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Automotive News & Views Are gas prices fueling your pain? 
10042 messages, Last post on Jul 12, 2008 at 3:07 PM
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Replying to: nippononly (Apr 16, 2008 10:52 pm) How 'bout saying that to Pelosi and the Democrat congress who said last April that she (they) have a plan to handle rising gas prices...? I heard an early talk show guest saying that the problem with the prices is the dollar has slid in value. That's a government economics problem. If it were where it started the cost of oil would be 60$ per barrel. He pointed out refineries are at 83% capacity so the Petroleum Institute can't use that in their press releases to justify higher gas prices. It will be the need for silly EPA boutique gas blends that causes the rise now; couldn't the EPA have one blend for all areas that need special treatment? I'm driving less to save the $4 gallon.
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Replying to: imidazol97 (Apr 17, 2008 4:03 am) McCain's gas tax holiday is a stupid idea. While I'm all for lower taxes this gas holiday idea doen't solve the problem, if anything it will make things worse. Last thing we need right now is more demand for gas.
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Replying to: dieselone (Apr 17, 2008 4:33 am) It will allow the oil companies to continue to raise their prices. If we're looking to blame it's the many years of Congress back 3 decades allowing EPA to block refineries being build. It's EPA mandating special gasolines. And lack of control of the oil companies. Maybe it's time to nationalize them. Now matter how little we consume, they will always find an excuse to raise the prices higher. |
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With gasoline selling for $3.40 and headed for $4, (oil hit $115 yesterday) I'm reminded of the time last year when I first joined the forum. Gasoline was $2.75 and headed for $3, and I had just purchased a Honda Civic Hybrid. Almost every post I made about the HCH met with derision from several folks; either the car wouldn't live up to its promises, or it would explode after 30K miles. Well, it has performed as promised -- 47 mpg avg., and it hasn't blown up yet (only 22K miles, though). And it seems that current gas prices have quieted many of the critics. Good. As I look forward to this summer's driving season with no worries, I await the NEW thread: "What will you do when gas goes to $5?" .
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since I last filled my Intrepid. I've driven about 60 miles in that time, so at that rate, it'll be awhile before I need to fill up again. This morning I'm cheating a little though...drove my '76 LeMans to work. I notice its gas tank is down to about 3/8. I might fill it up tonight on my way home. I have a feeling that's gonna hurt! ~21 gallon tank, with a preference for premium, which was around $3.62/gal last time I checked. 
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Replying to: imidazol97 (Apr 17, 2008 4:45 am) The refineries have deliberately cut back on production because they really aren't making any money. Despite the increase in gas prices it hasn't kept pace with the increase in oil prices and this has resulted in a shrinking profit margin on the refineries' side. So the refineries are operating at about 10% less capacity than is typical for this type of year. What good would it do to have twice as many refineries operating at 40% capacity as opposed to our current number operating at 80%? Today's high gasoline prices are completely due to the high price of oil, which the EPA has no control over. If Congress could go back 30 years I don't believe they would be focusing on refineries and different blends of gasoline as a viable energy policy. I believe they would have started aggressively promoting the development of alternatives to burning gasoline. Something that is finally happening but a little too late since this kind of transition will take decades.
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Replying to: gagrice (Apr 16, 2008 7:36 pm) Actually, you did it again earlier - the incident of the guy who wanted to get off the bus to catch up with his girlfriend, and he assaulted the driver and threatened him with a gun? Remember our conversation on that? It went about like this one - you bemoaned the mass transit system as being dangerous and I rebuffed that idea. Gary says, Why should I subsidize someone else getting to work? You do that now without mass transit involved. You pay gas taxes, property taxes, sales taxes, etc. All that goes into the public coffers and is spent however the guvmint wants it to be spent. You can't say, "I want my taxes spent on THIS but not THIS." That's not how it works. |
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Replying to: andre1969 (Apr 17, 2008 5:15 am) 
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When I first saw this board I had to laugh. $4 a gallon? It'll never happen I said. Now here I sit in NYS and watch as the price of gas has gone up over 20 cents a gallon in about a week. Hi-test is now about $3.75.  Now I really have to ask myself "What am I going to do when gas reaches $4 a gallon."
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Replying to: imidazol97 (Apr 17, 2008 4:45 am) It would not do us much good unless we took over Saudi Arabia, Canada and Mexico. Remember Exxon is paying $115 a barrel for oil to send to their refineries. There is not a big profit margin. I think if you take a look at the last two energy bills pushed through Congress you will find the reason oil is so high. They are not well thought out when you are dealing with a World oil market. There is NO reason for $115 oil except that traders are betting on the future. They did it before and the oil market went all the way down to $9 per barrel. That was from an adjusted high in the $70 range. For you conspiracy guys. Take a look at the fact that OPEC cut production in 1999 by 4.2 million barrels per day. That started the upward trend we are in today with 9/11 fueling the market. We could just colonize a few weak countries with lots of oil and problem solved for a while. |
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