How low has your gas prices become?

TheMercenary • Nov 24, 2008 1:02 pm
I saw $1.69 on the way to work today. Never thought I would see that again. And if you have a Walmart gas card it is near the 1.50's. How long will this last? Our gov is talking about an emergency gas tax to raise revenue for the states budget.
lumberjim • Nov 24, 2008 1:13 pm
makes you want to stock pile it, don't it?
classicman • Nov 24, 2008 1:14 pm
$1.89 is the lowest I've seen here
Trilby • Nov 24, 2008 1:16 pm
dollah fiddy one!
TheMercenary • Nov 24, 2008 1:50 pm
lumberjim;507550 wrote:
makes you want to stock pile it, don't it?


Funny you would mention that. There is some place out in the midwest that formed a gas station coop. Basically the bought the gas ahead of time and paid for large amounts per person and then used it up and bought more as they wanted or needed it. All when the price was low. They were paying .50 less than most people were when prices where high. I wonder why more people couldn't do that.
lumberjim • Nov 24, 2008 1:52 pm
i wonder if they're stuck with a bunch of gas that's over priced right now, though?
TheMercenary • Nov 24, 2008 1:52 pm
Until now, I don't think they have had that problem. And I guess they could just buy gas elsewhere while it was lower then what they had bought it at and back to the stockpile when it goes back up.
glatt • Nov 24, 2008 2:08 pm
How long does gasoline keep? Like 6 months? I know my lawnmower complains if the gas is more than one season old.
binky • Nov 24, 2008 2:25 pm
$2.35 :mad2:
Sundae • Nov 24, 2008 2:38 pm
glatt;507574 wrote:
How long does gasoline keep? Like 6 months? I know my lawnmower complains if the gas is more than one season old.

I know if I have gas for more than an hour, people around me complain.
Cicero • Nov 24, 2008 3:17 pm
Oh my god!!! They gave me money back the other day at the pump!!! It was so awesome!! $2.05...

My eyes popped out of my head when the tank started to over-fill. I kept clicking the handle, but no more gas was required. I was at $30.00!!! That was a holy shit moment. I thought the pump was broken, but realized very soon that it was for real! Wooo-hooo!
Shawnee123 • Nov 24, 2008 3:34 pm
1.59 when I filled up yesterday
Chocolatl • Nov 24, 2008 4:03 pm
$1.89, last I checked.
lumberjim • Nov 24, 2008 4:16 pm
how low has your englishes become?
Aliantha • Nov 24, 2008 4:35 pm
It's just below $1/litre here which still makes it about $4/gallon, but it's cheap that's for sure. Hasn't been below a dollar for years here.
Skunks • Nov 24, 2008 5:24 pm
$2.45 last week, maybe as low as $2.30s in surrounding villages, just because we're the higher-demand spot (have colleges, will gouge.)
limey • Nov 24, 2008 6:31 pm
Are we talking per litre or per gallon here? I'll check it out at the pumps tomorrow and I KNOW all you kind Cellar folks'll all send me petrol (gasoline) for Christmas!
Sundae • Nov 24, 2008 6:37 pm
:eek: careful it's not through your letterbox!
SquidGirl • Nov 24, 2008 9:23 pm
$1.74 today.....I'm curious about what it's like where Monster is since that's just a couple hours away South of me.

My grandparents used to have a big barrel at their farm and a local station would fill it up, maybe 2x a year. With gas prices so low right now, I feel the need to get a huge fuel drum like that in my backyard so I can fill it up and just use that for the year.
TheMercenary • Nov 24, 2008 9:27 pm
SquidGirl;507801 wrote:
$1.74 today.....I'm curious about what it's like where Monster is since that's just a couple hours away South of me.

My grandparents used to have a big barrel at their farm and a local station would fill it up, maybe 2x a year. With gas prices so low right now, I feel the need to get a huge fuel drum like that in my backyard so I can fill it up and just use that for the year.

Pretty sure that would be against some law unless you lived on a farm.
tw • Nov 24, 2008 9:37 pm
TheMercenary;507561 wrote:
They were paying .50 less than most people were when prices where high. I wonder why more people couldn't do that.
Southwest Airlines was doing that. It's called hedging or derivatives.

