$3.29

Topic: $3.29 (Read 1523 times) previous topic - next topic

$3.29

August 05, 2005, 08:15:36 PM

$3.29. That's what a gallon of 87 octane is now worth around here, the highest price ever. I derived this price by the following:

104.9 Canadian cents/liter (our new record high price set just today)
3.8 liters to the US gallon
= 3.99 Canadian dollars per US gallon

3.99 Canadian at the exchange rate of 1 Canuck buck - 0.82 US dollar = $3.29 US dollars per US gallon.

This is flirking SICK. Makes me want a turbodiesel Jetta or something...

Re: $3.29

Reply #1 – August 05, 2005, 08:31:26 PM

Check this out...

I gassed up the '96 and added some octane booster. I then inflated all tires to the recommended 35 psi. After that, I took it on a three-hour interstate romp.
What kind of mileage did I get?

27mpg

This is, of course, sans A/C.

Re: $3.29

Reply #2 – August 05, 2005, 08:38:53 PM

.. I think I paid like $2.28 or $2.29/gal. for 87 the other day.. but I need to stop buying 87 or learn how to adjust timing properly, because I'm getting a little bit of spark knock again. (did a tune-up of everything except the coil and the plug wires, and that seems to have made things a little better *shrug*)

Well, I guess this is where I make my big ugly confession: I am looking into getting some small import shiznitbox. Been talking to a few people about the possibility of getting something like a '90 CRX or more likely a Civic 2-door hatchback, (the bubble-assed things that look kinda like a Focus ZX3) within the next couple years, just for the small trips around town. My Mark is great for road trips.. but it seems I'm getting around 9-12 MPG city right now. I do have a couple things to chase after on it, but I don't know that they'll put it back to anywhere near its 17 MPG city rating. (or if that 17 city rating is optimistic to begin with. I do think the 24 highway rating is accurate, though)
I wouldn't give up driving my LSC or trying to get my T-bird back in the next year or so, but I would like a more fuel efficient option in the driveway. It won't happen until one or both of the "project" cars are gone. (both the '88s)

Anyway, it's been suggested to me that a bone-stock car like that (CRX or Civic hatchback) with a B16A engine swap would haul ass.. but I'm guessing would still be good on gas. I'd go back to my old Escort LX, but my friend sold it already. I'd find another Escort, but I would guess the market for parts is healthier for the Hondas thanks to all the ricer "d00ds". My plan is to go as anti-rice as possible. I want it to be completely off the radar of anyone except the most die-hard gearheads. If it *needs* paint, a boring gray Maaco special. (I'm thinking like the color of Crystal's car, except not looking anywhere near that good.. but not quite as bad as the paint on my '88 LSC) Stock wheels. Try like hell to fab up an exhaust that doesn't buzz like a fart-can. Only visible external change would be generic black tint (like what's on my LSC now) and new tires. No obnoxious stereo, no stickers, no primered (or any, for that matter) aftermarket body panels, no spoilers, etc. My inspiration is that HotRod article someone quoted here awhile back where some Civic hatchback was making like 487 hp but still getting 29.5 mpg combined. I'm not looking for nearly that kind of horsepower, though. (not even half)

On top of that, I've been giving more thought to the possibility of converting one of my cars (or that tin can I mentioned above) to dual-fuel w/ propane.. but maybe that has to do with us getting a new propane grill recently and me wanting a bigger source of fuel for it. :p

Back to the price thing: I think it's only going to get worse from here. Sure, there'll be brief seasonal and event-related fluctuations, but I think prices are going to creep up over time. What we pay now may be a fond memory in the next ten years or so.

Re: $3.29

Reply #3 – August 05, 2005, 09:07:27 PM

Out here we are at $0.92 per liter and I guess that makes us lucky. Since the rediculus hike in gas prices, there has been a noteable increase in gas theft, of illegal use of purple fuel. How about you guys? Anyone out buying gas cap locks.

For a real price shocker: some of the more remote areas in Manitoba (still road accessable) and up to about $1.35 per liter. Once at that price is enough to convince me never to buy gas out in the country again.

Re: $3.29

Reply #4 – August 05, 2005, 09:17:01 PM

Gas cost 2.39 here in logan, Highest ever. That turbodiesel jetta sounds good. Biodiesel of course.

Re: $3.29

Reply #5 – August 05, 2005, 09:20:48 PM

Quote from: CougarSE

Gas cost 2.39 here in logan, Highest ever. That turbodiesel jetta sounds good. Biodiesel of course.

I even went so far as to read up on that Smart ForTwo car awhile back, since it's a turbodiesel. That with biodiesel and/or propane might be interesting. However, Smart isn't bringing that version here (to the States, anyway) as far as I can tell. They're bringing some SUV wanna-be here, and then MAYBE the ForFour.

Re: $3.29

Reply #6 – August 05, 2005, 10:26:39 PM

Yeah I saw on yahoo news that crude hit a record high today. Yipee...as if $2.50 a gallon for 93 wasn't bad enough already.

I got a Tempo to drive last winter (to replace my old mustang), I thought it would reward me with good gas mileage. No...it averaged 27 mpg driving back and forth to school and whatnot.

And yet when I drove it to st. louis it got 36 mpg, with the AC going most of the way. I still haven't quite figured that out....

Re: $3.29

Reply #7 – August 05, 2005, 11:10:32 PM

This just keeps looking better and better.....http://www.greasecar.com/

Re: $3.29

Reply #8 – August 05, 2005, 11:34:58 PM

2.23/gallon here and its gone up. was down to 1.87 about a month or two ago

Re: $3.29

Reply #9 – August 05, 2005, 11:43:29 PM

Yeah, last week on the going from Ga to Va I paid 1.8x in South Carolina. It was 2.09 here in Ga when I got back, its averaging around 2.24 now. Luckily I get paid .42 cent/mile when driving to/from work and any travel associated with work.

Re: $3.29

Reply #10 – August 06, 2005, 01:10:28 AM

When I need GAS I goto the internet for help.

Re: $3.29

Reply #11 – August 06, 2005, 08:49:01 AM

Gas prices here just went from 2.29 for 87 to 2.33 yesterday. I'm not a big fan of 4 banger foreign jobs but I'm getting between 30 and 36 mpg with mine. Considering when school starts combined with work, I'll be driving about 445 miles per week, it sure as hell beats the cougar and it's 18 mpg on 93.

Re: $3.29

Reply #12 – August 06, 2005, 09:05:33 PM

2.29 here isnt bad for what its been. but its still way too high