View Poll Results: What price for gasoline will affect you enough to modify your auto decisions?
It is already high enough that I added/changed vehicles.
21
31.82%
$4/gallon
11
16.67%
$5/gallon
10
15.15%
$6/gallon
6
9.09%
$7/gallon
3
4.55%
$8/gallon
1
1.52%
$9/gallon
0
0%
$10/gallon or more
5
7.58%
I've run the numbers and I don't see the price of gasoline affecting my automotive decisions.
9
13.64%
Voters: 66. You may not vote on this poll
How much does gasoline have to rise to affect you?
Thread Starter
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 6,084
Likes: 0
From: California
I'm going to be the thread jerk here and say that gasoline price isn't going to affect my driving habits even if it passes $10/gal, and endorse higher gasoline prices to boot. (But please don't tell that to the gas companies or the local Chevron I always visit.)
Part of my attitude is "walking the walk", so to speak, because I welcome higher gas prices. Although I unequivocally reject the global warming myth, I am still an ardent conservationist - although, of course, one could say that conservation and global warming outcry conflict with each other. After all, the progressive masses who promote their global warming agenda with religious zeal simply cover up the real issues at hand - issues like source usage reduction, which promotes both economically-sensible and realistic alternatives. And gas prices going up means less gas being used, so I'm all for it. To me, it's as simple as that.
I also feel that the gas usage issues in our country are caused by the general populace taking the availability of gas entirely for granted. To most people, gas price is inelastic relative to demand and that's part of the problem. Why should it be inelastic? For most other goods and services, if the price gets too high, consumers switch to alternatives. And we still always get those who complain that if gas prices go up, their commute will be too expensive. Well, the fact that it's "reasonable" for them to take the commute now just means they're taking it for granted. I have a friend in LA who drives almost 450 miles a week just for the commute, and he's always complaining about gas prices. Well, if gas prices were really that bad he'd have found somewhere closer to live a long time ago. It doesn't exactly help his cause that he drives a 550i, either.
The final factor is that driving for me is a hobby that I enjoy doing. I'm sure many of us have recreational activities that, even if prices go up (or have gone up, in history or recently), that we keep doing them anyway. For me, driving is one of those things.
Part of my attitude is "walking the walk", so to speak, because I welcome higher gas prices. Although I unequivocally reject the global warming myth, I am still an ardent conservationist - although, of course, one could say that conservation and global warming outcry conflict with each other. After all, the progressive masses who promote their global warming agenda with religious zeal simply cover up the real issues at hand - issues like source usage reduction, which promotes both economically-sensible and realistic alternatives. And gas prices going up means less gas being used, so I'm all for it. To me, it's as simple as that.
I also feel that the gas usage issues in our country are caused by the general populace taking the availability of gas entirely for granted. To most people, gas price is inelastic relative to demand and that's part of the problem. Why should it be inelastic? For most other goods and services, if the price gets too high, consumers switch to alternatives. And we still always get those who complain that if gas prices go up, their commute will be too expensive. Well, the fact that it's "reasonable" for them to take the commute now just means they're taking it for granted. I have a friend in LA who drives almost 450 miles a week just for the commute, and he's always complaining about gas prices. Well, if gas prices were really that bad he'd have found somewhere closer to live a long time ago. It doesn't exactly help his cause that he drives a 550i, either.
The final factor is that driving for me is a hobby that I enjoy doing. I'm sure many of us have recreational activities that, even if prices go up (or have gone up, in history or recently), that we keep doing them anyway. For me, driving is one of those things.
I knew there were people who were going to say that the price of gasoline didn't affect their ownership choices. I have always enjoyed driving but the truth is that for my commute, there isn't anything to enjoy, just traffic. The first time I put $50+ in a tank of gas in the GS it really caught my attention. I can't say that I either drive so many miles or am so strapped for cash that mileage is a big factor in my ability to drive somewhere but there is something rubbing me the wrong way with a $50 tank of gas for maybe 300 miles. And if the trend for this year continues I am going to find the joy of putting $75 in that same tank for that same 300 miles of driving enjoyment.Just as has been pointed out that car shopping for a high efficiency car this summer is not going to be very wise, shopping for a gas guzzler should be a lot more rewarding. A big bimmer, merc, audi or LS should be on the bargain table. If oil doesn't retrace back down to say below 80/bbl in the next six or eight weeks, I expect this summer will not be a lot of fun at the gas pump. And trying to sell a car five years from now that gets 18 or 20 mpg isn't going to be very pleasant either.
