jarthur31 Posted August 11, 2005 Share Posted August 11, 2005 when people talk of "new fuels" most other people think they are some geek who just finished watching star trek. most if not all new "hybred" cars look all futuristic, and cost to much. (though the price has dropped). people dont always wnat to drive around in a flashy car. if they made a toyota camry with a hybred engin, that cost close to the same as a normal car, i think it would sell. but people dont like change. a car is a big investment to "try something new" on. and i really dont think oil companys or car companys want to build new engins or cars to fit them. they dont think people will buy them. but i believe if you own a hybred, you get a tax break. so maybe the gov. is doing something after all. 404256[/snapback] You're joking right? Then why are SUV's outselling the 4 cylinder compact cars? Those are the idiots bitching the loudest about gas prices. I don't need a monster like that to stroke my ego. I prefer the smaller cars anyway but it's hard for me to pay those outrageous prices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
/dev/null Posted August 11, 2005 Share Posted August 11, 2005 $2.38 a gallon bush, osama, saddam, james kirk. i dunno who to blame, so i'm just pissed off at the whole planet its all YOUR fault Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crap Throwing Monkey Posted August 11, 2005 Share Posted August 11, 2005 There are several causes: 1. Lack of oil refineries in the USA. Arab oil is higher in sulfer and most American plants can't handle it. Also, we simply don't have enough of them. Cities won't allow companies to build more because they are unsightly, create pollution and are likely terrorist targets. 2. China, India and a couple of other countries have added to an increased demand. Supply and demand, if demand is bigger than the supply price goes up. China's demand will continue to increase as they continue to industrialize. 3. America has about 5% (300 million out of 5.5 billion) of the world's population yet we use up almost 40% of world oil. Doesn't leave all that much for the other 95% of the world's population now does it? The USA is suppose to full of smart bright people, than why haven't we imbrased new technologies. All we want is massive SUV's. Hummer get great gas milage. Plus we drive everywhere. When's the last time you rode a bus, or train? And can't the forward motion of a car not be used to create electricity to power the car? Maybe Ford, GM and Chrysler have a little too much influence over the policy makers in Washington! Gas engines are much cheaper to make and it take no new investment capital to continue to build them. 404409[/snapback] 4. The market's pricing in the risk of a bad Carribean and Atlantic hurricane season. Supply is so tight that any disruption in the Gulf of Mexico tanker ports and refineries could be seriously bad, so industry's hedging. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweet baboo Posted August 11, 2005 Share Posted August 11, 2005 if they made a toyota camry with a hybred engin, that cost close to the same as a normal car, i think it would sell. but people dont like change. a car is a big investment to "try something new" on. 404256[/snapback] camry hybrid comes out this fall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RkFast Posted August 11, 2005 Share Posted August 11, 2005 Can someone explain why gas is going up not on actual shortages, but on "fears"? Every day its a new "fear" that drives up the price. Fear of a terrorist attack. Fear of a Hurricane. Fear of a war. Fear of an oil rig worker in Saudi Arabia catching a cold. Every day its some new excuse as to why the price goes up another $2/bbl. And often, it seems whats driving that rise is NOT actual events, but the "fear" of those events POSSIBLY taking place. Sounds like a BS excuse to gouge....whats the real story? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
"Wild" Bill Posted August 11, 2005 Share Posted August 11, 2005 In a nutshell:ANSWER: DEMAND & U.S. REFINERIES 2) The lack of many oil refineries in the U.S. (especially California) make is worse for Americans. There are several causes:1. Lack of oil refineries in the USA. Arab oil is higher in sulfer and most American plants can't handle it. Also, we simply don't have enough of them. Cities won't allow companies to build more because they are unsightly, create pollution and are likely terrorist targets. Media hype and party hype. Don't drink the Kool-Aide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Adams Posted August 11, 2005 Share Posted August 11, 2005 Ride a bike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickey Posted August 11, 2005 Share Posted August 11, 2005 I just past my gas pump where I live and gas is now 2.54 a gallon....what in the birthday cake is going on with the prices? Are we headed for another oil crisis like the one in the late 70's? I just cannot believe the prices these days. What is causing it? Is it the SUV's? Iraq war and US military guzzing gas? I fear something is seriously wrong......I think it will be time to get a hybrid the next new car I get......ridiculous!!! 404173[/snapback] Go diesel man, they are much, much improved. Double the mileage and they are no more expensive than the models with gasoline engines. VW makes them and Jeep is now selling a Liberty model with a diesel engine. Off the shelf, tried and true technology that is widely available at a reasonable price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crap Throwing Monkey Posted August 11, 2005 Share Posted August 11, 2005 Can someone explain why gas is going up not on actual shortages, but on "fears"? Every day its a new "fear" that drives up the price. Fear of a terrorist attack. Fear of a Hurricane. Fear of a war. Fear of an oil rig worker in Saudi Arabia catching a cold. Every day its some new excuse as to why the price goes up another $2/bbl. And often, it seems whats driving that rise is NOT actual events, but the "fear" of those events POSSIBLY taking place. Sounds like a BS excuse to gouge....whats the real story? 404620[/snapback] Because the futures market is used to hedge. You're a bulk consumer of oil, you'll be buying on the spot market in October but you don't know what the price is going to be, so you buy some futures as insurance against the October price being too high. Then the spot market sees the price going up in the futures market and says "Oh, the price of the futures is going up, guess it's underpriced in the spot market too". That's not the whole story and is pretty over-simplified, but it's basically how the commodities and even more so the currency markets are used, and not dissimilar to how the stock and bond markets work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweet baboo Posted August 11, 2005 Share Posted August 11, 2005 Go diesel man, they are much, much improved. Double the mileage and they are no more expensive than the models with gasoline engines. VW makes them and Jeep is now selling a Liberty model with a diesel engine. Off the shelf, tried and true technology that is widely available at a reasonable price. 