Petroleum is bought maybe 3 months in advance. By the time it arrives, current market prices apply. Amazing how so many complained when the big oil companies reaped profits as prices rise, and ignore the massive losses when prices fall.

Gasoline changes over months which is why gasoline from six months ago may be a problem. See Reynolds’s number to appreciate the concept.
SquidGirl • Nov 24, 2008 9:45 pm
TheMercenary;507802 wrote:
Pretty sure that would be against some law unless you lived on a farm.


Oh, I would most certainly bet it would be against MANY laws. That's why I haven't done it. Heck, my neighbors aren't the smartest. They recently had a bonfire during a fire ban. We live on lots IN the city (not country) and they were throwing bed frame, tires, clothes, childrens play sets, toys, etc. When the fire department came, I guess there was a half-naked drunk guy with a garden hose infront of 20 ft flames telling the firemen he had it under control....as his shed siding was melting. I figure next to them it would also be a bad idea.
wolf • Nov 24, 2008 10:00 pm
Because I live so close to work, I only buy gas once every two to three weeks. I sort of remember paying 1.94 the last time I went. I try not to look at the sign every time I pass it because it seems to drop at least a couple of cents each day, and I'd be too upset over not having waited long enough ... I think it's close to $1.80 right now.
monster • Nov 24, 2008 10:26 pm
$1.53 this evening ...but in a part of a town I hesitate to stop and fill up in at night and tonight I decided no.....
Nirvana • Nov 24, 2008 10:35 pm
$1.53? I was jumping up and down for $1.58 well I guess I will still jump up and down Yippie! I have to buy gas, kerosene, and diesel fuel almost every single day for the various equipment here. Its a little less painful to fill up:D
classicman • Nov 24, 2008 10:47 pm
tw;507805 wrote:
Amazing how so many complained when the big oil companies reaped profits as prices rise, and ignore the massive losses when prices fall.

Yup! There seems to be some sort of disconnect there.
Urbane Guerrilla • Nov 24, 2008 11:36 pm
Ventura County, CA, home of the gypsy moth quarantine, cheapest gas right ATM is $1.97 -- less than half what it was this spring and summer. California's anti-smog formulation always runs between twenty and forty cents more than neighboring states' prices.

But we're not bitter. We just remember to gas up leaving Vegas.

There doesn't seem to be as much variation in gasoline quality in CA as there is in some other regions of the US. I learned not to buy cheapo gasoline in Maryland -- Homoco's 87 octane made my car run like it needed a tuneup when it didn't. Had to top it up again with something more expensive when I got to half a tank to smooth the running back out.
monster • Nov 24, 2008 11:39 pm
it was 1;53 in the dodgy area, but still 1;69 right next to home, and 1:79 and more on the other side of town (6 miles away).....

nuts
xoxoxoBruce • Nov 25, 2008 10:32 am
glatt;507574 wrote:
How long does gasoline keep? Like 6 months? I know my lawnmower complains if the gas is more than one season old.
I've been hearing problems with gas over three months old, in small engines like mowers, chainsaws and snow blowers, but that's anecdotal. :confused:
LabRat • Nov 25, 2008 10:40 am
Our cheapest grade (87 Oct 10% EtOH) is $1.79 in Cedar Rapids right now, and was $1.52 this weekend in Des Moines.
glatt • Nov 25, 2008 10:44 am
Well the owner's manual of my lawnmower has detailed instructions of how to put the mower away for the season. Running the tank dry and pumping the primer bulb repeatedly and starting the mower up until every last drop is burnt. Briggs and Stratton doesn't want old gas to sit in the carburetor, because it will gum it up.

The Straight Dope doesn't answer definitively, but says that often gas will only last a couple of months before going bad. Especially gas with ethanol in it.

The shelf life of gasoline depends on the type of gas and the storage conditions and can range from a couple months to a couple years. One wild card is that gas you buy at the pump may already have been in storage for anywhere from days to months.

....

