Gas Has Gone Way Up (Crossville: calculation, live, transportation)

[Beretta]

I saw my second "Smart" car today! They are so freaky looking compared to what we are used to seeing on the roads. A couple here in Maryville have one and they say that they are getting 40 mpg around town.

[mbmouse]

I mean the price goes up AND they add that dang ethanol to it!! GGRRR. I am down to two gas stations on my route to the office that I can get gas now. I drive a PT cruiser which with normal 89 octane gas gets about 34 ,sometimes 38 if a lot of highway, miles per gallon. But with the ethanol, I am lucky to get 30miles to the gallon and my car knocks like crazy with it! It says right in the hand book for the car DO NOT USE ETHANOL GAS. It is a great car and I love it but the way things are going with the gas and ethanol added, I might be forced to get something else and darn it, this one isn't paid off yet.
Hubby drives the Mustang Cobra, same thing AND he HAS to use the higher octane gas or his car knocks.


Sorry, guess I needed to vent a little there.

I know I was very young, so I will just say it was the 70's. Mom made us kids bring books in the car because we had to go up town to the Food Bag on certain days to fill up the tank as it was "our day", had to do with the odd or even numbers on the tag. We had to wait in long lines that went down the street. I go A's on all my book reports that year. LOL!.

[hiknapster]

I should have put the links in to compare what happened with both.

1979 energy crisis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

1973 oil crisis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ethanol. Oh, I hate ethanol. We've found that Shell is still not adding ethanol. I don't know if they have Ingle's where you are MBMouse, but they do not add ethanol and we get the 10 cents off deal. That gas runs and runs and runs...

We avoid Pilot like the plague.

[bebette]

Originally Posted by SmokyMtnGal

I saw my second "Smart" car today! They are so freaky looking compared to what we are used to seeing on the roads. A couple here in Maryville have one and they say that they are getting 40 mpg around town.

SMG, when we went to the Dry Tortugas last weekend, we met a couple from Illinois and they had just purchased a brand new Prius before coming to the Keys. Driving down, he kept thinking the odometer was broken because it wasn't moving.....turns out that they were getting 52 mpg.......and they said the car was very comfortable for the long trip!!

If gas keeps heading up, we might just look into getting a Prius! At the moment, we are thinking about a 'gas guzzler'......as retirees we plan to travel alot and both of us have 'quirky' hips, so the comfort and safety of the vehicle are more important than how much gas it uses! My hope is that we can find something that will satisfy all three: comfort, safety, economical!!! I wonder if that even exists!!

[bebette]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

I should have put the links in to compare what happened with both.

Oh my goodness hik.....it was 4:10am when you wrote this......were you 'up late' or 'up early'..........

[Beretta]

Beachbette - A guy I worked with traded his BMW 7 series for a Prius and LOVES it! I understand what you are talking about as far as your retirement vehicle. I can't pry my husband out of his truck. He loves it and said he will gladly pay for the gas to be able to drive it.

[mbmouse]

Originally Posted by beachbette

SMG, when we went to the Dry Tortugas last weekend, we met a couple from Illinois and they had just purchased a brand new Prius before coming to the Keys. Driving down, he kept thinking the odometer was broken because it wasn't moving.....turns out that they were getting 52 mpg.......and they said the car was very comfortable for the long trip!!

If gas keeps heading up, we might just look into getting a Prius! At the moment, we are thinking about a 'gas guzzler'......as retirees we plan to travel alot and both of us have 'quirky' hips, so the comfort and safety of the vehicle are more important than how much gas it uses! My hope is that we can find something that will satisfy all three: comfort, safety, economical!!! I wonder if that even exists!!

My folks bought a Ford Explorer for that very reason. They travel and have hip and back issues. Plus they are tall and need leg room. They got the 6 cylinder and they really like it. It gets over 30 miles to the gallon too.
I believe part of the key to getting good gas mileage is maintenance on your vehicles. Sure there are some that just guzzle no matter what but those that are so-so can get better gas if you keep up that engine maintenance.

[hiknapster]

Hiknapster wakes up at about 3:30 a.m. every morning. I also am in work at 6 a.m. from Sunday to Thursday. Don't feel bad. I love these hours!

[gemkeeper]

The only problem with the ethanol is that it is driving up the cost of food!

The corn that they use to make ethanol gas is corn that is not coming to our tables, but more importantly, it is not being fed to livestock.

Cows, pigs, chickens, most livestock receive a lot of corn or corn product in their feed. Because it is becoming increasingly expensive to feed these animals, it driving up food costs.

I can do with less gas, but the food I have to buy. I would encourage alternate fuels, hybrid cars, and the Smart cars as SMG mentioned. Great alternative to ethanol.

We are just trading one problem for another as I see it. And, I am sorry to admit that as a very "green" person, DH and I both drive vehicles that are very bad on gas. I hope to change mine soon and will look at the Prius!!

[hiknapster]

It is also compromising the beef.

I researched ethanol a couple of years ago, when it was being touted as the "next new thing." Didn't seem like a good bet then. Seems even worse now.