What's up with Diesel prices? - Page 4 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

vstech · #46 09-21-2007, 12:18 PM

the ONLY way to get the gas companies to lower the prices is to stop using the fuel.
if 20% of us could just get away from the fuel purchasing, it would help. then again, if gas production ceased altogether, revamping would be pricey... there is no easy way to get the prices down. the barrel is up due to higher and higher demand for fuel. the fuel prices go up due to higher prices of the barrel and willingness to pay for the fuel. inadequate refineries available to produce a HIGH volume of fuel results in higher demand for available fuel. more production would lower profits, so all the above keeps the price high and stable... $$$$$ sorry if we don't have it...

#47 09-21-2007, 12:19 PM

I don't see much "rationing," because consumption hasn't changed much. I also don't see any shortage of brand new hummers on the road. If the intent is to reduce consumption, the price will have to get much higher.

aklim · #48 09-21-2007, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by junqueyardjim

I think that is pretty obvious. The Oil companies are making obscene profits, and Uncle Sam is just standing by with a big ***** eating grin on his face. The week before Labor Day gasoline in Central Indiana gas was about $2.70. Then on Tuesday before Labor Day, over night prices rose to about $3.05. They did not come down quite so fast, but all did come down the week following Labor Day and about all over it is again $2.70. Diesel has remained pretty steady at just about or a little above $3.05 at the diesel car pumps. We all have pretty bad short term memory on this stuff, but 4th of July and Memorial day was the same thing.

The Oil Companies are always crying "shortage". There is no shortage. If there is a shortage, you have people lined up at the pumps. Have you seen any lines at the pump. Have you seen station Driveways blocked with a sign saying, "Sorry, out of gas" It's all BS and they are ripping are heads off at the same time. It would be wonderful if we could find a way to even the score. Short of not using the rotten stuff, I sure don't see how.

How do you define obscene profits?

How are you defining shortage? Shortage doesn't have to mean that there isn't another drop is sight.

aklim · #49 09-21-2007, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig

I don't see much "rationing," because consumption hasn't changed much. I also don't see any shortage of brand new hummers on the road.

If the intent is to reduce consumption, the price will have to get much higher.

What do you expect to see in "rationing"? There are different degrees, I would think. Just like a diet can range all the way from not eating that sundae 2 times a week to almost nothing, I may take 5 vacations this year when last year I took 10.

You sure nothing else will be affected by raising the price besides consumption?

#50 09-21-2007, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

What do you expect to see in "rationing"? There are different degrees, I would think. Just like a diet can range all the way from not eating that sundae 2 times a week to almost nothing, I may take 5 vacations this year when last year I took 10.

You sure nothing else will be affected by raising the price besides consumption?

From the media reports I've seen, overall gasoline consumption changes very little when prices go up. I'm sure it has a big effect on some folks, but it must not be enough to change to totals. I'm sure a large increase in prices will have adverse effects. I think the prices will just continue to creep up faster than the rest of the world until the are similar.

csp97 · #51 09-21-2007, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig

I don't see much "rationing," because consumption hasn't changed much. I also don't see any shortage of brand new hummers on the road. If the intent is to reduce consumption, the price will have to get much higher.

This is not true. You’re only looking at the US, which you’re correct in saying is continuing to use more energy every year. Check out the following link from the DOE.

www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/ipsr/t11d.xls

World oil production has been declining since May 2005. There are 1.5 million barrels per day less oil being produced/consumed as of June '07 versus two years ago. Why this is not on the front page of every paper I don’t understand. Two years of declining oil production in the face of record prices says to me something is very, very wrong.

The rationing is happening. It’s happening to some poor schmuck in the third world who can’t pay what an American can for energy. Once we finish outbidding the third world, we'll bid against each other to see who gets "rationed".

#52 09-21-2007, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by csp97

This is not true. You’re only looking at the US, which you’re correct in saying is continuing to use more energy every year. Check out the following link from the DOE.

Yes, I was referring to the U.S. consumption v. U.S. energy prices. My only point was that U.S. consumption is pretty insensitive to price (for all types of energy, not just road fuels).

lietuviai · #53 09-21-2007, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

Why? You the consumer told them what you wanted to buy and you blame them for granting your wish? You expect them to sell something that you won't buy?

