i think im going to puke....bad news for diesel guys

[7t9cobra]

$3.89 a gallon at my local safeway....
$3.94 at a local valero
$3.84 at shell

this better change soon, or i have to find a very efficient daily driver. perhaps a little ranger. in my truck i go through about a tank a week. about 15-16 gallons. this is nuts......once again, i bend over at the pump and take it from uncle sam.

[Mike Croke]

That's why I bought a '99 F250 V10 gasser. :) It gets 13mpg in town and 15 highway. After running the numbers, there is no way I could justify the higher initial cost of the diesel, the higher maintenence, and the higher fuel prices. And that was about four years ago when gasoline and diesel were the same price per gallon.

Don't get me wrong, I really wanted one. However, I don't do the constant heavy towing where the diesels really shine. So I had to admit that I wanted a diesel because they were so easy to hot rod and it would be fun.

[93-331-29PSI]

Diesel here is up to $3.55 a gallon. I filled my truck about a month ago for 3.19 and it has been sitting ever since. Gas isn't far behind it either, just hit $3.39 yesterday. I suspect that we will hit $4.00, for regular, by the end of summer.

[kj_80Cobra]

in my truck i go through about a tank a week. about 15-16 gallons.

Your lucky. I go through a tank a week in my F150 and its about 25-26 gallons of gas. I parked it and am driving the wife's old minivan but it doesn't do much better.

[wickedwindsor86]

I just put $50 in my F350 last night. That provided me with 13 gallons of fuel. That will last a couple days at best. 3.84 a gallon!!! I had to semi retire the truck a couple years ago, I was going thru $90 every 8 days. absurd!

[85vert]

We run 9 trucks all over the state. Our fuel bill was 60k higher in 07 vs 06. That's bottom line money. I shudder to think what it's going to be like this summer.

[Hooptie]

I go through $40 every week in gas. 4x4 5 speed F150, gotta love the 300 I6!

[IEATLT1]

I'm thinking about picking up a cheap motorcycle for the summer should pay for it's self in gas savings

[bigred15]

I'm thinking about picking up a cheap motorcycle for the summer should pay for it's self in gas savings

Same thing here. My dad has an old 1973 Suzuki T500 w/5000ish miles that he bought new. He already said that I could have it, I just need to get up to Wisconsin to pick it up. After I get it, I'll get some basic maintainence done on it and away we go. It will be much cheaper than my gasoline hog Tundra.

[ricko302]

We run 9 trucks all over the state. Our fuel bill was 60k higher in 07 vs 06. That's bottom line money. I shudder to think what it's going to be like this summer.

How are you recouping those costs? Are you addong a mileage charge, fuel charge, increased markup on sales, or are you just eating it?

[85vert]

How are you recouping those costs? Are you addong a mileage charge, fuel charge, increased markup on sales, or are you just eating it?

At this point it's been eaten. Because business has been softer it's even more competitive than normal so increasing margin is hard to do.

[ricko302]

I think many businesses are in the same situation. I was considering increasing my travel charge this year to try to offset these high fuel costs. It is going to be a tough sell to my customers though. It is a no win situation.

[85GT-79FJ40]

I drive 90 miles a day just going back and forth to work. My 05 4x4 4cyl tacoma gets 23-24mpg and my summer DD is my 85 GT. I occasionally (maybe 2-3 times a month in the summer) drive my FJ40 to work and it gets 12MPG. My fuel costs are getting pretty high. But I can buy a lot of gas for the cost of a car (plus the insurance) that gets better mileage. And I refuse to get rid of anything i've got so I just suck it up.

[mfpmax]

Bad news for diesel "truck" guys...I don't think anyone with an old VW Rabbit will complain.

[Hissing Cobra]

The cost of both Gas and Diesel is continuing to explode and for some reason, the President and his criminals can't seem to do anything about it. He was in the newspaper today stating that "America has to get off oil" and then he blamed the high prices on demand and further stated that by "getting off oil", we will lessen the demand from foreign nations.

Ya know what? He's full of crap! The demand has always been there. It hasn't changed for the last 30 years. Also, how does he seem to think that we can just "get off oil?" If we would just forget about importing oil and fire up OUR OWN refineries in Pennsylvania, Texas, Alaska and the southern states, we could live off of our own natural resources. Why can't this country learn to become self sufficient and forget about "foreign nations?"

Sorry to be so negative and to turn this into a political thread but I've reached my limit on how much everything costs these days.

If a mod wants to delete this post, go right ahead. I just had to vent a bit.

[MurPHy]

Alot of folks overlook the fact that our refineries have been at max production since the 1970s.....we haven't built or added much in the way of refining capacity since 1972. The amount of crude we get doesn't matter if we can only refine a fraction of it every day....

