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

[Belgian1979vette]

Originally Posted by Belgian1979vette

You guys in the US still have it easy, we are paying 1.5 € per liter that's about the equivalent of 8 US$ per gallon.

Estimates are that by 2010 the price per barrel will be around 200$ so you will pay something like 8 $ per gallon by 2010.

I think the world is already to late to react. Peak oil is already a fact as far as i can see it.

Remember that i said this ? Today I heard they were talking about that price already.

[Mwilson]

Its was $3.84 here when I bought gas on saturday (93 oct only in the camaro)

[Dusty]

I don't have a problem with the equilization of gas prices throughout the world the real problem is the fact that our paychecks aren't increasing proportionally to everything else. I think the only thing to do and it is difficult right now is to buy locally and stop giving walmart your money. If you keep your money in your community it will get spent in your community

[Belgian1979vette]

I agree Dusty but most local shops have closed, put out of business by the big ones. Most people only see the price tag...

[BLK98MK8LSC]

ALL must be sacrificed on the alter of cost. The true price of this kind of thinking is a decline in the standard of living for some if not all eventually.

[MAP]

Greetings,

Two months ago I confirmed the equivalent of $8.34/gallon in Germany.

I heard Mr. Vizard himself say in late 2007 that $6/gallon gas in the US was expected within five years. And that's assuming no significant military developments in the Middle East.

But yes, I think we sorely need a forum that specifically pushes the boundary of economy and performance. Maybe we should call it the BSFC forum (?!)

Best,
Mark

[seattle smitty]

In the latest Popular Hot Rodding, DV has written up a 351 Windsor build-up, with a surprisingly inexpensive 418 cube stroker kit. The engine gets 600hp or some such figure . . . which means the car will mostly be a garage-queen. Now what could you do to build a 351W into a highly efficient engine for an older Econoline van, of which there are about a billion still on the road doing everyday work? DV says he is about to address the subject, so maybe we'll see a special section soon.

[rookie]

Originally Posted by seattle smitty

In the latest Popular Hot Rodding, DV has written up a 351 Windsor build-up, with a surprisingly inexpensive 418 cube stroker kit. The engine gets 600hp or some such figure . . . which means the car will mostly be a garage-queen. Now what could you do to build a 351W into a highly efficient engine for an older Econoline van, of which there are about a billion still on the road doing everyday work? DV says he is about to address the subject, so maybe we'll see a special section soon.

It seams like the most efficient part of that project would be to get rid of the Econoline van and put the engine in a Ranger or better yet the 600 horse 418 with EFI in a Ranger, that would be worth getting a second job just to pay for fuel.

Plus a second job would give you more reasons to have to drive it.

[DavidVizard-GFN]

Guys,

I have given this a lot of thought and I am not sure that we should be looking at lower fuel prices but higher ones. I fully realize it’s not what you want to hear and it’s an opinion that will win few votes but that’s it all the same.

I propose the increase in price, in the form of a tax, should go directly to research to find alternative energy solutions. The rest of the world pays way more for fuel than we do here yet so many seem to think it is a God given right to burn fuel just as we please. When I was a young man living in England I always wondered why, in the US, it took a 2 ton car to move a little old lady a couple of miles.

There is also the argument that the gas companies are making huge profits – let me remind everyone this is a capitalistic society. If you feel the gas companies are making way to much money the simple answer is to buy shares in that company so you share the profits.
Look at it this way. If you were selling your house and someone came along and said you were making too much on the sale and had to sell it for less what would your answer be? My first guess is it would be unprintable.

When I lived in England my wife and I walked the half mile to the grocery store and bought the weeks supplies and wheeled it home in the two tag-a-long two wheel shopping carts we took with us. Practically nobody drove to the store unless they were either disabled or had to come maybe a mile or more.

A few years ago there was a gas crunch just like the one we are having now. People slowed down on buying 2½ ton SUV’s and instead bought slightly smaller cars but sales of economy cars, though they increased, did not mushroom. Remember car companies, to a large degree, make what the public wants, so, in a way, the gas prices are impacting the public at large because of choices they made. As soon as the fuel costs came down the sales of SUV’s went up. Did you know that the SUV is peculiar to the US almost exclusively – and why – it’s the only place in the world gas prices are low (relatively speaking).

Now fuel cost are back up one might ask where the 50 mpg Chevy Metro is when you need it. Basically production of that stopped several years ago because no-one was buying it. If gas prices had gone to 6 bucks a gallon five years ago and 3 bucks of that was an alternative energy tax then my bet is we would all be driving cars a lot like a Metro.

This gas situation is like having toothache and having to go to the dentist - the longer you leave it the more it hurts.

Instead of expending energy bitching and moaning about gas prices each of use needs to be aware we are facing the consequences of past actions. The fix here is to get off our rear ends and do something constructive. AS much as anyone the onus to economize of fuel is up to the individual not just the car companies to build more fuel efficient cars. I believe the first step here is to teach the population at large what they need to do to save fuel and that includes lessons on car buying!

I for one am going to start my fuel economy features and I hope that GFN will get input from anyone out there who has a contribution to such. What I don’t want to see are those ‘gadgets’ of dubious engineering value toted as gas savers. If you have bought something that falls into this category let’s here about it, tell us your findings.

Each of us has an option here. The day of $8 a gallon is in the near future not decades away. We can either sit back or do nothing constructive or we can cut our consumption to the point that the fuel price impact is near neutralized.

DV

[Devious]

Originally Posted by DavidVizard-GFN

I propose the increase in price, in the form of a tax, should go directly to research to find alternative energy solutions.

Here! Here!
As long as it goes ONLY to fund research on alternate fuel sources, not just putting money into wind energy, etc. The ability of politicians to divert funds never ceases to amaze me.

Personally, I think it will take a collection of alternate fuel sources ranging from electric to bio-fuels to gaseous-liquid converted fuels to take us into the future. A severe re-think on vehicle mass is needed as well. I think Lotus' Colin Chapman took things a bit far, but he was definately on to something.

Mr. Vizard,
Several months ago you mentioned, in an article here, the ability to increase performance AND increase mileage to the tune of around 40%, if I remember correctly. This would be an article or series I would love to see in here. This might help some of us that run daily drivers that are economical, but own performance vehicles that are not.

I know your schedule is more than likely over-booked, but if you can see a way to get around to this subject, I feel many here would love to know more on this subject.

Thanks for your time,
DVS