Gas Prices - Will We See $6/gallon?

[SW03ES]

Nice rant. I am do not consider my self immune to rising fuel costs and the repercussions throughout the economy. The question is what will you do differently and when is the breaking point, personally I think it is irrelevant for the reasons stated in the first paragraph of my earlier post. ON TOP OF THAT, this type of vehicle is a LUXURY purchase! So maybe lighten up on the hardship of buying dog food - we all get it. If you are driving a LUXURY car at the expense of your families real need your priorities are severely misguided.

There is a difference between concern, complaining and more importantly action. You post makes no suggestions just complaints.

I'm done.

Why do you think I added the selection to the poll "I have not considered any alternatives" which was not previously there?

I'm not complaining, honestly I'm conservative enough that there is no hardhsip. I'm simply using my own life as an example of how *gasoline at the pump* prices are not the only thing going up right now due to gas prices because of your insinuation that we don't have the right to discuss this situation, complain about it, or talk about what we're doing differently simply because we drive "luxury cars". I mean really, an IS250 costs what, $35,000? You can spend more than that on a minivan, or a Toyota Avalon. Someone does not have to be rich, even make that much money to afford an IS250, or an ES, or the like.

I would venture to say that my income is probably significantly higher than many, not all, LOC members that drive the entry level Lexus vehicles. I say that from seeing discussions about tax rebates, etc. So, if you make say $80,000 a year and you drive an IS250 that costs you $500 a month (which is not outrageous)...these things make a huge difference to you.

At $80k a year your monthly income is $4700 after taxes, $500 for the car payment, $100 for the insurance, $2000 for your housing gets you to what? $2600. So you have $2100 left...to buy food, to buy clothes, to buy GAS. Hardly living high on the hog.

Your comment was just plain ignorant.

[bartkat]

I don't think I'll be going back to a Prius anytime soon. When I was checking out the safety ratings, sure, it gets good ratings, but it's only with similar cars like itself. So if a jacked-up truck comes barreling down on me, I'm not going to survive. Of course, not many cars would, but I think I can do better in my Lexus than the Prius........I'm just glad that I have a job that allows me to be able to pay these prices.......now, saving, that's another thing....!!!!

Why would you think you would do better in your IS than a Prius if size is your concern? Your IS is significantly smaller than the Prius. The Prius is a midsized car, same as an ES, Camry, or GS. The IS is a compact car. Look it up. I'd feel safer in the Prius, honestly.

The Prius is a very, very safe car.

Even more laughable is the thought of posing such a question on a LEXUS forum ...don't you think? Obviously anyone who would buy a Lexus has some money to burn... don't get me wrong I love my car but it is an indulgance (one that I am willing to pay for in purchase price, local excise taxes yearly on the car.. which is stupid, maintenance, poor fuel efficiency and insurance). We are looking at gas $6.oo at a minimum very soon.

People oftentimes say things like this and its just plain dumb. I make a lot of money, but that doesn't mean I have unlimited money or that I am unaffected by the rising costs of everything and the recession.

Lets look at what I spend on gas. I fill up about 5 times a month. So at $40 a tank I'm spending $200 a month on gas. Now that it costs me $75 a tank I'm spending $375 a month on gas. $6 a gallon? $90-95 a tank, $475 a month. Thats an increase of $275 a month from what it was last year if gas goes to $6 a gallon.

Now, I can certainly afford that but everything else increases in costs as well. My fiance has a $1,000 per month grocery and household budget which includes our dog food and cat food etc, our groceries, etc. Over the past two months she has been incapable of staying in that budget. Its not her fault, she's buying all the same stuff she's always bought, it just costs a *lot* more. So, we're going to have to increase that budget to $1200.

I have a friend getting married in Mexico, Cancun. We can't get a flight down there for less than $1500 round trip. Why? Fuel prices.

My utilities have gone up to $638 a month...and I live in a townhouse. Cable bill went up, gotta fuel those vehicles.

Fuel prices have a huge effect on EVERYTHING in our lives and if you think you are immune because you make a good living, think again. If you think making a good living means that you shouldn't be concerned with what things cost and trying to get as much value as you can out of your income, then you like the vast majority of Americans are going to be in for a rude awakening at some point in your life. Thats why most Americans, regardless of their income, can never afford to retire and die worse than penniless.