[86gtwith82nose]

we are not short of oil in any way shape or form. its just that companys are gouging like crazy.

[Mr Joshua]

and for some reason the oil companies are posting record profits.. i wonder why..

[wickedwindsor86]

It's pure greed. record profits for the last two years. As the years go by, the divide between the "have" and the "have nots" will just continue to get larger and larger.
It's disgusting. Bush hasn't pumped a gallon of gas in 10 years. Those people have no idea what the real world is like.

[WTmark]

The cost of both Gas and Diesel is continuing to explode and for some reason, the President and his criminals can't seem to do anything about it. He was in the newspaper today stating that "America has to get off oil" and then he blamed the high prices on demand and further stated that by "getting off oil", we will lessen the demand from foreign nations.

Ya know what? He's full of crap! The demand has always been there. It hasn't changed for the last 30 years. Also, how does he seem to think that we can just "get off oil?" If we would just forget about importing oil and fire up OUR OWN refineries in Pennsylvania, Texas, Alaska and the southern states, we could live off of our own natural resources. Why can't this country learn to become self sufficient and forget about "foreign nations?"

Sorry to be so negative and to turn this into a political thread but I've reached my limit on how much everything costs these days.

If a mod wants to delete this post, go right ahead. I just had to vent a bit.

Everything we purchase at the store moves buy truck or rail............everything will increase as fuel continues to soar.
Oil is over $105 a barrel. There are two reasons for this: speculators and the weak dollar. The weak dollar is the result of economic policy of the federal government and the huge national deficit. Bush spends like a democrat.
This game of financial musical chairs is going to end soon...............don't get caught standing.

[svoman2300]

I hate paying the prices also, but our gas is still cheaper than alot of other countries. What we should be concerned with is the bottled water industry. Right now they are making 50-200% profit and they are buying up water rights all over the world and will have us by the balls in years to come. Not to mention all the plastic bottles that wind up in land fills.

[embler]

I'm so glad I live exactly 2.3 miles from work and my kids go to a school that's 3/4 of a mile away. I put more gas in my 4 wheeler than I do in my mustang. :)

[306gt]

I drive about 500 miles a week. 400 just to go to work and back. I go through $70.00 bucks a week in gas. I drive a 2001 P.T. Cruiser that only gets 21 mpg on the highway. It sucks on gas. I have to take my 3 kids to daycare on the way to work. If I didn't have to take the kids in the morning I'd get something that would give me 30 mpg or more. It would have to be small and light maybe a 2-seater.
My old 90 L.X. 5.0L hatch with a built up 302 and 3.73 gears used to do the same commute and also got 21 mpg on the highway with twice the power to boot.
The fuel mileage hasn't got any better then the mid 70's cars. Infact most of today's cars get worse mileage.

[82mustang]

some good facts in this thread. I like to hear the simple facts and numbers, without the political crap..

[7t9cobra]

The cost of both Gas and Diesel is continuing to explode and for some reason, the President and his criminals can't seem to do anything about it. He was in the newspaper today stating that "America has to get off oil" and then he blamed the high prices on demand and further stated that by "getting off oil", we will lessen the demand from foreign nations.

Ya know what? He's full of crap! The demand has always been there. It hasn't changed for the last 30 years. Also, how does he seem to think that we can just "get off oil?" If we would just forget about importing oil and fire up OUR OWN refineries in Pennsylvania, Texas, Alaska and the southern states, we could live off of our own natural resources. Why can't this country learn to become self sufficient and forget about "foreign nations?"

+1


diesel maintainance for me was cheap.....i worked at a car dealership
for almost a year and i changed my oil there for $8.22 (14 quarts) all i had to pay for was the filter at cost. my dad paid $85 to have the oil changed before i owned it. with a big oil system and being a diesel, it doesnt need changed as much as a gas engine either. i think its about time to get a chip. i have a 10K ohm resistor mod and it lowered my mileage to 14-16 (was 18 consistant in town) if i remove the resistor it seems like a slow gutless pig even though it really isnt. im just used to the resistor. if i get a chip i can set it for economy when im on the highway or just cruising. turn a knob and have about a 140HP and 200 tq. gain. i love this truck so im going to have to pay for the fuel,. i would like to get something more fuel efficient for driving around town, but i need something fun. i hate driving boring rigs. i guess i need to get the cobra done. should get 25+ on highway and still have plenty of fun.

[Gears and Crosses]

Sounds like its time to gather up all the used cooking oil...

