B99 all time high of $3.49!!!!! - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

aklim · #16 11-07-2007, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dePlane

And to further add insult to injury. I live in New York, where u can't even buy a new non-commercial diesel anymore. This has caused the supply of diesel to slowly dry up. New Stations are being built w/o Diesel pumps and older equipped stations with diesel pumps are not even filling thier diesel tanks anymore. Eventually I'll have to start using Veggie oil or park my car or use kerosene or MOVE. The last option is looking better all the time.

Well, the problem is that diesel is almost a fringe fuel to begin with. Forget the trucks. Go look at the cars. How many diesels do you see? If you were a gas station, would you want to build a tank for diesel or sit on it for a long time? Probably not. At this point in my life, I'd use gas if I could. Not for my Powerstroke since it is a turbo diesel and I need it to haul my RV. If anything happened to the wife's car, her next one will be gas.

aklim · #17 11-07-2007, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dePlane

Not to beat a dead horse, but it is possible to spend less time filling up a WVO tank, than it is to fill up at Exxon or some such.

Besides if you've ever driven a WVO powered vehicle you'd know the shear exelleration you get everytime you step on the go pedal knowing it ain't costing you a dime. (sic; very little). I'm sold.

I thought you have to filter it?

Been there, done that. Didn't care for it especially during winter. Some guy was trying to sell me on the idea of WVO. Went with him on his "collection run", had to filter it then pump it and IIRC cut it with gas

to get it to work in the winter.

dePlane · #18 11-07-2007, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

True. However, sooner or later it will get scarce because biofuels are buying it up. Further to that, that $5000 now means I have less free time. Again, NILIF. Spend money or spend time. I'd rather spend the money to have free time.

One more point. (while I got me soapbox out). There is no Political backing at this point for the largescale production of waste vegatable oil into Biodiesel. All the clout is in Agriculture, soybeans and such. And just in case no one "nose" it the best crop to get vegatable oil from is algae. Or to be more precise I should say more oil can be pressed from algae per volume than any other oil producing plant. What we really need are giant algae farms.

patbob · #19 11-07-2007, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dePlane

And to further add insult to injury. I live in New York, where u can't even buy a new non-commercial diesel anymore. This has caused the supply of diesel to slowly dry up. New Stations are being built w/o Diesel pumps and older equipped stations with diesel pumps are not even filling thier diesel tanks anymore. Eventually I'll have to start using Veggie oil or park my car or use kerosene or MOVE. The last option is looking better all the time.

Have you considered the west coast? Washington & Oregon seems to be pretty good palces for diesel & biodiesel (& *VO) folks these days

dePlane · #20 11-07-2007, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

I thought you have to filter it?

Been there, done that. Didn't care for it especially during winter.

You do have to filter it with the older systems, or a basic conversion kit. But as with everything technology gets better everyday. I remember when my puter was so slow I could go get a cup of coffee while my spreadsheet updated.

The newest Hightech conversions have multistage filtering and de-watering built right in. Getting waste veggie fuel is as easy as pullling up behind my favorite restaurant. The kit sells for about 1800 add 600 or so for the install. With the amount of driving that I do, I figure it'll be money well spent. Do a search for VegPower or Greasecar they each sell similiar systems. And U can even get the same setup for your garage if you'd prefer to have more space in your trunk.

dePlane · #21 11-07-2007, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

Well, the problem is that diesel is almost a fringe fuel to begin with. Forget the trucks. Go look at the cars. How many diesels do you see? If you were a gas station, would you want to build a tank for diesel or sit on it for a long time? Probably not. At this point in my life, I'd use gas if I could. Not for my Powerstroke since it is a turbo diesel and I need it to haul my RV. If anything happened to the wife's car, her next one will be gas.

I don't fault the suppliers, i understand thier position.

It's the law makers I don't cotton to. They make knee jerk decisions without being well informed as to the alternatives.

aklim · #22 11-07-2007, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dePlane

One more point. (while I got me soapbox out). There is no Political backing at this point for the largescale production of waste vegatable oil into Biodiesel. All the clout is in Agriculture, soybeans and such.