**********

Nice rant. I am do not consider my self immune to rising fuel costs and the repercussions throughout the economy. The question is what will you do differently and when is the breaking point, personally I think it is irrelevant for the reasons stated in the first paragraph of my earlier post. ON TOP OF THAT, this type of vehicle is a LUXURY purchase! So maybe lighten up on the hardship of buying dog food - we all get it. If you are driving a LUXURY car at the expense of your families real need your priorities are severely misguided.

There is a difference between concern, complaining and more importantly action. You post makes no suggestions just complaints.

I'm done.

Here's my deal. I'm pretty well set but: When I indulge in a "luxury purchase", such as my IS350 the intitial price I pay one time and I'm done, expept for maintenance which I can pretty well predict. However items such as insurance and gasoline are recurring items that come right out of my wallet on a regular basis and when they increase I notice it and I complain about it. The car has been paid for since October of '05 and that's it. But now I'm paying over $50 to fill it up when I was paying around $30 or less. That hits me again and again. When I travel it hits my wallet even harder. Should I travel less, take shorter trips, stay in fleabag motels to offset this or what? Mainly it just *BLEEP*es me off and I don't need the aggravation.

I suppose it could be worse. We could be discussing this on a Moped forum.

[smooth1]

LMAO!!! A Moped forum!!

[SW03ES]

I saw a guy down by my office yesterday on a moped wearing a suit and tie lol

[bartkat]

LMAO!!! A Moped forum!!

You laugh now.

http://www.mopedriders.org/

:lol:

[lenore]

funny, years ago in Spain that is what everybody drove....You saw it all, from poor to rich. Those 49cc mopeds worked real hard when those 250 plus lbs guys got on them, but they work...not fast I think tops about 35mph...but boy 150mpg....

[smooth1]

Oh, I know they exsist. I wasn't laughing at that, I was more laughing at the fact that they do! I know, I know, everyone has an interest and there is a forum for it. http://reg.startrek.com/registration/startrek/reg.jsp

I would get one, well, honestly not, but I would have another bike on the street if it wasn't for all the crazy luxury car drivers acting like complete maniacs on the road, full throttle everywhere as if the price of gas doesn't even bother them!

[smooth1]

If I ride my Suzuki GSXR 1000 on the street like the rules said to when I got my liscense, it gets around 55-60 mpg.

[bartkat]

I rode a Honda 90 to work all one summer, 20 miles one way. It would do 55 and got well over 100MPG. When it was foggy I'd carry a hanky in my sleeve to wipe the condensation off my glasses. Only got caught in the rain one time.

[lambobaby1218]

Why would you think you would do better in your IS than a Prius if size is your concern? Your IS is significantly smaller than the Prius. The Prius is a midsized car, same as an ES, Camry, or GS. The IS is a compact car. Look it up. I'd feel safer in the Prius, honestly.

The Prius is a very, very safe car.

The size of the car I'm in is not of concern. It's the size of the car that will hit me, and the weight. The Prius is a light car. I could literally kick a hole in the side of my old Prius. What is going to happen when a car hits me? Sure, I've seen the test results. It gets four stars on all tests, except for the driver side gets five stars, according to Safercar.com. The Lexus gets good ratings all around, according to IIHS.org. It's probably a crapshoot, but I sure as heck feel a lot better in the Lexus than the Prius. And it doesn't have anything to do with luxury.

Sorry to be off-topic.......

[WHATCAR]

I live 2.2 miles from work and work 14-12 hour days a month. To work and back I drive 61.6 miles a month. So I really don't care about gas prices, except for what it is doing to our economy and people who do drive a distance everyday. I suggest buying an old reliable Honda or Toyota with a small engine and a manual trans.

[LexRexBlue]

I used to own a moped. I'm too old now! I tend to drive the car that will get the mpg for the trip I'm going to take. Highway but not too long gets the IS. (long trips are more comfortable in the RX) City, suburb driving gets the RX400h. It's not too bad. I fill up the car I use the most about once in 2 weeks. Its like a game trying to buy gas at 1/2 before the price jumps! Sometimes there's as much as a 15 cent difference between fill ups. No, I'm not planning to take any extreme measures.

[BaddBoi70]

For anyone to say that they do not care how much gas currently costs or how much it may cost us in the future is truly a fool. High prices at the pump have a ripple effect felt through out our economy. I can not think of a consumer good that is not adversely affected by high gas prices.

