Diesel nears the $5.00 dollar mark and most likely a way of life

[smokenjay]

That's funy stuff right there, but if Gore were elected, where would you ride your sled because they woudl have been outlawed. Gore said 5 years ago that in 20 years he wanted to completely ban the combustable engine???LOL

I doubt even Gore himself sees this as realistic. Even he knows that there HAS to be an alternative to internal combustion before it can done away with. Also, I dont think that Gore has all the answers, but I do believe we would be closer to the alternative under Gore than Bush.

PS: I forgot to mention that my solar powered snowmobile will weigh 50 pounds.

 

[whittaker727]

Here's something that will make you sick. I work in Prudhoe Bay on the North Slope of Alaska. Slope wide yesterday production was just shy of 750,000 barrels of oil
750,000 X $117.00 per barrel = 8,775,000 yesterday!
A brand new bundle of $100 dollar bills (a bundle is a million dollars) is 40" tall
if you stacked yesterdays profits in $100 dollar bills the stack would be 292.5'
That is 7 1/2 feet shy of a football field of $100 dollar bills.
Ask the people in Europe how much their fuel has gone up in the last 5 years...zero~1%
The price of retrieving oil hasn't gone up at all it's about $3.00 per barrel to get it into the pipe line and then at the other end of the line it comes out at $117 per barrel. The Govt. has us by the big hairy ones and they're bending us over their $117 barrel. What do we do? How does a family of three or four with both parents working for a combined total of less than $20 per hr. even afford to get to work let alone pay for life? I feel very fortunate that I have the ability to be able to go out and enjoy the parts of our country that haven't been closed down to protect the caribou, wolves, lynx, split tailed beavers and yeti's. OK, I'm done....for now.

 

[Why Not]

That's funy stuff right there, but if Gore were elected, where would you ride your sled because they woudl have been outlawed. Gore said 5 years ago that in 20 years he wanted to completely ban the combustable engine???LOL

I agree. I about chocked on my lunch when I read that. I can only imagine where we would be right now if Gore would have been elected. I'd probably be in my bunker right now with my family wondering if we could go above ground yet.

 

[NoSecondChances]

I don't think the current price of gas is changing people's behaviors at all. The roads are still crowded. There are still plenty of snowmobiles on the hill. The fact that gas prices are rising and people believe they wont go back down might keep some newcomers from taking up snowmobiling in some parts of the country, but not here.

I think in mountain areas will continue to see an increase in the number of snowmobilers. A lot of the new snowmobilers in the mountains are skiers and snowboarders that are looking for faster backcountry access. I bet half of these people eventually quit skiing to focus on sledding. I havent quit snowboarding yet, but the time may come......

I have to disagree. I will be telecommuting (working from home) and biking to work a lot more this year for two reasons (well actually 3). 1) high fuel prices 2) need to get in better shape 3) Would like to see if I can't reduce my environmental footpring a little. I enjoy my "motorized" recreation in the summer and winter and to help offset the fuel costs I have doing two of the activities I love, I will be riding my bike to work and sacrificing a few other things. Also, like Bagger, I will be going to the hills for longer periods of time next year (2.5 hrs on average for me) instead of doing the weekend thing I will doing 3-4 day trips less often (once to twice a month) so that it keeps the fuel costs down (vs the 2 day weekends). And like AdrenalineAddict I will be picking spots that are more fuel friendly so that I don't burn a huge amount of gas just getting to where I can actually ride some terrain. Something is going to have to change, fuel prices (cost of living) has doubled in the last few years but salaries and wages have not risen to match, people are going to have to cut back and sacrifice somewhere. I think there will be a lot of boats and recreational toys for sale this coming year....

 

[MACH]

I will stick to hauling my sled and 4 wheeler with my 06 grand prix. I may not look cool rolling a big arse truck around with a trailer but at least I can still kick 22MPG around in my car with the trailer on the back with one of the toys.

I won't be changing a thing. Nothing I do will effect anything. And if anyone says I should really think about it and do something.....NO NO my friend I drive a car instead of a truck and still enjoy riding. That is me doing my part.

 

[DallanC]

I got alot of PM's about "what is CNG" So I thought I'll reply here as well.

CNG stands for Compressed Natural Gas. This is the same natural gas that heats most homes. It gets compressed to 3600lbs/in^2 for use in vehicles. This will not work as a fuel in Diesel engines, but as a replacement fuel for Gasoline engines. One should NOT confuse CNG with Propane, they are completely different with CNG being superior for vehicle fuel. CNG is currently used across the nation powering alot of Govt vehicles and Buses so the technology is proven.

A CNG converted vehicle still has the ability to run gasoline if you are in an area without a CNG filling station and are low on fuel, you can just run gasoline as normal.

Its very surprising to me the Govt isnt pushing for a switch to CNG. Natural Gas reserves in the USA are the largest in the world, and the tech to convert gas autos over to CNG is relatively cheap ($1100 + tank).

Mfgs are making a home fueling station you can buy and put in your home, hooked to your Gas supply line, so its easy to plug a vehicle in and fuel it up over night.

I've been doing alot of research into a CNG conversion and think its the way to go in the near term. Depending on what state you live in, you can qualify for up to $4000 in tax incentives to convert a vehicle.


-DallanC

 

[smokenjay]

I agree. I about chocked on my lunch when I read that. I can only imagine where we would be right now if Gore would have been elected. I'd probably be in my bunker right now with my family wondering if we could go above ground yet.

I can't believe some people are still buying the republican propaganda. I guess the old saying holds true: There is a sucker born every minute.

 

[xrated]

~25 vendors have working models for squeezing oil out of algae and chemically processing it for freeze points below JP-5 (aviation fuel) ~ -45F They gotta develop the large scale growing/processing plants - which may be several years off...

Boy someplace like MN or the dakotas with potholes wure would be a good place to start for growing algae...

 

[snowmanx]

Here's something that will make you sick. I work in Prudhoe Bay on the North Slope of Alaska. Slope wide yesterday production was just shy of 750,000 barrels of oil
750,000 X $117.00 per barrel = 8,775,000 yesterday!
A brand new bundle of $100 dollar bills (a bundle is a million dollars) is 40" tall
if you stacked yesterdays profits in $100 dollar bills the stack would be 292.5'
That is 7 1/2 feet shy of a football field of $100 dollar bills.
Ask the people in Europe how much their fuel has gone up in the last 5 years...zero~1%
The price of retrieving oil hasn't gone up at all it's about $3.00 per barrel to get it into the pipe line and then at the other end of the line it comes out at $117 per barrel. The Govt. has us by the big hairy ones and they're bending us over their $117 barrel. What do we do? How does a family of three or four with both parents working for a combined total of less than $20 per hr. even afford to get to work let alone pay for life? I feel very fortunate that I have the ability to be able to go out and enjoy the parts of our country that haven't been closed down to protect the caribou, wolves, lynx, split tailed beavers and yeti's. OK, I'm done....for now.

I think you forgot a zero...should be $87,000,000. All in a days work uh!

 

[MACH]

This is all I have to say:

 

[Dogmeat]

Here's something that will make you sick. I work in Prudhoe Bay on the North Slope of Alaska. Slope wide yesterday production was just shy of 750,000 barrels of oil
750,000 X $117.00 per barrel = 8,775,000 yesterday!
A brand new bundle of $100 dollar bills (a bundle is a million dollars) is 40" tall
if you stacked yesterdays profits in $100 dollar bills the stack would be 292.5'
That is 7 1/2 feet shy of a football field of $100 dollar bills.
Ask the people in Europe how much their fuel has gone up in the last 5 years...zero~1%
The price of retrieving oil hasn't gone up at all it's about $3.00 per barrel to get it into the pipe line and then at the other end of the line it comes out at $117 per barrel. The Govt. has us by the big hairy ones and they're bending us over their $117 barrel. What do we do? How does a family of three or four with both parents working for a combined total of less than $20 per hr. even afford to get to work let alone pay for life? I feel very fortunate that I have the ability to be able to go out and enjoy the parts of our country that haven't been closed down to protect the caribou, wolves, lynx, split tailed beavers and yeti's. OK, I'm done....for now.

