Rising gas prices (landlord, oil, trading)

[las vegas drunk]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

The recent run up in gas prices has nothing to do with the dollar.

Incorrect. Here is CBS news reporting....

"and–something most consumers do not realize–the diminishing power of the U.S. dollar. Crude oil is bought and sold in U.S. dollars and the drop in the dollar. By comparison, the Euro is enjoying a 14-month high in comparison to the dollar. “When the dollar diminishes, that means its going to take more American dollars to buy a barrel of oil, its going to take more U.S. dollars to refine it, and certainly its going to take more U.S. dollars for American consumers to buy the finished product–the gasoline at the pump”, says Leskoski.


Vegas Gas Prices Spike « CBS Las Vegas

[jimj]

Originally Posted by Desertspiritsteve

I am driving my Ford Escape less and my Fusion Hybrid more these days. I have been reading about the new Toyota Avalon Hybrid that gets combined mileage of 40. The Avalon has always been Toyota's old folk's car and is as luxurious and big as a Buick. I agree with my favorite right-wing curmudgeon Bill Wattenburg that natural gas in cars is the way to go right now. I had checked into this and Southwest Gas was offering to install a natural gas station in your home for your car for no charge at all. I don't know if they still offer this. About the only natural gas car available was the Honda Civic GX, and I don't know if this was a dual fuel car. I am putting in a link to Wattenburg's letter to the President.

Bill Wattenburg

Bill has to be the smartest person I've had the pleasure of speaking with not to mention listening to bar none. Why he's not in a larger top advisory capacity is beyond me.
I highly recommend anyone who's not familiar with either his works or his show look him up!
His proposed solution to energy independence makes absolute sense (probably why it's not used) and could be instituted in a short period of time.
Here's the question, what/who is stopping it and why?

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by las vegas drunk

Incorrect. Here is CBS news reporting....

"and–something most consumers do not realize–the diminishing power of the U.S. dollar. Crude oil is bought and sold in U.S. dollars and the drop in the dollar. By comparison, the Euro is enjoying a 14-month high in comparison to the dollar. “When the dollar diminishes, that means its going to take more American dollars to buy a barrel of oil, its going to take more U.S. dollars to refine it, and certainly its going to take more U.S. dollars for American consumers to buy the finished product–the gasoline at the pump”, says Leskoski.


Vegas Gas Prices Spike « CBS Las Vegas

It is a popular refrain from dollar hawks, no doubt, but there is actually very little correlation between the dollar and gas prices in the short run and only marginal correlation in the longer term. If your premise were correct, then gas should be down now. The dollar is relatively strong at the moment, near a three year high versus the yen and a one year high versus the euro. Oil prices have much more to do with fundamentals and speculative pressure than the dollar fix. Anyway, I will bring you back to what I actually said - that RECENT increases have nothing to do with the dollar. That is indisputable.

THIS is why gasoline prices have gone up:

About one million barrels per day of refining capacity has been taken off line on the East Coast and St. Croix, as the industry responds to low margins and shrinking demand. In January, Hess announced plans to close its Port Reading, N.J., refinery, while refinery shutdowns and planned repairs have cut into gasoline supplies in many parts of the country.

[stephen431]

Originally Posted by Desertspiritsteve

I am driving my Ford Escape less and my Fusion Hybrid more these days. I have been reading about the new Toyota Avalon Hybrid that gets combined mileage of 40. The Avalon has always been Toyota's old folk's car and is as luxurious and big as a Buick.

Cadillac has a plug-in hybrid coming out for 2014 model year. It's pretty.
Cadillac ELR unveiled: A Volt for the luxury set (updated with pictures)

Not as pretty as those Tesla Model S they are showing off at the Tesla store in Fashion Square Mall.

[youthinkso]

Originally Posted by stephen431

Cadillac has a plug-in hybrid coming out for 2014 model year. It's pretty.
Cadillac ELR unveiled: A Volt for the luxury set (updated with pictures)

Not as pretty as those Tesla Model S they are showing off at the Tesla store in Fashion Square Mall.

Will it be as successful as the Volt

BOMB!

[stephen431]

Originally Posted by youthinkso

Will it be as successful as the Volt

BOMB!

I was never a fan of the Volt. I got in one once and I wasn't impressed. It was so small that my shoulder rubbed up against the door pillar when I sat in it. I'm only 6ft tall.
I think the key takeaway of the Volt is don't try to sell a $40k car that looks like a $20k Chevy Malibu, but smaller... and don't use incredibly confusing marketing... and don't listen to Bob Lutz.

Ford is selling their plug-in C-Max at a price that is only about $2k more than its non-plug-in Prius V competitor and it costs $10k less than the Volt. It's even cheaper than the plug-in Prius. Only problem is that it's ugly as hell.

The Volt will be completely dead as soon as the Accord plug-in comes out. 2014 Honda Accord Plug-In Overview - Official Site
If they make that as an Acura TL, I'm getting one.

[Uptacamp]

Originally Posted by stephen431

I was never a fan of the Volt. I got in one once and I wasn't impressed. It was so small that my shoulder rubbed up against the door pillar when I sat in it. I'm only 6ft tall.
I think the key takeaway of the Volt is don't try to sell a $40k car that looks like a $20k Chevy Malibu, but smaller... and don't use incredibly confusing marketing... and don't listen to Bob Lutz.

Ford is selling their plug-in C-Max at a price that is only about $2k more than its non-plug-in Prius V competitor and it costs $10k less than the Volt. It's even cheaper than the plug-in Prius. Only problem is that it's ugly as hell.

The Volt will be completely dead as soon as the Accord plug-in comes out. 2014 Honda Accord Plug-In Overview - Official Site
If they make that as an Acura TL, I'm getting one.

Regarding the volt, the interior layout is all wrong per usual GM ergo issues. For some reason they never seem to get interiors right (except full size trucks.) It does drive very nice. It is super smooth and has surprisingly good pick up. (we had one as a company vehicle, but when I drove I had my superviser with me). If the manufacturers can work out the battery and cost issues, these are really nice driving cars.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by las vegas drunk

The Federal Reserve is printing 85 billion dollars a month to keep this phony economy going. In turn this is devaluing the dollar. I personally am happy that gas prices are as low as they are considering this.

Let's not steer completely off the gas issue. Economic issues as they may relate to gas prices, as above, are fine.

[Ponderosa]

Wholesale gas price dropped 8 cents/gallon in trading today.

[Potential_Landlord]

What is absolutely NOT ok about our gas prices is that crude oil is down from 2008 peaks 97/149 or so = 1/3 down from the peak. Gas prices, however, are much closer to their peak. That makes no sense whatsoever other than someone gouging in the chain from crude to gasoline. This is really maddening!!!