What I loved to do with the VUE was use the transmission to accelerate, instead of the engine. I'd routinely work to keep the revs at 2500 while accelerating. If the revs began to drop, I'd ease into the throttle more to keep them at 2500. I'd get surprisingly good acceleration out of it. Additionally, I'd keep the A/C useage at a minimum. The best tank I ever pulled out of it was around 32 mpg. That was a tough one to get, and I never repeated it. On a trip though, 29 to 30 was not too difficult. I always keep to this rule of capping my top speed to 65 on the highway - unless the limit is lower of course. I've seen 57.9 mpg out of my 03 Prius - according to the computer anyway. This was done keeping my max speed to 55.
For the US, you can find some of the best (available) prices at this web site: http://www.gasbuddy.com/ And navigate to your area. The historical price charting feature is also interesting. DAS
Vancouver B.C. Canada this morning 99.5 a liter and this afternoon same station 95.8 a liter. Yesterday 100 miles east of here 89.9 a liter. That is a tax issue as they don't have a 5 cent a liter transit tax.
The following link gives current prices in Perth (Oz). http://www.fuelwatch.wa.gov.au/prices/dsp_...FTOKEN=64458879 This is a government sponsored idea in an effort to force some competition between oil companies. All stations are requitred by law to notify daily of intended prices which they cannot change once set for that day. There is a pattern or cycle to price changes. At least we can know where the cheapest fuel is! Conversion :AU$1-00 = US$0-69, 1 Litre = 0.26 Gallons (US) Regards, kenmac
The big problem lately is the prices are often invalid within 24 hours, or even 6. I looked up cheap gas in Columbia Thursday night, but by Friday night when I could get there, it was up 6 cents. Saturday around 7:30AM as I passed through Rock Hill, SC going north, the big sign you can see to the left read $1.73. By the time I got back there around 2PM it was $1.75. Still, the Citgo that's always within a few cents of that station was the same so a fillup was at least 4 cents cheaper than Columbia. Actually, the Citgo on Two Notch Road hasn't bothered to post its prices on the sign in a few days. Must be changing more often than they want to play with the sign...
Regular unleaded in Santa Barbara,Ca $2.27 at the least expensive gas station. This is with all the refineries in Ca.. Ecologists want cleaner air so expensive additives are bringing up the prices in California. Check out the L.A. pollution. Are the additives working?
5/14/04, Exton, PA. Friday was the first time in my life that I paid over $2 a gallon for gas. The people on either side of me pumping gas were both complaining. I told them it probably is going higher since the summer driving season has not even started yet ( Memorial Day Weekend ). What are the REAL reasons why gas is so high? 1. Texas oil is in the White House 2. Opec payback for invading Iraq 3. American oil company greed. Reasons I think this is good for our nation: Higher prices at the pump are causing a long over due wake up call to this nation for looking into lower emission, more fuel efficient vehicles. We and Detroit HAVE to change our old habits of how we select the car we wish to drive and the selection available to us has to get better. Japan is kicking our butts in this catagory.
Just for the record, some of the OTHER reasons gas prices may be high. 1) America's patchwork-quilt gas formulation regulations requiring specialty gas for each jurisdiction at extra cost and with no ability to shift supplies where needed. 2) America's limited refinery capacity. Partially because of corporate cost decisions, and partially because of local resistance to any refinery construction. 3) Vastly increased global demand for oil, particularly from China, who has the fastest growing economy in the world and is increasing oil use at a frenetic pace.
Supply and Demand obviously play a role here but it's hard to ignore the "through the roof" record profits of Exxon and the others for the last few years. It's alarming to me that the White House has not been more vocal on this subject. Is the rooster guarding the hen house?
I wish we were 'only' paying $2 a gallon in the UK, we pay the equivalent of $6.86 a gallon (Imperial) or $5.49 a US gallon. That's what we call expensive. Pete
Europe pays more for fuel because of tax structure. Higher penalty on gasoline then diesel---hence a lot of european's drive diesels. BTW regular unleaded between $2.029 and 2.119 in Middle Florida Keys, Diesel between $1.999 and $2.049. Still doing better then some parts of the Country.
Because they fund government services with fuel taxes. Here we fund transportation projects with fuel taxes. Then siphon it off to cover the general fund shortfalls leaving the roads unrepaired.
I remember back in the 60's when my parents and I drove in Europe in a VW fastback dad bought. It seemed that if one subtracted the taxes the price for gas was about the same as in the US.