WWTBAM Bored

I paid $3.79 a gallon for gas today.

PlacentiaSoccerMom wrote:I paid $3.79 a gallon for gas today.

Milk and gasoline are in a race to sky.

Count yourself lucky that you're not using diesel - It's down to about $3.89 now. I was near 'E' on my last fillup, set me back $125.

I'm with Jaybee. Even filling up with 1/4 tank left sets me back about $76.00. Of course I can drive almost 3 weeks on that much gas. Still have 1/2 tank after driving to and from Atlanta last week.

Today in Auburn regular is down to 3.19 and $3.39 for premium. I had to drive by a 2nd and 3rd station before I really believed what I saw. I may have to go ahead and fill up today just in case it goes back up by tomorrow morning.

I used to fill my tank every 2.5 weeks, but since I started going to Quiz Bowl in Huntington Beach, which is 22 miles away each way, three times a week, I have to fill up weekly.

kayrharris wrote: Today in Auburn regular is down to 3.19 and $3.39 for premium. I had to drive by a 2nd and 3rd station before I really believed what I saw. I may have to go ahead and fill up today just in case it goes back up by tomorrow morning.

Wow, that's very inexpensive.

$3.1299 today at station of choice, up from $3.0599 early last week. Three price increases in that time. Also get 5% rebate for using station credit card (explicit reason I got it and only place I use it). Diesel at same station is well north of $4.00.

Around $3.37 here. I love my Prius more and more each time I pass a gas station. Even a fill-up is only 10 gallons, and it lasts for two weeks (less time if we have to run the heater).

It was 3.20 when I left this morning and 3.45 when I drove by this afternoon. Diesel is over 4 a gallon.

Apart from the cost of crude oil, the cost of gasoline at the pump varies from market to market across the country for many reasons:

1. Local competition

2. State gasoline taxes, which differ at the determination of individual legislatures. California has the highest state gasoline tax at 62.8 cents per gallon (as of 2004); Alaska has the lowest at 26.4 cents.)

3. Supply and demand

4. Transportation costs (which hit Hawaii harder than anybody else.)

4. Laws in California that require a special refining process intended to produce cleaner-burning gasoline for the sake of air quality. This special process adds at least an additional 30 cents per gallon to the price of gas, because only a limited number of refineries do it.

Here's a longer explanation by a Stanford prof:

ftp://zia.stanford.edu/pub/papers/newsletter04.pdf

So, PSM, you will always pay more for gas than non-Californians. You can consider that a good investment for less smog, or you can start writing legislators that are content for you to spend more to drive. So, between the high state tax and the extra refining costs, you're lucky that local competition keeps costs so low.

Last Tuesday the $2.979 Exxon station was up to $2.999.

I'll update after NTN tomorrow. I'd guess $3.029.

$3.239 is the lowest in Frankfort right now. It was $3.359 last week.

I'm gonna be spending a lot of money on gas for my mini-vacation which is this Friday. At least I got my car tuned up last week, so that should ease up on my gas usage slightly.

$3.99 per Gallon for Premium, then I had to order 4 replacement tires for my Car at $875 per set! Paid off the Balance of my 2007 Taxes due today as well. I work like a Slave this time of year and end up with little leftover!

dodgersteve182 wrote:$3.99 per Gallon for Premium, then I had to order 4 replacement tires for my Car at $875 per set! Paid off the Balance of my 2007 Taxes due today as well. I work like a Slave this time of year and end up with little leftover!

Off-topic, but where else do I ask it: So how do you happen to know Miss South Dakota, dodgersteve?

silvercamaro wrote:Apart from the cost of crude oil, the cost of gasoline at the pump varies from market to market across the country for many reasons:

4. Transportation costs (which hit Hawaii harder than anybody else.)

This one always cracks me up. There are several refineries within a few miles of my house, yet that doesn't seem to make gas any cheaper here than anywhere else....

And I don't know how any gas stations here in downstate can stay in business since the difference in state gasoline taxes between MO and IL make gas about 20-25 cents a gallon more expensive on this side of the river, making it worth the trip over the river to fill up....

lb13

I have stopped noting how much I pay.

It's like how I stopped opening my investment statements in 2000.

silvercamaro wrote:Apart from the cost of crude oil, the cost of gasoline at the pump varies from market to market across the country for many reasons:

1. Local competition

2. State gasoline taxes, which differ at the determination of individual legislatures. California has the highest state gasoline tax at 62.8 cents per gallon (as of 2004); Alaska has the lowest at 26.4 cents.)

3. Supply and demand

4. Transportation costs (which hit Hawaii harder than anybody else.)

4. Laws in California that require a special refining process intended to produce cleaner-burning gasoline for the sake of air quality. This special process adds at least an additional 30 cents per gallon to the price of gas, because only a limited number of refineries do it.

Here's a longer explanation by a Stanford prof:

ftp://zia.stanford.edu/pub/papers/newsletter04.pdf

So, PSM, you will always pay more for gas than non-Californians. You can consider that a good investment for less smog, or you can start writing legislators that are content for you to spend more to drive. So, between the high state tax and the extra refining costs, you're lucky that local competition keeps costs so low.

