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Comments
thanks!
Rocky
:-P
When I went from 14" steelies to 16" aluminum wheels (yes, they were wider too), my fuel economy dropped by about 5%. I expect to go back to the smaller wheels when my current set of tires is replaced.
james
PS
Welcome to the Forum!
Rocky
Question for tire experts: does vehicles normally come with the tire that delivers best fuel-efficiency? Or, you can do better if you opt for a different tire? I am more interested to know about cars like Accord, Impala, or SUVs like Rav4, Escape, etc. I can imagine that luxury models from BMW, Lexus, Caddy, etc. seek performance and not fuel-efficiency. I want to know whether the same is the case for bread-n-butter cars as well.
I must admit, in an effort to save a little gas, I did use the PT Cruiser with the narrow side rear seat taken out. Heck, it must be 35 to 40#s.
I own an Accord V6, but if I was really in need of pinching the most mileage out that gas dollar, I would consider the Civic HX, which had a lean burn engine, a stick shift and the EPA mileage figure for hwy. of 44 MPG. Talking the salespeople at Honda, they said some people reached into 50 MPG on best runs. The car was cheap to buy, and inexpensive to own, but no longer sold. Seems the hybrid, the more costly hybrid, is what they push now. I owned a Corolla that could get up to 40 MPG when new, and around 38PMG later on.
I enjoy driving, and my car, and will just have to dedicate more money to my auto as years go by. Everyone has their thing. I don't buy $4 coffee, but I guess I may have to buy $4 gas some day.
Side note: average home in my little city is around $600K. Will be on the move some day. It is getting crazy -- roads are crowded too.
But the Central Coast is pretty nice, as in views and weather.
Loren
Thanks for the info on wider tire vs. narrower tire. I agree that road-grip is important too!
There is always an excuse for why the prices rise so sharply and it is always different, from the “The barrel price is through the roof” to the “We’re switching over to this/that blend ” to “Maintenance”. Or the current combo platter of switchover, maintenance and a refinery issue for added measure.
My thoughts are:
2005 it was Katrina, even though fuel had a huge run-up and hit $3/gal around here 1.5 MONTHS before Katrina hit anywhere! Yes there were other hurricanes but it was K that cause the $3 fuel supposedly.
2006 it was the barrel price and speculators, with the uncertainty of the war being at the core. Uncertain of the happenings of the war, as well as storms that hadn't even formed yet, or a clasp of thunder 1000 miles from an oil rig / refinery caused the speculators to get jittery which caused the prices to shoot through the roof, resulting in record prices, record profits, record pay/bonuses, retirement payouts and record wallet/purse depletions.
2007 has the #5-combo platter. First, there is a huge drop in price starting in October 2006 and running through into 2007. Only logical reason, and not the Dems winning in November is that there’s actually a surplus, which is admitted. So production cuts occur, which is understandable as long as the cuts don't interfere with demand spikes or cause a shortage in the long terms. But the prices need to go back up some how. Start the combo platter: First, it started with the hostage situation (war uncertainty). Ok that didn’t last as long as one thought so the price run-up wasn’t that high. Daytime savings came faster this year, so the driving season must start earlier too, driving demand up. That worked out fine since production cuts had occurred short supplies could be announced. And might as well pull out the forgotten favorite, switchover to the summer blend and throw in maintenance (which we all know is a crock). Top it off with a refinery issue and broken records here we come All the while, the barrel price hasn’t hit records, staying in the low ~ mid-$60s, which is where OPEC stated it wanted it to make nice, big profits. And remember we’re still over 2 weeks away from the kick-off weekend for driving season!!!
Now the 2007 things might sound off the “conspiracy theory” alarms but is that not how things are going? These excuses are getting ridiculous. I mean, the blend switchovers have been going on for I believe 10 years; we were talking about this and the effects on vehicles in shop class in the ’95 – ’96 time frame!! If the oil companies haven’t figured out how to switch without causing problems, pump price jumps and the like by now they need to close up shop. I remember when the summer/winter blend switch first happened we didn’t have 20 ~ 40 cent jumps in fuel over a 1 ~ 2 week period as we do now. So what happened? Also, if they haven’t figured out the maintenance routine without causing major shutdowns and the like that is their problem! Where are the people that are supposed to come up with alternative plans / actions when yearly PM is scheduled?
What are the next excuses?
My next move is to ride the bicycle or hitch to work!
None of those options are all that cheap either. Time to invest in some scooter companies?
Employees will love what their companies are going to have to charge them to pick them up for work, too. Not gonna be a pretty sight to behold.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
But what he could do much more cheaply and quickly is STOP DRIVING. Or at least, reduce driving to the bare minimum. The gas prices will never go down as long as we consumers continue to buy the same amount of gas regardless of price.
Just think about how many things in your life you buy the same quantity of regardless of price. Unlike basic foodstuffs, gasoline is to some degree a DISCRETIONARY purchase!
