OT: Gas gouging
I am getting about 41 MPG with my good old '93 Harley. But living here in New England we also have to have a good 4WD so I bought a Honda Elemant and it was a perfect choice. Pretty good milage, great dependability, and lots and lots of room. It was such a good choice that I am going to get my wife a Honda CRV next.
Where I live, if you don't drive 4-wheel-drive in the winter, you won't be driving much at all. I drive 60 miles to work each day, and it's not like my job allows for me to stay home just because the weather's bad.
In reality, OPEC just raised their production of oil, which was SUPPOSED to drop gas prices. Well, so much for that.
As for the war being used as an excuse...do you know how much oil the US uses from the Middle East? Between 3 and 5 percent of our total consumption!!! Kinda makes you wonder why the war is affecting our gas prices so much when we barely use any oil from the affected war area. Kinda begin to think the petroleum companies are royally screwing us, ya know?
We just received a delivery of home heating oil the other day. We got about 700 gallons, and it cost nearly $1,400! I nearly fainted when I saw the bill. I have no hope of paying it, so we'll just have to go on the budget plan and pay it off a little at a time.
If there was a practical way for me to completely boycott oil and gas, I certainly would tell them to stick it up their ***!
Sniper -- One Shot, One Kill Email: ST8PEN01@aol.com
In reality, OPEC just raised their production of oil, which was SUPPOSED to drop gas prices. Well, so much for that.
As for the war being used as an excuse...do you know how much oil the US uses from the Middle East? Between 3 and 5 percent of our total consumption!!! Kinda makes you wonder why the war is affecting our gas prices so much when we barely use any oil from the affected war area. Kinda begin to think the petroleum companies are royally screwing us, ya know?
We just received a delivery of home heating oil the other day. We got about 700 gallons, and it cost nearly $1,400! I nearly fainted when I saw the bill. I have no hope of paying it, so we'll just have to go on the budget plan and pay it off a little at a time.
If there was a practical way for me to completely boycott oil and gas, I certainly would tell them to stick it up their ***!
Sniper -- One Shot, One Kill Email: ST8PEN01@aol.com
It is simple Economics 101: Supply/demand.
With the emergence of two of the world's biggest populated countries--China and India--into the industrial age, a massive and largely unexpected spike in the demand curve has resulted.
OPEC regularly cheats in terms of production, so supply is near capacity.
In short, get used to high prices.
With the emergence of two of the world's biggest populated countries--China and India--into the industrial age, a massive and largely unexpected spike in the demand curve has resulted.
OPEC regularly cheats in terms of production, so supply is near capacity.
In short, get used to high prices.
meh, maybe it's a mental thing then, another reason i have is crash survivability, yes, i know that cars are safe, but i'd rather not have to rely on teh cars door when i can rely on my truck's frame taking the impact of a side collision. getting in and out of them is also diffucult.
sven
steel is unforgiving... sharp steel even more so
sven
steel is unforgiving... sharp steel even more so
One thing I must say, I can fully understand driving a 4x4 in the states, my fiance has a BMW 3.25 with 4 wheel drive, and I thank God she has it, atleast I know shes a **** site safer in that than in a standard front wheel drive.
BUT
Tell me honestly, what on Gods earth does anyone really need a 6 litre V8 4x4 for?
What you people gonna do?, climb the Ifel Tower?
When I went to Utah on my visit to meet my fiance's family, I have never seen so many huge cars in my life, its all extremely uncalled for if you ask me, anything over a 2.0 litre is just a waste.
It all comes down to "mine is bigger than yours" in my opinion, its got nothing to do with staying on the road or any other form of saftey.
They were not joking when they said "everything is bigger n better in the USA"
Cheers
MaNcEr
It's Time To Kick @$$ 'N Chew Bubble Gum
BUT
Tell me honestly, what on Gods earth does anyone really need a 6 litre V8 4x4 for?
What you people gonna do?, climb the Ifel Tower?
When I went to Utah on my visit to meet my fiance's family, I have never seen so many huge cars in my life, its all extremely uncalled for if you ask me, anything over a 2.0 litre is just a waste.
It all comes down to "mine is bigger than yours" in my opinion, its got nothing to do with staying on the road or any other form of saftey.
They were not joking when they said "everything is bigger n better in the USA"
Cheers
MaNcEr
It's Time To Kick @$$ 'N Chew Bubble Gum
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I've parked the hemi Ram for now and went back to my 4x4 V-6 Ranger, but honestly it has the 4.0 SHO engine and puts out nearly 240hp so I dunno how much I'm saving.
