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Temporarily shifting supply and demand is not the answer. If everyone bought their oil from one company forcing other companies to lower prices to compete consumers could manipulate the market. If certain refineries were not processing oil because of competitors were selling more then they too would be affected.

If everyone bought only Pennsylvania grade crude then the off- shore companies would be forced to lower prices to gain back a market share. When there is only a price difference of 3 or 4 cents per gallon there is little incentive to buy exclusively from one supplier.

The oil companies control refinery output to keep supply low and blame demand and the consumers for high prices. Look at the price of diesel which was once the lower price fuel. My nephew runs his diesel Liberty on self processed cooking oil since new. Much cleaner burning and better on the engine. Also, naturally sulpher free!

I drive a VW Golf diesel that gets 51mpg. The 2-seat "Smart Car" that gets 60mpg will be available in early 2008. The days of the big V-8's are over and aren't 150/152 pilots use to small spaces? I cut my fuel consumption by 60%, just think what would happen to the oil companies if they lost 60% of their business, for good!

http://www.smartusa.com/

Ah Jeff. Are you are old enough to remember 1973? That was the end of the V-8, or so it was predicted. And yet, you can buy an H-2 today, which is certainly larger, and no more fuel efficient, than any personal vehicle available in 1973.

I won't be driving one of the "smart cars". Looks like a dumb idea to me. I drive a Chevy Colorado now, but when it is ready for retirement (I average about 1,000 miles a week and it will hit 200,000 by the end of the year), it will be back to the Silverado ... and it will have a V-8. I will loose only about 2 mpg by moving back to the full-size truck from the mid-size Colorado.

My wife's vehicle is an Explorer with the V-6. We LOVE the Explorer. Best vehicle we've ever owned. I'd buy another one today if I needed another family grocery-getter. I wouldn't put myself or anyone I cared about in one of the "smart cars".

Reg

You make a good point. I have a Toyota Corolla that I drive to work in most of the time because of my long commute. It gets about 38mpg vs my truck's 21. I'll even take it skiing sometimes if the roads are clear and it's not supposed to snow. I saw these Smart Cars on the road when I was overseas a few months ago. I ride a motorcycle and I thought they looked dangerous. I don't think they're quick enough to get out of a tight spot the way a bike is. I'd like to see how it accelerates, brakes, and handles at speed. At best I think a Smart Car is a good extra vehicle that saves gas like a motorcycle, but not an every day driver. Especially up here in snow country where having a four wheel drive isn't always an option.

The hybrids look pretty good now and I thought about getting one, but what is going to happen when all those batteries are junk? How do we safely dispose of them?

I am impressed, though. Your VW gets slightly higher fuel mileage than my bike.

The Tesla Roadster [teslamotors.com] is an electric car that looks interesting! But it is a toy, too.

I was offerred an early delivery position on the Smart Car... In researching the website, the info tends to focus on production effiecencies and eco recycle properties... I didn't find any MPG data on this vehicle...

I'm sure it'll get good mpg, but its interesting that the company focus is on eco recycle instead. ??

I looked at your talking about fuel.

We look at your country as at the fuel paradise.Not only fuel.

In Europe people is (resignation?)(to resign?)!

How is it possible to negotiate a price of a scarce thing?

It is a good thing that people organize himself,if it means more knowledge

Smart is very common here,but not only Mercedes do good little cars.
FIAT produce little cars from 50 years. I have one that is 35 yars old.Is named "500".It can transport 2 people plus two boys reaching 150 MPH. The engine is 500-600 cm3 (half electra glide).Theese little cars you can use everyday.They are very reliable.All the big towns in Europe are full of them.About snow and mountains FIAT is producing the PANDA model from 25 years.Relentless on the snow it is for 4 people, the engines size are the same of the little or of the big Harley if 4 wheel-drive.

Yes,in europe too many tax,in italy the worst problem is that the money is not well used by the goverment.

The big and real problem is that we are too many.So too much gas required.I mean DEMOGRAFY!
But humans are too stupid or too much (interested, selfish?)to understand it and to have care of a very simple and obvious thing.

OOOPPPSSSS! not 150 but 65 MPH!

I had visions of you flying down the highway at 150mph!!! Nice.

By the way, Franco, It seems speaking/writing in English is really tough on you sometimes. I applaud you for your efforts. It is getting easier to understand you each month. Thank you!

Same here, Franco!

I can barely hear your accent at all!



In Europe people are resigned to higher fuel prices!

We knew what you meant!

Just a small point. In 1980 gas hit $1.00 per gallon for the first time. If we just adjust with the basic CPI C.O.L.A., it would be $3 today.

I'm not happy with $3+ per gallon gas, but it really is no more expensive in real dollars than it was 25 years ago. Have you checked the price for a gallon of milk or a gallon of Diet Coke or a gallon of paint?

Jim
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