Holy 50 dollar fill up
03-04-2011, 03:48 PM
#12
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 392
Well, it's that time again where gas prices are climbing even quicker. Yesterday the cheapest I could find around East Orlando was $3.35 for unleaded and it jumped to $3.49 today.
I've already called around to get installation quotes for 3.73s and a T-loc because I'm saving some money to get these two upgrades, but now it looks like this will be put on hold. Between being a student and having to pay for rent, food, gas, and going out, it's looking like I won't have a heck of a lot of disposable income in the near future if gas goes up to $4-$5 bucks a gallon in the summer.
Anyone else in the same situation as me? And does anyone else think that the regular excuses that China's growing oil dependence and Mid-East turmoil are causing the rise in price is garbage? That it's just OPEC being OPEC? Sorry if this seems like an unnecessary rant.
I've already called around to get installation quotes for 3.73s and a T-loc because I'm saving some money to get these two upgrades, but now it looks like this will be put on hold. Between being a student and having to pay for rent, food, gas, and going out, it's looking like I won't have a heck of a lot of disposable income in the near future if gas goes up to $4-$5 bucks a gallon in the summer.
Anyone else in the same situation as me? And does anyone else think that the regular excuses that China's growing oil dependence and Mid-East turmoil are causing the rise in price is garbage? That it's just OPEC being OPEC? Sorry if this seems like an unnecessary rant.
03-04-2011, 03:58 PM
#13
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Southeast Virginia
Posts: 6,409
I just got back from our local Sam's Club filling up my Mustang. It was $3.29 a gal. Just this past Monday it was $3.17. I filled up my Truck this morning and I'm getting ready to head out and fill up my Conversion Van. I know the prices are going to jump by tomorrow too.
I do think many gas stations are in direct violation of price gauging!
I do think many gas stations are in direct violation of price gauging!
03-04-2011, 06:20 PM
#18
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Posts: 456
I just got back from our local Sam's Club filling up my Mustang. It was $3.29 a gal. Just this past Monday it was $3.17. I filled up my Truck this morning and I'm getting ready to head out and fill up my Conversion Van. I know the prices are going to jump by tomorrow too.
I do think many gas stations are in direct violation of price gauging!
I do think many gas stations are in direct violation of price gauging!
Also, just to point this out (I'm in the gas business):
We supply gas to a local Marathon station. Their cost of fuel today is $3.34691/gal. There are two Speedways in the neighborhood; one is at $3.349 and the other at $3.479. So if your store is next to the $3.349 Speedway, you're making basically nothing on a gallon. Once you take out a 2.5% credit card fee, you're looking at losing over 8 cents per gallon. If you're fortunate enough to have a store near the higher price Speedway, you're making about 4.5 cents/gallon after credit card fees come out.
So, if you manage so squeak out 4.5 cent/gallon margins every day, and you sell 50,000 gallons/month (relatively average figure), at the end of the month you've grossed $2250 on gasoline sales. This after selling $174000 of product. And you don't even want to get into electric costs, taxes, underground tank registration and insurance, maintenance, payroll, etc.
I guess my point is, don't hate on the gas station owners. These high prices hurt them just as much or more than the average consumer.
Last edited by BlackBetty; 03-04-2011 at 06:32 PM.
03-04-2011, 06:45 PM
#20
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: NY
Posts: 228
Fortunately I have a 6.5 mile (one way) commute, but the price of gas still gets my blood boiling. When I was in high school it was under $.30 per gallon,I have seen better than 1000% increase in my short lifetime. I believe the cause is mostly speculation by Wall Street (we should stand some of them up against the wall in my opinion) and it seems no one in government will stand up to these bastards! Last I looked, gas inventories in the U.S. were actually increasing. I only drive the Stang in the summer and it gets better mileage than my Explorer, so I have less reason to complain than most folks, but it still pi$$es me off.