When gas hit $5, what will you do?

[Marseeya]

OK then WHINING does not become you...

Now I am really rolling on the floor laughing. You posted about how "horrible SUV owners are for saying they can aford the gas" and you own one... What point were you trying to make????

Not once did I say "horrible SUV owners" in any sentence nor did I suggest anyone was out of line for simply saying they can afford gas. If you're going to quote me, please quote me accurately.

Thanks.

I will give you whiney. I was feeling very whiney this morning, but I wasn't whining about myself -- I'm whining out of compassion for other people.

Yes, I'm just a jealous awful person.

 

[ktulu]

All that suspension work and you put on little tires? What are you going to do when the mud gets deep? You need 38s.

I avoid the mud, mud is bad, sticks to things and then you get yelled at by the car wash attendant for leaving a huge mess for him to clean up

I'd have gone with 33's, but the rubbing at full turn is already bad enough. Once I get a new daily driver, I'll probably throw on a rubicon express long arm kit and go to at least 35's. If I get the right daily driver (thinking about a Dodge mega cab with cummins turbo diesel) then I'll probably go bigger

Back to on topic, it's not that there is a shortage of oil, the oil is out there, the greenies don't want us drilling on OUR land to get it. There is enough to last us until technology changes, we just need to stop importing the bulk of it. The problem we're facing right now is called GREED.

darren

 

[CheshireVal]

Back to on topic, it's not that there is a shortage of oil, the oil is out there, the greenies don't want us drilling on OUR land to get it. There is enough to last us until technology changes, we just need to stop importing the bulk of it. The problem we're facing right now is called GREED.

darren

Maybe some people don't want to destroy what's left of nature in this country just so that we can drive big gas guzzlers.

Anyway, that's a topic for another thread, I think.

 

[Viking]

What scam? The air filter is a forever filter that you clean out. I have them in all of our cars and the mileage is above the highway number for combined city and highway. I am an Engineer and I did research them before buying them. Not only do you get better gas mileage, but you save on filters in the long run.

Sorry, not for me: I buy a new car every 3 years when it has 30,000 to 40,000 miles. This way I don't have to change the filter either
Nevertheless your claim of a K&N reducing fuel consumption by 10% is ridiculous. I subscribe to most major German car mags and I'm also a regular reader of Car&Driver and Road&Track. All these magazines have made numerous tests of such 'improvements' and always came up with the result: No change exceeding the usual tolerances.

 

[Ted and Holly]

I avoid the mud, mud is bad, sticks to things and then you get yelled at by the car wash attendant for leaving a huge mess for him to clean up

I'd have gone with 33's, but the rubbing at full turn is already bad enough. Once I get a new daily driver, I'll probably throw on a rubicon express long arm kit and go to at least 35's. If I get the right daily driver (thinking about a Dodge mega cab with cummins turbo diesel) then I'll probably go bigger

Just kidding. I am sure your Jeep does pretty well and looks mean. That is all that counts. My friend had a Rubicon lifted with 32" tires, upgraded a lot of the suspension (because he broke the stock stuff)... Then he decided that it cost him too much to drive when he had to go to Miami or Jacksonville every once in a while. He traded it in and got an Accord and now has an old Wrangler, upgraded suspension, 33" swampers. He loved that Rubicon, but using it as a daily driver was not working for him. Tow his wave runner and he was driving from gas station to gas station.

Back to topic... I am not sure I'd go with a hybrid. I mean, sure they promise great gas milage and are supposed to be "clean", but they cost a lot more to buy and there is that pecky issue with disposing of the batteries eventually. Even if they last 20 years, eventually the batteries become hazardous waste.

Ted

 

[Viking]

Hybrids are only a solution for people who do a lot of urban driving. Long distance they don't save, quite the opposite: Due to the additional weight they may even consume more than a diesel of comparative size.
The batteries shouldn't be a problem as they can be fully recycled.

 

[Crankyshank]

I will give you whiney. I was feeling very whiney this morning, but I wasn't whining about myself -- I'm whining out of compassion for other people.

Yes, I'm just a jealous awful person.

Well you can kind of turn it back on yourself. Because when people quit their jobs because they can't afford gas and when they can't afford the increased food bills and have to go on the dole, who's going to pay for it?

 

[Ted and Holly]

Hybrids are only a solution for people who do a lot of urban driving. Long distance they don't save, quite the opposite: Due to the additional weight they may even consume more than a diesel of comparative size.
The batteries shouldn't be a problem as they can be fully recycled.

