Well, the gas stations were empty today.

[javacontour]

quote:

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Originally posted by surfstar:
javacontour,

If I go back in my gas records to 3/2002 and add up all that I've spent in gas (don't worry its in Excel and took 2 secs) I come out with $5836.05. The average $/gal is $2.125. That doesn't include the 10 months of MPG data that I didn't save the $/gal info on. If I did I would be around $6500 in fuel during the period from 5/2001-present.

I bought my car for $5200 in 5/2001. With maintenance costs, my overall $ in my car is more than the cost of the gas, but not by much.

Yes gas is a very significant amount of the operating costs of a car. Oh and my avg MPG is 32.80 over that period, so I'm not driving a guzzler either. Imagine how high the cost of fuel would be if I was!

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I don't disagree, but you bought a car that is about 20% the price of the typical new car on the road.

I do agree that for folks who either have to or want to buy inexpensive cars, gas is a major portion of the price.

For the guy who bought the $500 car, gas is probably 90% of the price.

But most of the folks I see on CNN complaining are in $25K plus cars.

 

[PandaBear]

The Japanese didn't kill the big 3, the OPEC did.

 

[JHZR2]

I bought a brand new saab... got a good deal, but it still is a euro car.

It gets GREAT gas mileage...

All the same, the cost of fuel is still too high, even if it is only a small percentage of the total lifecycle cost.

Whenever you know something as being one way... including fuel prices... when they dramaticaly shift, theyre never low or reaqsonable enough, no matter how well they retrace their movement.

JMH

 

[moribundman]

I keep track of what Euro sources say about the oil market and oil prices. Here is their general take on it:

The USA are currently buying massive quantities of not only oil, but are also buying "clean gas" because they can't produce enough due to limited refinery capacity. That drives prices up.

Asian countries, especially China, also drive up prices with increased demand.

Tensions in the Near and Middle East have a negative effect on the oil market.

By the way, one barrel of Brent brand North Sea crude oil costs currently $37. That's not bad!

Fuel theft at European gas stations is up. In Germany, the reported number of license plate thefts closely matches the number of fuel thefts. People steal tags, put them on their car, gas up and drive off. There's generally no pre-pay required at German gas stations -- not yet.

 

[oilyriser]

And I was worried about people stealing my plates for the 25 cents of scrap aluminium. I need to get a bunch of strange headed tamper proof fasteners, or glue it to my car.

 

[brianl703]

Supposedly sticker theft is most common (the stickers which state when the registration expires that are attached to the license plates in most states). They suggest applying the sticker then using a knife to slice it up so that it cannot be removed in one piece.

 

[The_Jeff]

My plate stickers come "pre-sliced" from the state. Oddly if I "lose" just the sticker I can get another one for 50 cents!!

Our state inspection stickers, inside decals that don't scrape off easily, are issued by mechanics who check the registration for validity. So a stolen registration sticker is not completely foolproof forever.

If one wanted to steal gas, a little "mud" or snow on the plate would block the camera well enough.

If you want to keep your plates, just drill through whatever and run a long machine screw and nut into your trunk. Then the screw head will just spin on the potential thief.

 

[JeepZJ4.0]

I'm flashin' the deuce to the ol' Jeep and getting a car or a fuel efficient SUV like an Acura MDX. 11.5 in the city isn't cool.

 

[JHZR2]

a fuel efficient suv is neither an suv or fuel efficient.

JMH

 

[JeepZJ4.0]

*steps on soapbox*
When a 5.4L Triton F150 is getting 15mpg in the city while your "more fuel efficient" 6cyl SUV gets 11.5... thats a problem. I was speaking in terms of comparison. I want a SUV that fuel efficient in comparison to my Jeep Grand Cherokee. My father's Grand Cherokee V8 gets better mileage but an Acura MDX gets much better than both...

*steps off soapbox*

 

[JHZR2]

but that still does not make an MDX an SUV... Its like a honda accord with a truck body and souped up drivetrain. Youre a jeep guy, you should understand this.

JMH