Record Vancouver Fuel Prices (reporter seeking BC ecomodders to interview)

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by Fat Charlie

I put over $50 into my wife's minivan the other day. Looks like we're going to be getting more traffic here soon.

Sadly, it doesn't appear to be the case. Traffic has been trending down for years, and recent months/weeks show no change in the pattern.

Just the hardcore efficiency nerds hanging around here now (and some nerds returning - hi, War_Wagon!).

It's been ages since we had someone new sign up to say, "Help - I commute 90 miles a day in my pickup truck and need to save money! What can I do??"

On the other hand, if the mainstream media start running "Gas is so expensive!" stories, it may drive interest. We'll see...

[orange4boy]

Another nerd signing in. It's like a high school reunion up in here. Where's the punch? Good to be here again. How's you all been?

I still have my whole fleet plus some new additions. The Insight is still going like the great gutless wonder it is, but I drive so little, ecomodding is not a big priority. I still dream about making a riveted aluminum boat tail for it though and I have a set of salt flat discs sitting in my shop collecting dust that I never got around to installing. Oh, the shame!

My newest fleet member is a 108 Stinson that I'm rebuilding. I am planning to ecomod that as there's a lot more low hanging fruit than the insight. Any interest in me posting that thread here. I feel like I might get more interest and constructive input here than on the Stinson forum. Not sure If I can justify the extra time to post here though.

On a serious note, I really do wonder how much of an impact Van's high prices are having on people's driving habits & vehicle choices.

There are a few people with their hair on fire out here for sure but everyone got used to to $1.50 in the summer so I imagine they will get used to this too.

[MetroMPG]

Hey, orange4boy!

I think if $1.7x per litre is bringing longtime members like you and war_wagon out of the woodwork (but few new members) that speaks volumes.

[orange4boy]

I suppose so, even if I came back indirectly. I was just minding my own business being all smug abut how little difference it makes to my Insight. To many others, it's a big deal.

Is it mainly BC though? What are prices like in your neck of the woods?

[Fat Charlie]

I don't even count as a nerd here any more. Hell, I've been forced to drive my wife's minivan for a week and have been okay with it (but I miss having my iPod).

I had to unplug my UG in the fall of 17 when my injector died and I never put it back in. I stopped logging tanks then and never restarted. I got a new job last year that made me think (and cut my commute in half, does that help?) too much to hypermile as well as I used to, and running to get the kids (being closer, I'm designated) makes for more sprinting than cruising commutes.

Is there an mpg rehab I can check myself into for a while?

OTOH, I just had my front brakes replaced at 117k miles, a number I'm pretty happy with. They went metal to metal at 116 and it was a while till I could get it into the shop. I went with OE pads, they do pretty well. I'm happy with the brakes, but my beloved Avid Ascends were apparently discontinued and replaced with something called an Avid Ascend GT. If I'd known that was coming I'd have liked to buy a pair or two to have on hand.

[MetroMPG]

Is there an mpg rehab I can check myself into for a while?

I know! I find myself happy with ever lower mpg in the winter. And now there's the new-to-me guzzler/summer toy.



I suspect there's a pretty common "ecomodder arc" of interest/effort/excitement over time. I still clearly remember how excited I was with the numbers I was able to get after installing my first kill-switch.

[Fat Charlie]

It's like I'm playing defense. I'm not going for big numbers, just looking at what I have to do and trying to minimize the losses.

[litesong]

Originally Posted by Vman455

.....According to AAA, right now we're at $2.89/gal average, but that's skewed by refinery maintenance on the West coast, where prices are higher than the rest of the country.

I'd say the gas prices in the rest of the country, skew prices lower, because our West coast prices are so high........ & it ain't just refinery maintenance. With near-by gas prices near $3.50, got to go some to find a gallon of gasoline anywhere near $3 & small change.
Anyhow, with "summer" gas giving higher MPG, it was nice that our Hyundai Elantra, bad-mouthed & sued by leadfooters who couldn't get 30MPG, gave 39MPG, while passing over two 4000+ foot mountain passes, a 2500 foot pass & a 1500 foot ridge. AND while returning another way, a stop for $3.03/gal. gasoline, turned 45MPG while passing over a 3000 foot mountain pass.

[Vman455]

Originally Posted by litesong

I'd say the gas prices in the rest of the country, skew prices lower, because our West coast prices are so high........ & it ain't just refinery maintenance.

If you look at the Gasbuddy heat map, most of the country is below $3/gallon--so you're skewing it higher.

Yeah, the West Coast always has higher gas prices. Used to be more limited to California, but now all the way up. My parents are always surprised how cheap gas is when they come to the Midwest.

[Hersbird]

The stations should be able to advertise a price that doesn't include taxes. Then you can see why in those areas you are paying so much for your gas. Does the advertised price for the car include taxes? Does the advertised price on the hotel include taxes? Does the advertised price on the plane ticket include taxes? Make your government accountable for what they do, and don't let them hide their effects.