So far, with 40 votes, it has remained fairly constant that two thirds of the voters fall into the "I already have changed my auto choices" or will with at most $5 a gallon gas. Like I said, a few threads are merging here. The thread on the death of the Muscle Car II is more for environmental reasons but now with Cadillac abandoning V8 development for the future, I wouldn't want to be a maker with all two and a half ton, 500hp vehicles, regardless of how much fun they might be to get around in.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,489
Likes: 4
From: Lou-Evil KY
if gas prices double or triple their current level, i would love to live closer to work, hell , i'd love to live closer now. unfortunately, the location of my work and any other job that i can do would require me to buy a house 3x more expensive than my current one. the idea of everyone moving out of the suburbs and back into the city limits doesn't work that well.
public transportation? they don't even come close to my house. if they did, i'd be on a bus or train for hours before i even got to work. same thing after work, i'd be riding around for hours.
until all that gets worked out, i'll pay what gas costs. i'll just have to charge people more to fix their expensive cars!
public transportation? they don't even come close to my house. if they did, i'd be on a bus or train for hours before i even got to work. same thing after work, i'd be riding around for hours.
until all that gets worked out, i'll pay what gas costs. i'll just have to charge people more to fix their expensive cars!
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 94,410
Likes: 249
From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
Those days, however, are rapidly drawing to a close. It won't happen overnight, but the early 21st-Century HP/torque race is drawing to a close......just as the earlier 1960's race did in 1970-71.
CL Community Team
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 17,331
Likes: 210
From: Miami, Florida
It's about $3.80 a gallon down here and will be more shortly. My problem is more with the quality of the gasoline here (I don't think I am getting something that burns right) than what I am paying.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,832
Likes: 0
From: California
My family doesn't drive much because we work at where we live. The total mileage for my family's three vehicles combined have not exceeded 23,000 miles, so increasing gasoline price has not have a very important influence on my family so far.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 7,864
Likes: 0
From: Massachusetts
Gas prices have changed my whole desire on what I want to own. Right now, I have to stay with my SC400 because it's paid off and I can't afford to get into a new car right now. When I can, I'll most likely be getting the Civic.
That will DOUBLE my gas mileage.
Like others have mentioned, switching into a new alternative isn't always an option or the more affordible route especially when your already driving a paid off car.
A conservative $375/mo payment = $4,500.00 per year. That's a lot of gas.
At 22 mpg's and $3/gal, you could drive 33,000 miles a year with that money.
That will DOUBLE my gas mileage.
Like others have mentioned, switching into a new alternative isn't always an option or the more affordible route especially when your already driving a paid off car.
A conservative $375/mo payment = $4,500.00 per year. That's a lot of gas.
At 22 mpg's and $3/gal, you could drive 33,000 miles a year with that money.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,762
Likes: 1
From: South FLA
It's affected me already as it is that I ride my bike whenever I can. I save gas and get in shape at the same time!! Will oil prices recently hitting $100 per barrel, gas prices won't be going down anytime soon.
Will oil prices recently hitting $100 per barrel, gas prices won't be going down anytime soon.
The one thing I can tell you about increasing gas prices that I haven't thought about before is it will actually affect everything in my life. At first I was just thinking about the car, but since everything is shipped to my state, increasing gas prices has already affected every consumer product. As gas prices go up, everything we buy here goes up a little as well. Since it affects everything, the total impact is thousands more per year. Right after Katrina there were business that stopped doing deliveries to homes and you had to pick the products up. Places raised their prices because their own shipping cost went up. Air fair went up. Even the new Super Ferry we have charges a fuel surcharge which will surely go up as gas prices go up.
CL Community Team
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 17,331
Likes: 210
From: Miami, Florida
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 7,864
Likes: 0
From: Massachusetts
The one thing I can tell you about increasing gas prices that I haven't thought about before is it will actually affect everything in my life. At first I was just thinking about the car, but since everything is shipped to my state, increasing gas prices has already affected every consumer product. As gas prices go up, everything we buy here goes up a little as well. Since it affects everything, the total impact is thousands more per year. Right after Katrina there were business that stopped doing deliveries to homes and you had to pick the products up. Places raised their prices because their own shipping cost went up. Air fair went up. Even the new Super Ferry we have charges a fuel surcharge which will surely go up as gas prices go up.
We need a practical alternative NOW!
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 94,410
Likes: 249
From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs