Gas Prices.

[raptor192837]

What do you guys think about gas prices?

[Paul]

Prices have been dropping. In my area they have been dropping a few cents, so I'm sure it'll be going on everywhere soon. Possibly? What people are doing is setting a date for when you can tell people to NOT stop at the pump that day, print out flyers and spread the word around for a solid 3 weeks. Then pray it works on that date.

[raptor192837]

Yeah,
prices aren't going down by anything over here.
In San Franscisco, which is 30 mintutes away from where I live, it's still the most expensive in the country so I still have yet to see price drop here.

[Swors-k]

It 4.18 near Chicago right now, but thats down from around 4.30. I hope it keeps dropping.

I filled up in Minnesota a couple weekends ago for 3.92.

[SF1]

I've been noticing slight drops, and I'm about as far from Frisco as raptor.

On that note, wherein do you live?

[Fred 00]

There is no gas shortage, it's just we've already drilled up the easy stuff.

There is, supposedly, a LARGE amount of oil in/around the Californian coastline. But the reason why we don't drill there? Because people think that oil rigs would disturb their pretty view of the ocean

gotta love our priorties

[kimcicle]

Originally Posted by raptor192837

What do you guys think about gas prices?

I honestly think it's a bunch of bullshizzles and EVERY gas company shouls lower gas by at LEAST a bit.

I don't think it's really all that simple though, I don't know but I don't think that we're going to have enough of Oil/Gas as a resource in the future.

Are you going to have to use HYBRIDS?

Well, I dunno but I think I have an Idea to lower gas.

We should stop buying gas from Shell, and start buying from the lower companies.

Shell is going to be losing revenue and they MAY resort to lowering prices.
Then it's going to be a "who can lower their prices fastest without losing much money" race.

I don't know,
So people,
Tell me your take on the gas/oil crisis.

Obviously you don't know. It's apparent in your posts.

1. Hybrids are kind of stupid. People that are upside down on loans on those SUVs they got 3-5 years ago are selling for a loss and trying to get into Hybrid vehicles that are more environmentally harmful than most people think. (Research where the nickel for the Prius come from.) Compared to the Toyota Corolla, if you take into account the cost difference and the mpg difference, you won't break even for at least 5 years. It's not about what you drive, but how you drive it. When I really want to, I can hit about 28 MPG highway in my car; I just choose not to.

2. Gas prices are fine where they are. But you're going to say "GAS COMPANIES HAVE BEEN GETTING RECORD PROFITS!" and they are ripping us off or something. However, it's reported profits, not PROFIT MARGINS. The gas companies are running on a shoestring here, and slight deviations (like the rapid increase in the price of oil) have put some companies in bad situations. Exxon/Mobile, a huge player in the oil field, have decided they wanted to pull out of the retail gas market.

3. Boycotting Shell wouldn't do jack to Shell. The US Shell is large enough to take it, not to mention it's backed by an even larger Royal Dutch Shell. You'll just be hurting the owners of the gas stations, who can't absorb the hit as well as the big company can. Which in turns hurts your local economy. Which is just like fucking yourself in the ass.

4. There's a reason why gas at crappier places is cheaper; it's crappier. Feel free to put it into your cars, but I'm not going anywhere near that shit.

Gas prices go up, deal with it. The same thing happened when gas broke $3 a gallon at the pump; people learned how to live with it.

In short, I don't care where gas prices are. The difference between gas at $3 to $4 is maybe $15 a tank. Cut out the Starbucks and you'll be ok. Cut out the cable tv and you'll be fine. Cut out one designer pair of jeans and you'll be fine. If your budget is so shoestring that you can't cushion a $15 per tank deviance (or ~$60 a month if you fill up once a week), then you have bigger problems than gas prices.

[Blackraven]

Prices going up everywhere......though thankfully I've heard that it's kinda dropping to a bit (now at $127 per barrel at NYMEX a few hours ago).

We may not see it going lower than sub-$100/barrel levels anytime soon.........but any pricedrop is a welcome. Unfortunately, I worry if supply and demand will cause it to bounce back up again.