I created this poll out of curiosity, to see what my fellow Americans felt about current gas prices. I agree with SW03ES, owning a Lexus ES 350 or IS 250/350 is not necessarily a "luxury" purchase. I purchased both of my Lexus vehicles previously owned. I got an incredible deal on the ES and a fair market deal on the IS. Just because I earn a great living doesn't mean I spend my money foolishly. I think I can say with certainty that Warren Buffet would agree with my point and he is the wealthiest man in America! He didn't become the wealthiest man in America by spending his money "foolishly".

Think for a moment about the crop farmers whom have several thousand acres to plant, cultivate, fertilize and harvest. The cost of diesel is making it VERY difficult on them so can you imagine how difficult it is making it on the family farmer whom owns 200-300 acres in Iowa? We are all paying for it!

Yes, we live in America and I would not change that for any sum of money (freedom does not have a price tag, IMO)! But, at what price do we all ask ourselves, "How much is too much?" Regardless of my income, the rising cost of gas and natural gas hurts the less privileged people in America :( In fact, it hurts ALL of us. However, a person earning minimum wage that must drive 20+ miles (one way) to work 5 days per week can not afford to work if gas gets to $5/gallon - and that is a FACT! So, how does this person continue to contribute to our economy and not siphon off the government?

The last point I will make is that we will witness a significant rise in crime throughout America because people will become desperate and desperate people do what it takes to survive, which is in our nature - survival. Many major metropolitan areas have already begun to report an increase in crime. What happens when gas hits $6/gallon? I pray that we don't see those prices at the pump in the near term!

Just my 2 cents ;)

[clay1]

Point taken, duly noted - only one disagreement.

LEXUS is a luxury product. That is not a debatable point.

You can buy a similarly equiped non-labeled brand (Honda, Toyota, Hyundia) for 10 grand less and it gladly runs on regular. The fact that the IS is 35K is irrelevant to that fact. We all spend 10 grand more for a look and a name. All the while paying more sales tax, excise tax. My business partner a loyal Honda buyer now swears by Hyundia for build and price and thinks anyone else is just wasting money. He took his extra ten grand and put it in Boeing.

:)

[bartkat]

Well you got your fixed costs and your variable costs and when the latter go way out of whack it plays hell with your bottom line. Maybe the guy will have to sell some of that aerotech stock to buy gas, cause no matter the price of the car, you still gotta run it.

[BaddBoi70]

Point taken, duly noted - only one disagreement.

LEXUS is a luxury product. That is not a debatable point.

You can buy a similarly equiped non-labeled brand (Honda, Toyota, Hyundia) for 10 grand less and it gladly runs on regular. The fact that the IS is 35K is irrelevant to that fact. We all spend 10 grand more for a look and a name. All the while paying more sales tax, excise tax. My business partner a loyal Honda buyer now swears by Hyundia for build and price and thinks anyone else is just wasting money. He took his extra ten grand and put it in Boeing.

:)

A brand new fully loaded Honda EX V6 or Camry LE V6 also costs just north of $32K. Should they now be considered a "luxury" car? I purchased my '07 ES 350 (Previously Owned, Fully loaded w/ 13,500 miles and the following equipment: Ultra Luxury Package - ML, NAVI, Panoramic Roof, Adaptive HID lights, etc. - everything except for the high end adaptive cruise control for $31,500). Again, I spend my money wisely! Don't get me wrong, Lexus is a luxury brand by most standards, I just take issue with a $35K automobile being referred to as a "luxury" car or a car that requires "premium" gas to qualify it as a "luxury" car.

Also, if you read the posts on the ES350 forum you will take note that many of the "postees" feel that Lexus' "luxury" brand has slipped in that particular line of car. I agree with most of them.

To your business partner - Hyundai is today what Honda was back in the late 70's or early 80's - an up and coming alternative.

[Randy&Bonnie]

..

[bartkat]

Lecherous IS350 owner here.

[bartkat]

Drill Here. Drill Now. Pay Less.

A Real Change Campaign to Lower Your Gas Prices

http://www.americansolutions.com/actioncen...7b-346a1e096659

[BaddBoi70]

Drill Here. Drill Now. Pay Less.

A Real Change Campaign to Lower Your Gas Prices

http://www.americansolutions.com/actioncen...7b-346a1e096659

Great find! This should be included in the "PINNED" gas article on this forum.

