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Report Your Local Gas Prices Here (retired discussion, please see the new one)
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No kidding, more driving, more traffic jam, gotta flip on that A/C, more gas used ... whoa, look at that demand curve up-shift.
I don't know about everyone else, but I've seen my energy bills ... it ain't pretty either. Gotta be that greenhouse effect, hmm... I wonder how it became so bad, I need to drive around town to find out
a gallon. Vote for Bush.
87-$2.00
89-$2.10 These are suburban prices mind you
93-$2.20
If you go into the city of Chicago add about 10-20 cents a gallon on top of the above prices. Thank goodness I live in the suburbs. They say the high prices is because of refinery fires, reformulated gas, lack of supply. It is simple, "prior planning prevents piss poor performance" If the oil companies know that we require reformulated gas for the summer months, then how come they wait so long to start producing it?? I did read that BP oil (Amaco) is going to start producing more of the cleaner burning gas for the Chicago area to keep prices down. That remains to be seen.. Atleast they are taking a step in the right direction.
Also, the president says he can't do anything about the high gas prices??? I think he does have a say in the matter..
Regular - $1.98
Mid-Grade - $2.19
Premium - $2.29
This is a radical difference from a week ago when prices were 10 to 15 cents cheaper.
Take it easy, folks, this is still a relative bargain. Don't forget, we were paying a little over a buck a gallon back in the early 1990s. Adjust that price for inflation and the current price doesn't look so bad.
I agree that America needs a better energy policy. We need to focus on ways to maintain a reasonable and steady fuel price so that employers and families can prepare and budget. Radical swings in price are very disruptive and create a climate that is not conducive to long-term fiscal planning.
OK.. I'll bite.
Sure, we're getting a bargain. But guess what, we're not back in the early 1990s. I guess if we were 'desensitized' to prices creeping up every year by a dime, we wouldn't think twice about it.
OK... so here we are in 2001. The '90s are long over. The cash is long spent.
How much money did you sock away in the bank because you weren't paying higher gas prices? Enough for this 50 cent sudden hike not to impact your living?
Would you rather pay $4 a gallon? I'll meet you half way. You pay $3, and I'll pay $1. I'll send you an invoice every month with my 4 fill-ups totalling about $120 now with to-day's prices and I only ask you send me a check for $60.
Remember, in Illinois, my gas prices have doubled.
-m
I would not rather pay $4.00 per gallon, as you suggest. In fact, I would like to pay two cents per gallon so I could sock away even more money into savings and investments, but that isn't realistic. Expecting to pay $1.15 for the rest of time IS unrealistic. We should expect the price of gasoline to rise just like most other consumer products. Does a 2001 Toyota Camry cost the same as a 1991 Toyota Camry? No. Does a 1991 Whirlpool dishwasher cost the same as 2001 model? No. The same goes for gasoline.
What makes this discussion interesting is that the 2001 version of these products are considerably better than the 1991 versions. The Camry is more refined and powerful, the dishwasher makes less noise and uses less energy/water and the gasoline is cleaner.
There is a price to pay for progress.
The objective of our energy policy should focus on continued improvements in supply AND demand management as means to stabilize prices and improve reserves. The objective shouldn't be to produce as much as we can as fast as we can. That doesn't make economic sense for those involved with production. (There I go again, defending the oil industry)
Reg: $1.799
Mid: $1.839
Hi: $1.899
Again, hopefully a lot of the money spent on higher gas prices will get back to Texas!
Wait a minute. I know you said most in the above, but as for general technology, this does not apply. I bought a 19" T.V. back in 1977 that cost me 450 dollars. Today, I can buy a much better T.V. that is the same size for about 175 dollars. Ditto this with most consumer products like computers, VCR's, cameras, washers, dryers, etc. So, this rule of thumb does not necessarily apply.
>What makes this discussion interesting is that the 2001 version of these products are >considerably better than the 1991 versions.
Yes, and my PC is dramatically better than the one I paid double for some 3 years ago. I would also say that although the Camary cost more now, it is a better car than the Camary of 1990. One cannot say this for gasoline which has stayed pretty much the same apart from additives and formulations. With gasoline, the process has basically remained unchanged. Gas is still made the same way and in many cases, in the same plants as it did 30 years ago.
If anything, with improved production techniques, I would think that the price would drop, not rise, that is unless there is a shortage of oil.
Also, another poster also noted that we usually hear that we drive more in the summer, thus the demand goes up and with it goes the price. But my question is, how much do we increase our driving? I still go to work everyday. I still go to the grocery store the same amount. I still cart the kids around to the same places or activities, so where exactly does our driving dramatically increase in the summer?
Alright, I take a vacation that adds maybe 1000 miles that amounts to approx. 30 extra gallons. I don't see where that is dramatically increasing my consumption. Plus, what about all those people who travel in the winter? Winter vacations to the warm climates or weekend trips to go skiing and such.
