My high gas price cure

Lonerider59 said:
I finally got pissed enough about the high gas prices to do something about it. It doesn't look like the mideast is going to settle down for a while and the commodity guys aren't about to give anyone a break and the government, well you know what they can do:sinister: I had a really nice 2007 4WD Dodge 5.7 HEMI that went like crazy and could pull a train, but it also got 11 MPG, even with a tail wind and going downhill so I sold the thing. I decided the only way to fight the situation was to drive something that used the least amount of gas as possible. Back in 2006 I bought a new Focus ZX3 SES that got a genuine 37 MPG and was quick and fun to drive to boot and as reliable as they make. So.......I went looking and found a 2005 Focus ZX4 with relatively low miles (70,000) and got it for $6994. The body and drive train are in great shape and it gets about 35 HWY miles and about 28 city. Screw the petrol people, I can afford to drive again and I don't give a shitte if it looks like grandma's car. My riding bud still has his 2010 Dodge Ram with the HEMI and it looks really cool. He payed about $42,000 for it. It sits in his drive because he won't pay the $150 it takes to fill the tank.
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Hubby and I did the same thing a few years ago. We both had Toyota Tundra's. Loved the trucks. When gas prices started climbing and it cost the better part of $400 a month (I work 1 1/2 miles from home) for gas I decided to go more economical. I bought a new Toyota Yaris sedan. It gets about 38 MPG highway. Hubby went to a Toyota Tacoma 'cause we do still need a truck to haul the bikes, but it does get better mileage than the Tundra. Gas costs are down around $150/month now. Of course, now that spring is here, as weather permits, the vehicles sit and the bikes get us to/from work. Gas prices over the spring, summer and fall drop to about $60/month or so not including weekend rides. Much more palatable. I'm with you....screw the petrol peeps.
 
When the wife starts riding her Ninja 250R to work, then that 60mpg will pay off. I'm still thinking of a Yamaha WR250R. I miss dirt riding and it has FI. I think it's also rated at about 70-75mpg. (I'm really just trying to justify another bike in the stable, but don't tell) :party0011:
 
BDazzler said:
When the wife starts riding her Ninja 250R to work, then that 60mpg will pay off. I'm still thinking of a Yamaha WR250R. I miss dirt riding and it has FI. I think it's also rated at about 70-75mpg. (I'm really just trying to justify another bike in the stable, but don't tell) :party0011:
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My lips are sealed. ;)
 
The WR250X is a fantastic bike. Although it's only a 250, the motor is fantastic and would be my pick out of the 400-and-under supermotos available--70MPG+, light and great chassis and the tech they packed in the motor makes it nearly as quick as the DRZ400.

In fairness though, my DRZ would still get 60-65 MPG in the city and it would wheelie a lot easier :D Just don't try to do a 600-mile highway tour on it, you'll run out of gas real quick trying to maintain 70mph at near-redline and then be stranded on the side of the highway in the middle of winter while it's snowing and you have to push your bike through a mountain pass for 15 miles while trucks are blasting by you at 60mph and kicking snow and ice up in your face

Sigh :D
 
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BDazzler said:
When the wife starts riding her Ninja 250R to work, then that 60mpg will pay off. I'm still thinking of a Yamaha WR250R. I miss dirt riding and it has FI. I think it's also rated at about 70-75mpg. (I'm really just trying to justify another bike in the stable, but don't tell) :party0011:
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We are looking to do something similar... get one of the Honda FI CBR250R bikes for me to commute. It would replace the FZ1 as the daily commuter and take me from 34 mpg up to 78 mpg. If I can get it lowered a bit, then Michele and I can swap off once in a while. If I can later get a second one, the FZ1s would become our weekend warriors. :D

Kudos to you Lone for making a change. Like Michele said, we really LOVED the Tundra trucks but owning two of them with the gas prices skyrocketing? No longer an option. :yes:
 
so Gallon is about 3.79litr.. and about 4$??? and as of now 0ne dollar is about 0,71 euros so gallon is about 2,82eur.. so one liter is 0,74sents in euros.. hmm..
THATS CHEAP!!!! :unworthy: in Finland now cheapes i can find is 1.55eur so about 2,20$ per liter.. that would make it 8,32$ gallon....:eek5: still think your fuel is expensive???? :rmwl:
 
It's impossible to compare fuel prices when we're an ocean apart. Us Canadians pay $5-$6 a gallon and we think it's expensive but it obviously doesn't compare to the $8+ you guys pay.

My question is... what is the average wage, cost of living, taxation, social services provided, etc?

