As much as I love driving my Audi, but this is ridiculous!

[80sGuy]

This is just too frickin' ridiculous. I know some of us are pinching already and others are being thrifty at all times by going with lower octanes, but what does this make us?
http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/04/23...ces/index.html
The worst is yet to come....

[gyroscope]

It used to cost me $100 a fill up when I had my old company vehicle (Hummer H2). And that was when gas was $3.69 a gallon. Whats worse now is that the ethanol crap they pollute the gas with is causing a world food shortage.

[Blackpaw]

I agree, I am so glad I am up in Idaho now where the gas is about 60 cents cheaper than where I live in the Bay Area.

[Groove1797]

15 gal * .20 = 3 bucks

No reason to be cheap... just lay off the boost which I can't do.

[HeymyAudi]

Well I have started to take the Train 3 out of 5 days a week inorder to save fuel...

[acbrooks2]

It is getting beyond a joke! I remember buying gas 7 years ago for $0.99 a gallon! Thanks Mr Bush!

[jahciple]

i started to carpool with two other people that live and work near me, so that helps me alot and plus no more traffic for me. diamond lane ftw.

[Kevin2772]

It is getting beyond a joke! I remember buying gas 7 years ago for $0.99 a gallon! Thanks Mr Bush!

I think you have the monopoly of OPEC to thank for that. Maybe if the tree huggers dropped the issues we could shoot a few polar bears and Moose and just drill in Alaska.... I dont really see them minding a few oil derricks....

[acbrooks2]

I think you have the monopoly of OPEC to thank for that. Maybe if the tree huggers dropped the issues we could shoot a few polar bears and Moose and just drill in Alaska.... I dont really see them minding a few oil derricks....

I tend to agree!! But Bush is still a twat!

[4RingRook]

It's a joke, but its not funny; its pathetic.

[Louis J.]

You guys have nothing to complain about. Gas prices in the US are grossly subsidized and most of the developed world pays well above $4/gal already. In most European countries, gas is over $8/gal. Yesterday I filled up with 94 at $1.39/liter in Vancouver, BC...it cost me $90 CAN to fill up from a nearly dry tank. That's about $5.25/gal. Be happy that you bought an efficient car.

[nuctech]

X2

[manhertm]

You guys have nothing to complain about. Gas prices in the US are grossly subsidized and most of the developed world pays well above $4/gal already. In most European countries, gas is over $8/gal. Yesterday I filled up with 94 at $1.39/liter in Vancouver, BC...it cost me $90 CAN to fill up from a nearly dry tank. That's about $5.25/gal. Be happy that you bought an efficient car.

It has nothing to do with our price compared to theirs. Europeans have had high gas prices forever and are used to it. North American gas prices have jumped over 20% since the start of the year and over 100% in the last few years. I agree with gyroscope, their pushing this retarded E85 bull and it making food prices skyrocket all over the world and now it starting to affect our own food prices. Refineries are a problem, but Dubya's solutions are worse.

[Ballzo]

All I say is I'm glad I didn't buy the S4 when prices are so high.

[bcramer]

There is a very important aspect that people always seem to forget about. As the government is bailing out all the stupid mortgage companies and people who bought a house they could never really afford it is causing inflation to sky rocket. Therefore we are paying mroe for gas because its prices are controlled by the global market. So, as the Fed. tries to control our economy to keep it from crashing within in our own borders they are throwing us down the drain in the global economy.

The government needs to let businesses make their mistakes and go bankrupt, not bail them out. Stop protecting people from themselves.

Also, it doesn't help that the media pushes fuels that are not sustainable and cause the public to go into a frenzy with the way they talk about recessions, gas prices, etc.

p.s. Agreements like NAFTA don't help either...neither does giving people $300.00 (By the way, it cost the government 47 million dollars to mail out those stupid notifications everyone got about if/when they will get their check. That's a useful expenditure...)

[TSlice]

The Fed is simply trying to keep a recession from turning into a depression. It's really a lesser of two evils situation.

[manhertm]

The Fed is simply trying to keep a recession from turning into a depression. It's really a lesser of two evils situation.