My take is that this notion is purely old school. It might of been the case back in the 50's or 60's but I doubt it is the case today that we dramatically increase our driving in the summer.
Just my 9/10's
zoltare
I just knew some one was going to use the TV/computer argument. I should have mentioned that my argument was by no means absolute.
I do, however, take issue with your claim that gasoline is not that much different than it was ten years ago. This simply isn't true, especially in air quality non-attainment areas that have to use refromulated gasoline. RFG is a far more precise collection of hydrocarbons and other additives. 1990 gas is liken to a 486/DX2 while 2001 RFG is more like an AMD Athlon DDR 1.4 Gig, to use your computer example.
http://www.gaspricewatch.com Just put in your ZIP code and it will search the stations in your area. Better yet, sign up to be a watcher and report the current prices for the stations that you drive by everyday.
fastdriver
Compared to our old 1980 Impala sedan we gave them in 1991, the Corsica feels VERY small...but gets better gas mileage with same great dependability of Impala. The 80 Impala with 4.4L V8 got 23-24 MPG on 1400 mile round trips.
Our larger 99 GC with 3.3L V6 gets better gas mileage than the Impala did and better performance than either 96 Corsica or 80 Impala.
Gas prices here currently $1.679 to $1.699 for 87 octane except one grocery store installed pumps and are selling Sinclair 87 octane for $1.499 / gallon ($1.449 / gal. with receipt after buying $25 or more in groceries).
The U. S. dependency for oil products is very real. We have increased our daily consumption of gasoline by 800,000 gallons a day. Doesn't sound like much but over a year, that is almost 300 million gallons of additional consumption. We do not produce the kind of oil production domestically to sustain that kind of consumption. The easy stuff is gone, folks.
We are trying HARD to find and recover (lift) oil at depths unheard of 20 years ago. The technology used to recover just a small sampling of what is contained under hundreds of layers of cap rock so tightly consolidated that diamond-tipped bits wear out quickly is unfathomable. The cost to drill a typical well at those depths is about $6 million a hole. One producer out of every 6 holes is a good probability. Even if we are able to produce it, we don't know how long the bottom hole pressures will allow us to recover product.
The vast majority of this country's fuels come from OPEC. THEY set the pace, and they have already stated that they want to maintain a world price averaging $25.00 per barrel. They can open the valves or shut them back at any time. It is not the Exxons, Chevrons, or Texacos that are causing the price fluctuations. Whenever the world price changes, the pump prices reflect the changes.
EXAMPLE
----------------
If you were dependent on a pharmaceutical drug to keep you alive everyday, and the cost of that daily dose was $10.00 a day, or let's say, $100.00 a day, would you just say, "To HELL with this. I think I'd rather DIE than to pay that much for that drug." As for me, I wouldn't hesitate, and I'd be GLAD that I had that option.
Goes back to the bleeding-heart cliche', "We want Uncle Sam (or health insurance, or some other agency) to take care of our needs. We have only enough to satisfy our wants."
I am not trying to bore you. Just look at the facts, first, and realize that we are in a crisis situation. We have spent money in the past two decades and made money in the markets, also. But, eventually, we have to "pay the piper". We cannot continue to consume goods like we do without causing consequential harm to our environment and our way of living.
Good day! (Paul Harvey)
Unleaded Regular $1.56
Unleaded Plus $1.66
Unleaded Prem $1.76
But I have seen some majors in local surrounding areas for 10 cents per gallon cheaper.
If there's anyone out there that thinks we (US of A) DON'T subsidize the current "low" cost of imported oil in some way, raise your hand.
Believe that oil producing countries don't charge us whatever the hell they want to becasue of supply and demand?
Not by the hair of your...
Just as technology for above ground extraction of "oil like" hydrocarbons was being placed into production in western Colorado, OPEC raised their crude oil production to make the extraction of energy hydrocarbons (easily transformed into gasoline from oil shale) economically unfeasible.
Is anyone so naive as to believe that the BIG Oil President and Vice President are not helping their BIG oil buddies? Have people forgotten so quickly where Pres. Bush and VP Cheney worked for many years?
Where and who owns the "Spot Market" production capacity where electricity companies buy extra electricity? Where is Ralph Nader when we need him?
It states basicly what Carleton says above, W recieved alot of dough from big oil, and it appears that in return, their leash was lenghtened.
If all of this shortage b.s. that everyone is stating was true, then why isn't the price of diesel or home heating oil increasing? Please do not use the additive argument. It is simple, raising diesel hurts Big Business. Think about it, what happened last year when the same spikes happened? The truckers and Big Business protested, and down came the prices.
While I realize it is more complex than this, I believe that Big Oil studied this behavior pattern and devised a plan to raise prices without upseting those that scream the loudest in unison.
AS soon as I see diesel increase the way that gasoline has increased, I will concede. In reality, I do not see this happening.
