with cars engineered to run on 91 rather than 93.

apor1a

Screw that... I'm gonna ride a bike... or a mule, either one.

That's more than it was in Phoenix back in '08, and that sucked when you get 18mpg and had a half-hour commute one-way 5 days a week... In the 120-degree summer...

wolverine

iTrader: (9)

$86 to fill up.YAY!!!

IS-SV

I'm planning on beating that today at fillup (my SUV/truck has 22.5 gallon tank).

seanlee

as gas price raise, the difference between premium and regular dropped dramatically. it has always been 20 cents difference, except premium was 20% higher than regular in year 2000, and is only 5% higher in year 2011.

IS-SV

Agreed, good CA stats on price points and spread, quite consistent here give or take a couple of cents.

My take on marketing strategy for this pricing scheme is a few posts ago.

Danimal

I mentioned this to someone recently, they acted like I was crazy.

With gas prices going up like they are; a small motorcycle is looking more and more appealing. If only there was some way to talk the fiancee into it...

If you were looking to make a killing off of Geo Metro's, now's the time to stockpile! Get them running well and start selling them off for $5k each when you see $4.xx gas! :-D