Now watch gasoline prices can you say 4 dollars a gallon

[camberiu]

An acquaintance owns a big ole SUV because he likes the security of 4wd during our winters. But he lives in a little condo only three miles from where he works. The condo, with common walls on three sides and little square footage, heats and cools very efficiently.........tiny natural gas and electric bills. He only fuels the SUV every three weeks or so. How to be irked with him for owning the SUV!

I am sure if we all look hard enough, anyone can find examples of a nice fella who owns a 8x8 wheel drive 12 ton V16 engine Armored Personnel Carrier that uses 4 gallons of gas for every mile driven, who still lives like Daniel Boone on a little shack in the middle of the woods, with wind power, reclycled toothpicks and an organic farm on the back of the proprety. But seriously, HOW MANY SUV owners fit in this category?

Now, what is the percentage of people in the US who owns a Chevy Suburban, lives on the burbs and have a long daily commute to work? Does anyone in here wants to claim that is the minority of the SUV/truck owners in this country?

 

[Eagle43]

As long as the SUV owner can pay for the car and the gasoline, more power to him/her. It's like shopping at Walmart; you do not have to do it, and you don't have to drive a SUV. Do what makes you feel righteous! As long as you can afford it, of course.

 

[camberiu]

As long as the SUV owner can pay for the car and the gasoline, more power to him/her.

I have no problem with that myself. I have a problem when people talk like "what is the government goin to do about the price of oil?"

In my opinion, it is a market issue ALONE. Consumers created this problem and CONSUMERS ALONE should fix it.

 

[Zipper]

What about those humungus behemoth RVs?

Just park it somewhere outside town and visit it on weekends.

Maybe there will be bargoons to be had in the RV market.

I think that's the last thing I would buy.

Factor initial cost, depreciation and gas and you could stay first class in 5***** hotels.

 

[d]

As long as the SUV owner can pay for the car and the gasoline, more power to him/her.  It's like shopping at Walmart; you do not have to do it, and you don't have to drive a SUV.  Do what makes you feel righteous! As long as you can afford it, of course.

There is another side to this, however.  Every extra gallon of gasoline demanded, and every extra barrell of oil demanded, bid higher the price for everyone.  So while the SUV owner might be willing and able to pay for the gas he/she uses, it increases the costs for eveyone else.

 

[dumpster56]

There is another side to this, however. Every extra gallon of gasoline demanded, and every extra barrell of oil demanded, bid higher the price for everyone. So while the SUV owner might be willing and able to pay for the gas he/she uses, it increases the costs for eveyone else.

That is correct!

Think about using water in a drought, Hummmm you would cut back.

Now the guy with the suv or large car with 8 cyl that gets 15 mpg DOES raise to cost for everyone and if we end up short the guy who can pay whatever is causing problems for the guy who cannot.

The economy has been developed on CHEAP ENERGY! They destroyed the trains here in america as I said before cars in Europe are small gas costs 5 bucks a gallon BUT YOU CAN GET ON A TRAIN and get someplace!

try it here in the states. You can't.

 

[kumquat]

Come on folks.. don't blame me for what the gas stations charge you. I have 2 cars that I drive: 2005 Mustang V8 and a 1959 Hillman Minx convertable. The Mustang has 300 HP and gets about 30MPG (Imperial) at 75 MPH on the highway. The Hillman, an economy car in it's day, with a 1500 CC 51 HP engine, gets less at it's top speed of 55MPH?

I can afford the gas. Should I replace the Hillman with a Prius so that you have cheaper gas for your big honking truck?

 

[REWahoo]

I have 2 cars that I drive: 2005 Mustang V8 and a 1959 Hillman Minx convertable. The Mustang has 300 HP and gets about 30MPG (Imperial) at 75 MPH on the highway. The Hillman, an economy car in it's day, with a 1500 CC 51 HP engine, gets less at it's top speed of 55MPH?

Why do you need two cars? Stick the Mustang V8 in the Hillman and you'll have the best of both worlds...a screaming hot economical muscle car.

 

[youbet]

HOW MANY SUV owners fit in this category?

I assume you're trying to tell us you own an energy guzzling McMansion and drive eleven zillion miles to work?

 

[Nords]

I assume you're trying to tell us you own an energy guzzling McMansion and drive eleven zillion miles to work?

Hey, let the man have his dream!

 

[camberiu]

I assume you're trying to tell us you own an energy guzzling McMansion and drive eleven zillion miles to work?

I live on an one bedroom apartment and have no car.

 

[kumquat]

There is another side to this, however. Every extra gallon of gasoline demanded, and every extra barrell of oil demanded, bid higher the price for everyone. So while the SUV owner might be willing and able to pay for the gas he/she uses, it increases the costs for eveyone else.

Yeah so? Every potato you eat raises the cost of potatoes to the poor.

 

[youbet]

I live on an one bedroom apartment and have no car.

Then a tip of my hat to you!

