$6/gal gas

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Lou Schneider

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Saw my first $6 per gallon gas yesterday.  My mom and I were returning our rental car to the Orlando, FL airport after visiting her brother.  I exited the turnpike at the airport exit and started looking for a place to fill the tank before returning.

At the first crossroad north of the airport, there are two fairly large independent gas stations / mini marts, on opposite corners of the interchange.  Neither had their prices visible from the street - a possible sign.  The one closest to the airport had a pump price of $5.799 for Regular.  I pulled out and went across the street - their Regular was $5.999 per gallon!

Both stations were busy with folks filling up their rental cars to avoid the even higher charges if they returned the cars without a full tank.

No other stations were in sight in any direction.  Being obstinate, and having some time before our flight left, I decided to continue north (away from the airport) to look for alternatives.  After going about a mile and a half, we came to another group of stations with more normal prices - $3.85 per gallon.  Needless to say, that's where I filled up.
 
Ouch Lou! Those two gas stations could be renamed tourist traps.
 
Both stations were busy with folks filling up their rental cars to avoid the even higher charges if they returned the cars without a full tank.
Click to expand...

That's the reason for the higher prices.
 
Now the pundits are forecasting a drop to a mere $3.50 gal by early summer. That's because of the recent 15% "plunge" in crude prices.

It's not cheap, but I'll be thankful for any decrease at all.
 
The best we got on our trip was $3.59 now at home its $4.28. Tanks half full and will probally stay that way.
 
Cortez is $3.78 to $3.89. We're usually pretty close to the country's average. We'll have to get some gas in 10 days at Glen Canyon.....I shudder to think what it's going to be there. And I suspect that Furnace Creek at Death Valley is obscene in price right now. But I'm not stopping my traveling !

Wendy
 
Pulling into the park today we had to turn at a corner with two gas stations.. Suddenly I was thinking of the old "Surfer era" Music,, I think it's ... Glad I checked, I was wrong, A Beach Boys Song 4-0-9

The Gas price sign said 4.09
The Gas price sign said 4.09
Said Four-- OH--- Nine

I used to go down to the track
My car did shine
But now the gas price is 4-0-9

I always tured in the fastes time
But now the gas price is 4-0-9

I can't afford to fill it
cause the price is 4-0-9
4-0-9
Oh that gas price is 4-0-9


Well.. you can take it on from there.
 
Those two stations as well as some others were featured in the national news, most people wont look at the price on the pump. Our local govmnt has been trying to pass a regulation requiring display of price but it's being fought hard. Isn't it a shame these stations are right in your face ripping people off. I ONLY stop there to use the rest room, somehow I feel I"m getting even for the others who can't.
 
OK I did the math for our Canadian trips.  688 miles at 7.3 miles per gallon.  That is 188.49 gallons for the round trip.  At $4.00 a gallon the cost for fuel is $753.96.  At $3.00 a gallon it is $565.47.  That is a difference of $188.49.  I am sorry but that is not going to be a big dent in the vacation budget.  Our total expense is going to be $240.00 for the campground, $100.00 to dock the boat, $140.00 gas for the boat,  $50.00 for minnow at the maximum and then our gas to get there.  So a total of $1283.96.  I cannot count the food as we would be eating the same food at home anyway.  I am sorry if I offend anyone but $1300.00 for a week of vacation is a cheap date.  The extra $188.00 of fuel is not a biggie.  Do I like it?  HECK NO.  But I still feel that this is the best way to travel yet.  The last time I took a Cruise in Hawaii with the wife and kids it set me back 10k.  Disney 5k.  Plus my family enjoys the closeness and time spent together more than any other.  I do believe that gas will be at $3.50 by Memorial day, then go down from there as it is nothing but speculators and such driving the price. 
 
I agree with mphy98 it will cost more but we do save a ton of money not having to eat out. There are seven of us so that adds to the budget FAST. The only thing I really see happening is we won't spend as much money while we are there so just more browsing and being less impulsive on what we buy.
 
^^ what this person said.  I don't think the fuel cost will stop me from traveling, especially since I just bought my TT and really hadn't had a chance to use it as much so the new is still there.  But again for what it's worth, just the little extra you spend in fuel overall per trip isn't that bad.  I'm not trying to justify, but the big corporate oil companies bank on that mentality.  It is what it is.  My wife and I and have never been the type to complain about anything.  We just roll with the punches and move forward. 
 
When I need fuel I always pull up gas buddy on the Droid X.  Lots of times it will be high next to the freeway, but just over the hill (probably less than a mile) It will be 20 30 or 40 cents cheaper. Its not worth it it you have to drive a long way, but most times its really close by. ;D
 
I just can't understand why diesel in my area is more than gas!  Right now at my current station where I get my gas/diesel it's a Safeway and they give a .10 discount for $50 worth of groceries.  Gas/97% is $4.15 and diesel is $4.17.  Can someone explain to me why diesel is more?  I thought (Maybe I'm mistaken) that diesel was made from something other than crude oil and so the barrel price didn't effect it.... :-[ ???  Mikie
 
Diesel comes from the same oil barrel, so competes with gas in that sense. You can get more diesel than gas from a barrel of crude IF the refinery  is set up that way, but most US refineries are not. Gas gets priority in most cases.

Worldwide, demand for diesel has risen faster than the supply, so the price has gone up faster than gas.

Diesel can be made from bio-fuels,but there are problems with using it in bulk. Most bio-diesel is added to petro-diesel, eg a 5% or 10% blend
 
If your traveling North or South on 220(future 73/74) here in Central North Carolina.Get off at North Fayetteville Street exit-Gas $3.59 for regular.Cash only !!!! no cards
 
It's not the price per barrel of crude, we have paid this much for crude before when gas was $2.00 a gal. The price is that high because of speculation in the market and because there is no regulation preventing them from charging anything they want. Diesel is just along for the ride, again the oil companies can charge what ever they want. Oil companies are making record profits because we can't live without it. Seems like taking advantage of us is good for them.


Jay T
 
Remember too that the new emission standards have changed the way diesel is refined. Sulphur which acts as a lubricant and is a natural part of diesel fuel has been reduced from 500 ppm or more to less than 15 ppm. (ULSD) This means there are more refining steps, fewer gallons of diesel ber barrel of crude, and increased cost for additives to return the lubricity to the fuel. That's not to say that there aren't a few cents of extra profit added in when the new regulations were instituted, but there are added costs since the good old days when diesel was much cheaper than gasoline.

And your gasoline gets subsidized ethanol added which further muddies the water over cost of fuel. Remember that we pay to refine corn into ethanol, reducing the amount of corn on the marketplace which causes the price to rise. Then we add it to the fuel, where it has less energy than gasoline does, so our fuel mileage is less on ethanol enhanced fuel than straight gasoline. It's a dizzying circle.
 
Those of you coming to Canada, fill up in the US before crossing the border.  Fill it all the way up to the cap.  The base price is the same, but our taxes are higher, therefore higher pump price.

Make sure you're close to empty on your way back to the US, for the same reason.
 
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