$4 gasoline predicted; where's our mpg forum?

[rookie]

From MSN
10 things you should know about gas prices - MSN Money

Gas prices have dipped slightly since hitting a record national average high of $3.227 on May 24. When adjusted for inflation, the 1981 price was a bit higher, at $3.29, according to the Energy Information Administration, an independent research arm of the U.S. Department of Energy. Factor in gains in average fuel efficiency -- 21 mpg today compared with 15 mpg to 16 mpg in 1981 -- and we're spending less on gasoline today: less than 3% of gross domestic product compared with 4.6% in 1981.

What do ya think?

[shrinker]

In Australia petrol is $1.45 per liter thats USD$5.00 per US gallon at current exchange rate. The average wage here according to the stats people is eq to USD$ 51,152 at current exchange rate. How that compare?

[rookie]

Median household income was $46,326 in 2005, up 1.1 percent from 2004 after adjusting for inflation.

I live in Texas, gas is $3.05 for reg. unleaded the average income hear shows to be $43,044.00 in 2006 down 440.00 from 2005. I haven’t found any #’s for 2007 but now that home building has all but stopped, it will probably fall back.

I’ve found reports of $46,326 to $48,023 national.

Average dosposable is around $32,000 and gross $42,000 per worker national.

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0104652.html

[Belgian1979vette]

Average net income a month around here is 1500 €. Most of easily use around 250 € worth of gas and that is in a small diesel engined car. I'm not talking a big V8.
I own a 79 vette with 350 that uses something like 0,25 € for gas only
Luckily I only use it as an oldtimer. But I'm converting to EFI and a programmable EFI. Hope to get my mpg down considerably.

[automotivebreath]

With the availability of cheap gas here in the US, there has been little
demand for fuel efficient cars. The best I’m able to find in a mid size car is
~35 MPG. (I’m 6’5” tall, wont fit in a compact). That’s up about 5 MPG in
the last 17 years, my 91’ gets ~30 MPG.

Eventually as the price of gas continues to rise in the USA, I believe this
will change. Either the government will raise fuel consumption standards
(for emission reasons) or the general public will do so with supply and
demand. If people only buy fuel efficient cars, this should drive up the
standards. This will require a culture change, normally doesn’t happen
very fast.

[Belgian1979vette]

My regular car gets around 50 mpg....quite a difference. Otherwise it would not be livable. But even then it gets expensive.

My guess is that by 2010 a lott of American's will not be able to afford their big cars anymore.

[Belgian1979vette]

Originally Posted by Pinhead

Which is exactly why a MPG forum would be helpful. We can't drive the price of oil down, but we can definitely help our pocketbook by using less of it.

I don't think so, the less we use, the more OPEC will reduce their production and thus the more the oilprice will be stable at a certain level.

I would uther the opinion that they only way to get rid of the problem is try not to use it anymore. This implies finding an alternative. And forget the biofuels, because then we will have a pricewar between food and fuel...

Right now the only thing would be H2 produced with electricity from a nuclear fusion plant.... however this is still not feasable.

[automotivebreath]

Originally Posted by rookie

What do ya think?

Total BS, if we are spending less, how are they making more?

Don't believe me take a look at who was making the money in 2007...

6 of the top 10 are oil companies

Rank Company.................. Revenues(millions) Profits(millions)
1 .....Wal-Mart Stores.....$351,139.0.............$11,284.0
2 .....Exxon Mobil............$347,254.0..............$39,500.0
3 .....Royal Dutch Shell....$318,845.0..............$25,442.0
4 .....BP........................$274,316.0......... .....$22,000.0
5 .....General Motors.......$207,349.0..............$-1,978.0
6 .....Toyota Motor.........$204,746.4..............$14,055.8
7 .....Chevron................$200,567.0............ .$17,138.0
8 .....DaimlerChrysler.......$190,191.4............. $4,048.8
9 .....ConocoPhillips........$172,451.0............. $15,550.0
10 ....Total....................$168,356.7........... $14,764.7


This does not show the entire story, the top oil company only
showed $39,500 million in profit in 2007.

Their retired CEO was paid $49 million in cash and restricted
stock in 2005, then he got a $98 million lump-sum pension payment.

Their current CEO took home $13,009,495 cash compensation
and $9,832,947 in stock options in 2006.


"a few examples of gasoline price gouging were found in the aftermath
of Hurricane Katrina"

They got this part right; to the best of my knowledge the only people
accused of price gouging were a few convenience store owners in
New Orleans.

[Belgian1979vette]

Well it is already 110 US$ a barrel. I'm thinking I was a bit optimistic when I said it would reach 200 $ by 2010

[rookie]

From MSN

$4 gas: Yes, it's on the way - MSN Money

Gasoline prices are expected to climb to new highs in the coming weeks, with some analysts predicting a $4-a-gallon national average by Memorial Day.

"Certainly, that's a likelihood," says Linda Rafield, a senior oil analyst at Platts, the energy research arm of McGraw-Hill. "You already have $4 in Northern California."