This was my point. 30 or 40 years ago, gas consumption might have been higher in the summer, but I doubt that it is now given current lifestyles. I think it is basically a crock.
Secondly, fall may be higher simply becasue of the fall season of leaf watching. It is big business here in New England as folks travel all around to look at the turning leaves, but then again, our roads are packed in the winter with many New York and New Jersey license plates of people traveling to go skiing. So in all, I think it evens out, but I would say that on the whole, we do drive more today than when I was a kid! Hey, better roads, better cars, more leisure time all contribute to more travel.
>I just knew some one was going to use the TV/computer argument. I should have mentioned >that my argument was by no means absolute.
Well, that is why I also mentioned that it is not an absolute. But, as manufacturing procedures get better, they tend to produce products that are cheaper to make, hence cheaper to sell. This was my point and I feel it could be applied to the manufacturing of gasoline.
>I do, however, take issue with your claim that gasoline is not that much different than it was >ten years ago.
I understand your point. I realize that in some ways, gas is better today than it was just 10 years ago, but that does not necessarily mean that it should have to cost more to manufacture. Not only that, but my 2000 Honda will still run on 1990 gas. Here in the Northeast, we don't have the new reformulated gas yet.
Again, my point was that this same gasoline whether it be 1990 or 2000 gas is made in the same manufacturing facility albeit with some changes in formulation. I'm not an expert, but I would guess that the gas folks have, and will recoup their changeover costs in manufacturing the new gas in one year. Also, the "process" of making gas from crude has not changed much over the last 50 years, so why does this gas cost so much more? Now,I also realize that we, the U.S., have our hands tied in dealing with OPEC as this has a direct effect on what we pay for crude, but I still contend that making gas in the same factories that have existed for 30 years is cheaper today than it was. I can't prove it, but 20 plus years in manufacturing tell me that it is probably cheaper now than it was to manufacture.
Lastly, this is all like the single bullet theory. We will never really know because the refiners will never come clean and admit to their real costs in the manufacturing process, but their profits do give us an indication that they are making more money producing less.
zoltare
the lowest i've seen is;
87 grade = 1.629
89 grade = 1.729
93 grade = 1.859
100 grade = 6.899
I will NOT be putting 100 grade in my car anytime soon...just thought you would like to laugh at it like I do.
89 Octane-$1.649
90 Octane-$1.829
Diesel-$1.699
Can mothballs increase octane?
The legend of mothballs as an octane enhancer arose well before WWII when naphthalene was used as the active ingredient. Today, the majority of
mothballs use para-dichlorobenzene in place of naphthalene, so choose carefully if you wish to experiment :-). There have been some concerns about the toxicity of para-dichlorobenzene, and naphthalene mothballs have again become popular. In the 1920s, typical gasoline octane ratings were 40-60 [11], and during the 1930s and 40s, the ratings increased by approximately 20 units as alkyl leads and improved refining processes became widespread [12].
Naphthalene has a blending motor octane number of 90 [52], so the addition of a significant amount of mothballs could increase the octane, and they were soluble in gasoline. The amount usually required to appreciably increase the octane also had some adverse effects. The most obvious was due to the high melting point ( 80C ), when the fuel evaporated the naphthalene would precipitate out, blocking jets and filters. With modern gasolines, naphthalene is more likely to reduce the octane rating, and the amount required for low octane fuels will also create operational and emissions problems.
from http://www.r-t-o-l.com/laboratory/learning/faq1.htm#q20
-m
Changes from May 5
87 - $1.619 - up 6 cents, up 30 from April 2
89 - $1.699 - up 4 cents, up 28 from April 2
93 - $1.799 - up 6 cents, up 28 from April 2
94 - $1.829 - up 3 cents, up 20 from April 2
diesel - $1.379 - unchanged since mid-April
kcram
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1.69
1.79
1.89
1.73
1.83
1.93
Texaco(opp mobile) on 363
1.69
1.83
1.93
$1.69 Amoco
$1.55 Sunoco
$1.53 Mobil
PF Flyer
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$1.80 regular
$1.85 mid-grade
$1.98 special
$1.229 for members
$1.279 for non-members
Most everywhere else in town it's $1.359. Needless to say, Sam's Club is kicking butt. There are six two sided pumps (twelve fueling spots) and you have to wait for a spot, since they opened it to non-members. Prices have been dropping since the first of May and, most significantly for a tourist town, did not go up for the holiday. Seems to me the price pressure is to the down side and gas prices may have peaked already.
The usual Sunoco truck stop, Palisades Park, NJ - price compared to May 24
87 - $1.639 - up 2 cents, up 32 from April 2
89 - $1.739 - up 4 cents, up 32 from April 2
93 - $1.799 - unchanged, up 28 from April 2
94 - $1.839 - up 1 cent, up 21 from April 2
diesel - $1.379 - still unchanged since mid-April
kcram
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