Mancer to answer your question why we need a 400+ hp 4WD.
Well mostly to PO the honda cars 2 inches from the ground that sound like a mad hornet.
Just gotta love the look in the kids eyes as he chokes on smoke from my big ole mudgrips <img src="wink.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>.
We pay an average of 180 for reg, but the hemi spark knocks on less than 91 octane so it's higher to drive that.
Wife's Taurus is a 2001 and it's paid fer so she's gonna live with it for awhile, actually with it's V-6 and auto OD it gets about 23 hwy.
Kinda goin through my 2nd childhood right now and I have a badddddddddd case of Ron wants a Harley <img src="smile.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0><img src="smile.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>
Ron
http://www.geocities.com/joyce43_c/RONSKNIFESHOP
Mancer to answer your question why we need a 400+ hp 4WD.
Well mostly to PO the honda cars 2 inches from the ground that sound like a mad hornet.
Just gotta love the look in the kids eyes as he chokes on smoke from my big ole mudgrips <img src="wink.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>.
We pay an average of 180 for reg, but the hemi spark knocks on less than 91 octane so it's higher to drive that.
Wife's Taurus is a 2001 and it's paid fer so she's gonna live with it for awhile, actually with it's V-6 and auto OD it gets about 23 hwy.
Kinda goin through my 2nd childhood right now and I have a badddddddddd case of Ron wants a Harley <img src="smile.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0><img src="smile.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>
Ron
http://www.geocities.com/joyce43_c/RONSKNIFESHOP
UMMMMMMMMMMMMMM....to be fair....IN UTAH...there are so many SVU's because they are the vehicles that haul around the most people and as most of you probably know...Mormon's have large ones and need more than a six seater....so that is why Mancer saw so many huge cars <img src="wink.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>
Honesty is the better part of Integrity
Honesty is the better part of Integrity
I am a "do-it-yourselfer" and I have yet to see any 2-litre that will pull a yard and a half of cement! Not to many civic's, tercel's, Yugo-whatever's will fit a sheet of plywood in them. Try taking 2 adults, 2 kids and 2 great danes anywhere in a Geo.
If you can't afford to pay for gas maybee you should buy a bike<img src="wink.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0> Yeah and vote for John Kerry and let's add another $.50/gallon to the bill.
If you can't afford to pay for gas maybee you should buy a bike<img src="wink.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0> Yeah and vote for John Kerry and let's add another $.50/gallon to the bill.
We (non-US-resident- forumners) were to expect ferocious justifying of the SUV-craze in the US. Your examples are partly justifiable, but it's more about the fact that SO MANY cars on the highway just carry the driver. That's the same here, don't get me wrong, but still in smaller cars... It does seem to be a bigger-than-yours thing. All part of American automotive tradition, sure; when admiring 6 metres of shining paint and chrome whenever an old Caddy whooshes by I feel a bit guilty. :-)
The story about, especially, China IS justified - we've seen nothing yet, I'm afraid. They all used to ride bicycles - all 1,3 billion of them...
The story about, especially, China IS justified - we've seen nothing yet, I'm afraid. They all used to ride bicycles - all 1,3 billion of them...
- Simple Man
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"Tell me honestly, what on Gods earth does anyone really need a 6 litre V8 4x4 for?
What you people gonna do?, climb the Ifel Tower?"
-Haul round hay bales (1200#-1500# ea.) out of the bottoms 3 at a time on a 16' trailer.
-Haul 5-6 stacks high of square bales out of another farmers bottoms on same trailer.
-Haul a 3-point hay mower to next town (40 miles) to sell.
-Haul 200+ metal chairs for church from next town back the other direction.
-Pull 48" cut/16hp mower out of ditch after sticking it in the mud.
-Pull Fords/Dodges out whenever they get stuck.<img src="wink.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>
-Hayrides
-Haul broken down truck back to town for friend.
-Haul commercial size mowers here, there, and everywhere.
If we can't get it done with my Chevy Z71, then we will either use my bro-in-law's Power Ram, other bro-in-law's 3/4 ton Duramax diesel, buddies Dodge 3500 Dualie, or just fire up the tractor.
“…tractors don't have to look like Ferraris” – Sal <><
Edited by - ROM831 on 5/25/2004 3:33:00 PM
What you people gonna do?, climb the Ifel Tower?"
