$50 a day for gas?

I'm not one bit surprised that person is dumping $50.00/day into the tank of his H2. He could probably afford $150.00/day.

I noticed something: that Hummer H2, which already gets terrible gas mileage, is running a lift kit; heavy, 20" or 22" rims, and oversized, all-terrain tires. I wonder if he's seen a single inch of a dirt trail? The dirtiest that thing gets is probably when he goes driving on his friend's lawn to park at a social function.

Hummer H2: ~$55,000.00
Fabtech 6" Lift Kit: $2,549.65
20" Aluminum Rims: $1,200.00
Oversized tires: $1,100.00
Paying $59849.65 for the H2 and spending $1500/month in gas to look cool: Priceless.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(FloridaWen @ May 10 2007, 09:23 AM) [snapback]439046[/snapback]</div>

Anybody who can afford a new car every single year won't be affected by a slight rise in gas prices. Given the depreciation of driving a car off the lot every 12 months, spending $1/gal or $5/gal would make very little difference, even at 18K miles/year.

As for the unfilled FAE positions, I think that's more of an issue of a tightening job market, and people don't want to be away from the house/office that much, regardless of how much compensation they get for driving. (BTW, the cents/mile figure you quote comes from the standard IRS reimbursement rate, although companies can deviate from that for employee compensation, it's not a Florida thing).

 

About $100 a month gets me back and forth, 45 miles each way, 5 days a week. 450-500 miles a week.

 

Ok, so I took the challenge, and created an ad for this important cause. This is pro bono work, so please pardon the roughness of the design.

[attachmentid=7950]

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Charles Suitt @ May 10 2007, 11:32 AM) [snapback]439167[/snapback]</div>

We don't need price controls, we need rationing of supplies, like they did in WWII. Give everybody with an office job 1 gallon a day. If they need more, they buy the ration card from others at whatever price the market will bear.

Reducing taxes is the wrong way to go, what they need to do is raise taxes if the price gets below something like $2.50/gal, then people won't be so sensitive to rises (if you take out the valleys). This will provide something more reliable to plan on, and people will buy more appropriate vehicles or figure out how to commute less. I used to use 46 gallons/month in my old job with my old car. I purposefully looked for a good job not far away, and then I bought the Prius, so I went to about 12 gallons/month. And now I'm biking so it's dropping significantly. Reducing consumption is the ONLY way to insulate yourself from rising prices due to a tightening of supply. Anything else is not based on economic principles.

Sorry if I'm on a soap box, but I've read about peak oil for too many years now to think we'll "get out of this" by somehow making gas cheaper. The era of cheap oil is over. The sooner you accept it, the sooner you can take steps to control your future.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Soylent @ May 10 2007, 07:52 AM) [snapback]439075[/snapback]</div>

Not to be all high and mighty, but I can think of lots of reasons why somebody might need a supersize SUV: work requirements, soccer team hauling, towing, whatever. I can't think of ANY way to justify driving a Hummer. The sherriff dept has at least one, with the big chrome wheels, etc. I saw them cruising the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds a couple of weeks ago. A small sign said "Vehicle donated by.....some dealer". Still what's tha point of a Hummer, except to be noticed for wretched excess? Including the sherriff's dept.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ichabod @ May 10 2007, 03:42 PM) [snapback]439395[/snapback]</div>

:lol: Love it! I should tack this poster on the window of every gas station around here

 

Is Ken and his Hummer the only one paying this amount and getting poor milage to make the front page (with a picture!) of a newspaper in New Jersey?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(nerfer @ May 10 2007, 03:33 PM) [snapback]439382[/snapback]</div>

Yes, I think the "Federal" standard is like 45 cents per mile now.... but the "Florida thing" I wrote about is a TRUE price that I am being offered when Agencies call me to fill Field Service positions. Obviously way sub-standard than Federal guidelines, but they keep on offering the low price of 32, 35, maybe (if you're lucky) 40 cents per mile. The latest thing that has happened, is a guy looking for a Tech. offered to pay for the gas (full price) and then give a reimbursement of $100 per month on wear and tear of the vehicle. At first it sounded "good", "fair" but when he told me I would be driving to sites 2 - 3 hours away it just turned me off. Now if you really do the math that $100 per month is $5 per day provided I don't do any weekend calls. Let's say I drive 200 miles a day, that means 25 cents per mile "wear and tear" compensation and then if costs me 15 cents per mile for the gas (20 MPG) the "real total" is still around 40 cents...............

