Have gas prices affected you?

[tw]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

All the cars are 200 HP nowadays, even the efficient ones. Even the Honda Accord Hybrid is capable of 255 HP.

2.3 liter times 70 Hp per liter is ..... 160. What was the 350 V-8 in the 1970s? 140 to 160 Hp. That was more than sufficient then. What has changed? The Honda Accord Hybrid is a high performance V-6 - way more than any driver needs. Where all cars are over 200 Hp, well, ego is excessive. IOW price of gas is no where near high enough to force the ego to conceded to logic.

Want to see how low gasoline prices are? Look at the so many who buy 4.0 and 6.5 liter vehicles ... still. Gasoline prices have not become high enough to restore sanity. But then that is why when gasoline jumped to about $1.70 per gallon in 1979, only then did the automakers decide they had to innovate. $1.70 in 1979 is about $4.50 in 2005 dollars.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Those dollars saved will go toward flowers for your funeral when you can't get out of harms way with your 150 hp.

[tw]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Those dollars saved will go toward flowers for your funeral when you can't get out of harms way with your 150 hp.

So let me understand what has just been posted. We are all such poor drivers that we now need 200+ HP to do what 70 Hp once did just fine. Or is it that we all need contacts to fix a mental problem called myopia?

No. The problem is that when the penis gets that big, then we need more horsepower to move it. Actually we need more horsepower because our egos are now so big. Meanwhile, it will take a responsible gas crisis to bring Americans back to reality. Good thing we have crisis to periodically and properly age us.

[Hobbs]

Originally Posted by tw

Reread what I wrote. Did you blindly buy American or did you act like a patriot - and buy using free market principles. You bought a Honda saying to Ford Motor that they need to listen more to car guys - less to bean counters. IOW by buying the Honda, you sent a patriotic message to the domestic auto industry. This will eventually let Ford innovators put 70+ Horsepower per liter engines in all Fords.

How do you make America strong? Buy the best (principles of the free market) and never blindly buy American. 'Buy American' only says "Keep making crap".

I did, and your right. So.....we agree...I think. Car manufacturers see people running across the street to buy cars, and they will quickly rethink and reconfigure their product to bring the money back into thier side of the street. Essentially what they do is copy what the public is asking for, and maybe give a little more to make it more attractive then the one across the street. Once again, they are in buisness to make money, not to supply us with a product. Otherwise, why be in buisness. They may not be intirely driven by profit these days, but it is a major thread. I bought Honda because it got slightly better gas milage than the Escape, and Honda's reputation for life expectancy is tons better than Ford. I bought a brand new 1995 Chevy S-10 because I wanted to "buy American." It lasted about 50k andI had to sell if off before because it was dying.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by tw

So let me understand what has just been posted. We are all such poor drivers that we now need 200+ HP to do what 70 Hp once did just fine. Or is it that we all need contacts to fix a mental problem called myopia?

No. The problem is that when the penis gets that big, then we need more horsepower to move it. Actually we need more horsepower because our egos are now so big. Meanwhile, it will take a responsible gas crisis to bring Americans back to reality. Good thing we have crisis to periodically and properly age us.

Insults will get you nowhere...here or when that cement truck is about to turn you into history.
70 hp? I can't remember the last time I drove something with 70 hp...and 4 wheels.

[Undertoad]

That was average around 1980 when I was coming up. My first car was the 1985 VW GTI which was considered "sporty" at 102 hp. That car did 0-60 in 8 seconds, which is close to what my lj-leased 255 hp 2005 Frontier manages... 8.5 seconds. No I don't take off like that... often.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

That was average around 1980 when I was coming up.

From here

Average horsepower of cars and light trucks decreased from 137 horsepower in 1975 to a low of 102 in the 1981/82 period, then rose 63 percent by 1996. (Light trucks includes minivans, sport utility vehicles and small pickup trucks.)

70 HP, hasn't been average for a very, very long time.

[lookout123]

you do, of course, realize that this chart posting will cause a series of charts to be posted over the next month, each telling why you are wrong, foolish, republican, and probably inbred?