-Haul round hay bales (1200#-1500# ea.) out of the bottoms 3 at a time on a 16' trailer.
-Haul 5-6 stacks high of square bales out of another farmers bottoms on same trailer.
-Haul a 3-point hay mower to next town (40 miles) to sell.
-Haul 200+ metal chairs for church from next town back the other direction.
-Pull 48" cut/16hp mower out of ditch after sticking it in the mud.
-Pull Fords/Dodges out whenever they get stuck.<img src="wink.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>
-Hayrides
-Haul broken down truck back to town for friend.
-Haul commercial size mowers here, there, and everywhere.
If we can't get it done with my Chevy Z71, then we will either use my bro-in-law's Power Ram, other bro-in-law's 3/4 ton Duramax diesel, buddies Dodge 3500 Dualie, or just fire up the tractor.
“…tractors don't have to look like Ferraris” – Sal <><
Edited by - ROM831 on 5/25/2004 3:33:00 PM
Rom, and if the job deserves it then the equipment is fine, you dont see me targeting SEMI's at all.
Now that you have stated why you need one, next time you on the road, take count of these large engined monsters, look at who is driving them and see just how many of these has one function, to carry its owner+ a couple of kids to school and back.
Im from south africa, we haul just as bigger loads as you do, we are a nation that produces alof of equipment, why can we survive so easily without all these fuel sapping machines?
The only people I see here driving 4 litre BMW X5's and the like are those business men whom can afford to pay this: X5 4.4i-R611000; X5 3.0d-R500000; X5 3.0i-R485000
If we can survive hauling big loads around construction sites and the like using 2.5 litre diesel trucks, Im sure you guys can easily.
Too many are comftable driving in what looks like a monster truck only because they can, this story of "oh I do it cause I have 5 kids is just that, a story".
Cheers
MaNcEr
It's Time To Kick @$$ 'N Chew Bubble Gum
Now that you have stated why you need one, next time you on the road, take count of these large engined monsters, look at who is driving them and see just how many of these has one function, to carry its owner+ a couple of kids to school and back.
Im from south africa, we haul just as bigger loads as you do, we are a nation that produces alof of equipment, why can we survive so easily without all these fuel sapping machines?
The only people I see here driving 4 litre BMW X5's and the like are those business men whom can afford to pay this: X5 4.4i-R611000; X5 3.0d-R500000; X5 3.0i-R485000
If we can survive hauling big loads around construction sites and the like using 2.5 litre diesel trucks, Im sure you guys can easily.
Too many are comftable driving in what looks like a monster truck only because they can, this story of "oh I do it cause I have 5 kids is just that, a story".
Cheers
MaNcEr
It's Time To Kick @$$ 'N Chew Bubble Gum
- Simple Man
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These are just the things that come to mind that I have done recently. I feel that I can reasonably justify what I drive.
That said, I agree with you, there ARE way too many soccer moms that drive Suburbans, Tahoes, Expeditions, Excursions, and the like. Of the 10 or so H2 Hummers I have seen, not one had any mud on it and only one was pulling a load, a bass boat.
As far as the small diesels go, we have a few turbo diesels on sedans, MB, VW, maybe a few BMW’s. Other than that, our non commercial diesels are larger 6+liters in ¾-1 ton trucks, the 5-6 liter gas burner half tons are to us that the 2-3 liter diesels are to you.
“…tractors don't have to look like Ferraris” – Sal <><
That said, I agree with you, there ARE way too many soccer moms that drive Suburbans, Tahoes, Expeditions, Excursions, and the like. Of the 10 or so H2 Hummers I have seen, not one had any mud on it and only one was pulling a load, a bass boat.
As far as the small diesels go, we have a few turbo diesels on sedans, MB, VW, maybe a few BMW’s. Other than that, our non commercial diesels are larger 6+liters in ¾-1 ton trucks, the 5-6 liter gas burner half tons are to us that the 2-3 liter diesels are to you.
“…tractors don't have to look like Ferraris” – Sal <><
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Gas prices in Charleston WV range from $1.93 to $2.09 per gallon. Ashland Oil has a refinery nearby and it supplies most brands with gasoline. Why has everyone complained about their cars, motorcycles (even lawn tractors) detonating on regular from Exxon gas? Must be the additives/octane boosters etc. requested by Exxon. I use regular in my car and Premium in my Harley and Moto Guzzi (gas purchased from a Go-Mart store) and have had no problems.
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