Anyway, regarding hybrids.

Personally....
With the exception of hybrids used in Lexus (ie. GS450h and my fave the Lexus LS 600 hybrid flagship sedan), it's hard to appreciate hybrids. For instance, current Prius = fugly; Civic Hybrid = good but has no EV-only mode; other hybrids = can't even seem to come close to those two tech-wise.

I'd personally like to see more improvements first (such as the use of Lithium Ion batteries, improvements to regenerative braking, use of all-new petrol/gasoline powerplants with good mid-range torque, etc.) before I even think of hybrids.

Another interesting thing is the upcoming use advent of diesel-hybrids (launching after year 2010) which aims to combine both aspects of fuel-efficiency in city, highway and basically all driving conditions. Too bad though that the current makers developing the first diesel-hybrids may not be of desire. Those involved are Peugeot (not launched in all countries), MB (CRAP-ASS reliability and full of electrical and wiring problems), BMW (defective heated seats that can burn your ass like a wildfire).

Nevertheless, it's an interesthing thing to look out for.

Oh and I mentioned the Lexus LS for it is the best flagship car in the WORLD atm (and the numerous awards and accolades it won already say everything). Yet I most especially like its top-of-the-line 600h hybrid version. It interacts Lexus Hybrid Drive with Electric All Wheel Drive and a CVT that actually has a manual mode.....8 speeds at that (even if critics may say that planetary gear CVTs are always constant bla blah whatever).

Other than that, it beats the 7-series HANDS DOWN and is the only current hybrid that I feel is worth it. Of course, it's aimed for the elite and high-class people though :P

Atm, hybrids = image (that's why celebs drive these things :P)

------------

Ey, if you looking for car that is fuel-efficient, environmentally-friendly yet can't afford a hybrid, try this one:

Ford Fiesta ECOnetic.




-100 hp (exactly)
-98 g/km CO2 (currently the lowest in any car sold in the UK/Great Britain)
-20 km/liter is chicken shit easy for this vehicle

Of course, I don't know if this will be offered when the Fiesta hits American shores.......as the only engine that will be offered (I think) will be the all-new 1.6 Ti-VCT gasoline/petrol engine with 120 HP/PS.

If you still want the ECOnetic variant in American shores (without resorting to importing a unit from the E.U.), go to the Ford factory in Michigan and ask as to whether they have the capability of importing the diesel engine and schemantics from the Colonge, Germany factory (Ford Europe's HQ) then they'll just assemble the whole thing stateside.

Other than that, I don't think it won't be any other problems that you'll face (even passing super-strict TIER 2 BIN 5 & CALIFORNIA ULEV II regulations are chicken shit as this car already passes Euro 6 emission regs which won't come out till year 2014.)

You know what, IMHO, the Fiesta ECOnetic literally squishes ANY CURRENT EMISSION STANDARD found anywhere in the world. I mean look at it. With 98 g/km of CO2 emissions, it already 'owns' the three strict emission standards in the world:

In no particular order:
-Tier 2 Bin 5/California ULEV II (United States of America)
-Euro 5 and the upcoming Euro 6 (European Union)
-Heisei 17 standard (Japan)

Ideally, this car won't have a problem in Hong Kong (as Hong Kong SAR law mentions that it only needs to pass either one of the three emission standards). Heck, you can see that it more than satisfies all of them............though unfortunately, diesel passenger cars are currently banned in Hong Kong. Same case for Singapore, but they are legal............. yet with a 600% LTA tax.

Personally, for the new Fiesta, I'm excited about two variants:
-The ECOnetic diesel variant
-The top-range 1.6 Ti-VCT gas/petrol engine

Other variants are too underpowered for me or lack something that makes it worth it.

Plus, I don't think they can cram a 2000 cc engine in the Fiesta's hood/bonnet, now can they?

[sнυи]

God I'm resenting the day I'm going to have to see an ugly ass Fiesta in America.