[chronos]

Gas prices are rough but as of yet it hasn't changed my driving habits much. It's ironic that gas prices rose so sharply as soon my 1998 Tahoe went up in flames and I replaced it with a 1999 Suburban. So I went from a 30 gallon tank to a 40 gallon tank and 16 MPG to 13 MPG. I was all excited about the Suburban because it's the perfect tailgate vehicle (other than a monster RV which I can't afford) but the gas prices have put quite a damper on that.

The fortunate thing is that I don't have an office to drive to. If I'm not traveling to a customer's site (typically plane or train) I work from home. Occasionally I have to drive to my office in VA but that's only about once or twice a month. This will help me keep gas spending low.

[dar512]

Originally Posted by lookout123

you do, of course, realize that this chart posting will cause a series of charts to be posted over the next month, each telling why you are wrong, foolish, republican, and probably inbred?

*singing* That's Entertainment */singing*

[Elspode]

I just spent $52.00 on a fillup last night for the first time in my life. Furthermore, I spent $5.00 on gas for my lawnmower, and it didn't fill a 2-gallon gas can.

Someone tell me again how this isn't going to decimate our economy?

[tw]

Originally Posted by Elspode

Someone tell me again how this isn't going to decimate our economy?

Deja Vue. Do you remember the 1970s. Deja Vue. Notice the above posters who have changed nothing. IOW the price has not yet gone up high enough. Even when big block V-8 cars were as heavy as that Suburban, they still got 17 MPG highway. Meanwhile, most Suburban owners and equivalent that I know of are not even getting 13 MPG. 12 is the highest number provided. IOW the price of gas has not gotten high enough to that these vehicles do even what was once standard.

You have not yet seen a high price. Obviously. Show me all these people who are changing their lifestyles? Many people even leave their computers on 24/7. Just another change when the price gets high enough.

[Hobbs]

Originally Posted by tw

IOW the price of gas has not gotten high enough to that these vehicles do even what was once standard.

Please decifer what you are saying here.

You have not yet seen a high price.

If your talking about the price of gas, what are you paying for gas right now. A year ago we were paying an average of $1.90 for gas. Two years ago, we were paying an average of $1.55. It is now $2.63 at the local Safeway gas station. It could go as high as $3.00 within weeks. These are high prices to me.

Obviously. Show me all these people who are changing their lifestyles?

True. We are Americans, we like our luxuries. Unforntnatly, we don't change unless we are forced. And even then....

Many people even leave their computers on 24/7.

What does this have to do with the price of gas?

Just another change when the price gets high enough.

I think this is the krux of your idea, the price gets high enough, Americans will change thier habits. I don't think there will be enough change to offset the rise in fuel costs.

[Hobbs]

Just an observation here...

There is a trend in the gas market that everyone seems to miss. At one point, we are paying $1.50 then it climbs to $1.80 and everyone complains. It drops but not past $1.70. Everyone is happy they're not paying $1.80 anymore but don't really complain we are now paying $0.20 more for gas than we were a few months ago. Gas goes up to $1.90 then drops back down but only to $1.80. Everyone's happy gas has gone down but now were paying $0.10 more than a few weeks prior. It seems (opperative word - SEEMS) it is a way the manufacturers bump the price of gas to offset higher cost on the manufacturering on their end. I realize supply and demand has something to do with it, of course, however, the price never seems to go back down to the level it was before the rise when supplies return to normal.

Just an observation here...

Purhaps this site can explain the basics of crude economics. I ran into this link. I haven't had a chance to read it all yet but it seems legit and informative.

[Griff]

Originally Posted by tw

Deja Vue. Do you remember the 1970s. Deja Vue. Notice the above posters who have changed nothing.

Not to make your CAFE argument for you, since I'd rather see the real cost of oil reflected in its pump price letting the market work, but I wonder how much impact used car buyers really have on what types of vehicles are produced for new car buyers? How much do folks think about resale and is there (usually) a decent market for used econo-boxes?

I had a smugmobile moment today pulling the Echo (44mpg) up to the gas pump as a shiney Hummer pulled away from the other side.