How are Gas Prices affecting you?

[Rich Konopka]

I have to fill up today my car today and I dreading shelling out $60 bucks. The prices gere in CT are all over the place from $4.20 up to $4.50 / gallon. I filled up in NJ earlier this week for $4.08 a gallon and they pump it for you in NJ per state law.

This morning I read an article about truck owners and tuck hobbyist getting hit hard

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/06/business/06tank.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&ref=todayspaper&pagew anted=print

I personally own a F-150 which does not get much mileage. It is 3 years old and has less than 5000 miles.

[Jim Becker]

Since I drive so little, it's not really affected me too much outside of the need to grumble. But with the summer in full swing, I am driving every morning to drop off Nastia at horse camp...even driving a hybrid, I'm paying a lot more attention to speed and "how" I drive. (I'm naturally a relatively fuel-efficient driver, but getting more anal about it anyway)

But I surely am a fan of "cheap" New Jersey gasoline! LOL Paid $3.92 last week near the train station in Trenton...while watching some obvious drug deals going down...oy!

[Rich Konopka]

Since I drive so little, it's not really affected me too much outside of the need to grumble. But with the summer in full swing, I am driving every morning to drop off Nastia at horse camp...even driving a hybrid, I'm paying a lot more attention to speed and "how" I drive. (I'm naturally a relatively fuel-efficient driver, but getting more anal about it anyway)

But I surely am a fan of "cheap" New Jersey gasoline! LOL Paid $3.92 last week near the train station in Trenton...while watching some obvious drug deals going down...oy!

I drove a brand new Camry Hybrid last week in Canada and although it was better on gas there is still along way to go. I can see in the near future where you can drive a hybrid using the electric under 40 before the legacy gas engine kicks in. I have been looking at new cars and of course the Hybrids are on the list. I was wondering what the maintenance cost of replacing the batteries are? How long have you had your Highlander Hybrid?

[Mitchell Andrus]

The pity is that gas has risen too quickly to a price that it should have slowly climbed to anyway - creating a jolt to the system. Maybe we needed this to get off dead center. Anyone buy a new car for $6,500.00 lately? Is your house worth 2X or 3X it's value of 20 years ago? Anyone (reading this) still making $7.50/hr?

So why would anyone think gas would stay at $1.69/gallon forever?

The good news is that alternatives are finally not so much more costly by comparison, so we'll see faster more spirited development of yet another battery type and solar cells that don't consume more energy during manufacture than they return during their lifetime.


BTW - has anyone heard of any legal battles over taking down trees to get a residential solar field more sunlight?

[Lee DeRaud]

Since I drive so little, it's not really affected me too much outside of the need to grumble.

What he said: I buy gas about once a month whether I need to or not.

Despite living in Greater Spawltopia, I find that my life is fairly compact. Even before I retired, work was only a 10-minute surface-street micro-commute away, although I guess in one sense I've been amortizing my gas over the decades by paying more for my close-in house.

(Completely unrelated factoid: I did a trip to the Grand Canyon in May, total of about 1500 miles including all the side trips. Car did waaay better than its EPA highway rating, even though it spent almost all of the trip pushing 80. What's up with that?)

[Jim Becker]

Rich, replacing the batteries isn't something you really need to worry about...they are warranted for 8 years or 100K miles but will likely last longer time-wise. The '09 Highlander has an electric only mode for city driving and folks with the '04-'08 Prius can get an aftermarket mod from Coastal to provide that feature. (I have it for Professor Dr. SWMBO's '08 Prius, but haven't had the chance to install it yet)

My Highlander is an '06 and was purchased in December '05. I just broke 30K miles three weeks ago and get about 27 mpg "running around". Last weekend, I got 51 mpg in the Prius while driving down and back for a family event just south of Washington DC. Our '02 Prius, which was traded on the '08 a few months ago, never gave us any problem, although it was not nearly as good on gas as the '08 is. The Camry hybrid is really nice and owners I've spoken to have reported excellent fuel economy. And the "hybrid financial nut" is less for the Camry than it is for the Highlander...only a few grand. (I wanted Professor Dr. SWMBO to go with the Camry hybrid, but she felt much more comfortable in the Prius, preferring the smaller exterior. But the interior of the Prius is surprisingly large...much like the previous generation of the Camry) Of course, right now it's very hard to buy a hybrid without waiting. Prius is backlogged at least 3 months due to demand and the factories running at maximum capacity.

You should have the choice of a "plug-in" hybrid in the next few years from at least Toyota and GM.

[David G Baker]

Imagine the "Baby Boomers" reaching retirement age trying to live on a fixed income.
My gas 6 cylinder 2000 Camry LE gets right around 30 mpg but costs over $60 to fill with fuel.

[Matt Ocel]

Just filled my F-150.
$108.22.
That was my parents mortgage payment when I was growing up.

[Steve Clardy]

I don't go to town for misc. stuff like I used to.
If I can put it off till several things build up that I need to go to town for, that's what I do.

[Mitchell Andrus]

Rich, replacing the batteries isn't something you really need to worry about...they are warranted for 8 years or 100K miles but will likely last longer time-wise.

Last a long time and remain effectively useful a long time are two different things. If they go down to say... 70% efficient do you get a new battery, or just burn more gas til they 'quit'? What's the trigger?

[Butch Edwards]

I've noticed a lot less traffic during "off hours"..we're still bumper to bumper during "work" hours on the local roads.
the price has hurt many young folk just starting out. it's also hurting those over extended with debt,as their disposable income (what there was) has been eaten up by fuel-related expenses. this isn't over,by a long shot. and you can't give a SUV away these days..the local car dealers won't take 'em in on trade.
as far as the $7.50/hr goes, many around here are minimum wage workers....many aren't, but they're the ones that got caught up in the Real estate bubble,too.

[Michael Wetzel]

I am learning to do one stop shopping or make one large trip for everything I need. The days of running for one item are over. My F250 has a 38g tank and it gets about 10-17MPG (city/highway) at best. So I am not overly happy about the fuel pricing.

[Reed Wells]

I don't drive more than a hundred miles a month, so that is not a burden, BUT, I ship my furniture all over the U.S. and Canada and the freight charge is killing me and others like me, who depend on our transportation system. God, that is what made this country so strong, it's mobility. I can't see any relief soon and I can't keep raising prices to recover some of the transportation costs. In a slow economy furniture is one of the last things a middle class family will spend money on. OK, my confused mind will take a go slow pill and let it work itself out, I hope.

[Kurt Johansson]

Congratulations to you Americans, your gas price is just about half of ours here in Sweden.
Kurt Johansson

[Jeffrey Makiel]

I hear a lot of folks with pickup trucks complain about their gas mileage now. However, a reasonable pickup is still economical if you really have a need for a pickup. For instance, my 97 Ford F-150 pickup gets 20 mpg combined highway/city. Here's why:

1. Small V8...4.6L vs. 5.4L or diesel

2. Two wheel drive vs four wheel drive

3. Truck was lowered 4" to a 'normal' height. Handles better too.

4. Not an extended cab...but fits 3. Used predominantly as a single person commuter vehicle.

5. Has a short bed with hard tonneau cover for improved aerodynamics and secure, dry storage.

I chose this truck 11 years ago based upon personal preference which did not include gas mileage at that time. But 20 mpg ain't bad now. And, I can still haul my junk around.

-Jeff