OPEC Gives in!....Well sort of...

[NoBoundaries]

I think OPEC had it planned for a while as well. Foreign nations know that America loves big engines, and there latest passion? Thirsty SUV's. Let's think.... When did SUV's sales peak? When gas prices were at their lowest. I wonder why gas prices were so low. Maybe to drive up SUV sales, which is exactly what happen. Now, it seems as though almost every driveway in America has a thirsty SUV. WOW! This seems like a great oppurtunity to make a buck, uh? WHat do you think. How about if supplies were cut, sending prices way up. Gee, I wonder if somebody's pockets are getting big right now. I think they had this planned for a while, and I have actually been telling people this theory of mine since the gas prices reached there lowest. OPEC had been trying to unite for a long time. People thought it was great that gas prices were so low, but in the back of my head I know who was going to get the last laugh. The gas hike was no surprise and there were a lot of other people who knew it would happen, and at least could forsee something like this happening. It's my opinion however, that OPEC will not get the last laugh. They cut supplies too much, and now people are mad and scared. They don't want to rely on gas anymore. Now the automotive industry sees a nitch to make a buck, fuel economic vehicles. I don't think it is a coincident that Honda came out with their 70 mpg car, they saw what was going to happen. Now the Auto industry is going step up with new technology, like we have talked about. You'll see more of it, and you'll se more Americans looking at the MPG on the sticker in the window of their next new car before they check the price. They are doing it already, that's the reason SUV sales have declined dramatically since prices in gas went up. It's not that they can't afford a big SUV, it's that they have severe reservations about the oil industry and the money they will have to pay after they by it. Just my 2 cents.

------------------
Tim Y.
1996 Explorer XLT
4.0L OHV 4x4

 

[Peter Weber]

I agree with all of you that alternate fuels are needed. For a number of reasons, the most compelling being that without a doubt we will eventually run out of oil. Research in all the others mentioned here has been going on and will continue. And probably there are some being developed that the general public doesn't know about.
But let's face it, the reason why we still are and continue to use gasoline to propel our vehicles is simply that it still is the most economic and convenient way. As Ryan said, his Dad had a fleet of trucks back in the 70's that ran on CNG. How come it never really caught on? There is other technology available now, but as long as it costs more, the public will not accept it. I'm not talking of a gallon of whatever. I mean total cost.
Electric cars? Great, but who is going to put up with with a range of 50 miles. When GM came out with their electric car a few years ago, the city of LA bought a bunch of these (5% of the total fleet seems to stick in my mind, maybe it was 2000, but I'm not sure) and mandated that public parking lots have to supply refueling stations (read eletric plugs). The program has been cancelled, but when I was at a shopping mall earlier this week, I noticed that the 3 rows closest to the mall entrance each had the first 2 spaces reserved for electric vehicles with posts and plugs to recharge. That of course isn't free, you got to feed a meter.
As I said, the program has been cancelled, the few cars private citizens bought, have been bought back by GM (or at least they offered to buy them back) but we have hundreds (if not thousands) reserved parking spaces for these non-existing vehicles. Well, there might be a half dozen around.
One of the first ones was bought right here in my city by a United Airline employee. He thought he would do his share to help relieve us from being dependent on oil. Now, it's about 40-45 miles to were he works (LAX). The first day he had his new pride and joy (which didn't have any trunk space, because that was taken up by batteries), he got about 2/3 of the way to work and his car quit. The batteries were dead. Instead of the advertised 70-100 miles on a charge, he got 30. Not miles per gallon, total range before requiring a 'refill'. Even at hundred miles, it takes 12 hours to completely recharge one of these things. Drive 100 miles, stop for 12 hours. No thank you. And the new Honda hybrid (electric and gasoline). Yes, range is greater, but I bet you it can't keep up with highway speeds on the first uphill grade.
Ethanol? As Godfather stated, we would create a whole new class of millionaires. Do you think we Americans are less greedy than people in other countries. Some of the greatest fortunes in this country (before the information age and the internet) were created by oil earlier in this century. Ethonal was tried as an additive back in the 80's. Result, the gas/ethanol mix was more expensive, gas mileage wasn't really any better and meat prices went up. Since corn prices went up, it cost more to feed cattle, chickens and pigs.
As I have stated in other posts, my thing is not necessarily 4wheeling for the sake of 4wheeling. I do enjoy doing it at times (in moderation), but I'm not hardcore. I like getting into the backcountry, enjoying and photographing the scenery and as such I'm very much concerned about the impact the automible has on the environment. But folks, there is no simple solution and there ain't anything better yet.
Well, I guess that was my rant. Hope you'll excuse me.