That 8,775,000 is gross revenue, not net profit. Take out every operating expense, tax, whatever from that number and that's how much money you actually made.

Now, out of your net profit, reduce that number even further with costs for expanding, researching and developing new technology to keep your business going, etc.

It's not as simple as it seems.

 

[mattymac]

That 8,775,000 is gross revenue, not net profit. Take out every operating expense, tax, whatever from that number and that's how much money you actually made.

Now, out of your net profit, reduce that number even further with costs for expanding, researching and developing new technology to keep your business going, etc.

It's not as simple as it seems.

Than why do I have friends that are retired from EXON MOBILE that were given a years worth of TAX FREE bonuses because they had to "hide" revinue??

The govt says that a barrel of oil should cost lets say 150.00 for example to pull outta the ground. But if an oil co is selling it for 117.00 a barrel than they get to write off the 33.00 as a loss. But in all reality it probably only costs the oil co. 15.00 so they are makin a profit of 102.00 per barrel. but are still showing a 33.00 loss in the govt eyes because they "say" that it should cost 150.00

This happend in the 70's with diffrent $ figures, on paper exon claimed a loss in the billions acording to the IRS and this was the same year my good friend got one hell of a cash bounus! Cost of doing business right?

The rich get richer and the poor get pounded in the ground. Once they drive the little people (truckers, blue collar everyday people) that help make the country go on day to day then well see what happens.

 

[BackCountryBob]

My wife and I will continue to drive our current vehicles. We did plan to replace one (146,000 miles) but not now--it still gets 18 mpg combined and 22 at 60---so we will drive more conservatively. The CNG recommendation is really interesting---looks like a 6 month ROI. Looking into the tax advantages tomorrow---thanks

Sled---keeping the 04 for another year or two. D^Js clutching gets me 12-14mpgs with an enlighten thumb. I will reduce my riding to 3 Xs month from 4.

Joined a snow mobile club and got into the car pool scene--a riding compromise is better than NO riding.

Home office---most of my business can be done at home. Most employers will learn that allowing a home office will ultimately reduce their real estate office expenditures. Computor air cards are alot cheaper than gas.

My wife is an excellent cook and eating out is now a once a week activity. I love left overs. I have already lost a few unnessary lbs. as a bonus.

So, our family spending will be greatly reduced far beyond the extra cost of gas---so maybe this is a good thing to force us to recognize that we need to reduce waste and run a leaner life style.

 

[wheresthesnow]

I will stick to hauling my sled and 4 wheeler with my 06 grand prix. I may not look cool rolling a big arse truck around with a trailer but at least I can still kick 22MPG around in my car with the trailer on the back with one of the toys.

I won't be changing a thing. Nothing I do will effect anything. And if anyone says I should really think about it and do something.....NO NO my friend I drive a car instead of a truck and still enjoy riding. That is me doing my part.

That's pretty cool using the car, but I once saw a Accord pulling 2 sleds. Just Saturday at the MX track there was a guy hauling a yz125 on top of his Corolla, he took the trunk lid off stuck the back tire there and put the fron tire on the roof, and was about the fastest guy there.

 

[AdrenalineAddict]

It happens to be a rather pleasant evening in Elko. Normally I would have got off work at 4:00 and hooked up the trailer for a 1/2 hour run up the mountain to enjoy a pleasant yet friggin crazy run up a few narrow chutes. I've grown accustomed to this awesome lifestyle with a great technical mountain nearly in my backyard. My lovely wife who does not understand my Type A profile and or my Adrenaline Addiction, went off like a volcano at my mention of an evening ride in the Ruby's. I'm slowly coming around to the fact that beer is cheaper than gas.