That is definitely good to know.

When I registered my old Golf diesel back in 1992, I actually got a break on my taxes because it was an "alternative fuel" vehicle. A lot has changes since then. I wonder if they still do that... That car got me 50mpg. Great little car.

Obviously the solution to all of this is not simple, or there would not be a problem in the first place.

Ted

 

[ducklite]

We got a $3000 break last year for buying the Prius. If I understand correctly, starting this year it's only a $500 break.

Anne

 

[Ted and Holly]

We got a $3000 break last year for buying the Prius. If I understand correctly, starting this year it's only a $500 break.

Anne

Makes sense. Now there is less incentive.

 

[Marseeya]

Well you can kind of turn it back on yourself. Because when people quit their jobs because they can't afford gas and when they can't afford the increased food bills and have to go on the dole, who's going to pay for it?

Now I'm scared.

 

[Crankyshank]

Now I'm scared.

That's nothing. What about the health issues that will arise from the food price increase since they can't afford healthy food and live on spam, ramen, and twinkies. there's increased medical insurance costs right there to compensate since no job = no insurance.

 

[ducklite]

Makes sense. Now there is less incentive.

I know--government initiatives at their finest...

You'd think they've want to continue to reward people who drive good gas milage cars which are environmentally friendly, and put a higher tax on cars with lower fuel efficiency. But as long as Georgie and Arnie are setting an example with their gas guzzlers, that will never happen.

Anne

 

[aes74]

I sold my minivan and got the MDX. They both get the same gas mileage. I just wanted something that does good in the snow and can haul a lot but didn't need the passenger room any more. What color is your MDX? I have red rock pearl and love it!

Black...gorgeous! I love it!
My MDX gets the same gas mileage as a dodge caravan. But so much more fun! And it has a gauge to show you how much mpg you are using at the speed you are going. I have my eye on it quite a lot.

 

[bigbabyblues]

I will be thankful that I don't drive very far to work, and that my car will go two weeks on a tank of gas. I'll be glad that DH only has 9 more weeks of school left so he won't be driving 120 miles 3 days a week anymore, and he works only a few miles from home also. Looks like he traded his truck for a Neon just in time.

I WON'T be going to visit my grandpa as much as I like to, because it's too far to drive, and we certainly won't be going on vacation this year.

 

[Froggyswife]

Think I will invest in a horse and buggy.

 

[HOGFAN]

ride my

 

[aes74]

You'd think they've want to continue to reward people who drive good gas milage cars which are environmentally friendly, and put a higher tax on cars with lower fuel efficiency. But as long as Georgie and Arnie are setting an example with their gas guzzlers, that will never happen.

Anne

Hey, hey, hey, you might want to do a bit of research before you throw that one out. It's not just Republicans who are gas-guzzling hypocrites. John Kerry owns a Chevrolet Suburban. Gore drives an eco-unfriendly black cadillac. Howard Dean owns two Ford Explorers.

And why pick on just the suv's? how about the private jets so many fly in (such as RFK Jr) sucking up massive amounts of fuel instead of flying commercially? I wouldnt look to politicians to set any examples. Republican and Democrats are woefully lacking in this area.

 

[Viking]

I know--government initiatives at their finest...

You'd think they've want to continue to reward people who drive good gas milage cars which are environmentally friendly, and put a higher tax on cars with lower fuel efficiency. But as long as Georgie and Arnie are setting an example with their gas guzzlers, that will never happen.

Anne

The simplest way is to put higher taxes on gas. This way the people will automatically drive fuel efficient cars. Over here you also see a lot of SUVs, but 90% of them are Diesels.
And at least that tax money goes back to society and not into the deep pockets of Exxon, Mobil, etc.

 

[ducklite]

Hey, hey, hey, you might want to do a bit of research before you throw that one out. It's not just Republicans who are gas-guzzling hypocrites. John Kerry owns a Chevrolet Suburban. Gore drives an eco-unfriendly black cadillac. Howard Dean owns two Ford Explorers.

And why pick on just the suv's? how about the private jets so many fly in (such as RFK Jr) sucking up massive amounts of fuel instead of flying commercially? I wouldnt look to politicians to set any examples. Republican and Democrats are woefully lacking in this area.

I wasn't trying to pick on any party in general, I'm basically independent. Those were just the first two that came to mind. Shame on all of them.

BTW--My DH was looking into getting his private pilots license about a year ago, and decided not to based on the amount of fuel the planes consumed.

Anne