Now its getting scary! - Montana Owners Club

syplace · 08-13-2005, 06:35 AM

How high are the fuel prices going to go? In the last 48 hrs changes
in the La Crosse, WI. area: Reg. gas 2.42 to 2.49 gal and diesel went from 2.45 to 2.53 gal. On the news last night they said we are the lowest with highest being Milwaukee followed by Madison. If it keeps going people are going to have to change to foot mode or stay home

patodonn · 08-13-2005, 08:49 AM

It might help a bit to keep the overall costs in mind...if you do a round trip across the US and back, it is around 5000 miles. If you are getting 10 MPG, that is 500 gallons. If you are paying a dollar more / gal than last year, that is 500 dollars more than it was a year ago for a full round trip across the USA and back. Not "good", but certainly not devastating. If the travel itself is reduced to 2/3 the distance traveled in '04, it evens out.

Certainly not a good situation, but it may force some of us to slow down a bit and "smell the roses" more while traveling. It certainly won't get better in the near future, and probably some worse. Calif has already broken the $3 gal barrier, hopefully, the rest of the country won't. The truckers can't take much, if any, more without the transportation costs being escalated for everyone.

DarMar · 08-13-2005, 09:10 AM

Very well done patodon. An extra $500. isn't going to change my travel plans much. Of course I am as discouraged as the next when I think how fuel prices in our area have basically doubled in the last couple of years! Don't even want to consider where they might be in 2 years when we retire.

Montana_2005 · 08-13-2005, 09:24 AM

Walk more..??

Diesel is 2.50 here in Plainville, 2.45 in Hays, and I found it in East Wichita on Thursday for 2.36 (cheaper than reg unleaded was in Hays).
This makes Kevin and I even more determined to find a way to paste the Harley to the rig somehow..
it will be cheap(er) to putt around town in...
I am hoping not to have to do too much driving after we arrive in Charlotte... and anyway.. it will take a bit of driving to equal the 53 mile x 5 days or more a week that I am currently doing to get back and forth to my tied down job..
When we get to carowinds.. I will only have to walk through the gate and I'm there!!!
One of my park managers firmly believes that people have a certain amt of recreation spending that they WILL do.. and it doesn't matter what something costs as long as it is within that bubble, and is what they want to do.. I'm getting rid of a big house and all the big bills that go along.. and am getting to see places that I would never have thought to get to see!!
I'll pay a bit more in fuel for that..
Sides.. I just checked the efficency of the GMC... between 17 and 19 mpg... I'm not displeased.
My S-10 4x4 Ranger Truck didn't get that!!

richfaa · 08-13-2005, 10:00 AM

3.00 a gal fuel was NOT in our retirement travel planning. We have discusssed planning alternatives to our retirement travel plans.30,000 mile a year at 10MPG is 3000 gals of fuel at 3.00 per gal =9,000.00 FOR FUEL and it could/may go higher.So it goes up to 4.00 a gal..thats only a dollar more, just another 3,000.00 per year.Remember the price of oil effects the cost of nearly everything.The price of fuel did not stop us from buying the new truck nor will it stop us from buying the new Montana, however it will have a huge impact on how we use them.We just turned 4000 miles on the new Ford..all of them towing that is about 800/ 850 in fuel cost and we are done for the year.4000 to 5000 miles is about what we do every year..we can deal with that..but NOT 30,000 miles per year and that IS what we want to do>>>>>

Montana Sky · 08-13-2005, 10:00 AM

Was down at the lake for the past 5 days and diesel has finally broke $3.00 there. On the road down got as high as $2.94. Not that high in town but give it a day or two and soon we will be there. I have come up with the perfect solution for this little problem. I need to loose about 20lbs and since I am not going to stop driving that Duramax =) I am going to stop eating and use the food budget to keep on rolling. Solves two things at once. =)

sreigle · 08-13-2005, 10:38 AM

Diesel in Hungry Horse, MT, Columbia Falls, MT, and Kalispell, MT, is at 2.729 and up today. That's a dime more than yesterday, at one station anyhow.

I was told truckers now are allowed to pass on the additional cost as a 'fuel surcharge'. If that's the case then it's not out of their bottom line and that's why they are not screaming like they used to do when prices jumped rapidly. We, the individuals, of course, will pay for it both in higher fuel prices for our vehicles and higher prices due to the passing on of fuel costs for delivery, etc.

Parrothead · 08-13-2005, 11:06 AM

$3.19 for diesel at our local Shell station. We just heard Arizona is limiting how much diesel you can buy at one time. Anyone heard that or know if it is true? Maybe diesel isn't the way to go.
Happy trails...................

Montana Sky · 08-13-2005, 02:31 PM

I have heard of stations around the country at one time limiting the amount of diesel fuel you can buy at once. That number was 75 gallons, I dont think any restrictions that are put in place (if any) will affect the tank capacities of our trucks.

Glenn and Lorraine · 08-13-2005, 03:29 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by sreigle

I was told truckers now are allowed to pass on the additional cost as a 'fuel surcharge'. If that's the case then it's not out of their bottom line and that's why they are not screaming like they used to do when prices jumped rapidly. We, the individuals, of course, will pay for it both in higher fuel prices for our vehicles and higher prices due to the passing on of fuel costs for delivery, etc.

Steve you are 100% correct. The truckers no longer give a da%# about the escalating cost as their fuel expenditures are passed on to us in the form of surcharges.