How can you buy something not offered. I look for US made products but they're scarce. It's by not being given the choice that everything is made in china. The only thing I won't buy is an American car. I'm a consumer that's not listened to.
These merchants are laughing their way to the bank.

sd300td · #54 09-21-2007, 07:36 PM

$3.09 in San Diego. It's actually at its lowest in the last 3-4 months. I was paying $3.25 a gallon one month ago.

aklim · #55 09-21-2007, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lietuviai

How can you buy something not offered. I look for US made products but they're scarce. It's by not being given the choice that everything is made in china. The only thing I won't buy is an American car. I'm a consumer that's not listened to.
These merchants are laughing their way to the bank.

Well, they started selling US made stuff. If Chinese stuff doesn't sell and someone offers US stuff and it sells, you don't think they will switch? Remember a little while ago we talked about circuit city changing to a Best Buy format? Why? Because they saw BB doing it and it works. Most people only shop on the price tag. Is it a good idea when you actually pay for 3 hammers that cost $4 instead of an $8 one? No. People still do it. Look at Sears. Why did they introduce the Companion line of tools? They have the Craftsman tools. They saw the Chinese stuff eating into their Craftsman stuff profit.

#56 09-21-2007, 08:46 PM

Just wondering how you folks define "U.S. stuff" and "Chinese stuff"? Is it based on where it's physically assembled, where the components come from, who owns the company?

How would you define something designed in the U.S by a company with U.S. stockholders (like your 401k, maybe), with the component parts make all over the world (including china), maybe assembled in Indonesia, then packaged and drop shipped to you from New Jersey? How about something designed and built in the U.S. by a company that is owned by a Japanese parent?

For example, Westinghouse Nuclear (based in PA but owned by Toshiba at the moment) is selling several billion dollars worth of nuclear power stations to China. The design is american, that actual components will be provided from all over the world, the local construction will be performed by Chinese workers under some sub-contrator (from someplace). The plants will be operated by the Chinese, but plenty of folks in PA will stay busy supporting them for the next few decades. How would you classify that one?

The point is, it is becoming meaningless to talk about U.S. products.

lietuviai · #57 09-21-2007, 09:15 PM

I'd rather pay slightly more for one good item once than pay less and have to replace that item that in the long run ends up costing more.
As a regular consumer, I don't see myself buying a powerplant any time soon.

#58 09-21-2007, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lietuviai

I'd rather pay slightly more for one good item once than pay less and have to replace that item that in the long run ends up costing more.

So would I, but that preference is independent of the country in which it is made. If you look at the dash switches of a ML350 (assembled in the U.S.) you will find that component is made in China. Does that automatically make it substandard.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lietuviai

As a regular consumer, I don't see myself buying a powerplant any time soon.

Probably not, but you will probably buy stuff from the industries that support that power plant. You may own stock in a company that will either make or lose money on that deal.

My point is that it's all connected. It might have meant something to talk about american products 30 years ago, but now it's meaningless.

aklim · #59 09-21-2007, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lietuviai

I'd rather pay slightly more for one good item once than pay less and have to replace that item that in the long run ends up costing more.

Yes, but is that how the average consumer thinks? I think not.

#60 09-21-2007, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LUVMBDiesels

Prices have gone up 30 cents to $2.93 since last week at the stations I go to in NJ!

Prices in NY are back over 3 bucks a gallon and I mean like $3.15~3.25!

Meanwhile GAS is down to $2.43 in NJ and $2.82 in NY

I mean what gives here? I am now driving the BMW more and parking the Benz

Gonna start making bioD if the prices get any higher.

nothing wrong with driving a beemer. I think diesel is high because jeep came out with a diesel and others are thinking about it. and the US government (big oil) doesn't like that because a gasser uses more oil.
so they jack the price of diesel up. to discourage buying one. simple.
your government does that kind of stuff. and the best thing about it is, no matter what you vote, they will do it anyway. the big oil bosses aren't democratic