$3.66/gal and 21.7mpg city

[robin2660]

I find it incredibly amusing that people would buy a car that makes 263 HP / 280 Torque, and then complain about the gas mileage. Were you seriously expecting 28+ MPG?

I am sorry, but 91-93 octane gas prices have been in the $3-$4 dollar range for years now. (Long before the MS3 came out!) It wasn't like you wouldn't have known that when you got your MS3.

I get 28-30 on the highway.

There's a BIG difference between $3 and $4 per gallon! That's $36 and $48 per 12 gallons, respectively. Per annum that's not alot of money. Unfortunately, that's not the big picture, which will include higher prices on EVERYTHING.

Gotta keep things in perspective.

 

[Rotus8]

By the way, my company just closed down one of our overseas engineering offices. The reason given was due to the current exchange rate those engineers were costing double what a Silicon Valley engineer costs. All were offered jobs in the states with moving expenses and a couple are taking us up on it.

 

[camrycev6]

I get about 28 on the highway as well, but I don't drive 100% highway, only about 50%, so I really am getting around 24 MPG. Sure there is a difference between 3 and 4, but I disagree that it is a big deal. At worse, that is only $14 dollars for an average fill up. (Say you pretty much emptied your tank.) You also have to consider that is the maximum difference. More typically, it could be 3.40 one day and 3.60 the next, but now you are only looking at $2.80 difference per tank. I just don't see that as a major problem. I average about three tanks of gas a month, or 48 a year. If we take an average increase of $3 a tank. (Because you have to remember, prices do go down sometimes and you have to consider that.), it is only $144 a year. I just can't really get upset about. It costs me about $46-48 to fill up, so I am spending $2,256 (average) a year in gas. $144 is only a little over 6% of that. Again, not enough to concern me.

 

[Tagkat]

Problem is that's just in gas not including everything else that has gone up. Insurance, food, etc. So assuming you make 50~60K your looking at a 3.5~4% raise just to keep up with gas cost.

 

[fourthmeal]

When amortized out like that, it makes sense to me that it isn't a big deal, Camrycev6.

But let's drag that out a bit. Say we drive 12,000 miles a year, and we get 22 mpg average. That's 545.45 gallons of fuel.

Fuel @ 2.50/gal = $1363.64/year
Fuel @ 3.50/gal = $1909.08/year

That means that inflation has cost you $545.44 per year in fuel, or about $45.45 per month extra in fuel.

Now, pull the same numbers with milk, cereal, bread, water, etc., and you can really see we are not in good shape here. I know for a fact that I had a financial crisis not too long ago, and I've had to cut back on almost any kind of entertainment (like internet, cable, and dining) so just paying for basic essentials gets to be amazingly expensive. At least where I'm from.

 

[camrycev6]

I agree as a whole fourthmeal that inflation is beating us down overall. My biggest problem is not so much with that, but with the taxes I pay. Yeah, I make more money than the average person, but I pay a boat-load more taxes too.

It is funny... on paper I feel like I should have a lot of extra spending money, but after all of my living expenses (and I don't live glamorously at all!), there just isn't much left. I know someone here could (and might) argue over the real necessities of life, but what is the point of living if you can't have a few creature comforts? Seriously, I don't think having cable TV, $25K car, a little townhouse, and a cable modem is extravagant living. I cook a lot so I don't even spend much money on food.

 

[redrocketz]

I hate you all the best vehicle I have for mileage gets 12-15mpg period so roughly 250miles on an 18 gallon tank. My rx-7 you can actually watch the fuel gauge go down.

 

[Bochet]

It's funny that you've had to cut back on "almost any kind of entertainment" yet you drive a new $24K car that gets 20MPG AND have a few thousand dollars of audio equipment in it. Looks like you're still living very comfortably and have just decided what you'd rather spend your money on.

If an extra 5% increase in the price of everything you're spending on will bankrupt you, you are living beyond your means. You should be putting AT LEAST 5% of your money into a savings account when you get paid anyways, not counting any 401( k) savings.

