Gas Prices

[SoonerQueen]

[kevinpate]

with my luck pricing would start at 0.79 per 1/5 gallon.

[Easy180]

If only we could elect Newt

[venture]

If only this area wasn't so reliant on driving. :-P

Or that car manufacturers didn't try to pull a fast one on us with their advertising claiming 30 mpg is an amazing feat. They've been that way for what...two decades now? lol

[Snowman]

If only this area wasn't so reliant on driving. :-P

Or that car manufacturers didn't try to pull a fast one on us with their advertising claiming 30 mpg is an amazing feat. They've been that way for what...two decades now? lol

... and that was if you went a max of 45 mph with driving practices hardly anyone uses.

[BBatesokc]

... and that was if you went a max of 45 mph with driving practices hardly anyone uses.

That 45MPH = best gas mileage only applies for some types of vehicles (heavier load, less aerodynamic). Smaller, lighter, more aerodynamic cars hit their most efficient power vs. consumption at a more realistic speed of around 60MPH. Of course, newer vs. older model car, engine size and routine maintenance also play a part.

I'm actually all for just keeping one of our cars for longer road trips (probably the FX35) and getting something like a Smart Car for around town if the prices were not so stupid. Might at some point look into a used Prius or compact. But gas will have to be over $6 gallon before I'm so motivated.

[NoOkie]

That 45MPH = best gas mileage only applies for some types of vehicles (heavier load, less aerodynamic). Smaller, lighter, more aerodynamic cars hit their most efficient power vs. consumption at a more realistic speed of around 60MPH. Of course, newer vs. older model car, engine size and routine maintenance also play a part.

I'm actually all for just keeping one of our cars for longer road trips (probably the FX35) and getting something like a Smart Car for around town if the prices were not so stupid. Might at some point look into a used Prius or compact. But gas will have to be over $6 gallon before I'm so motivated.

I really want the Volt to go down in price. 40K is just a lot of money for a car, for me. But it would be ideal for my wife who just drives to work and back(Round trip of 20 miles or so). We have a mid-sized sedan for road trips and situations needing more room. Something that hardly ever used gas would be great.

[BBatesokc]

I really want the Volt to go down in price. 40K is just a lot of money for a car, for me. But it would be ideal for my wife who just drives to work and back(Round trip of 20 miles or so). We have a mid-sized sedan for road trips and situations needing more room. Something that hardly ever used gas would be great.

Another school of thought (that is more realistic for most folks) is to simply buy a much cheaper used car that doesn't get phenomenal gas mileage but is still much cheaper to own because of the low initial investment.

One of my favorite extra vehicles was a used Astro van. Had tons of room, could haul lots of people or cargo. It only got about 17/22MPG but also only cost me $1,500. I had it for almost three years. The insurance was cheap and the maintenance was only $337. I sold it and its still going strong. That was a much better deal than a brand new or even used vehicle promoted as getting great gas mileage.

What I really wish I had done was get in on that rebate program a year or so ago where you could get what was basically a modified electric golf cart for free (about $6,000-$11,000) after state and federal incentives. Have two friends in the Heritage Hills area that bought them (and ended up only paying a very small amount after tax breaks) and use them as their to/from downtown jobs, running to the grocery store and just tooling around (at about 38MPH tops). Would work great for the wife, as she just drives to the downtown Y, work and home.

[Larry OKC]

If only this area wasn't so reliant on driving. :-P

Or that car manufacturers didn't try to pull a fast one on us with their advertising claiming 30 mpg is an amazing feat. They've been that way for what...two decades now? lol

SOmething like that...I distinctly recall tv ads for the Geo/Chevy Metro that claimed 60 mpg (course that was for the most basic, stripped down model)

[Dubya61]

SOmething like that...I distinctly recall tv ads for the Geo/Chevy Metro that claimed 60 mpg (course that was for the most basic, stripped down model)

Short of the "If we can put a man on the moon" jewel that old farts like me trot out every now and again, I just can't believe that the auto companies are proud of the 40 mph status. Hasn't technology progressed enough that we can do better? Cars in Europe traditionally get better. Granted, they're not soccer mom SUVs or the like and granted that the EU doesn't (yet) dictate thick safety glass and certain bumpers, but why can't the auto companies deliver an auto in the U.S. that does better than 40 mph?