The point of my earlier post was simply that each of us must reduce our aggregate energy consumption.  I have no idea how you thought I was refering to Daniel Boone.  Well.....errrr....maybe I do.  I enjoy a couple of brewski's on Friday night too!

 

[mathjak107]

most smaller suv's today get better milage than alot of cars with the current horsepower race that kicked up again......

 

[mathjak107]

that new oil etf uso looks like a good hedge...not as an investment but a hedge......if oil goes up you make something to cover the higher energy costs ,,if energy drops,well uso will drop but overall you will do better paying lower energy prices than you may loose in uso................i know between my pimco commodity funds,fidelity select energy services and my gold etf gld i made enough now in profits to cover the additional difference up to 4 bucks a gallon for the next 3 years or so.......cant beat em,,,join em.....

 

[audreyh1]

What about those humungus behemoth RVs?

LOL! Diesel prices have hardly changed in the last several months - they are not affected by this MTBE(?)/Ethanol switchover.

I spend about $200 filling the RV tank once a month. No big deal. I spend way more on groceries, eating out and campsite fees than that. Even doubling the fuel expense won't be a major hit.

Of course once fuel prices double, everything else will go up too (groceries, etc.) so we'll all be paying more everywhere.

Since we don't own/live in a house, the RV fuel and camping fees are the only "utilities" we have to pay. It's not just your car, it's the electricity and heating bills for your house too.

Yes, lots of RVers are scared off by fuel prices - that has already happened to some extent. Fine with me. More campsites for us!

Five star hotels - are you crazy? Why would I want to live in one of those sterile things and have to move around using suitcases? I'd far rather have my own bed, own bathroom, own fridge, no one entering my abode in my absence, not to mention the ability to pick up and go at will and camp just about anywhere I darn please (not just in major tourist areas).

Audrey

 

[mathjak107]

id like an rv over a hotel ...the problem is towing my pool and wetbar too.....

 

[audreyh1]

id like an rv over a hotel ...the problem is towing my pool and wetbar too.....

LOL! Many campgrounds have pools and hot tubs. The resort we are staying in now has two of each - including a set in the "adults only" section.

Some RVs have a bar area in the basement you can access while sitting out on the patio.

I guess we might have to walk our margaritas over to the pool/hot tub. Poor us! LOL!

Yeah - you just can't haul everything with you (although some people sure do try!!). But there are so many fine amenities at some destinations - we are far from deprived

Audrey

 

[mathjak107]

i love camping and some camp grounds we went to had all the niceities of a resort...............

we do winter camping too in tents in the snow but thats another story.......

 

[LEX]

Enjoy the drive to oblivion. Eventually we are going to be an expensive and highly regulated third world country. Gas prices are but one indicia of the trend.

 

[bpp]

When I visit the US, I am amazed that the choice of vehicle seems to have become some kind of moral issue. I drive a gas-guzzling SUV which gets only about 23 MPG, and gas has been over $4/gallon for as long as I can remember, so I pay $200/month just for daily commuting. I am willing to pay that for the crash-test rating on the car. I considered a Prius, but the crash-test ratings were lousy (have improved somewhat since), and even at $4-5/gallon, it wouldn't have paid for itself.

To me it is purely an economic issue: how much one is willing to pay for insurance (crash survivability). If gas goes up, fine, I'll re-evaluate my decision at that point. And no, I don't expect anyone to die to keep the price of gas down; let it rise.

BFD.

Bpp

 

[MasterBlaster]

BPP:

Many SUVs are no safer than a midsize car. Yes they do well in two vehicle accidents because of their weight as you point out. However they tend to roll over in severe manuevers and have relatively poor breaking ability due to their weight. Their mixed safety record(s) are well documented.

From a best personal safety perspective you should consider a very large car. They actually have the best overall safety record.

 

[TromboneAl]

We've done a lot of tent camping, but it's not like it used to be. 

1. Just when you're listening to the wind in the trees and the birds, someone turns on his/her generator.

2. When you're sitting by the fire, looking at the stars, someone will turn on their 200 Watt coleman lantern.

3. There's usually some campsite playing loud music or having a noisy party.

Finally, after we moved to the boonies, we found that whereas camping used to be something we did to get away from the crowds, now there are more crowds at the campgrounds than at home.   But we do do some backpacking which solves most of these problems at the expense of some comfort.

 

[audreyh1]

One of the great advantages of ER - go to the public campgrounds during the week - when hardly anyone else is there!!!

We "run away" to commercial RV parks on the weekends when the state campgrounds are packed full - catch up on laundry, grocery shopping etc.

Audrey

 

[youbet]

We've done a lot of tent camping, but it's not like it used to be. 

That's for sure!  Especially when tent camping is mixed with RV camping.  I'm not a fan of commercial campgrounds, RV parks, etc.  But DW. several lifelong friends and I really enjoy semi-wilderness camping.  A week in Quetico Provincial Park does it for us!