Democratic Underground Latest Greatest Lobby Journals Search Options Help Login
Google

gas prices- coming DOWN...

Printer-friendly format Printer-friendly format
Printer-friendly format Email this thread to a friend
Printer-friendly format Bookmark this thread
This topic is archived.
Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (1/22-2007 thru 12/14/2010) Donate to DU
 
dysfunctional press Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-10-08 10:28 AM
Original message
gas prices- coming DOWN...
i needed gas for my mower, and decided to add a stop at mcdonald's for a breakfast sandwich to the trip. on the way to mcd's, the citgo station was still selling regular for $4.13/gal(chicago suburbs), still the lowest price in the area. it's been $4.13 at this station for the past week. i was tempted to stop and fill up the gas can first, in case the price went up while i was getting my sandwich- because that would really piss me off. but i decided against filling the van with fumes before eating.

BUT- in the time it took me to go 1/2 block to the mcdonald's, get my sandwich and return to the gas station- they had dropped the price to $4.09. score.

i ended up filling my 6-gal. can with premium at $4.29/gallon- i like to use the good stuff in my mower...if only i could have waited on the lawn until tomorrow- the citgo station gives 5-cents off on premium and midgrade on wednesdays.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
MercutioATC Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-10-08 10:32 AM
Response to Original message
1. Stop using premium in your mower!!
The absolute ONLY reason to use higher-octane gas is in higher-compression engines.

Premium isn't any cleaner or better or more efficient...it just has a higher detonation point. It's exactly the same as 87 or 89 octane in a lawnmower engine...just a lot more expensive.

Premium isn't "the good stuff", it's just "different stuff" for certain engines.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
EOTE Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-10-08 10:41 AM
Response to Reply #1
4. I second that. A complete waste of money.
Aren't most lawnmower engines 2 cycle engines? I can't think of a single 2 cycle engine in the whole wide world that would benefit from premium. Unless of course your lawnmower has an 11.5:1 compression ratio and does a 13 second quarter mile. Damn, that would be sweet.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
mikeytherat Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-10-08 10:48 AM
Response to Reply #4
8. Well, naturally. Any mower with less than 11:1 compression needs a turbo.
And yes, that would be a sweet. Twitchy, scary, hopping-sideways, yes, but sweet. And it would be your forever, for no neighbor would have the guts to borrow it!

mikey_the_rat
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
A HERETIC I AM Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-10-08 10:51 AM
Response to Reply #4
11. Your typical Briggs & Stratton mower engine is a 4-stroke.
Two-Stroke engines are used in things like Line trimmers.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
EOTE Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-10-08 12:45 PM
Response to Reply #11
18. The only gas lawn mower I used was a two stroke. Don't see them much anymore.
I think they may have stopped production altogether. I hear that 2 stroke engines have underwent a lot of modifications in the past 15-20 years and they're almost as clean as 4 stroke engines now. I would have thought they'd be in higher demand for push mowers due to their higher power to weight ratios.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
ProfessorGAC Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-12-08 09:03 AM
Response to Reply #11
35. Lawn Boy Used To Be 2 Stroke
That's what my dad had, and i used, when i was a kid. They may have changed since then. That was a while ago.
The Professor
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
slampoet Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-10-08 01:17 PM
Response to Reply #4
22. Have you ever seen those guys that soup up riding mowers and race them?


Even those guys don't use premium and they get their mowers up to 45 mph
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
guitar man Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-10-08 10:50 AM
Response to Reply #1
10. I agree
a lawnmower engine with its compression ratio and design simplicity does not get any advantage from premium fuel. The only exception to that rule is if your local stations have regular fuel that is E10 ethanol blend and ethanol-free in the higher grades. In that case, use the lowest ethanol free fuel grade available. Ethanol should be avoided if possible in air cooled engines, especially if it has a carbuerator.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
CRF450 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-10-08 10:57 AM
Response to Reply #1
12. Agreed
Premium is only needed for a high compression engine. My dirtbike and my car's engine has a high compression ratio, so they get nothing but premium. My truck only gets regular, so does my lawn mower.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
hootinholler Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-10-08 12:21 PM
Response to Reply #1
15. Additionally it will be less efficient and will pollute more with high octane
Hugh octane means the fuel is harder to burn, not that you get more bang for the buck. Without the high compression you will not burn as much of the fuel.