404726[/snapback] i considered the jetta TDI but couldn't pull the trigger because VW's have been putting lemons out on the road for years (basically ever since they started up their plant in mexico) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gross Posted August 11, 2005 Share Posted August 11, 2005 when people talk of "new fuels" most other people think they are some geek who just finished watching star trek. most if not all new "hybred" cars look all futuristic, and cost to much. (though the price has dropped). people dont always wnat to drive around in a flashy car. if they made a toyota camry with a hybred engin, that cost close to the same as a normal car, i think it would sell. but people dont like change. a car is a big investment to "try something new" on. and i really dont think oil companys or car companys want to build new engins or cars to fit them. they dont think people will buy them. but i believe if you own a hybred, you get a tax break. so maybe the gov. is doing something after all. 404256[/snapback] There are two Hybrid cars that look "futuristic/different:" Toyota Prius and Honda Insight. It is because they were built as "maximum mileage hybrids." In other words, they use the hybrid technology to maximize the mileage you get out of the vehicle. Since they were designed as "new" vehicles to deliver high mileage, the "look" of the vehicle was pretty much predicated by a need to minimize drag coefficient (how hard the car has to fight against the wind to move forward). There are several models, current and "coming soon" of hybrid versions of standard vehicles (including the Camry you mentioned, as well as Honda's Civic and Accord, and SUV's like the Toyota Highlander and Ford Escape). The only caveat you should note is that some manufacturers are looking at hybrid power trains primarily as a means to give a car more power than necessarily to increase the mileage, so when you look at the mileage of the hybrid version, it may not be significantly different than the non-hybrid version. EDIT: And with respect to alternate fuel sources, you have to deal not only with the cost of development of the vehicle, but of the refining and distribution of the fuel. Electric cars, even if they were usable as a "normal" car don't help much because they are effectively drawing power from an electrical grid that is primarily generated from fossil fuels. So you look at other options, like fuel cell vehicles. That's great and all, but an infrastructure of fuel cell refilling stations won't happen overnight...I'm just saying it's more than just the cost of the car development, but the supporting technologies as well... As far as the tax break goes, that's true and getting even truer next year... The USA is suppose to full of smart bright people, than why haven't we imbrased new technologies...And can't the forward motion of a car not be used to create electricity to power the car? 404409[/snapback] That is, more or less, how hybrids charge the batteries, from the tires when the car is coasting or braking. Obviously not in other situations, as the drag of the generator on the system would end up costing you gas mileage. Looks like my price per fill-up is going to go over $20 now....sigh... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gross Posted August 11, 2005 Share Posted August 11, 2005 Go diesel man, they are much, much improved. Double the mileage and they are no more expensive than the models with gasoline engines. VW makes them and Jeep is now selling a Liberty model with a diesel engine. Off the shelf, tried and true technology that is widely available at a reasonable price. 404726[/snapback] Twice as much is a stretch...show me...Problem too is that deisel costs more than regular gas here (~ .12/gallon), so the $$ savings is partially negated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted August 12, 2005 Share Posted August 12, 2005 Quit bitching about it and profit from the rise. Go and by some Exxon Mobil stock and join in. Aint capitalism great? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimBob2232 Posted August 12, 2005 Share Posted August 12, 2005 There are many reasons IMO for the high oil prices (especially the last few days) Recently the king of saudi arabia died. Uncertainty in one of the largest sources of us oil now has a questionable future. Yes, it IS bush's fault (I am a very strong conservative), BUT...it is also clintons fault, bush 1's fault, and every president over the last 30-40 years. For the love, BUILD SOME OTHER SOURCES OF ENERGY. Build more nuclear power plants...build more oil refineries, start using some of our own oil reserves, and promote research and development of alternative energies. We dont, because none of the above named investments pay off immediatly. They will all take 10 or more years before they even make a dent. In the meantime, the president is out of office and it does him no political good. We need someone to take the bull by the horns and TACKLE THIS PROBLEM. Bush is off to a decent start with ANWAR and increasing nuclear technology...but its a far cry from what is needed. Do it before its too late. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted August 12, 2005 Share Posted August 12, 2005 Ride your bike! I do-30 miles+ everyday.....or you can drive yourself in your SUV for status- whichever you prefer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philburger1 Posted August 12, 2005 Share Posted August 12, 2005 Ride your bike! I do-30 miles+ everyday.....or you can drive yourself in your SUV for status- whichever you prefer 405548[/snapback] Sure! And I can put my two kids on the handle bars when I pick them from school! Problem solved! Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of BiB Posted August 12, 2005 Share Posted August 12, 2005 Ride your bike! I do-30 miles+ everyday.....or you can drive yourself in your SUV for status- whichever you prefer 405548[/snapback] Which would give you a life span of about 30 seconds on the beltway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reuben Gant Posted August 12, 2005 Share Posted August 12, 2005 Sure! And I can put my two kids on the handle bars when I pick them from school!Problem solved! Thanks! 405604[/snapback] Kids are so darn inefficient. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gross Posted August 12, 2005 Share Posted August 12, 2005 Ride your bike! I do-30 miles+ everyday.....or you can drive yourself in your SUV for status- whichever you prefer 405548[/snapback] Yeah, great, so that instead of spending 10 hours away from my family every day (including my 35 mile one-way commute) I can spend 14-15...and freeze assorted body parts off in the winter...I'll stick with my 46+ MPG car, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gross Posted August 12, 2005 Share Posted August 12, 2005 Sure! And I can put my two kids on the handle bars when I pick them from school!Problem solved! Thanks! 405604[/snapback] Be a man! Buy a bike trailer! It will pay for itself in a month! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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