Gasoline Prices

[martyp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FinanceDude I am convinced if the USA started drilling in Alaska and drilling more In North Dakota, the price of a barrel would drop $20-$25 a barrel within a week...........

Additional drilling in the US would add to the world oil supply and would effect the world oil price by whatever fraction US oil is to the world capacity. I think some people believe that drilling US oil somehow would specifically decrease US prices. US oil goes on the world market. US prices won't drop any differently than world prices unless someone wants to nationalize the US oil companies and require that US oil stay in the US at a Govt set price.

[martyp]

I purchased my Prius during the last gas price spike and have been very happy with it. I'm getting about 45 mpg which is the same as my motorcycle and significantly better than our other car, a Subaru WRX. Fortunately, now that I am ER'd I am putting fewer miles on the car.

I used to work at a DOE lab whose research was focused on cellulosic biofuels so I've paid attention to this issue over the years. I think the solution in then end is going to be a multitude of energy sources for a variety of purposes: oil, coal, gas, nuclear, wind, solar, hydroelectric, biofuels, conservation, and energy efficiency. I see this maybe 10-20 yrs down the road. I expect that it will be a very bumpy road.

[BigNick]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetiredGypsy The perfect opportunity for people to get rid of their cars and buy scooters and motorcycles and get those cool little diesels from Europe over here. 40-80+ MPG sure beats out 15-35.

I thought my Hyundai diesel (2.0) small SUV, which gets 40 mpg US, was economical, until last weekend when Hertz rented me a BMW 320d in Ireland. I got 53mpg US out of it, driving around country lanes.

[Leonidas]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigNick I thought my Hyundai diesel (2.0) small SUV, which gets 40 mpg US, was economical, until last weekend when Hertz rented me a BMW 320d in Ireland. I got 53mpg US out of it, driving around country lanes.

What is price for diesel compared to gasoline over there?

[samclem]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete I don't want to turn this into a crazy environmental discussion, but I read we just passed a great milestone. There have been more than 20,000,000 man made chemicals released into the environment. Who knows what the heck that will do. There's just no "good" science on that...FOX or otherwise.

C'mon. Nobody knows how many chemicals have been introduced (or exist already) in the environment. And this 20 million figure that no one ever heard of and which was pulled out of nowhere is a "milestone?"

I did read that oxygen dihydride, produced both naturally and synthetically, is known to be present in all cancer cells. More to follow. . .

[brewer12345]

As a slight aside, a question for those of you with more pickup experience than I:

Would the cab of an extended or crew cab full size pickup seat two adults, two kids, and two dogs (a beagle and a plott hound who will max out at about 60 pounds)? I am thinking something the size of an F150, Silverado, Tundra, etc.

[REWahoo]

Brewer, a 4 door "crew cab" full size pickup is essentially the same size inside as a full size 4 door car.

Edit to add: Here's a photo of the seating in a 2011 F150. Go with bench seats and you can let a dog ride up front between you and the Brewess...

[Leonidas]

Quote:

Originally Posted by brewer12345 As a slight aside, a question for those of you with more pickup experience than I: Would the cab of an extended or crew cab full size pickup seat two adults, two kids, and two dogs (a beagle and a plott hound who will max out at about 60 pounds)? I am thinking something the size of an F150, Silverado, Tundra, etc.

Go with the crew cab version.

I'm not sure how old your kids are, but I got my extended cab f-150 when my boys were 9 and 12 (The crew cab version came out not longer after I bought). They outgrew it within a couple of years.

They grow so quickly.

[brewer12345]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo Brewer, a 4 door "crew cab" full size pickup is essentially the same size inside as a full size 4 door car. Edit to add: Here's a photo of the seating in a 2011 F150. Go with bench seats and you can let a dog ride up front between you and the Brewess...

Thanks. Hmmm, riding in the pickup with my hound dog closer to me than my missus. Think there is some whiskey drenched honkey tonk a country song there?

The kids are young but growing. I am not in a rush, so I will haveto go crawl around in a cab or two and see.

