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Pain Point? - READ ONLY

60 messages,  Last post on Dec 12, 2008 at 3:32 PM

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Messages Page 3 of 6

#21 of 60 make 5 bucks, buy a gallon by dave8697

Oct 15, 2007 (9:31 pm)

The government gets a boost from high fuel prices. The $75000 a minute profit that Exxon makes is taxed heavily. I have to gross $5 to take home enough to buy a gallon of gas. Look at all the tax in the price of a gallon of gas. What else is there in it besides tax and oil coming out of the ground?
 
Bush is now claiming a $168 billion federal budget defecit next year thanks to taxes on fuels rolling in.

#22 of 60 Re: make 5 bucks, buy a gallon [dave8697] by krony

Oct 21, 2007 (12:33 pm)

Replying to: dave8697 (Oct 15, 2007 9:31 pm)
Ahh the government...take the recent fuel mileage legislation...
 
Problem: The US uses too much oil.
Solution: Require automakers to make vehicles with better mileage.
 
So...if your goal is mileage...and we live in a capitalist society...raise gas taxes to put gasoline at $6/gal. Some thoughts:
1. Drives behavior that you only buy a car with bad mileage if you a. need it or b. want it.
2. E85 can be taxed less, if the desire is to push E85 (different discussion on whether that is right)
 
Haven't we learned what happens when automakers produce vehicles not driven by the consumer?

#23 of 60 Re: make 5 bucks, buy a gallon [krony] by texases

Oct 30, 2007 (8:24 pm)

Replying to: krony (Oct 21, 2007 12:33 pm)
Until there is a crisis with lines and rationing, or doubling of fuel costs, we're only going to see incremental gains.

#24 of 60 Going to move closer to work by dave8697

Nov 11, 2007 (10:23 am)

Decided to just get out of the long drive instead of buying a higher mileage car. Bought house that is 31 miles closer to work. Commute one way will go from 47 miles to 16 miles. That should save about 850 gallons a year for my work commute alone. In addition, the schools and shopping will be closer which may save another 400 gallons a year family wide. Will go back to driving my Silverado ext cab 4x4 which will use 2 gallons a day for the round trip to work. With gas at $3.15 a gallon that is $3-4000 a year of potential savings, not to mention the 80 minutes a day it took to drive those extra 62 miles and stop for a tank of gas every 3rd day. Can't wait for moving day.

#25 of 60 Re: Going to move closer to work [dave8697] by andre1969

Nov 11, 2007 (10:34 am)

Replying to: dave8697 (Nov 11, 2007 10:23 am)
Decided to just get out of the long drive instead of buying a higher mileage car. Bought house that is 31 miles closer to work.
 
Congrats on the new house. Personally, I wouldn't move closer to work just to save on gasoline. I'd do it for quality-of-life issues, such as more free time, a house that suits me better, better neighborhood, convenience, etc. But it sounds like you're doing that anyway, and the shorter commute is just one of many benefits.
 
I moved closer to work about 4 years ago. Commute went down from about 14 miles each way to 3.5. It would usually take me abut 25 mins to get to work, and 30 to get home. Now, in a worst-case scenario, it might take 10 mins to get to work, and 10 to get home. So even though my commute wasn't that bad to begin with, I ended up shaving off 105 miles of driving per week, not to mention picking up nearly three hours more of free time each week because of the shorter commute.

#26 of 60 Re: Going to move closer to work [andre1969] by dave8697

Nov 11, 2007 (11:01 am)

Replying to: andre1969 (Nov 11, 2007 10:34 am)
Thanks,
There are always trades to make. Some things that will be lost are having acreage, change of schools, and proximity to long time friends. Gains will be worthy and gas savings is only one piece. 47 miles can be dangerous after long work day making safety near the top of the list. 80 minutes is a lot of time per day. I looked at work as a 6 day week where one day was driving extra miles. Wear and tear on cars caused time, money, and energy spent maintaining. New lawn to mow will be 1/5 the size of my current one.
The new house is bigger, nicer and there is a convenience from being close to many places that are far away today. It took 3 years to decide on this and gas went from $1.60 to $3.15 during that time.
I had a reasonable drive to work for 11 years prior, and I remember it as an easier, less stressful time.

#27 of 60 Living close to work... by 1racefan

Nov 11, 2007 (1:12 pm)

For me, I tend to live where I *want* to live, and just deal with the commute, and gas price. I use to live on a quarter acre, but now that I live somewhere with more land, I don't think I could ever go back to a small yard, and a neighboring house within spitting distance - at least not until I reach retirement age anyways. In my area, you have to move out to the sticks to find a decent chunk of land. I prefer a quiet home environment, and lack of traffic around my home, and am willing to pay the price of gas, and deal with a longer commute time to have this. My wife and I both commute 25 miles one way. That's just OUR preferance, and I don't blame anyone for doing what dave8697 did if he truly is happier overall.
 
The one thing my wife and I did do was to buy fuel efficient vehicles. We didn't specifically go replace our cars with more fuel efficient ones, but instead did so as our previous cars needed replaced. My wife's daily driver, as well as mine both average 30 mpg for our commutes. What's interesting is that my wife has an '08 Mitsubushi Lancer, and I have an '02 Hyundai Elantra. Both of these cars seem to be as large as the 89 Honda Accord my father-in-law use to own back when we were dating - although I have never looked up interior specs to compare. I am 6'-0", and my wife is 5'-6", and both of these cars are comfortable drivers for us.
 
A couple of years ago, we decided we wanted an SUV as a 3rd vehicle for traveling, and hauling our dogs, so we bought a 4 cylinder SUV that we put about 5,000 miles a year on. Even with the SUV, we get mid 20's around town, and high 20's on the hwy - and it's an automatic and 4wd.

#30 of 60 One year on by pf_flyer HOST

Nov 19, 2008 (6:56 am)

A year ago we were here talking about "pain points" and whether $4 gas would change the way we drive and the kinds of cars we buy or don't buy. Now that we've been through $4 gas I'm kind of leaning to the answer being a resounding "yes".
 
The auto industry has hit its own pain point now and has to change as well.
 
Even though gas prices are plummeting at the moment, have you permanently changed habits or not?

Messages Page 3 of 6

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