Let me add one more reason to the list - reformulated gasoline. In our metro area the stations have to sell a "reformulated" gas to cut down on emissions and keep us in compliance with EPA standards. That formulation includes an additive which, according to reports, is in short supply, thus raising the price. Other areas in Kentucky and southern Indiana don't require that additive so their fuel is cheaper, sometimes as much as 15 cents. So some portion of the locals drive across the river and fill up at stations just over the border, then drive back, getting cheaper gasoline but adding to the pollution because the gas doesn't have the additive.

earendel wrote:

silvercamaro wrote:Apart from the cost of crude oil, the cost of gasoline at the pump varies from market to market across the country for many reasons:

1. Local competition

2. State gasoline taxes, which differ at the determination of individual legislatures. California has the highest state gasoline tax at 62.8 cents per gallon (as of 2004); Alaska has the lowest at 26.4 cents.)

3. Supply and demand

4. Transportation costs (which hit Hawaii harder than anybody else.)

4. Laws in California that require a special refining process intended to produce cleaner-burning gasoline for the sake of air quality. This special process adds at least an additional 30 cents per gallon to the price of gas, because only a limited number of refineries do it.

Here's a longer explanation by a Stanford prof:

ftp://zia.stanford.edu/pub/papers/newsletter04.pdf

So, PSM, you will always pay more for gas than non-Californians. You can consider that a good investment for less smog, or you can start writing legislators that are content for you to spend more to drive. So, between the high state tax and the extra refining costs, you're lucky that local competition keeps costs so low.

Let me add one more reason to the list - reformulated gasoline. In our metro area the stations have to sell a "reformulated" gas to cut down on emissions and keep us in compliance with EPA standards. That formulation includes an additive which, according to reports, is in short supply, thus raising the price. Other areas in Kentucky and southern Indiana don't require that additive so their fuel is cheaper, sometimes as much as 15 cents. So some portion of the locals drive across the river and fill up at stations just over the border, then drive back, getting cheaper gasoline but adding to the pollution because the gas doesn't have the additive.

I believe that's #4 on the list, ear.

MarleysGh0st wrote:

earendel wrote:

silvercamaro wrote:Apart from the cost of crude oil, the cost of gasoline at the pump varies from market to market across the country for many reasons:

1. Local competition

2. State gasoline taxes, which differ at the determination of individual legislatures. California has the highest state gasoline tax at 62.8 cents per gallon (as of 2004); Alaska has the lowest at 26.4 cents.)

3. Supply and demand

4. Transportation costs (which hit Hawaii harder than anybody else.)

4. Laws in California that require a special refining process intended to produce cleaner-burning gasoline for the sake of air quality. This special process adds at least an additional 30 cents per gallon to the price of gas, because only a limited number of refineries do it.

Here's a longer explanation by a Stanford prof:

ftp://zia.stanford.edu/pub/papers/newsletter04.pdf

So, PSM, you will always pay more for gas than non-Californians. You can consider that a good investment for less smog, or you can start writing legislators that are content for you to spend more to drive. So, between the high state tax and the extra refining costs, you're lucky that local competition keeps costs so low.

Let me add one more reason to the list - reformulated gasoline. In our metro area the stations have to sell a "reformulated" gas to cut down on emissions and keep us in compliance with EPA standards. That formulation includes an additive which, according to reports, is in short supply, thus raising the price. Other areas in Kentucky and southern Indiana don't require that additive so their fuel is cheaper, sometimes as much as 15 cents. So some portion of the locals drive across the river and fill up at stations just over the border, then drive back, getting cheaper gasoline but adding to the pollution because the gas doesn't have the additive.

I believe that's #4 on the list, ear.

Yes, but in our case the cost increase is due to a shortage of the additive, whatever it's called (it used to be MBTE but that's not used any more). The difference in price under "normal" circumstances between Indiana and Kentucky is only about a penny.

Marley asked "Off-topic, but where else do I ask it: So how do you happen to know Miss South Dakota, dodgersteve?"

No but I met her at a Buffet last week at the Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas so I had the Mrs. take a picture of the two of us.

$3.079 at the Exxon station on the way back from NTN tonight.

dodgersteve182 wrote:Marley asked "Off-topic, but where else do I ask it: So how do you happen to know Miss South Dakota, dodgersteve?"

No but I met her at a Buffet last week at the Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas so I had the Mrs. take a picture of the two of us.

She wears her "South Dakota" banner when eating out at buffets, does she?

MarleysGh0st wrote:

dodgersteve182 wrote:Marley asked "Off-topic, but where else do I ask it: So how do you happen to know Miss South Dakota, dodgersteve?"

No but I met her at a Buffet last week at the Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas so I had the Mrs. take a picture of the two of us.

She wears her "South Dakota" banner when eating out at buffets, does she?

It's in her contract.

tiara optional

Question for all:

If you drive a gas-heavy car, at what point would you consider getting a more fuel-efficient vehicle to offset the costs?

I just sold a car, and every single person that looked at it did so because they wanted something with better gas mileage. I thought it would sell very quickly because of that - and it would have, except that 99.9999% of the people who wanted to test it out weren't able to because they can't drive a stick. We started offering lessons at the end.

Now, we have three cars in the fleet. One great-on-gas 'airport car' for the trek to Newark, one new 'mommy car' that gets surprisingly good mileage (~30mpg hwy), and one gas guzzler. The Naughty Norwegian commented yesterday that he's noticing just how much gas his big-engine car eats after driving the other two....we've been driving it less and less lately, and may get rid of it altogether at some point.

I have run into more and more people who can't drive a stick. Have I gotten so old that I am one of those people who say "How can you not know how to srive s tick? What if that is the only car available and you have to get somewhere?"

Is it like telling time on a clock that has a face and being able to tie your shoelaces?