Here's mine:


-Hoot
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
dysfunctional press Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-10-08 12:40 PM
Response to Reply #15
17. thanks for the schooling...i'll revert to regular for my mower-
Edited on Tue Jun-10-08 12:41 PM by QuestionAll
it's one of these-

john deere la145


i just bought it brand new two weeks ago.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
EOTE Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-10-08 12:47 PM
Response to Reply #17
19. Beautiful. Some day I will have a riding lawn mower.
I guess I should probably get a lawn first. But when I do...
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
oldtime dfl_er Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-10-08 10:35 AM
Response to Original message
2. Now you have enough
extra cash to pay for that emergency room visit from the tomato in the McDonalds sandwich...
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
gatorboy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-10-08 10:39 AM
Response to Reply #2
3. The trans fat will kill him before he gets there...
$4.09??? Holeeee shit, I'll take twenty!
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
dysfunctional press Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-10-08 01:04 PM
Response to Reply #3
20. they haven't so far...
and i'm the only one of my similarly-aged friends(47-48) who's not already taking cholesterol meds.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
gatorboy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-10-08 01:14 PM
Response to Reply #20
21. Give it time...
On second thought... Don't!
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
dysfunctional press Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-10-08 01:21 PM
Response to Reply #21
23. i've been eating mcdonald's food for over 40 years...how long does it take...?
:shrug:
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
gatorboy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-10-08 01:27 PM
Response to Reply #23
24. I guess it depends if you would like 30 more years.
Keep the Micky D's, get a push lawn mower. :P
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
dysfunctional press Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-10-08 06:16 PM
Response to Reply #24
27. with an acre of grass, a push mower just ain't gonna cut it...at least not with me pushing it.
and as i've stated previously- my cholesterol is in better check than any of my peers...i'm not all that overweight, and definitely not obese. i'm also probably one of the only one of my peers who can see his cock without a mirror. maybe it has something to do with being the only one who doesn't drink beer or alcohol, and the only one who does use pot...:shrug:
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
babylonsister Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-10-08 10:49 AM
Response to Reply #2
9. ...
:rofl:
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
dysfunctional press Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-10-08 12:35 PM
Response to Reply #2
16. no tomato in the breakfast sandwich...and breakfast is the only thing i get at mcd's.
nt
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Myrina Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-10-08 10:43 AM
Response to Original message
5. I don't know about IL, but in Central IN ...
... prices will dip on Tuesdays by 8-10 cents/gal, then at noon on Weds rocket back up past where they were before PLUS an additional 10-15 cents/gal.

It's been like that for the 5 years I've been watching . :(
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
TwixVoy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-10-08 11:37 AM
Response to Reply #5
13. Please it's not going up any where near that fast
or is gas really up to $26.00/gal in IN?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Myrina Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-12-08 08:17 AM
Response to Reply #13
32. Try doing some pump watching for a couple months
instead of posting snarkass comments.

I suggest you may see a pattern. Or is a few months too long for your obviously sub-par attention span?


:eyes:
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Breeze54 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-10-08 01:31 PM
Response to Reply #5
25. It's $4.05 here. So glad I thought ahead and bought ONE gal. @ $4.02 Monday!!
Saved me a bundle of cash!! :sarcasm:

:hi:
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Blaze Diem Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-10-08 01:36 PM
Response to Reply #25
26. ha I bought ONE gallon also. Sunday aft. had to get home, and
had a total of $4.18 in my pocket. Got a bit more than a gal tho, but that's when gas was still at $3.89 here in Dallas. Haven't left the house since so I don't know what it is today.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Breeze54 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-10-08 06:29 PM
Response to Reply #26
31. Go here and look up the price by zip code search.... $3.90 ?!?
http://www.gaspricewatch.com/new/default_V2.asp