This is a hiccup in the GLOBAL ECONOMY we live in. As others have pointed out, manufacturing jobs are already moving here to take advantage of the weak USD$. BMW and Toyota just in the automotive world have already begun to do this. It's cyclical. I'm not saying that things are great right now and that we don't need change (Obama 08!) but to think that all of North America will be untied into one country by 2010 is ludicrous.

 

[astraelraen]

I live 3 miles from work, my CX7 gets ~15mpg during the winter. This gets me roughly 2-3 weeks of gas depending on if I go home for lunch etc. I don't complain about the mpg, I don't expect any better. But if I had to drive 30-40+ miles per day, the CX7 would be gone fast.

I've been trying to cut out trips as much as possible and lump all my errands together... my wife on the other hand loves to go out and shop on her days off... she'll go drive 30+ miles on her days off just to go look at stuff and not even buy anything. I guess thats better than driving 30+ miles and buying stuff She doesn't think we're recessionizing... (I think I just made up a word)

I've considered riding a bike or getting a moped/scooter. But during the summer's here it is 95F+. As an accountant I can't go to work dripping in sweat, so A/C car is the only way.

 

[fourthmeal]

Interesting you mentioned this, and since you brought it out in the open, I'll explain. Yes, I do (or for a few more weeks) have a $24k car, and I do have nice equipment. But, that was about two years ago. This year (and most of last as well has been economic hell. My equipment has been something that I've slowly accumulated over time, and my car is a loan (that I can't keep up with), so really, no, I'm not living comfortably at all. Why? Because when it is the intention of a group to wipe out the middle class, I'm one of the people who will be in trouble. Inflation (a tax if you think about it) is capable of doing just that...wiping out the middle class.

Think BIG. Think bigger then economic bubbles. Think on the scale that is more accurately describing what is really happening. Its not the "now" and near future, its the information you're going to hear soon that will tie all this up in a neat bow. I made my predictions a few posts ago, and I stick by them. Things are going to change, and it will happen so aggressively and so quickly, a lot of people aren't even going to know what happened.

It's funny that you've had to cut back on "almost any kind of entertainment" yet you drive a new $24K car that gets 20MPG AND have a few thousand dollars of audio equipment in it. Looks like you're still living very comfortably and have just decided what you'd rather spend your money on.

If an extra 5% increase in the price of everything you're spending on will bankrupt you, you are living beyond your means. You should be putting AT LEAST 5% of your money into a savings account when you get paid anyways, not counting any 401( k) savings.

This is a hiccup in the GLOBAL ECONOMY we live in. As others have pointed out, manufacturing jobs are already moving here to take advantage of the weak USD$. BMW and Toyota just in the automotive world have already begun to do this. It's cyclical. I'm not saying that things are great right now and that we don't need change (Obama 08!) but to think that all of North America will be untied into one country by 2010 is ludicrous.

 

[Bochet]

Interesting you mentioned this, and since you brought it out in the open, I'll explain. Yes, I do (or for a few more weeks) have a $24k car, and I do have nice equipment. But, that was about two years ago. This year (and most of last as well has been economic hell. My equipment has been something that I've slowly accumulated over time, and my car is a loan (that I can't keep up with), so really, no, I'm not living comfortably at all. Why? Because when it is the intention of a group to wipe out the middle class, I'm one of the people who will be in trouble. Inflation (a tax if you think about it) is capable of doing just that...wiping out the middle class.

Think BIG. Think bigger then economic bubbles. Think on the scale that is more accurately describing what is really happening. Its not the "now" and near future, its the information you're going to hear soon that will tie all this up in a neat bow. I made my predictions a few posts ago, and I stick by them. Things are going to change, and it will happen so aggressively and so quickly, a lot of people aren't even going to know what happened.

Good to talk with someone, even if I disagree with them, that can validly explain their reasons for believing what they do. (group)

So as not to further clutter an already off topic thread I'll let it at that. Keep the shiny side up!

 

[Kobyoshi]

I will ask only once nicely that you do not insult me or any other members by assuming you know how I get my information or how I come to my conclusions and opinions.