How to keep your fuel April fresh? First, store it only in clean containers with tight caps. Whether the containers are metal or plastic doesn't matter much, although steel can eventually rust. Fiberglass containers should be avoided unless they're rated safe for alcohol-containing fuels. Keep the container nearly full to reduce exposure to air, but not completely full, so the gasoline can expand or contract as the temperature changes. That said, try to minimize those temperature swings--store gasoline in a cool place to reduce evaporation and oxidation. Consider a gas stabilizer for fuel you plan to keep awhile, but remember stabilizers are meant to prevent gasoline from going bad; they won't restore bad gas to its former health.
binky • Nov 25, 2008 11:02 am
Urbane Guerrilla;507859 wrote:
Ventura County, CA, home of the gypsy moth quarantine, cheapest gas right ATM is $1.97 -- less than half what it was this spring and summer. California's anti-smog formulation always runs between twenty and forty cents more than neighboring states' prices.

But we're not bitter. We just remember to gas up leaving Vegas.

There doesn't seem to be as much variation in gasoline quality in CA as there is in some other regions of the US. I learned not to buy cheapo gasoline in Maryland -- Homoco's 87 octane made my car run like it needed a tuneup when it didn't. Had to top it up again with something more expensive when I got to half a tank to smooth the running back out.


Must remember to fill up when we visit family in Ventura next month. $2.35 here still.
Undertoad • Nov 25, 2008 11:09 am
I think there is an additive you can buy to stabilize your gas for a longer period.
xoxoxoBruce • Nov 25, 2008 11:12 am
glatt;508019 wrote:
Well the owner's manual of my lawnmower has detailed instructions of how to put the mower away for the season. Running the tank dry and pumping the primer bulb repeatedly and starting the mower up until every last drop is burnt. Briggs and Stratton doesn't want old gas to sit in the carburetor, because it will gum it up.


Yes, they've used those same instructions forever.
30 years ago I bought a new mower and followed those instructions rigorously. In the spring, I had a hell of a time getting it going again. That fall, I got caught off guard by an early onslaught of cold/snow and it didn't get done, but in the spring it started on the first pull. After that I just put it away and dragged it out in the spring with no problems.
But, with the newer formulations of gasoline, I'd be leery. :eyebrow:
footfootfoot • Nov 25, 2008 8:32 pm
My gas prices are so low they have to look up to look down.
My gas prices are so low they could hop under a snake while wearing a tophat.
My gas prices are so low they fucking pretended that they used all my quilt pieces and then wouldn't give them back to me when I saw them sitting right there on their kitchen table.
That's how low my gas prices are.
bitch.
Shawnee123 • Nov 26, 2008 8:45 am
I have low gas prices, right here.
Don't look at me like I don't have low gas prices.:eyebrow:
TheMercenary • Nov 26, 2008 8:59 am
$1.52! Damm.
Cicero • Nov 26, 2008 10:55 am
Holy shit Merc!! Oh what?!? Wooo-hoooo!

Just wait until after the Holidays when they spike up to 5. I'll be regretting this entire thread, and the price on gas.
Aliantha • Nov 26, 2008 2:32 pm
Yeah...it's like driving along a highway that's normally clogged but today it's flowing nicely, so you say so to your passenger...and no sooner are the words out than you have to slam on the brakes.
glatt • Nov 26, 2008 2:34 pm
Yeah, take pictures of those gas signs so you can look back on them wistfully.
lumberjim • Nov 26, 2008 3:09 pm
if we truly were John Wayne motherfuckers, the rapid drop of gas prices would be cause for revolt.

nothing says "we've been all the way up inside you" like a quick pull out.
TheMercenary • Nov 26, 2008 3:24 pm
Undertoad;508035 wrote:
I think there is an additive you can buy to stabilize your gas for a longer period.

Correct, we put it in our boat each fall. 150 gallon Tank.
lookout123 • Nov 26, 2008 3:42 pm
You hate the planet don't you Merc? Do you realize how uncool it is to use all that fuel simply for your own personal entertainment? No respect for the environment I tell you...

