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Via Scrappleface:

Mateo

It doesn't really effect me all that much. During the week, I take the T (Mass Transit) to and from work, so I only use the car on the weekend. Even then, it's just a quick run over to the store, maybe 5 minutes away. I refill the tank every 2-3 weeks, so other than "Wow, that's $5 more than last time!" I don't really feel it.

CingularDuality

Nope, public prices in San Diego county...

http://zebu.uoregon.edu/fossil.html

http://oregonstate.edu/Dept/pol_sci/fac/sahr/gasol.htm


Perhaps I'm remembering only a few years of the 80s? That last graph shows the price being under a dollar for only 3-4 years.

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ScratchMonkey

So in constant dollars, the price has been relatively flat until recently, except for the big spike around 1979.

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Steeler

My girlfriend and I live about 90 minutes apart (she's at grad school), so it has affected us. She used to be the one to come visit me, but with higher prices I go to her, since I have more financial flexibility. Plus, we nixed some of our vacation travel plans this year.

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JMJ

The T isn't really that cheap though...would it be cheaper to drive?

Yellow-Asterisk

The gas has effected my life. I buy more food when i go to the store and consolidate trips. I also ride my motorcycle whenever possible. And... if i am living in the same place i am now next year i am going to get a bike to ride to and from classes. A plus side of all these price woes is that i spend less time in my car. A fact that i find quite enjoyable. I personally like hearing that people are tradeing in their huge suvs to get smaller more efficent cars, but i am glad for different reasons than most. I consider myself an off-road enthusiast. I cringe when i think that someones giant 4-wheel-drive has never even seen even a dirt road. Why on earth would you drive an SUV in the city, its just pointless. I have to think that most people with those giant H2s, drinking gas like its going out of style, have never used the vehicle properly. What a waste.

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sordavie

You guys should remember that the gas prices did spike in the 80s. [Oops I see that people already have links to graphs and stuff.] When I started driving -- around 1997 -- the price for regular unleaded on long island was around 99c.

Anyway, what's the typical Norwegian automobile's estimated miles per gallon? I'll bet it's at least 50% better than the average American car's EMPG.

Sometimes I wish I had kept my old civic... 40mpg highway easy...

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=DdogG=

In 94, the gas prices dropped to .69 cents here in Tenn.

I actually have gotten bigger and more gas hungry cars.

I started out with 2 4bangers (nissan 200sx and mitsubishi galant) that got 37 and 32 mpg respectively. I now have 2 v6's (Dodge Grand Caravan and an Isuzu Axiom) that get 19 and 16 mpg respectively.

Gas prices are what they are. I spend 250 a month on gas. I used to spend 100.00.

You can buy a 2 yr old Explorer XLT 4wd fully loaded for 15,000 with 30,000 mi. or you can buy a 2 yr old nissan sentra for 18,000 with 60,000. kind of a no brainer...

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PanzerHans

According to statistics from the Norwegian Automobile Association the average Norwegian owned car runs 27 miles pr. gallon.

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sordavie

I'm finding some conflicting information. But it seems the average new vehicle in the US gets about 17mpg. The conflicting info is that some sites say the average for a new "car" is 24. I suspect, and there looks to be some evidence, that the latter number refers just to cars and leaves out light trucks, SUVs, and such.

I bike to school when the weather is nice and take the bus when it's snowy or rainy. So, I ended up driving my car only 3500 miles in the past year. But when I do make trips to see my friends/family back home, the gas prices hurt. Driving home costs about $55 in gas--one way. Taking jetblue (low fare airline) home, one way, costs $54, if I buy the ticket far enough in advance. Doh.

I guess the real question is what percentage of ones income does one need to spend on gas.

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ScratchMonkey

Gas is only one cost of a vehicle. Is there a tradeoff when going to something less thirsty? Do hefty vehicles carry lower insurance prices, or are they otherwise cheaper in some aspect? When someone buys a hauler like an SUV, is it because they like to waste money, or is it because they can't afford to own both a hauler and a commuter, and can't go without the hauler?

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Mateo

Not really. I'm over in Longwood. It's a 15 mintue ride in. I get the T passes through work, pretax, so I don't even notice the expense, and I save them all to get the 10% off the auto insurance at the end of the year.

JMJ

Well, I guess I'm going to say yes. I just traded in my "less than 2 years old" Ford Ranger tonight for a Honda Civic. My Ranger got about 17MPG, the Civic will do much better. Also going to carpool with a buddy. I got tired of $40+ dollars a week filling my truck.

sordavie

Usually the cheaper economy models have lower insurance prices. This is due to the fact that the car is cheaper and they generally cause less damage during an accident. And the economy models are just much cheaper than those bigger vehicles.

I also think that most people that have an SUV don't actually require it.

People just aren't all that rational. Me included I guess. I have a coupe that gets 22/29. That's not terrible, I guess. But, I wish I had gone for a new civic rather than the scion tc. My next car will definently be a reliable fuel efficient model.

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