Influence of Gas Prices

[Ray]

Re: Influence of Gas Prices

Hey Everybody, I have NEVER put anything but regular gas into my 2002 'Bird (owned since new) and now at 36,000+ miles, I have NEVER had a problem with the performance of the car. So save yourselves 20 cents+ per gallon and put regular in the car and enjoy.
Steve, Sarasota, Florida

10.5:1 in the '02 and 10.8:1 in the '04....... you run what you like..... me? I have seen the sorry effects of detonation in less sophisticated cars with high compression engines first hand.

I'd love to know what your actual MPG is. I'm gonna go out on a limb and bet that timing is so RETARDED by your computer that you are giving back your savings and GOD FORBID your computer can't compensate for a stressful situation like high altitude or just pulling hard as you accelerate.

Chancing broken pistons in what is an expensive engine seems like a poor trade off to me.

Your assertion that you've noticed no loss of performance is SUSPECT in my mind to say the least.

I've never used anything but premium in my car, but according to this article, it may not be necessary. See #3:

http://money.cnn.com/2008/05/12/auto...5&eref=time_us

(Pretty rough post there, MerlotBlue.)

[FUN X 3]

Re: Influence of Gas Prices

Filled the Bird last night with 93 octane at $3.999 per gallon, set yet another new record high for a tankful at $67.00...

[EBird]

Re: Influence of Gas Prices

Today..Premium is $4.23 a gallon......Bad Thing.

I am riding my Harley back and forth to work....It gets about 40 mpg.

Save EBird for the weekends !!! The Sun is out..That's a Good Thing !!

[Monty]

Re: Influence of Gas Prices

I don't do a whole lot of driving anyway, but I planned for upwards of $4.00/gal for the Savannah trip. Just can't pass up the opportunity for fun, fun, fun!

Sally, I'm sorry. Wife hasn't been doing well lately (breast cancer survivor) and we haven't been able to plan anything much outdoors. She is taking a medication called tamaxathan (sp) that pretty much has put her in a permanent menopause. One hot flash after another. She would not be happy if I went alone. We went to a granddaughters T ball game last Saturday in Mart and it really wasn't that warm with lots of clouds. She had to leave before game was over and had the a/c in the bird going full blast all the way back home. I would really enjoy and love to attend one of the get togethers as I love making new friends and talking about Thunderbirds. Hopefully, some time in the near future things will get better.

[oldgrunt]

Re: Influence of Gas Prices

I too am retired and on a fixed income. However, I consider driving the bird part of recreation so I don't care what the price of gas is(to a point and I don't know where that point is). We also have two motorcycles that get pretty good gas mileage. Mine about 38mpg mixed highway and town and hers 48-50mpg.

[SixPac]

Re: Influence of Gas Prices

I learned a new word from a news article today............."STAYCATION".

It means staying in the backyard, which is exactly what we did this holiday.

[NEW_BYRD]

Re: Influence of Gas Prices

You know what? Not only is it the gas I hate paying for but I also hate to put miles on the byrd! I already have 46K miles on it and it's a 2004. I guess that's not too bad, it's less than the average miles per year but I'm still very conscious about the miles that I put on it - I want it to last forever!!!!!

[worldclasswheels]

Re: Influence of Gas Prices

419.9 for reg 439.9 for prem in Motown Today. at the bp.

[Ediron]

Re: Influence of Gas Prices

Went to Brooksville ,Fl. over the weekend.Drove the Caddy cost for the weekend in gas $138.00.Hi-test in Brooksville (N.W.Fl.) was $4.069 - $4.269. Coconut Creek (S.E.Fl.)area were I live $4.169 - $4.499

[MikeB]

Re: Influence of Gas Prices

Went to Brooksville ,Fl. over the weekend.Drove the Caddy cost for the weekend in gas $138.00.Hi-test in Brooksville (N.W.Fl.) was $4.069 - $4.269. Coconut Creek (S.E.Fl.)area were I live $4.169 - $4.499

Paid $4.49/gallon for 92 octane this morning when I filled up.

[Johnny TBird]

Re: Influence of Gas Prices

Shanna -

I got my TBIRD to drive....just turned over 43000 miles and hope to have many more....

I plan to hit the road ever day .

Happy Trails

[Sam]

Re: Influence of Gas Prices

Oil companies and us....

[redhedsmom]

Re: Influence of Gas Prices

With gas prices, I've been using the mid-grade for awhile now and seriously thinking about regular. It's weird, if I fill up here in North Carolina, which has higher taxes and plain old gas, my car always knocks on a hard acceleration. In Virginia which has ethanol, and since I work in Virginia and do most of my driving there, I usually fill up there. Oddly my car never knocks on a hard acceleration.

The other night I stopped at a 7-11 in Chesapeake and was so confused. There were 5 choices for gas - 2 levels of regular, one slightly more expensive than the other, there was a mid grade ($4.08) that was oddly more expensive than the premium ($3.99) and then there was a super premium that was more expensive than the mid grade ($4.10). I stood there looking at that pump for a long time and even looked around to make sure it wasn't diesel. That time I chose the premium. I don't have a clue about all the choices and price differences, they didn't seem to make any sense.

What I don't understand though and someone is obviously lying, is why the prices go up daily or overnight! The gas stations don't buy their gas daily, so why do our prices go up daily?

Nikki

[lovebirds]

Re: Influence of Gas Prices

With gas prices, I've been using the mid-grade for awhile now and seriously thinking about regular. It's weird, if I fill up here in North Carolina, which has higher taxes and plain old gas, my car always knocks on a hard acceleration. In Virginia which has ethanol, and since I work in Virginia and do most of my driving there, I usually fill up there. Oddly my car never knocks on a hard acceleration.
The other night I stopped at a 7-11 in Chesapeake and was so confused. There were 5 choices for gas - 2 levels of regular, one slightly more expensive than the other, there was a mid grade ($4.08) that was oddly more expensive than the premium ($3.99) and then there was a super premium that was more expensive than the mid grade ($4.10). I stood there looking at that pump for a long time and even looked around to make sure it wasn't diesel. That time I chose the premium. I don't have a clue about all the choices and price differences, they didn't seem to make any sense.
What I don't understand though and someone is obviously lying, is why the prices go up daily or overnight! The gas stations don't buy their gas daily, so why do our prices go up daily?
Nikki

The reason, money.....A lot of stations are company owned (EXXON, SHELL, etc) and corporate dictates the rise in prices....IMO................

[MerlotBlue]

Re: Influence of Gas Prices

(Pretty rough post there, MerlotBlue.)

IMO.....he put up a potentially DANGEROUS post that others might actually consider in a weak moment as the pain of these high gas prices asserts itself.... it seems to me that he's crossing a line I think he shouldn't here.

He may be telling the unvarnished truth and actually noticed no degraded performance and if we striped down the motor in his car we might even find that no detrimental effects are noticed either.


The suggestion he makes is that following the advice of both Ford Engineers who designed and built your car is a foolish and unnecessary waste of money.

His advice runs contrary to both common sense and honestly, for me?......quite a few years of engine building.

Fact is today's computer controlled, fuel injected engines are constantly monitored by knock sensors so as long as the car isn't too terribly stressed in normal driving the loss of performance might not be all that noticable...... but no way can I believe that the same MPG can be realized in lower octane ...... and if you do push your car? Accelerate hard, drive at high altitudes or in very hot conditions?

Broken pistons and the other damage brought on by low octane in High Compression engines when uncontrolled or un-heard knock is much rougher.

I don't think I was the least bit "rough" on him for this one.

Follow this advice......against the manufacturers warnings? His post could cost someone an engine if it all goes wrong.