[COLOR="White"]Sorry, just trying out my new persona I'll have to adopt when the new administration takes over. [/COLOR]

BTW, I filled up at $1.89 this morning.
Elspode • Nov 26, 2008 8:47 pm
$1.43 this afternoon in Raytown, MO.

Somehow, we never make it to the "cheapest gas prices" news on the radio, despite the fact that we are consistently 20 cents or more cheaper than the supposed national low price.
TheMercenary • Nov 27, 2008 9:05 am
lookout123;508549 wrote:
You hate the planet don't you Merc? Do you realize how uncool it is to use all that fuel simply for your own personal entertainment? No respect for the environment I tell you...

[COLOR="White"]Sorry, just trying out my new persona I'll have to adopt when the new administration takes over. [/COLOR]

BTW, I filled up at $1.89 this morning.
Actually we also consider it an emergency source of fuel if prices go way up or we have to evacuate due to a storm.
ZenGum • Nov 28, 2008 4:24 am
I make my own gas, and give it away for free. Breathe deep!

Now petrol, that's another matter. It peaked at about $1.60/liter, and has since fallen to about $1.05, not such a huge fall because (a) most of that is tax anyway, which doesn't change and (b) the price is calculated based on the international market, and the Aussie dollar just took that nose-dive, hence the price, in our currency, has to be higher.
Aliantha • Nov 28, 2008 4:27 am
Well why was it still so much higher than US by comparison even when the Aussie dollar was almost equal to that of the US?
ZenGum • Nov 28, 2008 4:29 am
Tax. Petrol tax. GST on the petrol, and GST on the petrol tax too. Probably bloody GST on the GST too, I shouldn't wonder.
Aliantha • Nov 28, 2008 4:34 am
It was well over $1.60 up here for quite some time. I realize we pay a lot of tax on fuel here, but it still seems exhorbitantly high in comparison. Seriously, four times the price (roughly)?
wolf • Nov 28, 2008 10:44 am
1.89 last night.

Will be interesting to see what it this afternoon.
TheMercenary • Nov 28, 2008 10:47 am
Aliantha;508958 wrote:
It was well over $1.60 up here for quite some time. I realize we pay a lot of tax on fuel here, but it still seems exhorbitantly high in comparison. Seriously, four times the price (roughly)?
Yes, and don't you buy by the liter?
Urbane Guerrilla • Nov 28, 2008 3:00 pm
If there's a way to drive converting another cheaply available hydrocarbon to liquid fuel/petrol by solar power, Australia should seriously look into the matter. Germany used coal as a feedstock for synthetic oil once. Australia's got coal in Queensland.

Just paid a buck eighty-something per gallon (3.96 l) this morning. A combination of the dollar strengthening against other currencies and commodities and increase in inventory.
Aliantha • Nov 28, 2008 3:36 pm
TheMercenary;508986 wrote:
Yes, and don't you buy by the liter?


Yes we do buy by the 'litre'. You'll see me mention in my earliest post that we're still paying the equivalent of over $4/gallon.
TheMercenary • Nov 28, 2008 3:45 pm
I sort of remember it but was being lazy.
lumberjim • Nov 28, 2008 4:01 pm
$1.67 in NJ today
Elspode • Nov 28, 2008 5:43 pm
$1.39 yesterday in Grandview on my way to get my kid.
TheMercenary • Nov 28, 2008 5:45 pm
That has to be the record lowest in the US since the 80's.
classicman • Nov 28, 2008 6:50 pm
Urbane Guerrilla;509065 wrote:


Just paid a buck eighty-something per gallon (3.96 l) this morning.


Your math not working very well - a liter is about a 1/4 of a gallon - not 4 gallons. The approximate conversion is 1 liter = 0.26 US gallons.
ZenGum • Nov 28, 2008 7:01 pm
Classic, I read UG as saying his gallon was = 3.96 liters, so - just this once - I think he is right. Just this one time, mind you, lets be very clear about that. ;)
classicman • Nov 28, 2008 8:35 pm
wouldn't we divide the cost per gallon instead of multiplying it since there are roughly 4 liters in a gallon, not four gallons in a liter? I have had a lot of wine today and yesterday but still...
footfootfoot • Nov 28, 2008 10:18 pm
It's fifty pounds of potatoes.
lumberjim • Nov 28, 2008 10:31 pm
3.79 liters in a US gallon
Elspode • Nov 28, 2008 11:57 pm
TheMercenary;509131 wrote:
That has to be the record lowest in the US since the 80's.


