Gas Prices hit $2/gallon!

[Stocker]

I'll be the first to admit I live a somewhat sheltered life, isolated from the real world -- not quite living under a rock, but nearly so.  Anyhoo, I have read a lot of complaints about Wally World and just assumed it was because they were the 800 pound gorilla.  Everyone likes to pick on the biggest, the most successful, whatever...  I have also heard of them constantly putting cost pressure on their suppliers, but until now I had not heard of them actually having nearly identical products made just to their specs -- that's a new one on me.  Not saying it ain't so, just that it's news to me.

As to their oft-mentioned China connection...  again, it really is news to me.  Of course some of their merchandise is produced in China...  but so is some of the merchandise you'll find in virtually every other store across the USA.  I'll admit to the occasional trip to WM (which I dislike, but mainly because it's so crowded), and the general household goods I buy seem to be identical (same brands & sizes, just cheaper) to what I would buy elsewhere if I hadn't gone to WM.  Is there actually a difference?

I'm certainly not trying to stick up for them (no affiliation, etc) -- I guess I just haven't seen them as the Evil Empire that so many others claim them to be.  I am a product of the 1950s and in theory I'd prefer the Mom & Pop stores of that era.  In reality, I dislike paying substantially more for the same product -- though I am more than happy to pay a little more (within reason) to support smaller local businesses.  I believe that to totally disregard cost is to be fiscally irresponsible with one's personal finances.

[te51levin]

I'm surprised I haven't mentioned this article to you before.  It's about Snapper (lawn equipment) pulling out of Wal-Mart a few years ago:
http://slashdot.org/article.pl?no_d2=1&sid=06/03/28/2235246

Here's a brief excerpt:
The Wal-Mart vice president responded with strategy and argument. Snapper is the sort of high-quality nameplate, like Levi Strauss, that Wal-Mart hopes can ultimately make it more Target-like. He suggested that Snapper find a lower-cost contract manufacturer. He suggested producing a separate, lesser-quality line with the Snapper nameplate just for Wal-Mart. Just like Levi did.

Don't worry, you taught me well; I am still as big a skinflint as I can get away with.  Even if it's just out of spite, I think it's generally healthier for the community and the country to spend my money elsewhere.  I suppose I am trying to say that there are more important things to me than price tags.  Wal-Mart seems to worship low price no matter what the cost, and their 800-pound gorilla status seems to be at odds with a healthy local economy; they famously pay the locals as little as they can get away with and (I'm assuming) sock the profits away.  Great for the honchos at the top, but doesn't do much for the locals.

Sorry to sidetrack the thread again.  Current fuel cost at the Exxon station across the street is $4.129 for the secondhand Coors Light they are passing off as regular unleaded.  E85 was 3.20 two or three days ago.

[Stocker]

Interesting read, and really not too surprising.  Mr. Wier is to be commended for sticking to his principles.  It's unfortunate that many CEOs fail to recognize the benefits of maintaining the integrity of their product lines. 

Reminds me of chain saws (simply because that's something I am familiar with). When my old Stihl (the small one) finally crapped out, I started shopping and learned a few things.  I have owned a couple Stihls for a long, long time and have been extremely pleased with them.  And the market is flooded with cheap (basically disposable) small saws that I want nothing to do with.  While the commercial Stihls are still top quality machinery, it seems the company has chosen to, well, go cheap on their smaller saws.  We have had a few at work that are more temperamental than a Stihl should be, and I did not one of those for my personal use.  While I understand the need to compete on price, it is a sad day when a brand known worldwide for its quality allows that quality to slip. 

Glad to hear you inherited my miserly frugal gene!!   

Also back on topic, I am glad you are able to enjoy such cheap fuel!  Ours is currently $4.679 for off-brand 87 octane...   

[te51levin]

Also back on topic, I am glad you are able to enjoy such cheap fuel!  Ours is currently $4.679 for off-brand 87 octane...   

Sounds like a fine excuse to walk to work - or at least get the Magna out 

[Stocker]

Needs a new battery -- but yeah, I really should do that!  The bike, not the walking -- dang foot's been a bit gimpy lately...   

[kneedownnate]

I was just thinking about that!  They made a big production about so much of their merchandise being made in the USA...their advertisements showing men in hardhats and flannel shirts slapping each other on the back after a hard day's work (probably in slow motion with a flag waving in the background), yadda yadda...typical commercial pandering to the millions of people dumb enough to believe what corporate Murrica tells them.