 

[Dogmeat]

Than why do I have friends that are retired from EXON MOBILE that were given a years worth of TAX FREE bonuses because they had to "hide" revinue??

The govt says that a barrel of oil should cost lets say 150.00 for example to pull outta the ground. But if an oil co is selling it for 117.00 a barrel than they get to write off the 33.00 as a loss. But in all reality it probably only costs the oil co. 15.00 so they are makin a profit of 102.00 per barrel. but are still showing a 33.00 loss in the govt eyes because they "say" that it should cost 150.00

This happend in the 70's with diffrent $ figures, on paper exon claimed a loss in the billions acording to the IRS and this was the same year my good friend got one hell of a cash bounus! Cost of doing business right?

The rich get richer and the poor get pounded in the ground. Once they drive the little people (truckers, blue collar everyday people) that help make the country go on day to day then well see what happens.

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....yeah, uh ok.

Please explain to me how they got "Tax Free" bonus' ... Usually bonus money is taxed at about %40 across the board.

Do you mean "tax deferred" bonus? In other words, it was bonus money they rolled over into tax-deffered retirement plans?

Your logic explainign that "oil costs $150 a barrel" to pull out of the ground is umm.....

Well .... that would effectivley mean every bit of profit an oil producer makes is due to being able to write it off at a loss .....? I don't really follow your logic here.

Also, if you look at what ExxonMobil's profit margin was for FY2007, it was about 9.2% ...

That isn't exactly what I'd call "raping everyone".

 

[snowmobiler]

im about 10 miles and 5 bucks to snowpark.cant complain.

 

[R J]

As season comes to a close and fuel is at record levels you have wonder how its going to affect next year with the prospect of even higher prices, $100 only bought me 20 gallons of diesel in Canada so how will your average family of four afford to ride? will this become a sport for just a few and if only a few ride it would most likely be the end to the large manufacturers

I doubt the manufactures will go just yet unless they are on the brink already? This will need to last a while longer before it really hits people and they make a choice of staying home or doing some activities.

Not making fun of this diesel thing because it effects everyone of us whether we drive them or not for our own vehicles, what I bet we start seeing is people switching back to gasser's slowly but surely because the new diesels folks are great for towing all the time but if you only tow on occasion the diesel is a joke now days?

 

[joegoo]

Oil is cheapest coming out of a hole in the ground, in northern Alberta in 2003 it cost suncor around $9.00 / barrell to extract oil using the truck and shovel method. By far the most expensive way to extract oil, and it can't cost much more to do it today. I know for a fact that gas could retail for a nickel a litre and the oil companies would still be making money. Maybe not like they are now but they'd still be ahead. Ethanol based fuels will never compete with that, nor any alternative fuel. Thats why we haven't seen any major progress in finding something new.

 

[Dogmeat]

if you only towed on occasion, diesels have been a joke forever...

I put together a spreadsheet almost 10 years ago that broke down vehicle costs, figured in depreciation, total price of accessories, insurance, evertyhing ... miledge, all that ... broke down what a vehicle would cost per mile to own ...

The general argument on all the truck sites, even 8 years ago was, "I get 2 mpg better gas mildege with my diesel than my gas motor, so even though it cost me $6,000 more to buy and insure, becauase diesel is $0.30 cheaper, I'm saving money"

When in reality, that statement was true only after you drove the diesel about 100,000 miles, didn't owe money on it, and didn't have to repair it after it got out of warranty.

I posted this spreadsheet on fullsizechevy.com and pickuptruck.com way back when asking all the diesel owners to put their money where their mouths were, and guess what? None of them would even bother ....

You're not saving money buying a diesel pickup unless you're lugging 5,000+ lbs around with you everywhere you go and putting 100k on the truck every year, nor have you ever been.

The power is nice yeah, but is that really worth the price? Not IMO ....

But, by the same token, I appreciate the hell out of everyone who has bought a diesel truck in the last 10 years because diesel owners are the only reason the Big 3 haven't gone completley under .... So really, all of us should be thankful for diesel owners