Oil Futures hit $100 a Barrel for the First Time Ever

[Classic Finn]

BTW, in Yurp, the car I drive right now is offered with a choice of two gasoline engines, and 2 turbo-diesel engines. I'd love to have that choice here. And, i think that is coming, both from overseas, and from Detroit.

I'd like to see Detroit win this race, for a change.

CD

Caseydog you dont have that offer in the States?

Audi does not offer any diesels here right now. Just gasoline.

Right now, the American companies offer diesels in big trucks, and in passenger cars, only Volkswagen and Mercedes offer diesels. Jeep offers a diesel in the Grand Cherokee SUV.

No diesels from the Japanese here, yet.

Only about 5-percent of vehicles sold here last year were diesel. In Yurp, it is about 50-percent, correct?

Its even more than 50 %

[caseydog]

How many are willing to drive huge cars at 1.50 Euro. Per Litre.

1.50 EUR = 2.21228 USD
Euro United States Dollars
1 EUR = 1.47485 USD 1 USD = 0.678033 EUR

Ok how efficient is that. 8 USD Per Gallon. Where,s my Cadillac?

I hope these oil producing countries will be able to drink their oil when the time comes.

Classic Finn

In US Dollars, Gasoline in Yurp was between $7.50 and $8.10 per US gallon last month, depending on the country.

[Classic Finn]

How many are willing to drive huge cars at 1.50 Euro. Per Litre.

1.50 EUR = 2.21228 USD
Euro United States Dollars
1 EUR = 1.47485 USD 1 USD = 0.678033 EUR

Ok how efficient is that. 8 USD Per Gallon. Where,s my Cadillac?

I hope these oil producing countries will be able to drink their oil when the time comes.

Classic Finn

In US Dollars, Gasoline in Yurp was between $7.50 and $8.10 per US gallon last month, depending on the country.

But if you have a bonus card you,ll get a discount of 1% Do you have this bs in the States? Or we,ll give you Bonus Points if you use our Station for your purchases.

(Now Where,s that mid finger emoticon.

[angib]

how come they "can't" build cars that get better mileage?

They can. But you won't buy them (or at least the average motorist won't).

Compare your 76 Subaru (first) with a base 2008 Impreza (second):
Engine, cc: 1600, 2500 +56%
Weight, pounds: 1885, 3060 +60%
Length, in: 157.5, 180.3 +14%
Height, in: 54.7, 58.1 +6%
Width, in: 59.4, 68.5 +15%

So the weight's gone up 60% (partly because it's a bigger car, but also because it's safer) and the frontal area's gone up 22%, though that's offset by about the same reduction in drag coefficient.

If you want to see just how much bigger your vehicle is today, just look at the same comparison between your 76 Subaru and a current car that you might consider 'tiny', a Honda Fit/Jazz:
Engine, cc: 1600, 1500 -7%
Weight, pounds: 1885, 2430 +29%
Length, in: 157.5, 157.4 +/-0%
Height, in: 54.7, 60.0 +10%
Width, in: 59.4, 66.2 +11%

Yup, that 'tiny' Fit is a bigger car in almost every way - I bet like me, you wouldn't have guessed that it was the same length as the sedan Subaru.

Here in Yurp we can get cars one size below the Fit (so about the size of a 70s Civic) and a friend uses a diesel one for a 25 mile commute where he's getting 52-54 mpg (in US gallons, measured on complete tankfuls).

Andrew

[apratt]

I have notice that with the "compact pickups". They have gotten bigger and bigger over the years, now the new compact pickups are not much smaller than the full size trucks.

[Elumia]

I understand VW Polo diesel gets 60-70 mpg, but not available here. I suspect it is about the same size as the original rabbit.

That's better than a Prius. Rumor is it may come to the states.

Mark

[caseydog]

I have notice that with the "compact pickups". They have gotten bigger and bigger over the years, now the new compact pickups are not much smaller than the full size trucks.

Yeah. I had a new Dakota for a week a while back, and it was a gas guzzler with a V8. It was the size that full-sized trucks were ten years ago. Full-sized trucks are bigger, too.