The Fed should have never lowered interest rates as much as they did. They were trying to keep us out of a recession, but they fucked up and now they're trying to keep us out of a depression. If they would have stop short of cutting the Fed Funds rate so much (which is amazing because banks aren't passing it on)we would have been fine and they would still have some cushion to use the rate cut later. People were starting to realize the economy would be in a light recession anyway and regain some common sense about their finances. Instead they feed us this spend , spend , spend bullshit with financial advice that doesn't benefit the average consumer anyway. When was the last time you heard saving you money as a legit way of living, instead its "keep a good credit score." You have to use credit to get, how fucked up is that? If I'm debt free, I have a lower credit score than the idiot with 5 credit cards with revolving debt.

[TSlice]

Everyone's a Monday morning quarterback, you want Bernanke's job?

[manhertm]

Everyone's a Monday morning quarterback, you want Bernanke's job?

No I want the president's job, I'm getting A's in college.

[TSlice]

Haha, I see you're from TX, are you at school there? I'm at Baylor in Waco...

[Sharkfin]

I am paying 3.77 a gallon right now in NC and I thought that was high, but I guess not. I can't complain about the price of gas because I could easily not put any money into my car (mods) and use it for gas. Also, when Europe is paying over 8 a gallon we shouldn't be bitching. But the government and economy as a whole need to ditch ethanol (not the long term solution) and battery power (hard to recycle the batteries and you only save if you have the car for about 120k miles) and need to go for electric and other sources that combine with gas.

[bcramer]

I'm really tired of everyone comparing our fuel prices to those of Europe. Yes they are more than ours. However, Europe has a phenomenally better infrastructure for mass transit. Also, as a whole, Europe is not as much of a live one place and work another like we are in the United States.

Europe doesn't have the crude oil that we do here in the U.S.

I just feel like we are comparing apples to oranges when people do this.

[Quattro]

A person making $9 an hour needs to work nearly seven hours just to pay for 15 gallons at $4 a gallon, according to CNN.com's gas calculator. is the bad reality

I agree with manhertm, in regards to OPEC, etc. As well as trying to get out of recession, someone has to pay for it and its us. I learned just to fill up and not look no more, gas is crazy but what can you do?

I rather have a recession than a depression, because if people are correct about the next depression and how much worse it will be, hmmmmm!!!

but on a lighter note, people would part out there cars if we go into depression!! I call dibs haha

[80sGuy]

That's right, European countries don't have to deal with other hikes such as the 10 different or so unnecessary taxes/fees that are attached to our monthly home phone bill, cell phone bill, electric bill, water bill, etc, etc.. Heck we even have to pay in so many ways just to maintain a car to its 'current' status, ie; dmv registration, tags, insurance, permit to park on certain places for some, etc. etc, etc..so we don't dig ourselves a bigger hole, in addition; when we drive, let's hope we don't make the little mistake(s) that can further lead to traffic violations (citation) -another type of revenue for the city and more to pay for the insurance companies...also, let's hope we don't wind up back into dmv for more.

So yeah, I don't mind paying more for gas per the liter, so long as I am not paying more for anything else.

[Noffy]

You guys have nothing to complain about. Gas prices in the US are grossly subsidized and most of the developed world pays well above $4/gal already. In most European countries, gas is over $8/gal. Yesterday I filled up with 94 at $1.39/liter in Vancouver, BC...it cost me $90 CAN to fill up from a nearly dry tank. That's about $5.25/gal. Be happy that you bought an efficient car.

they have much much much more options for public transportation. I live in a major US city and I have to drive to go to work. I would be ahppy with 6-$8
if I could take the train to and from work everyday. Then just drive for fun on the weeks. Plus in europe the average distance you have to drive is much much less. driving all the way accross germany is basically going from one major city to the next nearest major city here in the western part of the states.

In addition most of our consumables are transported by truck, not by train as they are in europe. There are reasons why their gas is more expensive, for one they are no nearly as subsudized because they don't have to depend on it. I am pretty much a tree hugger but would consider harvesting OIL from wild areas in alaska but before then why don't our vehicles get much much better MPG. In the 80s we had vehicles that were getting 40 mpg, now even our hybrids can't seem to attain that level. I do beleave that the conservatives (bush) and the lobbyists that support them have everything to do with this.

[mal100]

I'm really tired of everyone comparing our fuel prices to those of Europe. Yes they are more than ours. However, Europe has a phenomenally better infrastructure for mass transit. Also, as a whole, Europe is not as much of a live one place and work another like we are in the United States.

