Drive by and wince?

[stormgade4]

Are gas prices killing anyone else?

I drive a 1997 Chevy truck that gets 10-11 mpg if I'm lucky. It cost me $53 to fill it up yesterday. And Texas is supposed to have some of the lower prices in the nation. I'm moving for a new job in three weeks. I'm actually considering a place close to work so I can ride my bike. These prices are ridiculous.

As a freshman in college, I remember going back to school one weekend and filling up for $0.87 a gallon. I loved 1998.

 

[findinghope06]

gas prices are kill me too. we are at 2.59 a gallon. thank goodness my car is little and old. so it is usally 25 to fill it up but still!! thats a lot!

i prefer walking and i never use air conditioner...well actually my car doesnt technically have it, its just "cooler" air (comparedto the hot air) that comes out lol

 

[crimsonxbeauty]

I can't drive yet... because of financial problems my family has been thrown.... but I watch the gas prices and its rediculous. Its supposed to reach 3 bux here in San Diego by like october or somethin

 

[Spicy McHaggis]

I was contemplating a rant about people complaining about gas prices.

First I want to dig up an article by Zap, the greatest Mountain Bike Columnist ever, called "Whining by the Gallon". Now, I'm not saying anybody here is whining, but for the most part, you see 1 person per car, windows up, air conditioner blowing their hair back, in a 8 cylinder lead-sled 4wd SUV that they "had to have" to carry their groceries or get across the front lawn if their blocked in or whatever.

Then I get an e-mail a month titled "National Gas Crisis Day!! Lets' not by gas on Tuesday!! That'll show'em!!!"

WRONG. That won't show anybody anything. That'll show that if we don't buy gas on Tuesday, the economic boom in China will continue, and we'll all just fill up on Monday and Wednesday.

If people really wanted to make a difference other than complaining, they would carpool, or roll down their windows and enjoy the heat because they'll be complaining about the cold in a few months anyways, or *gasp* ride a bike!

America still has the lowest gas prices in the world, and stupidity has always been the unfortunate side effect of too much privilege.

 

[BeautyForAshes]

Right now, we're at about $2.60 a gallon.

The gas prices really doesn't bother me. I drive a Toyota Corolla and it only takes about $20-$25 to fill it up. Plus, I only live about 10 minutes from work (and really everything else since I live downtown) so I usually only fill up like every 2 weeks, sometimes longer.

 

[Spicy McHaggis]

your car sips daintily from the cup of gas.

 

[stormgade4]

your car sips daintily from the cup of gas.

Now that's funny.

 

[BeautyForAshes]

your car sips daintily from the cup of gas.

LOL All hail the Toyota!

 

[Spicy McHaggis]

"there's no word in Japanese for 'pick up truck'"

 

[none the wiser]

LOL All hail the Toyota!

I have a Corolla <3

30 miles to the gallon, at least

 

[Spicy McHaggis]

Domestic, my car has torque and parts will still be available for it in five years!!! (just kidding toyoda owners)

 

[BeautyForAshes]

Hey now! At least our cars will still be running in five years. (just kidding - my mom drives a Ford which I tell her basically means Found On the Roadside Dead )

Truth be told we basically drive a Lexus..... just without the emblem.

 

[jenn82]

Honda owner here, and I get between 25-27 miles to gallon. Pretty good for me....but gas prices are going nuts. The other problem I noticed was that plane fairs are going up as well...which is stinky...

 

[Spicy McHaggis]

Hey now, Mustang's about to turn 8, and so far the only repairs are the result of my "stunna" driving, over curbs, sideways into turns, white-knuckle braking, stuff like that.

Truth is, the quality is pretty much even on import vs. domestic. There's a percieved quality on a Toyota or Honda, but drive it in Detroit for five years and it'll deteriorate as fast as a domestic. Drive a Ford/GM out in California, and yeah, you can get decades out of it too, but too many people have made their mind up already that if it's domestic it won't last.

 

[BeautyForAshes]

Ok iklepac13 I'll give you that. Speaking as someone that has been to Detroit too many times to mention, yall do have some messed up streets. Good grief and the potholes! I know the mechanics in Detroit live VERY NICELY!

I will say the interior of domestics are wayyyy nicer than imports though.

But regardless as long as you take care of your vehicle (regular maintenance done, keeping the "stunna" driving to a minimum, etc.) a person should be able to get their money's worth.

Jenn, I love Honda myself! I was ->this close<- to getting one but they didn't have the color I wanted and I didn't want to wait.

 

[Tenorvoice]

(just kidding - my mom drives a Ford which I tell her basically means Found On the Roadside Dead )

As a mechanic we prefer to use this one



Funding Our Retirement Days.

 

[none the wiser]

Hey now, Mustang's about to turn 8, and so far the only repairs are the result of my "stunna" driving, over curbs, sideways into turns, white-knuckle braking, stuff like that.

Truth is, the quality is pretty much even on import vs. domestic. There's a percieved quality on a Toyota or Honda, but drive it in Detroit for five years and it'll deteriorate as fast as a domestic. Drive a Ford/GM out in California, and yeah, you can get decades out of it too, but too many people have made their mind up already that if it's domestic it won't last.

Eh, I've driven both, and the imports' way of handling is more to my taste, toyota specifically. And Nissan...my aunt has a 95 Nissan 300zx I believe. That thing is FUN to drive lol

 

[Tenorvoice]

Are gas prices killing anyone else?

I drive a 1997 Chevy truck that gets 10-11 mpg if I'm lucky. It cost me $53 to fill it up yesterday. And Texas is supposed to have some of the lower prices in the nation. I'm moving for a new job in three weeks. I'm actually considering a place close to work so I can ride my bike. These prices are ridiculous.

As a freshman in college, I remember going back to school one weekend and filling up for $0.87 a gallon. I loved 1998.

I have no clue what kind of truck that you are driving but even a fuel injected big block should be getting at lest 15 mpg. and a small block 18-20mpg.

You should really get that truck to a shop and have the fuel injection cleaned out, and have the entire ignition system, fuel system and the PCM checked for any codes.

PM me if you want to know anything else. I have been a mechanic for over 15 years now profesionally. thanks

 

[mina]

It's $2.59 a gallon here. I remember when I first went to college and first had a car gas was $0.64 at this one place.

 

[Tenorvoice]

Also, for those that want to know....

It actually burns more fuel in 99.99% of cars made after 1990, when you ride with the windows down, and with the A/C off. Todays cars have been programed by the manufacturer to run more efficient with the A/C on and the windows up.

Also for those that drive trucks...if you are riding with the tailgaites down hopeing to be more areodynamic. I hate to say this but you are mistaken. There were wind tunnel tests preformed on every make and modle truck They are actually made so that with the tailgate up, it causes the air flow in the bed of the truck to spin slowly in a clockwise (if I remeber correctly) direction. When it does this it causes a pocket/bubble to form in the bed. When it does this it causes the faster mooving air to flow over it, without any drag at all. (think of a airplane in a way.)

Well when you put the tailgate down it causes a mass confusion in the bed and the drag on the truck is increased.

Hope this helps everyone out.


side note.... If you keep correct tire pressure and all of your reccomended maint. on your vehicle then it will not only last you longer it will also more often than not you will get better fuel mileage. (most vehicles you want to keep about 32-33 psi cold pressure, which is first thing in the morning before you drive anywhere. After that you want about 35-36psi)