And just in case no one "nose" it the best crop to get vegatable oil from is algae. Or to be more precise I should say more oil can be pressed from algae per volume than any other oil producing plant. What we really need are giant algae farms.

I know the town Oregon, WI has a plant that does use waste oil for that.

You best hope it remains unknown. Soon as politicians get wind of it, it will get FUBARed. Best let it grow slowly. We all know the best crop is algae. However, because there is more significant money in other crops, there is action there. Just like Ethanol. Is it bad? Sure. Soon as govt gets involved, it will get bad.

aklim · #23 11-07-2007, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dePlane

They make knee jerk decisions without being well informed as to the alternatives.

I disagree. They make decisions on where they get the most votes and not the best decisions. If it happens to be a good decision, so be it. If not, they got the votes. Screw you if you don't like it. Sucks to be you then. The way I see it, less govt involvement is better. Less chance of a screw up. Yes, the lure of govt involvement is that it gets things going way faster than if you let it grow naturally. However, getting things to go faster is only good if it is going in the right direction. If not, well......

TMAllison · #24 11-07-2007, 10:11 PM

I bought B99 this week for the first time in quite some time. Was $3.41 in San Jose.

D2 was $3.79 tonight on way home from work, a couple pennies more than than breakeven point to justify using B99 with its reduced mpg.

dePlane · #25 11-07-2007, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

I disagree. They make decisions on where they get the most votes and not the best decisions. If it happens to be a good decision, so be it. If not, they got the votes. Screw you if you don't like it. Sucks to be you then. The way I see it, less govt involvement is better. Less chance of a screw up. Yes, the lure of govt involvement is that it gets things going way faster than if you let it grow naturally. However, getting things to go faster is only good if it is going in the right direction. If not, well......

Actuallly, Aklim we are more in agreement than u might think. And yes I do agree the the Politicians make decisions that will get them more votes. But in the case of eliminating Diesels from NY I still think it was a knee jerk reactionary kind of special interest project tied to a poorly understood environmently problem. Eliminating non-consumer diesels does little or nothing to improve the air quality in NY or elsewhere. It is a drop in the bucket.

Therefore a kneejerk reation. It was not careful considered because it impacted few voters.

chetwesley · #26 11-07-2007, 10:43 PM

What do truckers do when they drive through NY???

vstech · #27 11-07-2007, 11:28 PM

http://www.gastongazette.com/onset?id=12290&template=article.html
our local school system is making their own bio for their busses from the cafateria greese... cool.

lietuviai · #28 11-07-2007, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patbob

Have you considered the west coast? Washington & Oregon seems to be pretty good palces for diesel & biodiesel (& *VO) folks these days

I've only seen one biodiesel outlet in Portland OR and its nowhere near where I live. I pass 5 stations that sell diesel on my way to work, all within a 2 miles of each other. The least expensive is $3.65 all the others are $3.69. You'd think there'd be some competition between them but they all seem to raise their prices the same amount. Lots of Power-smokes, Dura-crax and Cummins powered pick-ups running around, so the demand is there.

At these prices I don't see myself driving a diesel daily anytime soon. The diesel I currently have will certainly remain a hobby/recreational car, if I ever get it to move under its own power.

Hatterasguy · #29 11-08-2007, 12:05 AM

One more tank on the MB and then I will be paying $3.05 a gallon for regular, vs $3.45 for diesel! The Jetta is a little tin can compared to the SDL so it should get more fuel mileage.

aklim · #30 11-08-2007, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lietuviai

You'd think there'd be some competition between them but they all seem to raise their prices the same amount.

Check your area carefully. WI, in it's infinite wisdom

, has decided that a station HAS to mark up their fuel by a 3%. Add the fact that many pay by credit cards which charge 3-6% of the transaction and you will find it is hard to go low. We used to have a truck stop that went to the bare bones min markup. It is pretty much out of action after a year.