Did I forget to mention the WIFE will be driving the Prius !! I drive the '04 CR-V EX !!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ozyran @ May 10 2007, 02:58 PM) [snapback]439417[/snapback]</div>

I can hear the radio spots now:

(Cue sad music)
Sally Field, with a serious voice: Charles "Chip" Worthington III should be leading a normal life. But he's not. He... (voice gets all weepy now) drives a Hummer. Chip has to spend as much as fifty dollars a day on gasoline. He can't do it without your help. Save The Hummers helps people like Chip through your generous donations. A small contribution of $1000 will pay for his daily commute for one month. $1500 will allow him to drive on weekends, too. Please give... for Chip. And his children.

 

Let's all "chip" in some money to buy air time and get that on the radio!

I'm pretty happy with the logo I came up with, but more pleased with "can anyone afford the luxury they require?" Maybe we can use that as a nice tagline that can go on bumper stickers and t-shirts:

<div align="center">Save The Hummers
Giving Hummer owners the luxury they so desparately need.</div>

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(subarutoo @ May 10 2007, 03:47 PM) [snapback]439404[/snapback]</div>

There is some justification, but it's very limited. Hummers do excel in transporting a small group of people in extremely rugged terrain. The way the front tires are very close to the front end make it possible for a Hummer to go up and over a lot of obstacles that would damage the front sheetmetal of vehicles with much more conventional styling. Unfortunately, very few Hummers ever see that kind of duty in the civilian world.

I suspect that Hummer popularity has more to do with 'conspicuous consumption' for the masses than anything else. Consider that a Hummer purchase is probably at the same time both the most ostentatious and cheapest way possible to show-off one's 'wealth' and cavalier attitude about throwing away money on a brand-new version of one of the most inefficient vehicles currently produced. Short of driving around in a Rolls-Royce, I can't think of any other vehicle that makes as much of that kind of a statement, all for the low, low price of between $30 to $60k. Compared to Rolls-Royce prices, Hummer ownership is a genuine bargain.

BTW, I can't wait for 2009 when the V8-powered Hummer H3 makes its appearance. Up until then, all H3s will still be powered by a 'gas-sipping' five-cylinder engine. Oh, the humanity...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ozyran @ May 10 2007, 02:58 PM) [snapback]439417[/snapback]</div>

The spot needs to be done by Sally Struthers (Gloria on All in the Family) not Sally Field (The Flying Nun).

Seriously, no sympathy for his $50/day addiction. He chose the vehicle. He knew the consequences.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(rudiger @ May 10 2007, 05:45 PM) [snapback]439493[/snapback]</div>

You mean the Hummer H2? Check out the video and let me know how it fared :lol:

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(rudiger @ May 10 2007, 05:45 PM) [snapback]439493[/snapback]</div>

Yup, had a Colorado with the exact same 3.5L inline-5 as the H3 - it managed a meager 13.5mpg in city driving. I hate to say it, but I bet the H3 will actually get better gas mileage with the 5.3L V8 than it will with the new 3.7L I5 simply because the inline-5 just doesn't make the power to move a 4,700 lb Hummer H3. Heck, the 3.5L inline-5 barely made enough power to move the 4,000 lb Colorado! (and since when does a mostly plastic pickup truck weigh in at 4,000 lbs? Curb weight on my dad's 1971 Chrysler Newport had a 4,000 lb curb weight!)

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JimN @ May 10 2007, 08:33 PM) [snapback]439576[/snapback]</div>

I agree. He also probably knew when he installed his lift kit, heavy tires, and all-terrains that his gas mileage didn't matter anyways. I imagine his H2's gas mileage somewhere in the 6-7mpg range.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer @ May 10 2007, 06:49 PM) [snapback]439614[/snapback]</div>

Thanks for doing the math, Tony. I was wondering when he'd be able to pay back the Hummer Premium in wasted fuel.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer @ May 10 2007, 09:49 PM) [snapback]439614[/snapback]</div>

:lol:

Maybe this is why they don't do ROI on non-hybrids, eh? I mean, seriously, it is pretty silly that the hybrids seem to be the only ones to get picked on for ROI to begin with.

 

I'm pretty sick of the ROI talk with hybrids, or even EVs. I think the proper way to think about it is the math that Tony presented:

How much extra will it cost you for the "luxury" of burning gasoline at an accelerated rate? Are you willing to pay extra every day for the benefit of a few extra horsepower? The whole way of talking about it needs to be reversed since it's really a premium to be using so much gas.