Gas $$ thread: Affecting your plans yet?

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Hikin Mike
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Post by Hikin Mike »

Me either. I haven't been able to drive for almost a year and it's been since July 2006 since I've been in the "wilderness" (Yosemite). Hopefully I'll be able to go out for the day and I'm not going to bother me about the gas prices!
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hikerduane
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Post by hikerduane »

Speaking of freedom, living in the mountains I'm not suffering too much if I don't get away for a extra bp trip or two, I just take off from my yard or drive a short ways for a change of scenery.

The dogwoods are about in full bloom, the cool week last week slowed them down a little.
Piece of cake.
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Snow Nymph
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Post by Snow Nymph »

mountaineer wrote:I refuse to let it affect my plans. If I can't afford to fill up my tank anymore, I'll just whip out the credit card. Seriously. There is nothing I value more than my freedom and freedm that includes driving to the mountains...3 hours to the west side and 5:30 to the east.
I agree! I have not missed a weekend yet because of gas prices. My last weekend home was for surgery, Jan 2006.

I recently found out the FJ is supposed to use PREMIUM! I had been using the cheapest gas for the first 15K. So now I'm using med grade, and if the gas is high (Death Valley) I use the cheap stuff.
Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free . . . . Jim Morrison


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norcalhiker
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Post by norcalhiker »

Yep, definitely affects my driving to trailheads. I drive a 14mpg camper van. Staying closer to home now, and making the 4+ hr drives just on special trips.
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SteveB
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Post by SteveB »

Well, price of gas made an impact on what I did this holiday weekend. Planned to hit Yosemite, but I didnt'. Decided instead to hit the local area; there are still a LOT of areas I haven't explored yet in my home area! :) Planning to hit the Mokelumne/Blue Lakes area on Monday to get away, breathe fresh air, and remember those that paid the ultimate price for those freedoms we now enjoy.
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mountaincat
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Post by mountaincat »

Gas is always expensive in my area, so I've gotten used to paying extra. I have to get out and about, and try to budget for gas. We eat out less and my kids no longer get money to buy whatever. I'm making them do more chores to earn money. Since they are lazy, it means I get more gas money that way. Next week we are heading off to the ocean and northern California, on a thousand mile round trip, so gas is going to be a major expense! Ouch. Gotta go visit the ocean and coastal redwoods.
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MountainMinstrel
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Post by MountainMinstrel »

I didn't let it get to me this weekend. I drove from Fresno all the way around to Porcupine Creek on 120 when there are plenty of closer places to go. I just wanted to do North Dome without the big climb. Now I won't do this every weekend, but once in a while I will.

ken
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mountaineer
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Post by mountaineer »

I recently found out the FJ is supposed to use PREMIUM! I had been using the cheapest gas for the first 15K. So now I'm using med grade, and if the gas is high (Death Valley) I use the cheap stuff.
Nymph...there is absolutely no reason to use higher grades of gas. It is a scam to get you to spend more money. I am serious. Don't waste your money. Your car will run just as smoothly and just as long on the cheap stuff.
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SteveB
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Post by SteveB »

It is a scam to get you to spend more money. I am serious. Don't waste your money. Your car will run just as smoothly and just as long on the cheap stuff.
Dunno about Snowy's Rubicon, but as for my old '93 Jeep that just isn't true. Running cheap versus mid-grade is quite noticeable on it, so I only run mid-grade these days (192k miles do far). No point in running the premium stuff I'd think, but I know my Jeep doesn't run very well on the cheap stuff, regardless of where I buy it.
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mountaineer
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Post by mountaineer »

http://www.automedia.com/High/Octane/Fu ... 050501ok/1

Go to the link and read the whole article...good info. Below is an excerpt.

High Octane Fuel
How to tame the octane octopus

Mike Bumbeck / autoMedia.com

Every time gas prices creep higher, you might find yourself wondering if you really need to pay the extra change for the upgrade to premium or super duper grade gasoline. The answer to that question is no. Unless you're driving one of the very small percentages of performance vehicles with an engine designed specifically to utilize the properties of higher-octane premium gasoline, there is no performance gain in using premium. It might make you feel better, but your engine won't know the difference.

For the most part, vehicles made after 1985 or so should run just fine on regular 87-octane gasoline. The good majority of engines out on the road today have relatively low compression ratios, and are well suited to use with regular gasoline. There are of course exceptions to every rule: if you're out on the street running a high-compression engine in a racecar disguised as a grocery getter, then you know who you are and know what you need. Understanding what octane is and why there are different grades of gasoline begins with a simplified version of engine operation and straight chain hydrocarbons.
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