Oh these gas prices. . . .

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bretski
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Post by bretski » Wed May 28, 2008 11:26 am

1978 Deluxe Westfalia - "Klaus"

"transcripts are overrated. hardware store receipts: those are useful." --skin daddio

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dtrumbo
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Post by dtrumbo » Wed May 28, 2008 11:32 am

Lucky for us it ONLY works on four-cylinder engines! I guess they figure smart guys driving big V-8's wouldn't fall for it anyway.
- Dick

1970 Transporter. 2015cc, dual Weber IDF 40's
1978 Riviera Camper. Bone stock GE 2.0L F.I.
1979 Super Beetle convertible.

... as it turns out, it was the coil!

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Cindy
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Post by Cindy » Wed May 28, 2008 2:52 pm

uh, colin? i just heard we could be paying $5 a gallon by mid-summer.

doesnt that sound just awful? how will you ever manage? i dont think its possible. it would be reaaalllly hard to do.



cindy 8)
“No one can tell what goes on in between the person you were and the person you become. No one can chart that blue and lonely section of hell. There are no maps of the change. You just come out the other side.
Or you don't.” ― Stephen King, The Stand

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zblair
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Post by zblair » Wed May 28, 2008 3:13 pm

byproxy wrote: i just heard we could be paying $5 a gallon by mid-summer.

cindy 8)
When I planned our trip Upstate in June back in January, I figured it on 5.00/gallon; 4. for gas, 1. for maintenance. About a month ago I changed our budget to 6.00; 5. for gas, 1 for maintenance. Now I am thinking I should make it higher. :pale:
1974 T1 Super Beetle "Fweem"
2017 Honda HRV "Domina"


"Love something? Serve it."
~Roshni Mitra

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Sylvester
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Post by Sylvester » Wed May 28, 2008 8:58 pm

byproxy wrote:uh, colin? i just heard we could be paying $5 a gallon by mid-summer.

doesnt that sound just awful? how will you ever manage? i dont think its possible. it would be reaaalllly hard to do.



cindy 8)
I think Cindy is trying to get the customers to come to Colin! How will out intrepid hero make it? What will, what can Colin do?
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue, I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace. Where never lark, or even eagle flew. And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod, The high untrespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

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Amskeptic
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Post by Amskeptic » Thu May 29, 2008 6:46 am

dingo wrote:
Have you tried this? I'm thinking about doing it.

yes ive been doing it for years. Acetone is the most common...youll have to experiment as what amount works best for you...differs for different vehicles, models etc..but approx 2-3 oz per tank. It raises the octane, so you dont want too much, or the effect is lessened. Others that work too: mineral spirits, MEK, WD-40 and of course, Colemans.
Raising octane merely slows the burn. It does not yield greater calories out of the fuel. So my question to you is, does your recipe add calories or slow the burn? The only vehicles that get better gas mileage from higher octane are those vehicles that automatically set the timing based on signals from knock sensors. Higher octane allows more advanced timing > more work from same quantity of gas.

Are you suggesting that I can get away with more advanced timing after I add acetone? Me, I won't advance the timing even if I knew that it wouldn't knock, I like giving my bearings an easy time and I like keeping the temperatures lower.
Colin
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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Amskeptic
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Post by Amskeptic » Thu May 29, 2008 6:52 am

byproxy wrote:uh, colin? i just heard we could be paying $5 a gallon by mid-summer.

doesnt that sound just awful? how will you ever manage? i dont think its possible. it would be reaaalllly hard to do.

cindy 8)
My vaunted intuition, some would call it Psychic Ability, tells me there is a tad vested interest here. . . .
I would have to just cancel the itinerary if the price of gas skyrocketed to such an alarming degree. . .
I would end up sleeping until noon, sitting and scratching on the couch in my tanktop and underwear watching loud game shows and belching Diet Coke while spilling hideous orange cheese doodles all over the carpet, "yeah I WENT through the classifieds couldn't find NUTHIN quit NAGGIN me, socks on the floor never hurt nobody, would ya get outta my FACE?? I can't hear the TV."
Colin :blackeye:
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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zblair
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Post by zblair » Thu May 29, 2008 6:54 am

If I may be so bold as to suggest (and probably get slammed by Master C for it anyway):

The obvious solutions: adjust prices or make customer visits more cost efficient/time efficient

Not so obvious: relocate to a more central starting location so that trips would be of (possibly) shorter driving durations

Take a year off to create the book/calendar/get your life situated. Remember Yoda: there is no try, only do
1974 T1 Super Beetle "Fweem"
2017 Honda HRV "Domina"


"Love something? Serve it."
~Roshni Mitra

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Amskeptic
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Post by Amskeptic » Thu May 29, 2008 7:03 am

I received a PM this morning, you know who you are, that suggested I was being unfair with my speil about non-refundable deposits if you cancel your appointment, yet here I am changing the terms of the contract with this question of a surcharge.