So hard to get an idea of things like that I think, I've always wondered how people manage at such high fuel prices.
 
Here in Sydney Australia we pay anywhere between $1.36 and $1.60 a litre.
So I guess that's $5.14 - $6.05 AUD per US gallon.

BTW Exxon in the US just made $11 Billion profit for the quarter. I guess they are the only ones happy about high fuel prices.
 
ballmead said:
Here in Sydney Australia we pay anywhere between $1.36 and $1.60 a litre.
So I guess that's $5.14 - $6.05 AUD per US gallon.

BTW Exxon in the US just made $11 Billion profit for the quarter. I guess they are the only ones happy about high fuel prices.
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Only the oil companies like to see prices this high.

When you stop and think about it, the U.S. gas prices are not bad when you look at other countries. Just 12 years ago we were paying around $0.99 per gallon. Only countries with subsidized fuels (China, India, etc) pay so little. Besides, we are the only ones who can decrease what it costs us for gas....by owning either an electric or a hybrid car, use public transport if possible, walk, or whatever your choice is. I figure I can't complain too much if I'm not willing to do something about it. :deadhorse:
 
Dustin said:
It's impossible to compare fuel prices when we're an ocean apart. Us Canadians pay $5-$6 a gallon and we think it's expensive but it obviously doesn't compare to the $8+ you guys pay.

My question is... what is the average wage, cost of living, taxation, social services provided, etc?

So hard to get an idea of things like that I think, I've always wondered how people manage at such high fuel prices.
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well i live near helsinki (capital) in vantaa (Rent is avarage for one room apartment) and i make per monthabout 2075eur eur then take out of that -456e and insurance fee,and work pension fee maybe -70-100eur.

so it leaves me about 1500eur to play around.. well bills... apartment is 568e per month.. then other bills.. like pay that black beauty on outside.. :D min 180.. insuranse for that is about 1300 per year (lucky can divide that to 4 parts ):( phone bill.. 50eur..

well and i make pretty ok money even. there is some people who get lot more in here too

but sure! its hard to compare these when there is ocean between us..
 
I got a 2007 Camry SE V6. With 267hp the thing flys and I still get 28hwy. I'd recommend the car, though, while quick, it's still a Camry, and you don't feel "connected" to it like you would driving a real driving machine. Camry = driving appliance.
 
I'm in the market to replace my wife's '04 SVT Focus. She's owned 4 Focuses, three of them SVTs (says it's her all-time favorite car). She drives about 10K miles/year. I'd like the new car to get as close to 40 MPG as possible and she is ready to give up the manual transmission of the SVT.

Anyway I looked at a loaded 2012 Focus 5-door. I didn't have a chance to drive it, but I looked it over well. It is definitely a couple of steps up from the 'old' Focus, and the mileage is rated 26/37, not too bad, but not as good as a current Civic. Fit, finish and overall quality of the seats, interior, dash, etc., is of better quality than her current car (which did come with Recaros). It's a nice little car and the design is growing on me.

But are you ready for this? Window sticker of $28,750. WTF???????

If this was a new SVT with 18"s, Brembos, Recaros and a few bits of CF, and a 265 HP turbo, I could see it (a 2011 MazdaSpeed3 can be had for $25K), but it isn't.

Is it just me, or does $29K for a well-equipped but regular Focus seem like a ridiculous price? No wonder FoMoCo just posted their best quarterly number since '98. I guess I should have kept the Ford stock.

Anyway, I told wifey I want us to look at a Mazda 3 5-door and the new Elantra.

BTW, I filled up yesterday morning for $4.09/gal. Later in the day, same station, and the price was $4.15.

So what are your thoughts about a $29K Focus?
 
I like the new Focus! but the price is a bit steep. I just bought 2 cars for that (both used, one a 2010 Caliber SXT and one Mini Cooper S, 2006). Both get over 30 mpg in the city. The sport version of the Focus was tested on Top Gear and looks like a total blast. Everthing is relative though, I paid $36,000 for a GT Cruiser in 2005 (every option you could pile on). We loved that car but the price was stupid.:shame:
 
I went from an 07 F150 V8 doing 15mph to a 2010 Toyota Prius doing 52mpg
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$29k for a Focus? NFW!!! Get yer a Toyota Yaris "S" package if she wants MPG and a sporty feel. $19k loaded with TRD performance equipment. With my wife's Yaris, I was able to get 44 mpg with moderate highway driving. She gets about 38 mpg average.
 
Ok since there are so many guys out there with smaller cars, are there any decent Eco cars out there that a guy can still look like a guy in?
 
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