[Westernskies]

Quote:

Originally Posted by brewer12345 As a slight aside, a question for those of you with more pickup experience than I: Would the cab of an extended or crew cab full size pickup seat two adults, two kids, and two dogs (a beagle and a plott hound who will max out at about 60 pounds)? I am thinking something the size of an F150, Silverado, Tundra, etc.

FWIW, I just upgraded my 13-year-old LBYM F-150; thought I wanted another Ford, but the local Ford dealer made it easy for me to buy a new Dodge Ram Bighorn Edition. Incredible amount of interior room ; amenities are really nice, it's quiet and tight, rides like a luxury car. (...and I'm getting 17+mpg with a variable-displacement 351 Hemi engine.) Wish I'd done it sooner.

[Ronstar]

Brewer - get the F150 supercrew. The back seats fold up and the floor is flat (no hump over the transmission). Ample room for a dog (or small horse)

[brewer12345]

Wow, no responses from Chevy owners. No Silverado crew cab owners?

At the moment the older, high mileage wagon continues to putter along. However, if a possible life change comes to pass I may be having a blunt chat with the mechanic about the wagon's ability to do long trips and I am starting to sniff around for what might come next if the prognosis is not good. I know we will need towing capacity and cargo space is always at a premium. The question is whether I can get away with a pickup or I have to look at an SUV. I would prefer a pickup if they have enough passenger room. The truck-based SUV capable of serious towing (5000+ pounds) appears to be an endangered beast and I would have a tough time working up much enthusiasm for any of the ones still on the market.

[glippy]

I dunno. Nice to have the seats when you need them I guess. But the truck beds in those photos are getting awfully compact.

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by brewer12345 Wow, no responses from Chevy owners. No Silverado crew cab owners?

OK, since you asked....

This is what I purchased last week. It's a 2500HD diesel (397 hp, 765 ft lbs of torque) crew cab and gets 19+ mpg on the road. It will pull a 13,000 lb ball-hitch trailer or a 16,700 lb 5th wheel. I've been a Ford truck guy to this point (sold my 13 year old F150 to buy the Silverado) but went with the Chevy due to several factors, including more power, better discounts (I had $2K in GM card credits) and greater mpg.

As always, YMMV.

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by glippy I dunno. Nice to have the seats when you need them I guess. But the truck beds in those photos are getting awfully compact.

The manufacturers offer at least two bed options on the crew cab - a 6.5 ft "standard" bed and an 8 ft "long bed". The crew cab configuration makes the 6.5 ft bed look short. The 8 ft bed makes for a very long truck and a real challenge when parking in the grocery store lot...

[brewer12345]

I rather doubt I need that much truck, REW, but its a nice one.

[HFWR]

Sample size of n=1, but I've been happy with my Silverado. Not a crew cab, but gets 20-21mpg on the highway, and still has the original brake pads at 110k mi. Never been in the shop. Probably just jinxed myself...

[EllisWyatt]

Have always had Chevy/GMCs until January 2010, when I bought a crew cab F-150. The gas mileage isn't quite as good - ave 18.1 mpg for first 52,000 miles (obviously, mostly highway), amenities similar to the bow-ties, but had more room in the back for the pup with a flatter floor. While I don't haul a small horse around, I get close with a 195 lb mastiff, who fits comfortably in the back with the seats up.
The truck has needed more work on it than my previous Chevy (got my first brake job on the chevy at 165,000 mi - still amazed), but overall still satisfied.

And to try to un-hijack the thread, I expect oil price to do nothing but climb until the unrest in the Middle East calms down (watch out for Saudi instability - that will be the Gotcha! moment), and/or the new resource plays in the Eagleford (TX), Niobrara (CO?WY) and Bakken (ND) prove to have legs.

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EllisWyatt While I don't haul a small horse around, I get close with a 195 lb mastiff...

Have you considered a horse trailer?

[EllisWyatt]

Nah - he'd probably just chew through it. (Hell hath no fury like a Mastiff kept away from his people)