You know, that's similar to what I've found with dell.  For years I saw their commercials saying "rated best customer service" and showing an american on the phone, then when I bought a dell and it was delivered non-working I called their award winning customer service.... in India    I'd get full on red faced mad trying to talk to them, and each time I did they'd go through the same exact steps even though I told them I'd already gone over that with the last guy.  All they are are stooges with a sheet of paper telling them what to say, no technical backgrounds at all. 

[kneedownnate]

Nothing against you guys, but with the little bit of driving you do I can't see gas being a big worry for day to day stuff.  It's like a mile to work, so you can do about 2.5 trips before burning a gallon    Not to say gas costs aren't an issue, but it just seems like it wouldn't be much of an issue unless you guys started taking more trips and stuff 

That said, by all means you should get the bike going!  It's a shame to let such a clean old bike sit around!  How old is the battery?  I'm still surprised that I'm running the original battery in the f4i, considering it's now over 7 years old 

[Stocker]

You're right, fuel prices are annoying, but it really isn't a problem for us.  Unless we need to go to the Sac airport, and then it's still not really a problem.  We're lucky in that regard.  On the other hand, if it were cheaper, we might more inclined to take more trips, especially when I eventually retire.     I really do feel bad for all the folks getting hammered by fuel costs while just trying to get by.

I think the battery is about four years old.  Not too bad, but I have had them last longer...  Seven years on yours is great!   

[Stocker]

It's like a mile to work, so you can do about 2.5 trips before burning a gallon   

I was gonna ignore this, but you're about right.  Last winter when I had to warm up the truck before going to work, I did a rough check and found I was getting about 2 mpg...  seriously.   

Ya still wanna inherit the old dinosaur?   

[kneedownnate]

I was gonna ignore this, but you're about right.  Last winter when I had to warm up the truck before going to work, I did a rough check and found I was getting about 2 mpg...  seriously.   

Ya still wanna inherit the old dinosaur?   

  that's crazy!    Honestly, I think aaron would benefit much more from having that truck, but the gas to get it there would kill him...

[te51levin]

  that's crazy!    Honestly, I think aaron would benefit much more from having that truck, but the gas to get it there would kill him...

I'd love to have it, but frankly I'd never use it.  Couldn't justify it.  In pipe-dream land I still alternate between early Toyotas, big block GMC V6s, and old Soviet military trucks.  If you're gonna go big you may as well go REAL big!

If fuel costs continue to rise it may be cost effective to go EFI, so you can actually drive the blessed thing before the thermostat opens up.  I bet the early TPI setup would be great on a pickup.  I was thinking MegaSquirt, but it's close enough to stock that you could probably use all the factory electronics without any real effort...

[kneedownnate]

The guy who rebuilds our starters and alternators drives a 72ish 3/4 ton chevy 2wd.  He was getting about 25mpg running chevy tbi on a 350, then switched to multi point fi off an iroc I believe, and his mileage dropped a bit.  He was pretty disappointed.  I don't know what gears he had, but I doubt they were trail pullers 

[te51levin]

He was getting about 25mpg running chevy tbi on a 350, then switched to multi point fi off an iroc I believe, and his mileage dropped a bit.

I would have to see his receipts myself to believe that.  25mpg is awfully good for anything that big and aerodynamically ugly.  I suspect he swapped on the TPI and then started keeping more accurate records.  Both of those systems use simple narrowband o2 sensor and are both going to produce the same near-stoich AFR at cruise, so unless the spark curve was also fairly different, they ought to produce nearly identical mileage at cruise and low speed operation.

[Plekto]

Old Sam died in '92 or '93...I wonder if the change in selling USA goods is just coincidence?

And guess who was on the board of directors helping push their offshoring of products?

Starts will H and ends with Clinton.

Sam would be rolling in his grave over what they did to his fine company.

[abnormaltoy]

And guess who was on the board of directors helping push their offshoring of products?

Starts will H and ends with Clinton.

Sam would be rolling in his grave over what they did to his fine company.

Whew...thank God she left them and got into politics, where she can't do as much harm.   

[jrock]

San Mateo on El Camino and 20th Ave SHELL = $4.89 REG

$4.99 now.

Sorry.

[sigman]

$4.19 as of 6/8 when I went to work.