So, for the record, you are of course free to cancel your appointment if you find that a $20.00 round-up of your $280.00 balance is odious or undoable. You would get your deposit back in a hurry. Being pragmatic and democratic and, more importantly, devoted to these cars, I would just as soon just keep the appointment and NOT CHARGE YOU THE SURCHARGE.

Please. I am not a rapacious credit card company. I am one of you who is just trying to pull this damn thing off. I am a bit appalled that my estimate of expenses this year was off.
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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zblair
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Post by zblair » Thu May 29, 2008 7:15 am

Amskeptic wrote:I am a bit appalled that my estimate of expenses this year was off.
Colin
How exactly could you have known, could anyone have known, that gas would become so expensive? In a perfect world when you charge for services, you can take a measure of fluxuation into consideration. But that flux doesn't account for the debacle we are facing with oil/gas....

I am not trying to discount your feelings, merely pointing out that your reaction is misdirected at self IMHO.
1974 T1 Super Beetle "Fweem"
2017 Honda HRV "Domina"


"Love something? Serve it."
~Roshni Mitra

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Amskeptic
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Post by Amskeptic » Thu May 29, 2008 7:22 am

zblair wrote:
Amskeptic wrote:I am a bit appalled that my estimate of expenses this year was off.
Colin
How exactly could you have known, could anyone have known, that gas would become so expensive? In a perfect world when you charge for services, you can take a measure of fluxuation into consideration. But that flux doesn't account for the debacle we are facing with oil/gas....

I am not trying to discount your feelings, merely pointing out that your reaction is misdirected at self IMHO.
I am not "beating myself up" or anything like that. I am not appalled at myself, I am appalled that the Peak Oil Scenario is here, it is here.

What the hell is fluxuation, Miss Graduate From That Frou Frou School?
What I find fluctuating wildly are my manners.
Colin :flower:
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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dtrumbo
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Post by dtrumbo » Thu May 29, 2008 7:34 am

zblair wrote:...could anyone have known...
Oh, I think someone knew. Three CEO's come to mind and they sit in their top-floor offices in Dallas (ExxonMobil), Houston (ConocoPhillips) and the Bay Area (ChevronTexaco). Yeah, somebody knew, but it wasn't Colin or any of us that are all in the same sinking boat. I'm sorry to hear you've received "negative feedback" regarding the fuel surcharge.

Please, please, please don't cancel your itinerary. I'll feel just like a little kid that just got told Christmas has been canceled.


Image
- Dick

1970 Transporter. 2015cc, dual Weber IDF 40's
1978 Riviera Camper. Bone stock GE 2.0L F.I.
1979 Super Beetle convertible.

... as it turns out, it was the coil!

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zblair
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Post by zblair » Thu May 29, 2008 7:47 am

Amskeptic wrote: I am not "beating myself up" or anything like that. I am not appalled at myself, I am appalled that the Peak Oil Scenario is here, it is here.
Got it.
Amskeptic wrote:What the hell is fluxuation, Miss Graduate From That Frou Frou School? What I find fluctuating wildly are my manners.
Colin :flower:
Fluxuation, as in a built in margin for operational expenses should the cost of goods or services increase for reasons out of your control.

Fluctuating manners? Vous? :angel12: *insertlaughingandpointingsmileyIcan'tfindonthesmileypage*
1974 T1 Super Beetle "Fweem"
2017 Honda HRV "Domina"


"Love something? Serve it."
~Roshni Mitra

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Amskeptic
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Post by Amskeptic » Thu May 29, 2008 7:56 am

dtrumbo wrote: Please, please, please don't cancel your itinerary. I'll feel just like a little kid that just got told Christmas has been canceled.
Do not underestimate my devotion. Before I would ever cancel the itinerary, I would ask you my esteeeemed customers if you'd perhaps like to help out covering the expenses. If there are individuals who need to reconsider their appointments, I am happy to negotiate solutions. But if you stand me up, hey that's whattadepositisallabout, heh?
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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glasseye
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Location: Kootenays, BC
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Post by glasseye » Thu May 29, 2008 8:06 am

The gas price runup: everyone knew it was coming (peak oil) nobody knew it would arrive so quickly. We'll all get used to it in time, but big changes are on the way.

The IAC gas surcharge: I'm amazed that it's so small. $20 seems like not enough, given the change in fuel price over last year.

The couch potato: sounds good to me. :drunken: "Where's my clean SOCKS?"
"This war will pay for itself."
Paul Wolfowitz, speaking of Iraq.

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