MAN!.......Diesel over $1.80 - Page 3 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

mk240d · #31 02-11-2003, 12:22 PM

smells like politics to me....winter in the north, theoretical jitters about the possibility of war provides the opportunity to raise prices and take some profits...at least temporarily. but what would happen if prices stay high... would we see more economic feasability for a true biodiesel industry? a stymulus for farmers to produce higher yielding oil bearing crops? and on and on. or do the oil producers realize that there's a happy medium for fuel prices.... seems the saudis know that a reasonable price per barrel of crude keeps them in business. any higher and folks start to wean themselves and look elsewhere for energy. the alternatives are out there, do we have the will to change... any thoughts...?
cheers, mark

81 240d

lrg · #32 02-11-2003, 12:26 PM

Diesel is basically the same as home heating oil and can be very much affected by the demand on home heating oil. The extremely cold weather has spiked demand for home heating oil just as the refineries are starting to get set up to switch over to higher gasoline production. Refineries can ramp production somewhat but they can't do it overnight. Add the crude supply disruption from South America and you get a classic supply/demand imbalance. If everyone would just turn their thermostats down to about 45 degrees we might see prices drop a bit.

#33 02-11-2003, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by autozen
There are two reasons our fuel is so much cheaper. For one the heavy taxes in Europe subsidize the the mass transit systems. The second reason is, the cost of fuel is subsidized by the Federal Government in the US. Our whole economy is built around the sale and fueling of automobiles and Detroit and especially the oil companies are not going to let that change.

From what I have read, the real costs of a gallon of gas in the US is around $5.00 a gallon. Most of this goes into Military protection in the Middle East.

#34 02-11-2003, 05:09 PM

No, we don't live in a democracy. The USA has never been a democracy, it is a Representative Republic.

I am not being challenging, but I'm curious how the US subsidizes fuel costs. We pay lots of tax on fuel, so where is it that the government is funneling money into fuel?

Just curious.

Have a great day,

Triffin · #35 02-11-2003, 07:34 PM

What's diesel in Calif ??

lrg · #36 02-11-2003, 10:53 PM

In my area abut $1.80-2.00 at name brand stations. It's now about the same or slightly cheaper than regular unleaded.

autozen · #37 02-12-2003, 11:35 AM

Larry,

Eric is correct about the military spending. The government subsidizes the oil industry through write offs and actual subsidies to the tune of $5 billion a year. We spend $50 billion a year on a military defense posture to keep the oil flowing. If you add the tax dollars we all put into the pot along with the pump price, it probably comes to $5.00/gal. All these tax dollars come at a high social cost, because funds are diverted from programs like prescription drugs for the people who built this country. I'll say it again. If we started channeling those funds into alternative energy sources like planting renewable crops to make vegetable oil for our diesels, America would be a better place. It may never happen because of the powerful forces in charge, but the again we could have a social revolution because of this powerful tool in front of me that connects me with thousands of people all over the world.

Peter

rickjordan · #38 02-12-2003, 11:46 AM

Just paid $1.76 at Texaco station here in NJ. I think the price of diesel has shot up 20 cents a gal. over the last 2 weeks or so. My other car requires premium gas (91 or higher). The price of diesel has shot ahead of premium gas. I paid a $1.63 for 93 oct. gas.

autozen · #39 02-12-2003, 11:47 AM

By the way, many of you may not be aware of the fact that diesels were designed to run on vegetable oil but were converted to run on a product started making and calling diesel fuel. Now we have to convert them back. As I said in another post, I converted an 87 300TDT to run on peanut oil. A friend and I spent the day on his car, and when we were done he poured 8 gallons of peanut oil into his tank and drove off to his home in Berkeley. The only downside was how hungry I got smellin those exhaust fumes while the car was warming up.

Peter

rwthomas1 · #40 02-12-2003, 11:54 AM

"We spend $50 billion a year on a military defense posture to keep the oil flowing."

I'm not sure I completely agree with the military posture affecting the flow of oil. The military presence maintained around the world protects US interests, specifically big business interests more than anything else. A side benefit of that is it must have SOME effect on the oil production but I would be hard pressed to believe it was ALL for oil. The fact is the middle eastern countries do not supply ALL our oil. I don't even think they supply 25%. We buy a ton from Finland, Russia, South America, etc. Either way the middle eastern countries HAVE to sell their oil. They don't have anything else! No other natural resources, zip, zilch, nada. Their prices reflect what the market is willing to pay and what the other sources produce at. If they choose to raise prices they will not sell as much oil as the market will move to other sources. This will have an artificial effect on increasing the price of oil however by no means do middle eastern countries control the price on the world market. Do not forget that the energy industries WANT you to believe the opposite so that they may gouge us at the slightest hint in instability in the middle east. Do not forget that the line the pockets of politicians on both sides to keep US grant money out of technologies that threaten their stranglehold on the US and world energy markets. This ain't conspiracy, its facts. I have no beef with the policies of the US protecting its interests. Its good for our economy, it promotes growth in the big businesses that ALL of us are so heavily invested in with our 401ks, mutual funds, etc. Think about that the next time you rail against big business and US policy. Rant off, RT

mplafleur · #41 02-12-2003, 12:33 PM

Yes, a constitutionally limited representative republic. That's what we're supposed to have.

Perscription drugs? Sorry, that's unconstitutional spending. Most of fedaral spending is unconstitutional. We've never had anyone in office with the kahonies to do anything about it.

rickjordan · #42 02-12-2003, 02:07 PM

Yes, Rudolph Diesel's first "fuel" was peanut oil. However, just how much does a gallon of peanut oil cost these days? Also, doesn't veg. oil cloud up when it gets real cold (32 and below)?

JPL · #43 02-12-2003, 02:16 PM

Yep...

As it happens..I'm giving a few freinds a 150 mile ride this weekend because they dont have a car. Maybe I'll dig out my:
Gas Grass or Ass ~ Nobody Rides For Free ! bumber sticker

Yep, did not like paying 1.79 / gal, but i do it anyway.

Have Fun!

autozen · #44 02-12-2003, 05:38 PM

Yes, a gallon of peanut oil or rapeseed oil is way too expensive in a vast country where millions of acres of farm land lies fallow because of government subsidies to farmers not to plant crops. However, in Europe you can walk into a grocery store, and buy a gallon of vegetable oil for less than a gallon of diesel and pour it into your tank. Also, has social consciousness taken a back seat to 401Ks? Is that what it is all about. El Presidente wants to send $15 billion to Africa to fight AIDS when we have children starving and dieing in this country, many of them suffering from kwashiorkor which is a disease caused by nutritional dificiences. Call me an isolationist, but I believe the old saying that charity begins at home. Maybe I do live too close to Bezerekeley.

Peter

#45 02-12-2003, 06:54 PM

A station around where I live went up to $2.16/gal for diesel. Luckily, I know of a Texaco station that has it for $1.72/gal, at least they did yesterday.

-Jamie