Now as far as patodonn's post, we put 70,000 miles on our Duramax in just 21 months. That's well over 35,000 a year. That 500 bucks a year may sound fine at 5,000 miles but try it at 35,000+ miles.

exfuzz02 · 08-14-2005, 09:44 AM

Diesel costs anywhere from $2.79 to $3.00 in western Washington. I can't see why diesel is sooooo high..it's the cheapest fuel to make and now is costs more than premium. I noticed on a newscast the other day that the oil companies are making billions in profits..so what are they doing with all that money ??? nothing that I can see..no additional refineries being built, no reducing their profits so the public is helped in their pocketbooks....oh well...bend over and grab your ankles !!!!

adelmoll · 08-14-2005, 02:27 PM

There are many stations where all we could get in diesel is $50.00 on our cedit card. Of ccourse you can re-insert your card and fill some more. Why??? $50.00 won't get us very far.

Helen

Bill Hill · 08-14-2005, 03:56 PM

We paid $3.19 in Los Angeles before we left for Pismo Beach, and paid $3.19 there as well to get home. Spent approximately $140 for the 500 mile round trip with less than a 1/4 tank left. Also, both stations shut the pump down at $60.00, so had to start all over again. It's frustrating for all the reasons listed above.

Ed Benson · 08-14-2005, 05:33 PM

I'll ad my voice to the fuel price frustrations. Here in Blackfoot, Id. - diesel has doubled since I bought my '03 D/A - with an eye toward retirement.

Well - retirement started just 30 days ago and now it looks like more local trips are on the agenda - rather than the cross country ones we had origionally planned.

One consolation - we live here in "God's Country" and don't have to travel far for great camping experiences.

Montana_2005 · 08-14-2005, 06:19 PM

All the way from 2.55 in P-ville... to 2.59 through Neb.. best price I saw was 2.44 in the Yankton reservation just south of Mitchell.
here is a website where you can check prices..
http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/oog/info/wohdp/diesel.asp

drhowell · 08-15-2005, 01:45 AM

I notice that although we are still complaining about the price of fuel there seems to be more frustration with the "limit" on the card purchase. I would bet the fuel companies will address that soon since you can't fill much of anything these days for under $50.00.

Remember back when fuel was pushing the $2.00 per gal rate and they kept bouncing up and down to get us use to $2.00 per gal? Then once it hit $2.10 it just kept climbing. Looks like the same thing is happening here at $3.00.

richfaa · 08-15-2005, 04:40 AM

2.56.9 to 2.63.9 for gas, diesel 20 to 40 higher..The Truck is parked, our camping season is over if the price remains the same or rises...I mean 100.00 for a tank of gas..at soime point enough is enough...

Jeff Heiser · 08-15-2005, 05:48 AM

I agree with richfaa. In this thread all I have read is complaint after complaint about the high price of fuel. Yes, the price hurts but just about none of the posters stated what they planned to do about the situation. Believe it or not there is much that can be done. The whole price thing is classic supply and demand. If the demand can be cut the supply will rise and in turn the price goes down. Think back to the 70’s and 80’s. I remember driving to Arizona from Florida and the NATIONAL SPEED LIMIT was 55 MPH. Yes, on the interstates. I remember not being able to buy gas on even days if your tag ended in an odd number. I remember pulling up to the pump and there was a $10 limit and you didn’t get the opportunity to reset the pump and pump more after you waited in line for several hours. My point is this, unless you do something about it, unless you contact your Congressional Representatives to let them know your displeasure, unless you inform them that their job so far at correcting the situation is unacceptable and unless we as a group do something to change our driving habits nothing will change. Think about this – we have over 3000 members if as a group we said we are not going to take the high prices anymore that we want our voices heard in congress, many other groups similar to ours may join us and our message would be heard loud and clear. The last time we had a fuel crises the truckers drove on Washington DC and even to the Capital here in Florida. The message was heard loud and CLEAR. They were not going to standby not doing anything about the high price of fuel. So long as drivers continue to pay the price at the pump and accept paying the higher prices, the prices will stay high. Using the argument of well when adjusted for inflation and cost of living fuel is still low is just not acceptable. Fuel affects everything in our lives, from being able to drive around town to the production of the food we eat. We need to consider, are we willing to pay higher prices for everything in our lives, not just fuel.

I am doing my part. I write letters, I call my congressional representatives, I travel less, I drive less; I replaced my gas guzzler for a more efficient diesel guzzler. Just think if the President was to say that by 2015 all Federal buildings would either be totally or to some degree have their energy needs met by solar power or alternative methods, the message it would send to the world; or that all Federally owned vehicles will be powered by natural gas or be hybrid and that all power generation facilities will be run from natural gas or coal and not oil. Unless, we make our voices heard things like this will never happen and we will continue to pay high fuel prices.

Just as all of you I feel the pain of high fuel prices. We need to make our voices heard. Please take no offense in my directness I just tend to get on my soap box when the topic of high fuel prices is mentioned.

God Bless America
Jeff Heiser
Merritt Island Florida

richfaa · 08-15-2005, 06:03 AM

Exactly Jeff.One voice multiplied by many CAN make a difference.We do the same thing as Jeff. Take the time and effort to DO SOMETHING other than complain. As I said our truck is parked, sure we could afford the gas, but we won't do it.I have had enough.We are driving only the Honda's and only the necessary driving.Helen's round trip to work in her Accord V-6 is 35 miles. We take my Civic for local driving, store, etc as it gets much better mileage.No offence to anyone please..but DO SOMETHING....

Montana Sky · 08-15-2005, 08:43 AM

Helen,
I found that most of the truck stops will do not have a max amount that you can pump at once for use with credit cards. This seems to be for diesel, gas still is set at $50 max. I stopped using the stations around town to fill up since I dont want to slide that darn card two or three times. Flying J has no cap for diesel. Try there. Filled up last nite, cost me $70. But I am liking the 22mpg average I have been getting the past 4 tanks, helps take the sting of the fuel bill.

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