Bracing for Gas Price Gouging

**Rideski** · 05-02-2019, 12:52 PM

Originally Posted by muted

I'm waiting for some smug electric car owner to come into this thread and brag about what he pays. Even though no one wants to hear it.

Originally Posted by AustinFromSA

Recession had absolutely nothing to do with my gainfully employed (in a booming local economy), large SUV driving co-workers who were all of a sudden keenly interested in what mpg I was getting in my Mazda 3. I saw guys go from driving Tahoes to driving Priuses. It was hilarious.

I predict we'll be seeing a repeat in that cycle once again. Man, people have some seriously short-term memories when it comes to their vehicle purchases and fuel costs as truck and SUV sales have been so high these last few years. In the meanwhile, people (including some of my current co-workers, once again) continue to question my logic in looking into EVs/hybrids as my next vehicle purchase. Can't wait to hear the butthurt flow as they complain once again about how much it costs to fuel up and I can laugh about how it cost me like $10 in electricity.

...

**Meadow Skipper** · 05-02-2019, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by skaredshtles

People will believe ANYTHING they hear/read...

Yeah, for instance I believe ^that.

**simple** · 05-02-2019, 01:35 PM

Originally Posted by Timberridge

The QC up to the point of delivery at the station is high. I would avoid is a gas station that's never busy. Water and dirt can build up in their tanks. Also I like to avoid stations right after a delivery. It can stir things up.

I'm on your team. Dealt with failed fuel pumps due to shitty no name gas stations too many times.

$0.20 between regular and premium? Lol not the case in Colorado. Try $0.70 per gallon. Even higher for ethanol free which my powersports and lawn tools get. Top tier is worth the cost also. Somehow I know some of you people don't work on your own cars. You must never work on your fuel systems. Turn the key and drive it to the mechanic. Then complain about the bill.

**evdog** · 05-02-2019, 01:40 PM

Originally Posted by SKIP INTRO

July 7, 2008—Crude oil prices settled-in at a new record of $147 per barrel. The U.S. average price for regular gasoline climbs to an all-time high of $4.11 per gallon. Road trip style vacations are put on hold for many summer travelers.

Back in 2008-09 when gas hit $4.50-5/gal in San diego there was a very noticeable drop in traffic on the freeways. People would carpool, avoid going out altogether or at minimum combine multiple errands in one trip to save gas. Traffic has gotten bad enough since then I'd gladly go back to that price to deal with less rush hour traffic. Maybe the #vanlifers will have to give up and move back in with their parents. Win/win!

Originally Posted by KyleLanTheman

Word on the street is Venezuela had both the best gas prices in the world and free healthcare at one point

I was in Venezuela 15 yrs ago. Hitched a ride with a guy in a Range rover. He laughed when I offered to help pay for gas. When he filled the thing up, something like 20gal tank, it was around 3,000 bolivars to fill the tank. At the time that was around $1.30 total. Gas was heavily subsidized by the government there. Which explained why everyone drove big trucks and 70s/80s era land yacht cars.

**bagtagley** · 05-02-2019, 01:44 PM

Originally Posted by Sirshredalot

We are in no way in a golden age of cool cars. A wide selection of unibody crossovers with all wheel drive optional might be nice for skiers, but those cars are boring, uncool appliances.

Wagons are lacking, as are manuals, but cars are faster, safer, and more powerful than they've ever been. I'll concede, maybe not as cool as muscle cars, old german wagons, etc. Whatever, I'm old and enjoy creature comforts and functioning windows, and I have kids and the lack of safety on those things makes them no-go for me anyway.

**dunfree** · 05-02-2019, 02:07 PM

Originally Posted by muted

I'm waiting for some smug electric car owner to come into this thread and brag about what he pays. Even though no one wants to hear it.

It's like a great Tesla service story - better not let sunlight see the bullshit.

**muted** · 05-02-2019, 02:44 PM

kinda reaching a bit for that burn, eh? you seem a bit uptight.

**SKIP IN7RO** · 05-02-2019, 03:01 PM

Originally Posted by evdog

Maybe the #vanlifers will have to give up and move back in with their parents. Win/win!

My brother and I were talking about this earlier in the week, at what gas prices will people start offloading. We agreed that '08 prices would probably do it.
He also mentioned a friend of his who is renting RVs like AirBNB/Uber style. He started with one and within a few months has decided to get 2 more. This guy will deliver them, so you don't need a big ass truck. This is in the Dallas/FW area with a lot of lakes around the metroplex to deliver rvs to, so maybe he is onto something. There's definitely enough people there and more flowing in.
I have been thinking of moving back down there but am having no luck finding a house with a basement.

**iceman** · 05-02-2019, 03:32 PM

I did see a Tesla service vehicle out driving earlier, it said "Tesla Mobile Service" on it. I think it was a Nissan.

**muted** · 05-02-2019, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by iceman

I did see a Tesla service vehicle out driving earlier, it said "Tesla Mobile Service" on it. I think it was a Nissan.

Probably the tesla mobile vehicles were not available: all being repaired at the shop.

**dunfree** · 05-02-2019, 03:58 PM

Originally Posted by SKIP INTRO

My brother and I were talking about this earlier in the week, at what gas prices will people start offloading. We agreed that '08 prices would probably do it.

Wasn't much of the '08 selloff the collapse in housing/beginning of the collapse everywhere else in the economy?

**muted** · 05-02-2019, 04:10 PM

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I know everyone thinks the last time gas was expensive was 2008-ish, but there was a long period of time recently, shown above, shit was above $3 and expensive in my book.