[82mustang]

+1


diesel maintainance for me was cheap.....i worked at a car dealership
for almost a year and i changed my oil there for $8.22 (14 quarts) all i had to pay for was the filter at cost. my dad paid $85 to have the oil changed before i owned it. with a big oil system and being a diesel, it doesnt need changed as much as a gas engine either. i think its about time to get a chip. i have a 10K ohm resistor mod and it lowered my mileage to 14-16 (was 18 consistant in town) if i remove the resistor it seems like a slow gutless pig even though it really isnt. im just used to the resistor. if i get a chip i can set it for economy when im on the highway or just cruising. turn a knob and have about a 140HP and 200 tq. gain. i love this truck so im going to have to pay for the fuel,. i would like to get something more fuel efficient for driving around town, but i need something fun. i hate driving boring rigs. i guess i need to get the cobra done. should get 25+ on highway and still have plenty of fun.

This is a 4I mustang forum, not a chitty powerstroke diesel forum...:cool:

just kidding(well, kinda), i saw a 96 PS diesel F250 weighing either 5,300 or 6,300lbs on speed channel last night on that game show called pass time, the guy had 5" exhaust, intake of some kind and a chip that gives 31lbs of boost, anyway he ran a high 13 or low 14..a big dodge cummins won though by a few tenths, and he had almost the same mods, BTW both had 33" tires by the looks of it, but the ford had a bigger lift

[EightySixNotch]

"absurd" is the best word to define this crisis!

[82mustang]

if i remember right aberdeen, WA(my town) has the worlds largest BIODIESEL plant.. and it smells faintly like rotten eggs. We dont get diesel any cheaper though, but there is stickers on some of the transit buses that say "Powered By BIODIESEL", wahoooooo

[wickedwindsor86]

just went up again this morning. 3.99 everywhere.

I better warm up the Escort.....

[EVIL8790]

4.19 for Diesel in the Bronx NYC today,thanks god my company pays for my gas

[Mad Max]

$1.16/liter up here

I super chipped the durango to get beter gas mpg's

[Mike 83 GLX]

I just paid $3.15/gal for premium yesterday and will have to fill up again tomorrow. I usually go through $50/tank every 2-3 days with my Explorer. Got a new G6 for a DD because it was cheap and gets good mileage, but I hate driving the POS. I've driven the Explorer almost everyday this winter.

Haven't seen prices today, but I hope they don't jump too much by tomorrow. Otherwise I'll have to put the 87 octane program back in the truck. Not as much fun that way though. If the snow is done, the G6 might get a few miles.

Can't wait til summer. My '83 Mustang gets better mileage than the rest of my cars....if I stay out of boost.

[BAD5oh]

3.79 here. I work 2 miles from my house and a godsend was my ex and my daughter now live a lot closer to me. I used to drive 25k miles a year and now I'm down to 13k just on the Dodge.

Oh and BTW Cummins FTW:):):) Banks stinger kit and some small extras and still gets 20mpg on the highway

[ponydude]

Has anyone seen the railroad commercial on TV? They can move 2000 lbs. of freight 420 miles on one gallon of fuel. That calculates out to a fully loaded tractor trailer getting 20 MPG. Most get about 7.
I've posted about this before. Vehicles (all) could be powered by an appropriately sized diesel engine powering a generator running at a constant speed (it's most effecient). The output from the generator powers a motor on each of the drive wheels. Motors would be controlled by modern day electronic controllers to maintain proper speed at each wheel. You would also have dynamic braking through the controller. This could also be added to the steer wheels for all wheel drive. Can we say anti-skid/ anti-lok brakes, even 4 wheel steer? All in one package. With modern technology, this would be a piece of cake. This has been a concept of mine for some time now.
Why do you think locomotives have used this principle since the 40s?

[Mike 83 GLX]

Geez, gas did jump 20 cents today. Its up to $3.35 for premium.

I won't have to worry about putting any gas in the Explorer for awhile though. I found a huge puddle of trans fluid under it when I got home from work. It was spraying out from between the engine and trans. Trans has been slipping for a couple of months, but I was hoping to get through winter before it died.:mad:

[Snake]

You guys down south are still doing pretty good,our regular is 112.9 per litre for reg, that works out to $4.25 for us for an American gallon. 89 octane works out to $443.4 for 3.79 litres (1.17 a litre) which is an American gal.
You guys have a ways to go yet.
81 is off the road 'till August,the 5.0 gets up to 25 miles to the gal.in the city and up to 35 on the hiway with the 308, so guess wich one is on the road.

[Marz]

$3.89 a gallon at my local safeway....
$3.94 at a local valero
$3.84 at shell

this better change soon, or i have to find a very efficient daily driver. perhaps a little ranger. in my truck i go through about a tank a week. about 15-16 gallons. this is nuts......once again, i bend over at the pump and take it from uncle sam.

Man 3.79 for high grade gas out here in the Westside of Los Angeles.