Europe doesn't have the crude oil that we do here in the U.S.

I just feel like we are comparing apples to oranges when people do this.

im gonna have to agree with you on this one when i was in italy last summer i arrived at the airport in rome and took a train right from there to florence then i walked right into the main part of town and when i left i walked back and took a train to my next destination there infrastructure is great there and its not just with the major cities either

[Louis J.]

LOL. Okay, I'm bowing out of this one. I guess the topic of "high" gas prices brings out the couch economist in quite a few of us. I hear the CNBC reteric every day and I don't think those common ideas need to get regergitated in a car forum, do they?

[Louis J.]

manhrtm: Be glad that we got a free ride for as long as we did. Now is payback time.

Noffy: I agree with you about infrastucture and logistics but who's fault is suburbia? Read the above.

[INTEGRATION]

You know what would fix EVERYTHING? Less stupid people.

Let's start from the original source:
- Less stupid lenders giving out retarded loans for retarded reasons.
- Less stupid people getting retarded loans that they can't pay off.
- This would solve the global credit crisis (mainly US and Europe)
- This would also prevent the bond market from tanking in Q2 last year
- Without bonds tanking in Q2 last year the dollar would retain its value in Forex
- Therefore with a high-valued dollar relative to other currencies in Forex would stabilize the prices of gas (relative to what is happening now)
- Why? Because OPEC (is a cartel) doesn't like to increase supply in order to keep prices high due to a high demand.
- So if the dollar was still worth its value in Q1 of 2007, we would see a significantly lower gain in the price of oil (relative to gas) from last year up until today.

Argue against my point if you want but you know that less stupid people will fix many things!

[Tiesto]

That's right, European countries don't have to deal with other hikes such as the 10 different or so unnecessary taxes/fees that are attached to our monthly home phone bill, cell phone bill, electric bill, water bill, etc, etc.. Heck we even have to pay in so many ways just to maintain a car to its 'current' status, ie; dmv registration, tags, insurance, permit to park on certain places for some, etc. etc, etc..so we don't dig ourselves a bigger hole, in addition; when we drive, let's hope we don't make the little mistake(s) that can further lead to traffic violations (citation) -another type of revenue for the city and more to pay for the insurance companies...also, let's hope we don't wind up back into dmv for more.

So yeah, I don't mind paying more for gas per the liter, so long as I am not paying more for anything else.

It isn't necessarry because the government has already taxed the shit out of your income before it even goes into your pocket. 40-60% of gross income is quite a nice chunk, and then there's the hefty tax bringing up the gas prices to $6+ a gallon not to mention nearly all merchandise costing a 1/3 more than we pay here in the States. Meanwhile cameras are on every city street in England monitoring everyone and don't worry about cops on the road beause the cameras will give you a ticket for speeding too! And don't get me started on the EU...

Yeah, we have it so bad over here.

[Samer305]

Keep in mind europe uses euros as well not dollars. Euro is worth more.

[TSlice]

Keep in mind europe uses euros as well not dollars. Euro is worth more.

Hahahahahaha

[80sGuy]

It isn't necessarry because the government has already taxed the shit out of your income before it even goes into your pocket. 40-60% of gross income is quite a nice chunk, and then there's the hefty tax bringing up the gas prices to $6+ a gallon not to mention nearly all merchandise costing a 1/3 more than we pay here in the States. Meanwhile cameras are on every city street in England monitoring everyone and don't worry about cops on the road beause the cameras will give you a ticket for speeding too! And don't get me started on the EU...

Yeah, we have it so bad over here.

So all of a sudden it's okay because other countries have it worst??? This doesn't mean that we should get as bad and be like anyone else just to be in a level playing field. Like you've mentioned, they taxed the sh!t out of us already from our income, but I'm not gonna get into that.

Some chick I meant from Sweden told me that they take a good chunk out of their paycheck every month, but when they need medical attention there, an ambulance will come and take them to the hospital and get treated w/o sending them a $1,500 bill afterwards...oh, and health care is not an issue either.

The cost of living here has risen so high it is bad enough like everything else and it's going to get a hell of a lot worst, and yet you're saying it ain't so bad over here...how do you figure???
I wonder who's paying your bill.