Last year, for the first time on record, gas sales went down for the year. It was only by the barest margin, 0.7%, and I don't think the oil companies really heard that "message" as they set about making record profits again in '07. But if we all reduced our usage by 10%, or 20%, OH BOY, would they hear that message! You would see market forces finally go to work tempering the prices we pay at the pump.
And yes, when it comes time to replace the old car, make sure to buy something much more fuel-efficient next time, if at all possible!
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
There may be many reasons for increasing prices, not the least of which is the arrogant consumer!
The energy industry is finally pricing up their petrol to where it should be for the shareholders and investors to realize a decent return on their investments.
Why should the price of gas be cheap when the DOW reigns at an all time high?
That you have committed your budget too much on too many toys such as wide screen TV's, Ipods, and other electric gizzmos, a bigger house, a vacation home, sporting equipment, and remember your divorce and child support payments. Doesn't leave much for gasoline, but you made your choices.
There are already millions of people in the country who do not own a car, work and live. They've arranged their lives such. There are already millions of people who drive minimally, working and shopping within a few mile radius. You don't have to look back too many decades to find that this was the norm.
Now if you want to live in a rural area and work 40 miles away, then you had better not be making minimum wage. It is the economy's way to tell you this is inefficient. You will need to either move or find another job, or ride a moped.
I think this the attitude that I'm entitiled to live where I want, drive as much as I want on cheap gas, is kind of unique to the U.S. Certainly it is nice and desireable!! But that doesn't mean you can have it. And God forbid we ask you to live like the billion or so other people in the world who get by without driving 50 miles/day.
Advice: change your life over the next few years so you hardly have to drive.
What I worry about is that high fuel prices suck HUGE amounts of money right out of the economy, at an enormous rate and very quickly. This is dangerous.
The future is going to be bleak.
Hopefully prices will hit a level where gas powered leaf blowers are not viable. These things are the biggest scourge on the planet.
Please don't assume or stereotype someone that is unhappy about fuel prices as having a fuel-inefficient vehicle. We all are getting hit by these high prices. A person driving a small Civic is paying the same prices as someone driving a large pickup/SUV, unless there's a "special" pump for small cars?
As my last sentence stated, my next move is to stop driving and bike the 20 miles to work, as that is the only driving I do. (I would have thought this was a clue that I was already conserving fuel; I guess not). And no, picking up and moving is not an option. The point of the posting was not to sound like whining or complaining because I have a gas-hog (which I don't), or I want someone else to do something about the high prices (again, I have taken some things into my own hands, which we all should), or to get suggestions on how to conserve fuel(again I already do that, as listed many times before so...) but to get the some poster's thoughts / their take on the prices.
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As my last sentence stated, my next move is to stop driving and bike the 20 miles to work, as that is the only driving I do.
Interesting concept. I don't know what part of the country you live in, or how well local gov't has provided bike lanes, or if your employer has shower facilities available.
In my area, it's hilly, local gov't doesn't give a rat's behind about bike lanes, car drivers don't particularly like to share the potholed road as is, and my employer doesn't have any thing resembling a shower for the employees. Ain't gonna work for me. If I made it to work alive, I'd be a shunned, rank-smelling guy for at least 7 months of the year.
Tuesday May 8, 1:10 pm ET
By Ken Thomas, Associated Press Writer
Senate Committee Approves Fuel Economy Increase to 35 Mpg Over Current 25 Mpg Level
WASHINGTON (AP) -- A Senate committee approved a plan Tuesday to increase fuel efficiency standards to an average of 35 miles per gallon by 2020 in a move closely watched by automakers and environmental groups.
Regards,
OW
So, let me guess the outcome of this...GM, Ford, and Chrysler will cry foul and try to sue the government and say that it can't be done, while Toyota or Honda or somebody just goes about their business and does it? :P
And it's going to hit in 2008 to "get us there"?
Um, I don't think so.
Now, to get there by 2020, maybe. Maybe sooner. Depends on whether the particulates kill us first. But at least there will be more oil left when we're sooty and dead
Yes, indeed, whining about the sky is falling and the wolf coming do seem to be corporate America's preferred method of defending market share. Oh, wait, you might say, that doesn't work as they have lost market share to the Japanese. I didn't mean that market share! I meant American corporate execs own share of high salaries and options, which are given in return for maintaining short sighted quarterly profit numbers. Why the numbskull managers at pensions, mutual funds and high net worth investors support these craven, greedy execs while American companies crumble is beyond me.
At least he is honest...clueless but honest!
Regards,
OW
Maybe someday...
Regards,
OW
In Ukraine one liter gas cost $1 !
middle salary in Ukraine - $300/month !
but though a automotive traffic is very very high, curiously enough.
Hi from Ukraine www.cover.com.ua :shades:
Apparently you don't remember the emission control mandates for 1975. While GM whined that it couldn't be done, Honda developed their CVCC engine which bettered the requirement WITHOUT catalytic converter.