------------------
Peter
'99 Sport 4wd SOHC

 

[Turner55]

i think the US has a problem: we depend too much on foreign countries, especially in oil. it's dangerous for us to be so dependent...they could cut the supply off and we'd be screwed. We really cant do anything about it but something needs to be done, such as another fuel source. i dont like the sounds of propane or electric cars...i just think of my barbecue grill when i think of propane and i think of batteries when i think of electric, which dont have much power. i dont know what to do, but something needs to be done. and by the way...i've never seen even high test for $2.25 before.

 

[Stephen]

I agree with ya Peter. Until something can be found that offers the convenience, low price, and perfromance of Gasoline, OPEC slaves we'll remain.

PS- Hey Turner missed your post. Welcome to the site. As for the $2.25 High test it blew me away too. Its just in downtown Potomac (VERY expensive), elsewhere high test runs about $1.90.

------------------
Stephen Withrow
StephenLS400@aol.com
------------------
97 Explorer Limited 4X4 SOHC V6
98 Lexus LS400

[This message has been edited by Stephen (edited 03-29-2000).]

 

[Stephen]

I agree with you guys, we are a complaining society. Also true, compared to other nations we have it made in terms of gas prices.

rusty, I know, I can't believe I'm paying over $2.00 for high test. I don't put that in the Explorer, but my car requires it.

It really doesn't bother me per say. Like you Tim, I'm not happy about it, but I try not to worry about things a I can't control, and this is something we CAN'T control. This Gas-out people are talking about makes no sense. Think about it, okay so say no one in the US buys gas on the 9th (impossible I know), there will be a RUN on gas on the 8th and the 10th, so Matt's right, the prices would probably go up. Unfortunately there are some misguided individuals still think our $0.90 gas last summer was because of their little gas out...

------------------
Stephen Withrow
StephenLS400@aol.com
------------------
97 Explorer Limited 4X4 SOHC V6
98 Lexus LS400

 

[cherylj]

I agree - we are slaves to OPEC and we definitely can't complain about it. We make the choices of the vehicles we drive and if we have to pay more to feed them we just have to accept that. Alternative fuel sources are the future and I hope I'm around to see them.

I was accosted in a parking lot last week by a woman who climbed out of her "speck" and started screaming at me about how I could drive something that large and use that much fuel, I was supporting OPEC, and on and on. After I got over my initial shock, I calmly told it was a personal choice, just as she had chosen her vehicle and went on my way. It was a little much for pre-caffeine 7 a.m. or I might have discussed it further with her. I was just glad I wasn't driving our other truck - an F-350 Super Duty crew cab long box Power Stroke Diesel! (Which gets 16+ miles to the gallon, by the way!)

------------------
Rick & Cheryl J.
'94 XLT 4x4
Custom 2" lift, Rancho 5000s
Borla exhaust, over-size sway bars
More to come!

 

[Stephen]

No one has ever yelled at me about supporting OPEC, but I do have a rather funny story. I stopped for gas the other night on my way home from work. My car has HID Xenon headlamps. While I was pumping my gas and cleaning my windshield, I noticed the elderly woman at the pump beside me looking at the front of my car. She says You know, those fancy blue lights are very dangerous. I said Are they? They never bother me. She then droned on about how young people like me (God I'll be 58 next week) go and buy things that have no purpose (at least to her) other than to annoy older drivers such as herself. I then politely reminded her of what annoys me most, older drivers that drive 10mph less than the speed limit. After that she kinda scoffed and got in her car to drive away. As I got into my car she swung around to go to the exit behind me. As she drove past, I was blinded by her misadjusted headlights (Irony, ain't it great) but I was able to tell as she drove by, she flicked me off. 75 year old women flicking people off at gas stations, amazing Dead Link Removed One day she'll flick the wrong person off and it'll be curtains for the complainer.

------------------
Stephen Withrow
StephenLS400@aol.com
------------------
97 Explorer Limited 4X4 SOHC V6
98 Lexus LS400