**dunfree** · 05-02-2019, 04:14 PM

Originally Posted by muted

Probably the tesla mobile vehicles were not available: all being repaired at the shop.

or maybe they just run ICE trucks everywhere because TSLA is a charade to sell green imagery to smug millennial jackasses that get really invested in their consumer purchases. now - don't you have an argument about people running in the street to get back to relaxed muted?

$2, $3, $4 a gas is globally cheap and a rounding error for most vacations/vacationers.

**muted** · 05-02-2019, 04:18 PM

stop being weird and maybe laugh a little.

**dunfree** · 05-02-2019, 04:21 PM

Originally Posted by muted

stop being weird and maybe laugh a little.

I'm laughing at you. Surely the asshole known as White Rhino can appreciate the joy of being a dick?

**iceman** · 05-02-2019, 04:37 PM

a blast from the past

**muted** · 05-02-2019, 04:44 PM

White Rhino must have hurt dunfree pretty bad in 2005. Sorry about that dunfree, but I can't quite remember what happened that long ago. A bad mom joke?

**SumJongGuy** · 05-02-2019, 05:33 PM

Originally Posted by simple

Somehow I know some of you people don't work on your own cars. You must never work on your fuel systems. Turn the key and drive it to the mechanic. Then complain about the bill.

Fun fact, ten years and over 200,000 miles put on the cars we bought new around 2009. Neither one has EVER had a fuel filter changed or full fuel system service. We run discount club gas mostly and whatever we roll up on when traveling. ALWAYS run the cheapest grade of unleaded. NEVER had any engine trouble as a result. I do put a bottle of fuel system cleaner in about every 6 months or so... that's it. Change my own oil, antifreeze, filters, etc. Alternators, other bolt on stuff is also done at home if I have time. Timing belts and brake work gets outsourced though.

Maybe you just buy shitty vehicles??

**simple** · 05-02-2019, 06:03 PM

Originally Posted by SumJongGuy

Maybe you just buy shitty vehicles??

Sounds like a boring Toyota owner.

Fun fact. I buy 90s cars and trucks, fix them, drive them, and flip them for profit. Even Toyotas. Fuel filters are a 30 minute swap out, but if you don't even do something as simple as brakes you might find that icky. I bought a brand new car once or twice. What a shitty experience. I buy used and follow the recommended service interval. The other shitty experience is fuel pump failure which generally means dropping the tank. That is when you really get to see the sediment and tarnish that builds up with gasoline. Restore a motorcycle sometime, you will find out what crap gas with ethanol does to a fuel system. But me have almost zero choice to not use that garbage these days.

**Sirshredalot** · 05-02-2019, 06:18 PM

Originally Posted by simple

Sounds like a boring Toyota owner.

Fun fact. I buy 90s cars and trucks, fix them, drive them, and flip them for profit. Even Toyotas. Fuel filters are a 30 minute swap out, but if you don't even do something as simple as brakes you might find that icky. I bought a brand new car once or twice. What a shitty experience. I buy used and follow the recommended service interval. The other shitty experience is fuel pump failure which generally means dropping the tank. That is when you really get to see the sediment and tarnish that builds up with gasoline. Restore a motorcycle sometime, you will find out what crap gas with ethanol does to a fuel system. But me have almost zero choice to not use that garbage these days.

Wait, are we talking about the E85 gas which is a genuinely different product from RUG or are you guys talking about the old wives tale that gas from different stations is meaningfully different?

It's a commodity product, ladies and gents. The same tanker trucks fill up the stations with independent, Sinclair, and Sunoco signs out front. Whoever said that things get stirred up after the station's tanks are filled and that they prefer higher-volume stations is right. BUT there are serious filters on the pumps themselves, so even those instances have a negligible impact on what goes in your tank. I think these old wives tales go back to the days of carbs and leaded gas. Maybe things were different then. Carbs are notoriously fickle compared to modern fuel injection and they inspired a good deal of superstition.

Source: I was an actual full service gas station grease monkey as a teenager and currently work as a junior auto industry executive.

To fulfill muted's prophecy: GUESS HOW MUCH GAS COSTS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD? I WOULD HAVE TO GUESS, TOO, BECAUSE I DONT PUT ANY IN MY CAR.

Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk

**iceman** · 05-02-2019, 06:40 PM

Originally Posted by Sirshredalot

To fulfill muted's prophecy: GUESS HOW MUCH GAS COSTS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD? I WOULD HAVE TO GUESS, TOO, BECAUSE I DONT PUT ANY IN MY CAR.

well maybe if you do some community service they'll give you back your license.

**SumJongGuy** · 05-02-2019, 07:08 PM

Originally Posted by simple

The other shitty experience is fuel pump failure which generally means dropping the tank. That is when you really get to see the sediment and tarnish that builds up with gasoline. Restore a motorcycle sometime, you will find out what crap gas with ethanol does to a fuel system. But me have almost zero choice to not use that garbage these days.

Oh I used to drive older cars and work on them more. I have, in fact, dropped a tank. It wasn't because bad gas caused other problems though. It was because the neck cracked and was leaking. Joys of 70s and 80s Pontiacs LOL. I'll probably get another Trans Am when the nest empties, but for now, with a big boy job and teen kids along with my own hobbies, ain't nobody got time for that shit. Driving an 09 Forester and a 10 Sentra. Will think about something else in a couple years after both kids have been driving solo for awhile. Until they're working and paying for their own cars and insurance, keeping it simple.