Wheels July 08 - John Carey's Column

[sleekism]

[QUOTE=SSbaby]Why limit the discussion to just high fuel prices. If you look outside the square, you'll know that just about everything we consume is a byproduct of oil...

- plastic
- bitumen
- pharmaceuticals
- shoes
- etc...

QUOTE]

-I don't buy plastic junk
-My council doesn't maintain the road
-I never go to the doctor
-I don't buy shoes I only have a pair of boots

I'm set!

[deesun]

It changed me. Just got converted to a BBQ. $35 a tankful of LPG instead of $70+ for a tank of Vpower. Almost negligible difference in drivability. I'll take those savings.

[Mr Brooksy]

I love to drive, its one of the things I do to unwind and relax. But the price of petrol is climbing and it does put a pinch on the wallet, there is no denying that.

Running 2 (4.0L BA & 1.6L Laser KN) cars and having 1 other (94ish V6 Magna, my wife’s folks car) to look after as well as the usual cost of living, and put on top of that the fact that I earn far less than the national average. It all mounts up very quickly. Thankfully my wife earns $40 000.

However, I'm not going to change jobs, because of the price of oil. I love my job, and it does more for the community than most high paying positions. I'm happy to have my wife work part time because that’s what she wants to do. I'm not going to buy a little run-about. And I'm not going to stop dreaming about one day owning a BF302 or FG315 GT or F6 Typhoon.

I live within my means, and I live pretty well. In fact I have been to China for a total of 4 weeks, Traveled around various parts of Aus, bought a BA ($15000) and a KN ($8000). Sent money to various charities, bought white goods for people who can’t afford to buy them when theirs dies etc. And other things. All in 1 calendar year! Without being in debt to anyone.

Point is, I have found working with tens of thousands of people in all walks of life and financial security, that what they spend money on shows their priorities.

No matter the cost of living, or petrol, or level of tax we cope with. People will spend money on what they want, and stop spending on what they don’t.

I for one will keep spending money on the BA, but I will try and curb the cost of Petrol by converting the 4.0L to LPG in its most efficient form (that I can afford).

Living within my means.

[Mr Brooksy]

Oh and Ill never buy new! Only 'just run in seconds'.

[schultzie]

even in my line of work the costs of producing our product has gone up 60% all ready this year... other companies around us in the same line of work have closed the doors because builders dont want to pay more... well guess what i think our work will be taking a holiday as well...


im putting my bf II xr8 on gas just as soon as some one buys my pannel van...
at 120 a week in fuel it wont take much more to really hurt.

[madmelon]

I'm on the verge of buying my second car, but am finding it difficult to take that final step. I think to myself "what are you doing? It's a V8, it's going to guzzle the fuel"... then I realise how much fuel my last car used, how much the two I currently drive use and what catching the train sets me back. An AUIII XR8 would probably see me spending LESS overall and cutting up to 2 hours off daily travel time.
...the state government wonders how to increase the popularity of public transport. How about reducing the price for a return ticket from Syd to Wollongong from $15 a day and throwing away the frankly thieving concept of charging more for a ticket because you buy it before 9am...

[prof-rabbit]

There are more points to the discussion, oil is a finite resource, we have already passed the "halfway" point in terms of oil used Vs oil remaining.

Crude prices will hit $150 per barrel by the end of July and $200 by the first quarter of 2009, while that will curtail some countries, China, India and Indonesia will need much more, the further you have to reach for the next barrel of crude the more it will cost.

In addition the western worlds current habits along with the "made in China" syndrome is creating a mountain of oil based plastic without recycling.

What do you want to leave for your children and your grandchildren? the younger the driver the lower the concern for the environment and the future, look at the Minginator and other cars like it, (sorry Gary!) they scream of the excesses that we go to. America is a hundred times worse, giant SUV's and poser trucks running on government subsidized fuel and whining because the cost of fuel has hit a dollar a litre over there.

So next time you go for a blast in your V8 remember that's your childs future in the tyre smoke.

[charlie200]

Originally Posted by Abacus

5.8 was phased out in the XE, a bit more tha 15 years ago - more like 25.

15 years ago the 5.0 EBII Falcon Sedan was rated at 14.5L/100 (urban) and 9.0L/100 (extra urban).

I do know that one of the motoring mags in the eighties got 30l per 100km out of a fairlane!!!!!!!!