[caseydog]

But if you have a bonus card you,ll get a discount of 1% Do you have this bs in the States? Or we,ll give you Bonus Points if you use our Station for your purchases.

(Now Where,s that mid finger emoticon.

I have a Kroger Plus-Card. If I buy $100 or more in groceries in a month, I get one fill-up of gas with a ten-cent discount.

CD

[toypusher]

But if you have a bonus card you,ll get a discount of 1% Do you have this bs in the States? Or we,ll give you Bonus Points if you use our Station for your purchases.

(Now Where,s that mid finger emoticon.

I have a Kroger Plus-Card. If I buy $100 or more in groceries in a month, I get one fill-up of gas with a ten-cent discount.

CD

The Giant brand grocery stores around here have bonus cards and run gas points about every two months or so. You get so many points for every $10.00 (I think) that you spend. Of course they are only redeemable at their own gas pumps. We have gotten as much as $.60 off per gallon!

[caseydog]

I understand VW Polo diesel gets 60-70 mpg, but not available here. I suspect it is about the same size as the original rabbit.

That's better than a Prius. Rumor is it may come to the states.

Mark

We were just talking about that Polo Diesel today at the office.

I want one of the new Fiat 500s. Really cool retro looks -- throwback to the original 500s. They are apparently quite the rage in Yurp.

[Elumia]

better luck getting a Polo than a Fiat on these shores.

Mark

[caseydog]

better luck getting a Polo than a Fiat on these shores.

Mark

You can get any car you want here, if you have lots of $$$$$$$$$.

Of course, I don't.

[jeep_bluetj]

Disjointed and non-connected responses .

1. I rented a polo diesel last time we were in Spain. (It was the "big" car... ) Thing was a ball to drive, responsive and powerful. Got about 50 mpg with my right foot well into it 'cause the turbo sounded so cool. Diesiel vehicles + biofuel (Since bioD is way less energy to produce than methanol) are a very viable renewable transportation method. (For places that get lots of sun, time, water, and room to grow stuff...)

2. I understand the issues with nukes. I just think it's an acceptable tradeoff. The western world does have a much better safety record than soviet-era designs. (France vs USSR for instance) Modern computer controls, etc etc etc are very much an improvement. Waste is indeed a problem, but so is pollution and depletion of resouces. True fusion power is a long way out, a 50 year solution needs to be arrived at. Nat Gas, Oil, Coal also have significant problems. Wind/solar have that pesky storage issue.

[Fenlason]

CD..your a car guy... how come they "can't" build cars that get better mileage?

glenn

Well, because the American people want a lot of things, but in the past, fuel economy has not been one of them.

What we have wanted is BIG, and then BIG.

We wanted soft rides, quite cabins, lot's of accessories. But, fuel economy -- not so much.

And, the automakers gave us what we wanted.

Cars were actually gaining efficiency year after year until the SUV boom hit.

Weight and wind resistance are the enemy on the SUVs. Even the smaller SUVs have often been shaped in a way that makes them highly wind resistant.

I believe it is absolutely possible to build a roomy, comfortable vehicle that is safe, has the conveniences that we want, and still gets 30 MPG. And, with fuel prices going up, the company that delivers that vehicle to American market could make a ton of money with it.

I hope that money won't, once again, go to Japanese and European automakers. It would be awesome if this "breakthrough" product were to come out of Detroit.

Bottom line -- if we demand it, someone will build it.

I understand the arguement that they build what we want.. and yes the American consumer has wanted most anything but efficiency. I understand why "fleet" mileage has gone down.

but why are cars like the Prius and the smart car not getting better mileage.

why in 30 years.. is the smart car only get 10% better mileage than my Subaru. [while my modified subaru got considerably better mileage]

glenn

[Elumia]

could be because your old subaru, in relative terms, spewed all sorts of greenhouse gasses, had few emmission and safety systems that are standard in new cars. Also I suspect it did not have power windows, seats, locks, etc that are now "standard" and expected fare even in the most utilitarian vehicle. All of the safety and emmission systems also take power to run and add weight. So while they may only get a bit better MPG, new cars are more efficient (and for the most part you can count on it running every day with little more than keeping it filled with gas and oil).