A K20 would probably fit in a Fiesta. :b

I saw an article on the Fiesta coming to America a while ago and I didn't read any of it other than look at the pictures and say "wow, this thing is hideous," but unless it's been said that the US version gets a nice engine bump, it'll be the same crap other than the windows and the bumpers, etc. having to meet US requirements.

[Blackraven]

Originally Posted by Shun

God I'm resenting the day I'm going to have to see an ugly ass Fiesta in America.

A K20 would probably fit in a Fiesta. :b

I saw an article on the Fiesta coming to America a while ago and I didn't read any of it other than look at the pictures and say "wow, this thing is hideous," but unless it's been said that the US version gets a nice engine bump, it'll be the same crap other than the windows and the bumpers, etc. having to meet US requirements.

Nope.

Unlike the Fit/Jazz GE (where the USDM version has this HUGE front overhang), the Fiesta is already a global model by design. No exterior modifications are needed to pass regulations (in any country/teritorry).

And the engine choice for you guys stateside is good. The all-new 1.6 Ti-VCT unit is reported to have 120 hp (same as Nissan's MR18DE engine) so it is good.

Oh and K20 is not a good choice as it is old. In fact K series itself is OLD. Thank god for Honda replacing it with the R-series, the J series 6-cylinder units......and the upcoming Advanced VTEC engine powerplants in a few years time.

Though I appreciate the humor in that sentence though

[dat shit cray]

Originally Posted by raptor192837

What do you guys think about gas prices?

They are pretty high. Not unbearable. What else do you need to know?

edit:

Originally Posted by Kimcicle

2. Gas prices are fine where they are. But you're going to say "GAS COMPANIES HAVE BEEN GETTING RECORD PROFITS!" and they are ripping us off or something. However, it's reported profits, not PROFIT MARGINS. The gas companies are running on a shoestring here, and slight deviations (like the rapid increase in the price of oil) have put some companies in bad situations. Exxon/Mobile, a huge player in the oil field, have decided they wanted to pull out of the retail gas market.

you have seen/been in a SA gas price complaint thread haven't you, you little devil.

[もも]

Originally Posted by raptor192837

What do you guys think about gas prices?

I honestly think it's a bunch of bullshizzles and EVERY gas company shouls lower gas by at LEAST a bit.

I don't think it's really all that simple though, I don't know but I don't think that we're going to have enough of Oil/Gas as a resource in the future.

Are you going to have to use HYBRIDS?

Well, I dunno but I think I have an Idea to lower gas.

We should stop buying gas from Shell, and start buying from the lower companies.

Shell is going to be losing revenue and they MAY resort to lowering prices.
Then it's going to be a "who can lower their prices fastest without losing much money" race.

I don't know,
So people,
Tell me your take on the gas/oil crisis.

None of this makes a lick of sense you do realize that right?

You think it's the gas companies fault? You think that they'll start a race because we're buying from lower companies?

This isn't Banana Republic.

[Blackraven]

Originally Posted by PICASIO PICASIO

None of this makes a lick of sense you do realize that right?

You think it's the gas companies fault? You think that they'll start a race because we're buying from lower companies?

This isn't Banana Republic.

Same situation is happening in my country the Philippines.

As much as there are leftist groups that want an audit on our oil firms profit books, this may not be possible as Philippine law does not allow this to be done for private companies (without approval and sufficient clause from the local energy department).

Such again is the price that we poor Filipinos pay for in a "deregulated" oil industry.......but it's hell better than in other countries that issue subsidies and stuff.

[kimcicle]

Originally Posted by PSYCHO KILLER

you have seen/been in a SA gas price complaint thread haven't you, you little devil.

Nope, just an informed citizen.

[ranatalus]

Originally Posted by red shoe paul

Prices have been dropping. In my area they have been dropping a few cents, so I'm sure it'll be going on everywhere soon. Possibly? What people are doing is setting a date for when you can tell people to NOT stop at the pump that day, print out flyers and spread the word around for a solid 3 weeks. Then pray it works on that date.

that doesn't work at all; so what if no one gets gas ANYWHERE in the country tomorrow? the people that are almost out are just going to fill up thursday. you're just shuffling around the times