[migrant_bomb_picker]

Geez, gas did jump 20 cents today. Its up to $3.35 for premium.

I won't have to worry about putting any gas in the Explorer for awhile though. I found a huge puddle of trans fluid under it when I got home from work. It was spraying out from between the engine and trans. Trans has been slipping for a couple of months, but I was hoping to get through winter before it died.:mad:

Sorry, off topic, but at work we have about 20 '01 explorer sports with the same transmission. Two had leaks and were starting to slip. I added some of this: http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=LCO&MfrPartNumber=10009&CategoryCode=2129, and haven't had any problems with them since. Not sure if this will work with yours, since it has such a big leak, but this stuff seems to work well.

[Mike 83 GLX]

Mine is an '01 Explorer Sport 4x4 too. It has the tempermental 5r55e 5spd auto and 4.0L SOHC with the failing timing chain guides and tensioners. Fun to drive when everything is healthy, but one thing after another seems to be breaking on it now.

This trans will have to come out. I think the pump seal is toast. When the engine is running, the trans fluid just pours out. There was a 2ft wide puddle under the truck after running for 15-20 seconds. I was planning on replacing the engine and trans this year, but not this soon.

Back on topic....gas prices were still 3.15 for regular and 3.35 for premium today.

[Gears and Crosses]

You guys down south are still doing pretty good,our regular is 112.9 per litre for reg, that works out to $4.25 for us for an American gallon. 89 octane works out to $443.4 for 3.79 litres (1.17 a litre) which is an American gal.
You guys have a ways to go yet.
81 is off the road 'till August,the 5.0 gets up to 25 miles to the gal.in the city and up to 35 on the hiway with the 308, so guess wich one is on the road.

Thats a shame. I hear you guys have a TON OF OIL tied up in oil sands. Still I know it is expensive to process that stuff. At least you guys will never run out.

Gears

[Ductape91]

Has anyone seen the railroad commercial on TV? They can move 2000 lbs. of freight 420 miles on one gallon of fuel. That calculates out to a fully loaded tractor trailer getting 20 MPG. Most get about 7.
I've posted about this before. Vehicles (all) could be powered by an appropriately sized diesel engine powering a generator running at a constant speed (it's most effecient). The output from the generator powers a motor on each of the drive wheels. Motors would be controlled by modern day electronic controllers to maintain proper speed at each wheel. You would also have dynamic braking through the controller. This could also be added to the steer wheels for all wheel drive. Can we say anti-skid/ anti-lok brakes, even 4 wheel steer? All in one package. With modern technology, this would be a piece of cake. This has been a concept of mine for some time now.
Why do you think locomotives have used this principle since the 40s?


ive been wondering about this myself for what seems like years now, guess when gas and diesel are $10 a gallon here people will start thinking about it too:sadwavey:

[svoman2300]

The April 08 issue of Car and Driver on PG.9 has a good explanation of why diesel is more than gasoline and why they think it will contiune to go higher. Basically In the US the refining process(catalytic cracking) of crude results in 50% gasoline 15% diesel and the rest as jet fuel, heating oil etc. In Europe they use a different process (hyrocracking) it's 25% gasonline and 25% Diesel. It also mentioned that gasoline in Germany is $7.50 a gallon. The article said we haven't built any new refineries since 1979 and with the growth of population and if manufacturers produce more diesel vehicles diesel will climb way higher.

[mfpmax]

The profit the CEOs from the big 3 gas companies were getting EACH could've built a plant or two.

[svoman2300]

The profit the CEOs from the big 3 gas companies were getting EACH could've built a plant or two.
I'm sure greed is a factor but also part of the reason is because of the red tape they have to jump through to build them.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/09/business/09refinery.html

[bbarber275]

What you have to remember in Europe alot of the cost of gas is Tax.

[1147]

A buddy of mine reprocesses all the used oil he gets his hands on and runs that thru his dmax for over 3 monthes now w/o an issue. Can you say free, only $ tied up is his time to process it.

[93-331-29PSI]

I have a source for WVO, 25 gallons per week, and have been considering converting the cummins and using it as my DD. Not sure if I want to part with the upfront cost though. I will say though that the SVO doesn't get good fuel mileage at all and I keep my foot off the loud pedal.

[mfpmax]

I'm sure greed is a factor but also part of the reason is because of the red tape they have to jump through to build them.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/09/business/09refinery.html

Don't need to speak of red tape when it comes to America...heck our flag has red tape on it:D

But money makes red tape get cut quicker.

[negusm]

ive been wondering about this myself for what seems like years now, guess when gas and diesel are $10 a gallon here people will start thinking about it too:sadwavey:

Its been/being done...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel-electric