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Refineries can't keep up with demand (http://money.cnn.com/2007/04/26/news/economy/gas_prices/index.htm?cnn=yes)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Gas_Prices_-_2_699.jpgSteve Hardgreaves - www.CNNMoney.com - April 26, 2007

Gasoline prices, already above $3 a gallon in some states, could charge higher this summer and hit $4 a gallon in some locations, according to one industry expert.

Pump prices were supposed to peak below $3 a gallon this May, then drop off before the summer driving season got into full swing, according to the Energy Department's price forecast.

Well, we're not even out of April yet, and the nationwide average price for a gallon of unleaded regular has hit $2.87.

One big factor driving prices: gasoline inventories continue to fall. After a promising one-week boost in refining activity, the latest report Wednesday actually shows refining activity falling. And demand is already soaring, before the summer driving season is in full swing.

What this means for prices is obvious, and to most drivers it is not good news.

… http://money.cnn.com/2007/04/26/news/economy/gas_prices/index.htm?cnn=yes

Bring it on...

Agreed. The higher, the better.

Glad to hear it!

Hi All:

___Although I am glad to hear about it, I am not glad to pay it :( My local Shell posted $2.99 yesterday. If high prices do one thing right by making a new car buyer consider something far more fuel efficient, it is exactly what this country and our planet needs in the short term … until we can purchase something like a PHEV/EV that is far more environmentally friendly.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Isn't helping much around here. This morning my neighbor in the next cube was talking about how annoyed she is that she's "stuck" driving her "Japanese POS 4-cylinder Corolla." She'd rather have a Bimmer or an Escalade liker her sister. Several of us keep reminding her that she made a smart car choice for a 25 y/o college grad but she doesn't quite get it :( . At lunch I was talking to another coworker about his new Jeep Grand Cherokee. He seemed to like the Prius when I drove him to lunch a few weeks ago but I guess that wasn't enough, either. The reasoning: He needs to be able to fit lots of golf clubs in it. I'm pretty sure we opened the hatch, maybe I should have folded down a seat for him? :confused:

Now that I think about it I should add one success story. A third coworker needed to replace his aging Subaru with something that would be suitable for some light to medium hauling. He started out looking at V6 rangers and I directed him toward the Tacoma, of which he picked the best: a 4-cyl 5-speed. (Apparently that 4-cylinder has nearly as much torque as Ford's 6...haven't verified that myself but it's what he claims.) He made that choice based on the realization that he doesn't need a big engine to run to Home Depot and his FE might even rival the Subaru with that engine/trans combo. So I think he deserves an honorable mention for taking the time to investigate FE and keep it high on the list of priorities.

I'm trying to convince my mother to trade in her crappy (2002?)chrysler 300M for a prius. She has had tons of maintenance on her 300M and is sick of it. I've told her about how fuel efficient the prius is, how much cheaper it is than the 300M, how much room in the back it has(since it's a hatchback), and how relaible it is.

Now that gas is going near $4.00 a gallon I think this is just what I need to push her toward that prius.

About 3 weeks ago, stopped at a light, I saw a guy in a brand spanking new Lincoln Mark V, the Lincoln version of the F-150, with the license sticker taped up in the rear window and no plate yet.

I'm begining to think it won't matter, there's a lifetime of learned helplessness there, that gas prices won't force anyone but the fringes to rethink their choices in vehicles; they've been to psychologically programmed to think otherwise, like the 25 year old who wants a hummer for no discernable reason.

Gas prices rise, we all pay more, and people complain, but continue to drive their vehicles. Some carpool, but that'll be it. Well, at least until we start getting to a Mad Max situation or something. :rolleyes:

The high school I went to had a number of rich kids that had everything handed to them. There was this guy that was taking hormoe treatment and still could could not quite reach 5'0". :( What brought attention to it was driving a brand new 1975 Lincoln Continental Mark IV (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Continental_Mark_IV) - the ultimate boat car of it's day. Like driving a Lincoln Navigator today. Sad.

Glad to hear it!

I will point my childern your way. That are already driving FE type cars that are struggling to get life started. And you want gas prices higher for some sort of moral ethical environmental sadistic good!!!!

I think BailOut is just frustrated with the poseurs that are wasting our gas with their land yachts. The are like a stubborn cancer - it's darned hard to extract them without hurting the young and the poor.

This is good news in that it will make some people reconsider their purchases. I have a relative looking at midsize car-based SUV's this fall, high gas prices will probably push the Highlander Hybrid up her list.

High fuel prices make me look pretty smart with my car purchase, but I never considered fuel could get this high when I bought my car. I filled up today; regular unleaded was $1.024/L (around $3.29 gal) while diesel was $0.853/L (around $2.74/gal).

Gas prices in Nashvill, TN. are $2.839 for 87 Octane and $3.099 for 93 Octane.

terry (tiger)

In Lewisville it's $2.79 for unleaded.

In Madison we jumped to 2.89 yesterday (I think it was 2.83 previously).

It's up to $3.05/gallon at my local station, and it isn't even May yet!

Harry

Another site, someone said it would not happen this summer. Hope springs eternal, but if the refineries are already behind, I suspect he is in denial.

...I'm begining to think it won't matter, there's a lifetime of learned helplessness there, that gas prices won't force anyone but the fringes to rethink their choices in vehicles... :rolleyes:

I think this is true for many people. Unfortunately there are some who won't get it 'till every gas guzzler has gone to the crusher, then they will be moaning the passing of the "good old days".

Thankfully it seems that there's a wide spectrum of mind-changability here. Some people
have already gotten the message and others are about to get it. There's more and more publicity for higher FE every week. And it seems that thankfully, at least SOME of the manufacturers have their eyes open.

I haven't seen 87 octane at the local Shells cheaper than $3.20 for a few months now. Chevron has an even higher recent average at $3.29.

Today Shell is $3.25 and Chevron is $3.34.

Golf clubs?! Bah. I threw a load of 8 foot poles into the
Prius just the other day, and I'm confident that I could
stuff a whole pro shop's worth of golf clubs into the thing.
.
$4/gal might kinda suck for everyone driving to hybridfest,
though...
.
_H*

Just filled up my 2 gas cans for my Scagg Mower and they hold right at or a little more than 5 gallons each, plus I filled up the HCH II. Price for 19 + gallons of gas was $55.00 and something.

Is this not just hard to believe that the Hybrid still had almost a 1/4 of a tank left in it. I was just thinking while watching the gallons and price on the pump showing (Shell), can you imagine if you happen to own a vehicle that had say a 25-33 gallon tank that you could be looking at like $85.00 Plus Dollars for 1-tank of gas. :(

This does even address those that have the vehicles that take 93-Octane gas at $3.13 up per gallon right now.

As I have read these last Posts and see where in a number of States the price of even 87-Octane is up over $3.00 per gallon right now.

It is really going to be hard for me to think seriously of trading off the 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid I now have for one of the 93-Octane High-Performance Cars with prices of Gas never STOPPING the ever increasing spiral UP:

Guess the HCH II will be around for a Very-Very-Very Long Time: ;)

Terry (tiger) :flag:

There may be more than the price of gas that might persuade some to give up the land barges.

It's foreclosures. :(

The status-oriented people that are buy more car and house than they need are probably on hard times in many cases. Maybe some of them are questioning "is it worth it?"