[clay1]

Point taken, duly noted - only one disagreement.

LEXUS is a luxury product. That is not a debatable point.

You can buy a similarly equiped non-labeled brand (Honda, Toyota, Hyundia) for 10 grand less and it gladly runs on regular. The fact that the IS is 35K is irrelevant to that fact. We all spend 10 grand more for a look and a name. All the while paying more sales tax, excise tax. My business partner a loyal Honda buyer now swears by Hyundia for build and price and thinks anyone else is just wasting money. He took his extra ten grand and put it in Boeing.

:)

A brand new fully loaded Honda EX V6 or Camry LE V6 also costs just north of $32K. Should they now be considered a "luxury" car? I purchased my '07 ES 350 (Previously Owned, Fully loaded w/ 13,500 miles and the following equipment: Ultra Luxury Package - ML, NAVI, Panoramic Roof, Adaptive HID lights, etc. - everything except for the high end adaptive cruise control for $31,500). Again, I spend my money wisely! Don't get me wrong, Lexus is a luxury brand by most standards, I just take issue with a $35K automobile being referred to as a "luxury" car or a car that requires "premium" gas to qualify it as a "luxury" car.

Also, if you read the posts on the ES350 forum you will take note that many of the "postees" feel that Lexus' "luxury" brand has slipped in that particular line of car. I agree with most of them.

To your business partner - Hyundai is today what Honda was back in the late 70's or early 80's - an up and coming alternative.

This is ridiculous.. yes you are right LEXUS is NOT luxury brand...my mistake... how silly of me :) . You win on all counts.

[bartkat]

The plaque in the GM's office at my dealership says "Near Luxury".

[BaddBoi70]

Point taken, duly noted - only one disagreement.

LEXUS is a luxury product. That is not a debatable point.

You can buy a similarly equiped non-labeled brand (Honda, Toyota, Hyundia) for 10 grand less and it gladly runs on regular. The fact that the IS is 35K is irrelevant to that fact. We all spend 10 grand more for a look and a name. All the while paying more sales tax, excise tax. My business partner a loyal Honda buyer now swears by Hyundia for build and price and thinks anyone else is just wasting money. He took his extra ten grand and put it in Boeing.

:)

A brand new fully loaded Honda EX V6 or Camry LE V6 also costs just north of $32K. Should they now be considered a "luxury" car? I purchased my '07 ES 350 (Previously Owned, Fully loaded w/ 13,500 miles and the following equipment: Ultra Luxury Package - ML, NAVI, Panoramic Roof, Adaptive HID lights, etc. - everything except for the high end adaptive cruise control for $31,500). Again, I spend my money wisely! Don't get me wrong, Lexus is a luxury brand by most standards, I just take issue with a $35K automobile being referred to as a "luxury" car or a car that requires "premium" gas to qualify it as a "luxury" car.

Also, if you read the posts on the ES350 forum you will take note that many of the "postees" feel that Lexus' "luxury" brand has slipped in that particular line of car. I agree with most of them.

To your business partner - Hyundai is today what Honda was back in the late 70's or early 80's - an up and coming alternative.

This is ridiculous.. yes you are right LEXUS is NOT luxury brand...my mistake... how silly of me :) . You win on all counts.

Just trying to understand your logic on defining a "luxury" car. Don't be offended :D

[clay1]

How many times do they say LUXURY in this definition off the Internet...

Lexus

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lexus is the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corporation. First introduced in the United States, where Lexus has become the highest-selling make of luxury cars, today Lexus brand name vehicles are available throughout the world. In 2005, the Lexus marque launched in Japan, marking the continued global expansion of the luxury division.

Since its debut in 1989, Lexus has developed a reputation for the luxury and reliability of its vehicles, along with the quality of its customer service.

************************

OK enough on that... like I said whatever...

Interesting results of the survey : Almost half surveyed say they haven't thought of an alternative, most are not scacrificing vacation and the majority of people say their breaking point is beyond $6.00.

OK Baddboi - Got to go to work to pay off my tank of premium gas at 4.29 a gallon...

[BaddBoi70]

Yes, let's put it to bed :)

The poll results are definitely VERY interesting in deed. Again, given that Lexus is a "luxury" brand, I suppose one can assume that the driver of a luxury car can certainly afford $6/gallon gas. I just would hate to see what that price will do to our consumer goods pricing - YIKES!!!