Lewisville, TX $3.90 - 18h 9m ago :wtf:

Brookshires Food Stores
701 S Lavon Pkwy (TX-78)
@TX-544 (Kirby)
Wylie, TX

$3.91 -- 23h 31m ago

Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Myrina Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-12-08 08:18 AM
Response to Reply #25
33. Your attempt at humor underwhelms me ...
... try doing some pump watching for a couple months instead of posting snarkass comments.
Maybe you'll see a pattern that certainly doesn't fit with the 'supply and demand' model our economy is supposed to run off of.

:eyes:
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
ProfessorGAC Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-12-08 09:11 AM
Response to Reply #33
36. It Has Never Worked On A Supply & Demand Model
As long as both raw material and finished goods can have the supply intentionally manipulated, without regard to the actual demand, S&D does not apply.

S&D requires a fully functional and open marketplace in which price goes up when demand goes up and supply is not reduced to drive prices. As long as there is competition in the supply (in the most fundamental sense, meaning more than one supplier and no intellectual property restrictions on making identical goods) price should never go up when demand goes down.

So, it's not just NOW that the model doesn't work. Since before OPEC was even put together, the "supply & demand" argument has been a canard. It's just not true.

I'm not disagreeing with you. I'm amplifying what you said.
The Professor
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
spanone Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-10-08 10:44 AM
Response to Original message
6. wow, they're practically giving it awaY!
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
melody Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-10-08 10:48 AM
Response to Original message
7. Ha - you should be in So California. We dream about $4.09 a gallon n/t
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
kestrel91316 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-10-08 11:39 AM
Response to Original message
14. $4.45 here, at the cheapest place in town. And BTW, that's UP from $4.39 yesterday.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Bucky Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-10-08 06:17 PM
Response to Original message
28. It would be far less wasteful if you replaced all your lawn grass with arugula.
I'm just saying.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
dysfunctional press Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-10-08 06:21 PM
Response to Reply #28
29. what am i going to do with an acre of arugula?
Edited on Tue Jun-10-08 06:24 PM by QuestionAll
besides, we also do have a LARGE veggie garden, and we've even already harvested arugula from there.

that being said- i'm not a big fan of lawn grass anyway, and over the next 5 or so years, we hope to get rid of it in favour of other types of landscaping. at our last house we got rid of all the grass- but that was a chicago city lot, and this time we've got a much larger expanse to deal with.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
MANative Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-10-08 06:29 PM
Response to Original message
30. Nothing coming down in CT - most stations in my town are at
Edited on Tue Jun-10-08 06:33 PM by MANative
$4.49/gal for regular. Earlier this week it was at $4.39. There's one station right of I84 that's at $4.59, another about 1/3 mile down the road that's $4.64. Over the state line in NY, I paid $4.33, which was up from $4.29 yesterday. Cost $50 to fill a Subaru (~15 gal tank) 3/4 of the way. Kill me now. Instead of filling the lawn mower with this stuff, I'm thinking about buying a goat. Will it still eat if the lawn's not arugula?

edited cuz I can't spell arugula...
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Treadwell Donating Member (6 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-12-08 09:01 AM
Response to Reply #30
34. It really happened
I was on my way to get gas this morning when a military convoy of confiscated tomatoes ran me off the road. When I finally pulled into the gas station the teenage attendent was changing the sign to raise the price a penny a gallon. I tipped him a twenty to let me fill before the price change.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Vickers Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-12-08 10:50 PM
Response to Reply #34
37. Wow, you must use faith-based math.
:eyes:

Welcome to DU yadda yadda yadda...
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
DU AdBot (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view 
this author's profile Click to add 
this author to your buddy list Click to add 
this author to your Ignore list Wed Apr 24th 2024, 08:05 PM
Response to Original message
Advertisements [?]
 Top

Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (1/22-2007 thru 12/14/2010) Donate to DU

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators


Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home  |  Discussion Forums  |  Journals |  Store  |  Donate

About DU  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC