Gas prices are going up fast

[Car-Guy]

The saving grace is that new vehicles get much better fuel mileage than the old ones.

Out of curiosity, I just checked to see that a 2021 F-150 crewcab pickup with a V8 5.0L engine can get 17 City / 24 Highway. This is as good as an old minivan with a 3.0L engine that I had, which was lighter and more aerodynamic.

I'm getting over 20 on the "highway" (which is over 90% of my driving) in my new Challenger. Amazing what technology and gearing can do these days.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

The saving grace is that new vehicles get much better fuel mileage than the old ones.

Out of curiosity, I just checked to see that a 2021 F-150 crewcab pickup with a V8 5.0L engine can get 17 City / 24 Highway. This is as good as an old minivan with a 3.0L engine that I had, which was lighter and more aerodynamic.

Or 20/27 with the 3.0L Power Stroke engine. I can't fathom any decent reason to buy a F-150 w/ the 5.0L these days.

 

[caninelover]

I paid $4.62/gallon at Costco on Monday - regular gas stations were $5.80/gallon. Its already gone up since Monday so glad I filled up when I did.

I FIRE'd in January so my driving is so low that I am filling up about once a month. Fortunately we have solar panels and SO has a Tesla - we are using that on weekends and I use it during the week if I need to drive anywhere > 10 miles (he works from home).

I remember in 2008 when gas prices spiked the traffic on the freeways really plummeted. Haven't seen that yet here but I expect we will soon.

 

[NW-Bound]

Or 20/27 with the 3.0L Power Stroke engine. I can't fathom any decent reason to buy a F-150 w/ the 5.0L these days.

I don't currently own a truck, but perhaps someone towing a travel trailer may need a bigger engine?

 

[NW-Bound]

I remember in 2008 when gas prices spiked the traffic on the freeways really plummeted. Haven't seen that yet here but I expect we will soon.

There's nothing like higher gas price to cut down on "discretionary" driving.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

I don't currently own a truck, but perhaps someone towing a travel trailer may need a bigger engine?

That used to be the case "back in the day", but today the 3.5L EcoBoost has a towing capacity 1,000 pounds more than the 5.0L (at 14,000 pounds! For a 6 cylinder!) and 40 more foot pounds of torque. Most certainly isn't my Dad's P/U truck.

 

[audreyh1]

I remember in 2008 when gas prices spiked the traffic on the freeways really plummeted. Haven't seen that yet here but I expect we will soon.

Cross country travel/road trips certainly dry up! I remember traveling in Oregon that summer 2008, full-time RVers, and in the huge state park campground at Klammath Spit there were almost no out of state license plates! We were the only ones from TX.

 

[Bigdawg]

Had to pick up the BMX X5 diesel today after the oil got changed. When I drive without thoughts of mileage I get 23.5MPG or so. On the 50 mile ride home today I drove the speed limit or at most 5 over. Mileage computer is telling me 29 mpg. Hmmm, At $5.25/gal for diesel maybe I'll drive the speed limit.

 

[RetiredAndLovingIt]

No more driving my dog to the park, we're going to start walking there, I need the exercise anyway.
The dog will probably enjoy it as well, she's not a fan of being driven anywhere.

 

[Koolau]

This morning before COFSDASH(tm) I filled up one car 8(only needed a little more than 1/2 a tank) at Costco for $3.98/gallon (compared to $4.25/gallon average in the area). Normally at 9AM you could find at least one pump with no wait. However this morning the line was out of the gas station area into the parking lot.

The "good" news was that enough folks still have the "I MUST use a pump that is on the same side as my gas cap" mentality that, once squeezing inside the gas station area, the 5 lines with pumps on the passenger side were noticeably shorter than the 5 lines with pumps on the drivers side. So my wait was not as bad.

I am just glad Dw and I do not have to commute to work, and all our driving is pleasure/errand related. We can somewhat control the impact of the gas cost, and the mileage is low enough not to be a problem. I have friends with commuting jobs that this is a much bigger issue.

Our Costco Gas recently added one extra pump to each Island (essentially increasing throughput by 1/3.) STILL, there are always cars waiting on the street just to get into the lines. This is so common that most folks will settle for one of the "wrong-side" pumps.

Since Covid and now the gas price increases, we simply drive only for food/necessities. I'm still on my first fill-up of the year though I'm getting close. YMMV

 

[Surewhitey]

We're taking a road trip starting Saturday morning. Curious if there is less traffic due to prices. Going 1800 miles @ 28mpg & $4/gal average we're looking at $260 in gas... 4 different places and lots of visits. Driving through 7 states total.

 

[Gumby]

We're taking a road trip starting Saturday morning. Curious if there is less traffic due to prices. Going 1800 miles @ 28mpg & $4/gal average we're looking at $260 in gas... 4 different places and lots of visits. Driving through 7 states total.

And if gas were only $3/gal, you'd spend $192 on the trip, so recent events are costing you about $68. A drop in the bucket I'd say.

 

[Surewhitey]

And if gas were only $3/gal, you'd spend $192 on the trip, so recent events are costing you about $68. A drop in the bucket I'd say.

Agreed. Wasn't really a concern and if I draft a semi, I can get it down by 20%! I can hear pops rolling in his grave if I did that though...

 

[Car-Guy]

if I draft a semi, I can get it down by 20%!

And an excellent way to increase the risk that you will get chips/crack(s) in your windshield from the road pebbles the semi(s) toss up behind them.

 

[Chuckanut]

If you have a Discover Card, you might note that in the 2nd quarter the cash back on the card is 5% for gasoline. It's safer than trying to slip-stream a big truck.


Every little bit helps.

 

[disneysteve]

If you have a Discover Card, you might note that in the 2nd quarter the cash back on the card is 5% for gasoline. It's safer than trying to slip-stream a big truck.


Every little bit helps.

Yep, and through the end of March it’s groceries which also helps.

 

[Jerry1]

We're taking a road trip starting Saturday morning. Curious if there is less traffic due to prices. Going 1800 miles @ 28mpg & $4/gal average we're looking at $260 in gas... 4 different places and lots of visits. Driving through 7 states total.

I’m going on a trip that will be roughly 2500 miles. Average for my truck with mostly highway miles is 20mpg. So about 125 gallons. I’m estimating $4.50 so about $560.

While I have no interest in drafting a semi, I am going to try to increase my mileage. Given that this is a completely flexible trip, I’m thinking I’ll slow down and see if I can tolerate a slower speed. I typically drive with the goal of getting there as quick as I can, stopping only for gas and bathroom and eating at one of those stops. Driving as fast as traffic will allow, though generally no higher than 80. I’m thinking if I can stay around 65 mph I might be able to get my mpg up to 25. That could save me $50 to $100. I’m not too optimistic I can stand driving like that, but that’s my plan.

The extra cost doesn’t concern me too much, but I would reconsider my plans if I hear of actual shortages. I don’t want to be on the road experiencing anything like that. Thankfully, I’ve not heard anything indicating shortages.

Going from Michigan down to Florida (panhandle) and then back north and west to Missouri and then back home. Thinking I’ll take a week and a half to two weeks. Visiting family.

 

[Pellice]

Ugh. It looks like the situation with labor and with prices is going to scuttle our beloved, safe, convenient, sanitary practice in New Jersey of having gas pumped by others. https://www.axios.com/new-jersey-ga...bor-0fb42fdf-3f5f-4b1d-a473-99963a8849be.html
Getting out of the car in freezing cold, rain, heat to grab a filthy pump handle and stand around wasting time watching it fill up is not what I want to do. I also feel safer not getting out of the car.

And yet ... and yet ... I know a number of my fellow Jerseyans who are desperate to handle that pump. They even jump out of the car and stand around with their hands in their pockets, staring desperately at the attendant as attendant fills the car. I don't understand these men. I ask them, "why do you want to get your hands on that pump handle," and they say "I can do it faster." So they save 45 seconds!!! Or, "I can do it better" - what the heck does that even mean.

No, I am NOT looking forward to waiting behind somebody who left his car to go buy cigarettes at the counter. I am NOT looking forward to squeezing my arthritic fingers around a recalcitrant pump handle in the dead of winter. I am NOT looking forward to politely moving my car a second time so I don't block someone behind me if I want to pay cash at the counter (admittedly a rare event these days).

And, no, it doesn't result in lower prices, and "full service" pumps disappear from the majority of stations.

It totally frosts me that this Axios article says "most Americans happily pump their own gas." Yeah, see paragraph 1, above. Only the demented ...

Rant over. I guess I'll have to pick out some special "gas gloves" to put in the glove compartment. Arrrgh!

 

[wmc1000]

Ugh. It looks like the situation with labor and with prices is going to scuttle our beloved, safe, convenient, sanitary practice in New Jersey of having gas pumped by others. https://www.axios.com/new-jersey-ga...bor-0fb42fdf-3f5f-4b1d-a473-99963a8849be.html
Getting out of the car in freezing cold, rain, heat to grab a filthy pump handle and stand around wasting time watching it fill up is not what I want to do. I also feel safer not getting out of the car.

Rant over. I guess I'll have to pick out some special "gas gloves" to put in the glove compartment. Arrrgh!

I understand your arguments, although for us it's been almost 50 years since we had someone else pump our gas and have never worried about the "filthy pump handle".

 

[Pellice]

I understand your arguments, although for us it's been almost 50 years since we had someone else pump our gas and have never worried about the "filthy pump handle".

I know, I know. I just want to mourn. I have a feeling this is going to be an ongoing low-wattage dread. I'm happily single, but ... a husband to pump my gas, what a great thing

 

[Gumby]

I just wish they would speed up the pumps. The gas comes out way faster in Italy.

 

[foxfirev5]

The impact on overall inflation will be significant. My personal narrow view does not have much meaning. DW and I travelled more in the last year than necessary. However we're now content to stay at home and prepare for the coming lake season. A current health scare is making that approach almost genius in retrospect.

On the lighter side buying a RAV4 instead of a GX460 last year was also brilliant. The price of gas is simply a diversion from the bigger picture issues.

 

[Walt34]

I know, I know. I just want to mourn. I have a feeling this is going to be an ongoing low-wattage dread. I'm happily single, but ... a husband to pump my gas, what a great thing

You could settle for just a boyfriend....

 

[Bigdawg]

You could settle for just a boyfriend....

or a girlfriend. But, what if they touched a dirty pump handle? Oh my!

 

[Calico]

I am a woman, and no one has ever pumped my gas for me. I have survived decades of driving in spite of this.

I keep hand sanitizer in the car at all times, and since Covid began I added a box of these gloves to the glove compartment:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008RFQ7W0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Easy Peasy.