[80sGuy]

Keep in mind europe uses euros as well not dollars. Euro is worth more.

This is one of the reasons why that the cost of fuel is so high....plus everything else.

[KokujinTensai]

That is the main reason I sold my B7 S4. Petrol in Chicago is rediculous. Its like $4 for premium in the city. So 2.0T FTW, take the train to work and drive like a granny on the weekends.

[Blackpaw]

You guys have nothing to complain about. Gas prices in the US are grossly subsidized and most of the developed world pays well above $4/gal already. In most European countries, gas is over $8/gal. Yesterday I filled up with 94 at $1.39/liter in Vancouver, BC...it cost me $90 CAN to fill up from a nearly dry tank. That's about $5.25/gal. Be happy that you bought an efficient car.

This statement is not true. I saw a study about two years ago where they stripped taxes from all of the Western countries, i.e. Canada, Uk, France, Germany & etc, and the US was #-3 for the most expensive gas. Remember the other western countries gas is loaded taxes, that is why California's gasoline is more than other parts of the country. US consumer's gasoline is NOT subsidized! Shit I wish it was, we just don't have as many taxes in our gasoline, plus the US dollar's value is in the shitter.

[Sharkfin]

we all need to stop this bantering, no progress is being made but i guess its good to vent sometimes!

[Louis J.]

This statement is not true. I saw a study about two years ago where they stripped taxes from all of the Western countries, i.e. Canada, Uk, France, Germany & etc, and the US was #-3 for the most expensive gas. Remember the other western countries gas is loaded taxes, that is why California's gasoline is more than other parts of the country. US consumer's gasoline is NOT subsidized! Shit I wish it was, we just don't have as many taxes in our gasoline, plus the US dollar's value is in the shitter.

God, why do so many people talk out of their ass??? First of all, look at this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasoline_usage_and_pricing and please tell me again that the US is one of the most expensive parts of the world for fuel. Secondly, restrictions on taxes IS a form of subsidy, not to mention all the other deal making that goes on in the background that most people are oblivious to that results in cheap gas for the US.

There are many reasons why the US would want to subsidize gasoline and keep prices relatively low. One very basic reason is the fact that part of the massive US expansion over the past few decades has been driven by home ownership, requiring cheap and abundant real estate otherwise known as suburbia. That required massive buildout of infrastructure for cars since the US relied on the manufacturing of said cars as a major contributor to GDP. But to make the whole thing work, gas needs to be cheap enough to enable everybody to enjoy their Hummers while travelling 200mi to and from work every day. And I'm not going to even touch how everybody then started borrowing against the equity on their home to do renos and buy new cars because that's another story...though not really.

This is a very simplistic illustration of a very big and complex problem but it does highlight part of the trajectory toward "high fuel prices". Unfortunately, an artificially catalized economy can only last for so long before reality hits and people have to pay up. Economics 101, lesson 1: There is no such thing as a free lunch.

[INTEGRATION]

God, why do so many people talk out of their ass??? First of all, look at this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasoline_usage_and_pricing and please tell me again that the US is one of the most expensive parts of the world for fuel. Secondly, restrictions on taxes IS a form of subsidy, not to mention all the other deal making that goes on in the background that most people are oblivious to that results in cheap gas for the US.

There are many reasons why the US would want to subsidize gasoline and keep prices relatively low. One very basic reason is the fact that part of the massive US expansion over the past few decades has been driven by home ownership, requiring cheap and abundant real estate otherwise known as suburbia. That required massive buildout of infrastructure for cars since the US relied on the manufacturing of said cars as a major contributor to GDP. But to make the whole thing work, gas needs to be cheap enough to enable everybody to enjoy their Hummers while travelling 200mi to and from work every day. And I'm not going to even touch how everybody then started borrowing against the equity on their home to do renos and buy new cars because that's another story...though not really.

This is a very simplistic illustration of a very big and complex problem but it does highlight part of the trajectory toward "high fuel prices". Unfortunately, an artificially catalized economy can only last for so long before reality hits and people have to pay up. Economics 101, lesson 1: There is no such thing as a free lunch.

I still think my explanation is better. You know it's true too!

[bcramer]

I love it when people use Wikipedia as a source for valid information...lolz