[SoonerDave]

If only this area wasn't so reliant on driving. :-P

Or that car manufacturers didn't try to pull a fast one on us with their advertising claiming 30 mpg is an amazing feat. They've been that way for what...two decades now? lol

Same ad folks trying to convince the world that a $40K Chevy Volt is an investment in some sort of revolutionary, world-saving technology.

It was about a year or so ago I heard someone talking about getting a Volt because it was "letctric..." Then I pointed out to him the gasoline element, and he started to insist it didn't have one, it was "lectric!.." and I sent him the link on the details. He had no clue at all that you still had to put gas in the thing. He finally relented, and commented back to me, "well, I didn't know that..."

Read a Pop. Sci. article on the history and development of the Volt, and it was just kinda depressing. GM solicited proposals from a variety of "new" energy companies looking for that "magic bullet" of electric car capability/battery, and what they received were a slew of responses that amounted to physical variations on virtually identical base, existing technology. The winner was, if I recall correctly, selected in no small part because of the configuration of their battery was the most amenable to the Volt's design.

Ahh, marketing.....

[kevinpate]

And, there was a program on a while back that showed fairly well that it is actually more 'green' to get yourself an existing used car than to buy new green cars.

That's not the reason I tend to drive older vehicles or keep them til the wheels are ready to come off, but it's as good as any I suppose.

[HewenttoJared]

Because they don't want to.

[Larry OKC]

Just went to GasBuddy.com where you can create a chart overlaying the price of oil and cost of gas. Going back 8 years, if you look at the current price of oil, the Oklahoma avg price was right around $3/gallon. Here in the metro area it was probably even cheaper. But even presuming the higher State avg that means we are currently over paying about 50 cents/gal or more (gas price right now is $3.45 ranging from $3.69). Given that we keep reading about the supply being high & the continual "glut" of oil in Cushing, along with the fact that we produce the oil here, have refineries here, are the pipeline crossroads on North America etc etc etc, gas here in Oklahoma should probably be no higher than $2/gal

[BBatesokc]

Just saw a news report that said a recent study shows only 1 out of 3 Hybrid owners woulds buy another one.

[BBatesokc]

Just saw a news report that said a recent study shows only 1 out of 3 Hybrid owners woulds buy another one.

Oooops "woulds" = "would" (I hate typing on my tiny phone screen)

[NoOkie]

Oooops "woulds" = "would" (I hate typing on my tiny phone screen)

Got a link? I'd like to see the survey. While I'm not a hybrid owner, anecdotally, everyone I know with one(5 people) love theirs.

While there's definitely merit to your "Just buy a small, old car and save money" philosophy(Heck, it's mine too), if someone is buying a new car regardless, a hybrid can be a money saving choice.

An interesting aside, NPR's Planet Money podcast did a show on "conspicuous conservation" where they examined hybrids, solar panels and some other things. An economist did a study where they looked at hybrid purchases between a "green" area(Liberal leaning, lots of environmentalists. I think they used Seattle, WA and Boulder, CO) and a more conservative area(I think the Valley in CA, don't recall). What they found is that in the "green" areas, lots of people bought Priuses(Prii? Prisess?) and not many bought other hybrid vehicles. In the redder areas, plenty of people bought hybrids, just not the Prius, something like 40% less market share.

[Maynard]

Got a link?---
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Study: Only About 1 In 3 Hybrid Owners Wants Another Hybrid

[...]A new study from Polk Automotive says that when shopping for a new car, only 35% of hybrid owners trade in their ride for another hybrid model. And if you factor out purchases made by Toyota Prius owners (who tend to be fairly loyal), the figure drops to 25%...

[BBatesokc]

Got a link? I'd like to see the survey. While I'm not a hybrid owner, anecdotally, everyone I know with one(5 people) love theirs.

While there's definitely merit to your "Just buy a small, old car and save money" philosophy(Heck, it's mine too), if someone is buying a new car regardless, a hybrid can be a money saving choice.