Strange, though. None of the news media ever cite our local price as lowest in the US. Last week, they were saying it was St Louis at $1.89. WTF?
classicman • Nov 29, 2008 1:07 am
Its Bush's fault. Its all part of the great conspiracy. Shhh just don't tell anyone.
Urbane Guerrilla • Dec 9, 2008 2:15 am
lumberjim;509189 wrote:
3.79 liters in a US gallon


Ah, okay.

Spent a few days in Denver over this weekend; cheapest gas I saw there was US $1.459 the gallon, and a typical price was around $1.60.

Doubt it'll last, but it's fun.
Shawnee123 • Dec 9, 2008 8:17 am
I payed 1.47 yesterday. Filled up my tank for 22.75. This will be nice while it lasts, then it will really suck.
Undertoad • Dec 9, 2008 10:35 am
An industry dude suggested a few days ago that there is little to prevent oil from going to $20/barrel and thus gas under $1.

It's interesting because industry dudes two years ago were saying there is little to prevent oil from going to $125/barrel and thus gas over $4. They were right then...
lumberjim • Dec 9, 2008 10:47 am
$1.47 at the Wawa in Pennsauken this AM. I paid $1.59 on the ride home last night. 16 gallons for $26 ish. not bad at all.
TheMercenary • Dec 9, 2008 2:13 pm
$1.55 today. Yea! :D
wolf • Dec 9, 2008 2:26 pm
$1.75 at the Wawa on the way to work.
barefoot serpent • Dec 9, 2008 4:32 pm
1.44_9 at this place

A white male stands on top a of a air conditioning unit a the Cadillac Ranch, 2515 W. Sixth Street on Monday around 1 p.m. The male had been on the roof for some time, though police and fire units were watching from the distance.



the current price here
monster • Dec 9, 2008 4:48 pm
1.42 last night
Pie • Dec 9, 2008 5:03 pm
$1.53 at Costco, $1.74 everywhere else.
Urbane Guerrilla • Jan 7, 2009 11:57 pm
And it didn't last. Lots of regular unleaded at around a buck eighty-five around town. Premium rather over two bucks.
Shawnee123 • Jan 8, 2009 9:06 am
So, OPEC slowed production so prices will go back up? I don't understand economics, but it feels a bit like bending over, again.

Let the little guy get a little bit ahead just once, will you, ya greedy fucking fuckers.
TheMercenary • Jan 8, 2009 9:37 pm
We are at $1.55. Still cheap enough to run my truck at 80 mph.
monster • Jan 8, 2009 9:44 pm
1.99. Bar Stewards.
TheMercenary • Jan 11, 2009 3:50 pm
US automakers need to take a clue from VW. This is long overdue in US autos.

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20090111/FREE/901119995
xoxoxoBruce • Jan 11, 2009 8:04 pm
Not long overdue, it wasn't possible until now. Diesels couldn't meet emission standards without cleaner diesel fuel, which wasn't available until 2007.
In that car, with the regen, shut off, etc, technology, I wonder how a similar gas engine would compare?
TheMercenary • Jan 11, 2009 8:07 pm
I thought we had clean diesel for a few years now.
xoxoxoBruce • Jan 11, 2009 8:32 pm
It was mandated to be available for 2006, but not mandated for vehicles until 2007. I guess that's why the refiners took their good old time about making it widely available until 2007.
Urbane Guerrilla • Jan 15, 2009 9:36 pm
Shawnee123;520030 wrote:
So, OPEC slowed production so prices will go back up? I don't understand economics, but it feels a bit like bending over, again.


Not that it was unpredictable. When Chinese demand dropped, almost immediately there was a glut.

All a body can do is reduce their own demand for gasoline.