The simple fact here is that you have no clue. Such statements are exactly why flame threads always develope while poepl are attemption to hold a civic discussion.

I have no clue? Fact? Is that an insult? Practice what ye preach there buddy. I will only ask once.

Way to stick up for the members during my "attack" It made you seem more politically correct and less threatening. Good Job. You are forthwith promoted to Audio moderator!

All joking aside it was not meant to be an insult... I apologize.
Flame threads get started when an individual, for example, a moderator... misunderstands a statement and takes it too personally then responds in an even more hostile manner than the previous post.... and eventually it's anarchy.

Peace.

 

[tubebrner]

Try working for a company like Ford! Think we're getting any 3% raise this year? (hah)

QUOTE]

At least you just got bonuses! Better than nothing. Or was that just for UAW workers?

 

[Breezy]

WHAT A BUNCH OF WHINNERS! REALLY .. WHERE WERE ALL OF YOU WHEN BUSH WAS ELECTED .. TWICE!

Anyways let's do something about this that WE can control .. let's research getting more mpg out of our cars. IMO it shouldn't take much .. just figure out how to cut the boost when we want. I'm thinking of a switch in the cockpit to reduce boost by cutting out the electronic boost control. I don't want to pay $600 for some boost controller, I just want to be able to have a min boost mode and a max boost mode. That should be good for 3-5 mpg in our cars .. that's like a 15% improvement and effectively lowers our gas price by 60 cents a gallon. Here's a little link on an ongoing conversation about it ..
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?p=3732771&posted=1#post3732771

 

[MS3077]

If you aren't flooring it a lot you should probably be getting about 23-26mpg and that's mostly city driving. Granted I've been averaging 20mpg mostly city, it's because I drive my car like I stool it much of the time.

 

[knowledge007]

^me too... Just wish I had my baby back already.

 

[camrycev6]

WHAT A BUNCH OF WHINNERS! REALLY .. WHERE WERE ALL OF YOU WHEN BUSH WAS ELECTED .. TWICE!

Anyways let's do something about this that WE can control .. let's research getting more mpg out of our cars. IMO it shouldn't take much .. just figure out how to cut the boost when we want. I'm thinking of a switch in the cockpit to reduce boost by cutting out the electronic boost control. I don't want to pay $600 for some boost controller, I just want to be able to have a min boost mode and a max boost mode. That should be good for 3-5 mpg in our cars .. that's like a 15% improvement and effectively lowers our gas price by 60 cents a gallon. Here's a little link on an ongoing conversation about it ..
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?p=3732771&posted=1#post3732771

Where was I? I was out voting for him...twice
(outie)

Cut the boost? Nah... I guess if it could be done safely and easily...maybe.

 

[jbiird317]

Where was I? I was out voting for him...twice
(outie)

run and hide man, here comes the storm, im not brave enough to admit that on open forums...

oh crap, i think i just did...damn

anyway i think this thread has officially gotten off topic

 

[Mocoso]

Ah hell its been off topic for a long time...

I can see the headlines now in 4 yrs:

WHAT A BUNCH OF WHINNERS! REALLY .. WHERE WERE ALL OF YOU WHEN OBAMA WAS ELECTED .....!

You want WHINNERS here they are: Hillary's and Obama's overly PC camps who just cant stand anyone making any remarks stating the obvious: if they were both WASP MALES neither would have the publicity they both have (glad Im not in any of their camps less I would be forced to resign... and they expect to run a country? they need some frigin toughness training)

And dont get me started on Bush or ChaChingCheyney... just cus I dont like one doesnt mean I have to like the other

(Flame suit is burnt... Im already burnt to a crisp so flaming wont do notin)

 

[jbiird317]

Ah hell its been off topic for a long time...

I can see the headlines now in 4 yrs:

WHAT A BUNCH OF WHINNERS! REALLY .. WHERE WERE ALL OF YOU WHEN OBAMA WAS ELECTED .....!

haha i know what my answer will be.... out voting for mccain!

crap now im contributing to the off topic stuff