An interesting aside, NPR's Planet Money podcast did a show on "conspicuous conservation" where they examined hybrids, solar panels and some other things. An economist did a study where they looked at hybrid purchases between a "green" area(Liberal leaning, lots of environmentalists. I think they used Seattle, WA and Boulder, CO) and a more conservative area(I think the Valley in CA, don't recall). What they found is that in the "green" areas, lots of people bought Priuses(Prii? Prisess?) and not many bought other hybrid vehicles. In the redder areas, plenty of people bought hybrids, just not the Prius, something like 40% less market share.

Looks like at least one link to the study was posted directly below my post.

I'd like to see the math that shows buying a brand new Hybrid is financially a better option than buying an economical, gas saving (or even moderate gas using) vehicle that is 3-5 years old. Then only reason I buy used is because I find it ludicrous financially to buy new or even 'program' new. But if you have tons of cash then there is something mentally satisfying about a brand new car.

We always buy 3-5 years out and save $12,000-$22,000.

[NoOkie]

Looks like at least one link to the study was posted directly below my post.

I'd like to see the math that shows buying a brand new Hybrid is financially a better option than buying an economical, gas saving (or even moderate gas using) vehicle that is 3-5 years old. Then only reason I buy used is because I find it ludicrous financially to buy new or even 'program' new. But if you have tons of cash then there is something mentally satisfying about a brand new car.

We always buy 3-5 years out and save $12,000-$22,000.

Whoops, missed the study link over the quote.

Like I said, I'm with you on "buy a used car that's cheap to run". I got a 1 year old Camry that almost half off the sticker price of the new ones and gets reasonable mileage for the size it is. Some people, though, prefer to buy new for whatever reason(Warranty, I guess, or just preconceived notions that used cars are stuffed with saw dust) and for those people that are going to buy new any way, a hybrid may be a good way to save some money on operating costs.

There's also the conservation/envrionmentalist aspect of it that those of us who live in OK mostly forget about because it's not a prevalent attitude here. Some people have strong feelings about CO² emissions or gas use and feel like they need to pay a premium to do their part to use less so it's less an economic choice and more a principle choice. Me, I just get on my bike as much as possible. It's way cheaper to run than either of the car options and satisfies both my cheapskate and liberal tree hugging pinko commie urges.

[flintysooner]

I'd like to see the math that shows buying a brand new Hybrid is financially a better option than buying an economical, gas saving (or even moderate gas using) vehicle that is 3-5 years old. Then only reason I buy used is because I find it ludicrous financially to buy new or even 'program' new. But if you have tons of cash then there is something mentally satisfying about a brand new car.

We always buy 3-5 years out and save $12,000-$22,000.

Hybrids can be a little tricky. The battery in mine is going to cost about $600 to replace but some are much more expensive. At any rate somewhere after 50,000 miles there is going to be more maintenance that might include the battery. In addition there can be additional wear on brakes, tires, and other mechanical components related to storing kinetic energy. So to the extent that this cost offsets first year depreciation there can be a good reason to buy new. On my car Edmunds calculates 5 year depreciation at about $.16 per mile of which 35% is first year.

[flintysooner]

http://news.yahoo.com/hybrid-car-own...nvestment.html

Only 35 percent of hybrid car owners bought a hybrid again when they purchased a new vehicle in 2011, according to a report by automotive research group Polk.

I guess I would be in that 35% group. My hybrid has been really good for me. One thing I've noticed is that because of the efficiency feedback from the dash I have changed my driving habits quite a bit to get better mileage. I'm now getting about 15% better mileage than the EPA estimate.

[Roadhawg]

Is it me or are gas prices going down?

[Maynard]

Is it me or are gas prices going down?

For 'future' reference:

RBOB Gasoline Futures

[Larry OKC]

Is it me or are gas prices going down?

In some places they are (but still higher than they should be), the "lowest" prices posted at gasBuddy.com yesterday ranged from $3.47 to #3.69 but I saw stations still higher than that. This morning on the news they said there were 2 stations with $3.45 but 4 stations online are at $3.43. Course up in Tulsa their lowest right now is $3.35!!!