[MiniSimp]

California Gas:

Highs:
$4.99 Hume Lake
$4.89 Juno Lake
$4.79 Running Springs

Lows:
$4.19 El Centro
$4.22 Fairfield
$4.23 Travis AFB

California Diesel:

Highs:
$5.49 Fairfield
$5.39 Hume, Petaluma, Ridgecrest
$5.36 Bishop

Lows:
$4.59 El Centro
$4.82 Anderson
$4.85 Vacaville, Mojavie, Fairfield, Santa Rosa

[MiniSimp]

Here ya go Mike, just 1/10th of 1 cent to go:


Self-serve regular gasoline is advertised at one-tenth of one cent less than $5.00 per gallon, with mid-grade and premium well over that mark, at a filling station in Arcadia, Calif., Friday, June 6, 2008. Oil prices shot up more than $11 to a new record above $139 per barrel of crude after Morgan Stanley predicted prices would hit $150 by July 4. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

[BLACKDOG]

Here ya go Mike, just 1/10th of 1 cent to go:


Self-serve regular gasoline is advertised at one-tenth of one cent less than $5.00 per gallon, with mid-grade and premium well over that mark, at a filling station in Arcadia, Calif., Friday, June 6, 2008. Oil prices shot up more than $11 to a new record above $139 per barrel of crude after Morgan Stanley predicted prices would hit $150 by July 4. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Methinks Morgan Stanley needs a visit from some people

[BigMike]

[BigMike]

I'm surprised I haven't mentioned this article to you before.  It's about Snapper (lawn equipment) pulling out of Wal-Mart a few years ago:
http://slashdot.org/article.pl?no_d2=1&sid=06/03/28/2235246

Does anyone know if this is just a small article, or is there a book on this? I searched Amazon and couldn't find anything..

[te51levin]

Mike, in the very first line of the article: "Charles Fishman, senior writer for Fast Company magazine has recently published a book entitled The Man Who Said No To Wal-mart."  I couldn't find that on half.com but I did find these by searching by author.  I suspect the slashdot article refers to a working title rather than the title it weas released under, which is apparently The Wal-Mart Effect:
http://search.half.ebay.com/charles-fishman_W0QQsubmitZSearchQQmZbooks

[Stocker]

Harbor Freight was mentioned on the previous page.  Without them, I wouldn't have pleasure of owning one of these:

It provides hours of fun...    

Curiosity made me Google it.  HF has them for $4 (though I bought mine 1/2 price) -- or you can buy the identical item elsewhere for $9 to $10.  Hmmmmmmm......

[BLACKDOG]

Harbor Freight was mentioned on the previous page.  Without them, I wouldn't have pleasure of owning one of these:

It provides hours of fun...    

Curiosity made me Google it.  HF has them for $4 (though I bought mine 1/2 price) -- or you can buy the identical item elsewhere for $9 to $10.  Hmmmmmmm......

  I've got one too!!  bought it on a dollar day!!    Those are fun to play with, except they do hold a charge after you've pushed the button a few times

[MiniSimp]

Tuesday, June 10th, 2008

Pain at the Pump: It's Time to Start Thinking About $7 a Gallon Gasoline

By Jason Simpkins
Associate Editor
U.S. consumers barely had time to get used to the idea of $4 a gallon gasoline before prognosticators started talking about $5 a gallon fuel.

And unfortunately for the U.S. economy, the worst is yet to come.

The average price of gasoline in the United States broke $4 a gallon for the first time Sunday, following a double-digit surge in oil prices last week. And despite an economy that appears to be in an increasingly fragile state, experts are already debating the potential for gasoline to hit $5 this summer.

But here's what most economists aren't saying yet: U.S. motorists could easily be looking at $7 a gallon gasoline within two years. And that could have a disastrous impact on the U.S. economy.

Full Story: http://www.moneymorning.com/2008/06/10/pain-at-the-pump-its-time-to-start-thinking-about-7-a-gallon-gasoline/

[46&2]

 

[Plekto]

That picture actually is making the news halfway around the world.

[93tonkatoy]

The important question would be, how high will the price of fuel rise before it breaks back of the economy? And yes, this would also include the rest of the world. If the US were not outsourcing a lot of it's workforce and product, how much would the "developing nations" be booming and requiring the energy they are wrestling from the world supplies?

[MiniSimp]

Oil edges above $133; new record for gas
By GEORGE JAHN – 3 hours ago

VIENNA, Austria (AP) — Oil prices rebounded as the dollar weakened against major currencies Wednesday, but investors braced for a volatile trading day ahead of a report on U.S. crude inventories.

Gas prices, meanwhile, advanced further into record territory Wednesday, reaching a new record national average of $4.052, according to a survey of stations by AAA and the Oil Price Information Service.

Full Story: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i5TtajgUpSm7KY5jf-lCJGHBB-tAD917QO7O0