sosh

When I fueled my ML500 yesterday I paid $3.41 for 91 octane, I noticed that the diesel pump and signs had a diesel price of $4.15. Saw some other diesel prices in my travels all ranged between $4.12 to $4.17. The difference in price is certainly taking away from the economy of owning a diesel. I suspect that gas will be $4.00 plus and diesel will be approaching $5.00 before the end of the year.

DUTCH

I did a cost comparison a week or two ago when I paid $3.32 for PUL and $3.64 for ULSD. Based on the EPA number difference alone, ULSD would have to be at $4.42 before the per mile cost for diesel is the same as gasoline.

If diesel follows its normal cycle, the price will drop during the warmer months at the same time that gasoline goes higher. It's all in the demand.

sosh

Dutch, Around here for some reason Diesel increases in the summer months, thats been the historic case for many years. Jet fuel does the same. I judge diesel by what I pay for my boat in the summer. I usually negotiate a fixed price for the season at this time of year as I buy between 400 and 600 gal at a clip, maybe twice a month during the season. I was told that this year they will not do a seasonal price and the best they will do is 7 cents off of the posted price. He also mentioned that he fully expects to see $5.00 per gal marine diesel and thats less than road diesel by mid summer. This has really effected the sales of new boats and those that are being made and sold the majority are going to Europe due to the weak dollar. The only time I had a diesel car was in the 70's around the time of the so called fuel crunch. What I did at that time was to fuel with Jet A as I was flying almost every day and owned a number of aircraft. There were no lines or shortages, Was real easy and did no harm to my vehicle. It ran great on that fuel. I think you are going to see the price point you mentioned quite soon.

DUTCH

Certainly possible, but don't you think that gasoline prices will be going up some along with diesel, too? If so, that price point will rise with them both.

sosh

As you said this is quite possible, however diesel price increases tend to be steeper than that of gas. In addition re marine fuel that I used as a predictor of things to come, gas is now 3.05 for high test and he expects that to go to about 3.50. Sales volume of "motor fuel" has been reported as declining in this area by about 20 percent. There is a federal action afoot to subsidize truckers diesel for those in intra state commerce. This is of course being pushed by major trucking companies and the potential rules are still quite vague. Only time will tell as to what actually will transpire.

dieselfan

The thing that bugs me the most is when I go to the pump and slide the credit card and start pumping diesel into the ML and then the pump shuts off at $75.00... Don't these fuel stations realize that you can't fill up even a normal passenger vehicle for $75.00 anymore with the $3.50+/gal fuel...sheez
Dieselfan

lkchris

http://www.eia.doe.gov/bookshelf/brochures/diesel/

dgiturbo

May be the best 12 minutes of your life.....

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...73184300286737

kimcork

I live in NJ. When I bought my deisel last July, the price of auto diesel was 65 cents less than premium, and had been for the couple of months that I was watching it. Diesel climbed past premium through the fall months but was only about 20 cents more than premium until the last few weeks. Just in the last 5 weeks has dramatically jumped almost 80 cents.

Wondered if anyone had seen anything like this before...

I keep thinking the truckers will start screaming!

DUTCH

I understand that there is a bill proposed in Congress to give them an exemption from the Federal Road Tax - as if they aren't the ones who cause the most wear and tear on the roads. Just another "band-aid"!

sosh

Very true, but a catch 22 situation. While they do cause much of the road damage and wear the increased costs of shipping due to fuel costs has raised the price of many products we use daily. So, what do we want, unrepaired roads or steep inflation??

sosh

Went by the station with the diesel pump yesterday and the new posted price for diesel is $4.25, the 91 octane price still held at $3.41. Looks to me like the spread is increasing.

DUTCH

I paid $3.979 for ULSD on Wednesday.

sosh

OK Dutch but what octane was the gas and what was diesel at the same station?? We also all know that prices will vary from city to city, state to state due to different taxes and if the area is in one of the places that require the "special" anti pollution additives. I can drive 60 miles to Reading PA and buy 91 octane about .25 less than the area where I reside, or I can go to NJ where the taxes are less and save about .35. Diesel seems to be a different story as the prices are similar in all areas around here.

DUTCH

ULSD = Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel. I didn't notice the gasoline prices.

roughyear

did u noticed... supergas was only $2.19/gal when that video was shot.... ahhh to dream of those prices again

dieselfan

And I paid $3.889 at a station in Snellville/Lville wednesday.
I felt good about that at the moment but then realized I still paid $3.889...Ouch

lkchris

If they combine the bill with a 65mph speed limit for trucks, I might be a supporter.

DUTCH

I can remember when a buck's worth of gasoline would last all weekend.

sosh

As I fueled my 66 Vette this morning I remembered when as kids that a buck bought you 4 gallons.It was not unusual for kids to buy 50 cents worth at a time and they cleaned the windshield!! I was paying 3.60 for 93 Octane this morning. And, Dutch as far as Diesel is concerned my Dad had a diesel boat that I ran and I remember paying 15 cents a gallon for diesel in the early 60's.

timdf

if the price of gas (or diesel) is hurting your pocket - maybe you shouldn't be driving a gas (or diesel) guzzling MB ? :-)

Try living in the UK for a while where regular gas is $2.10 a litre !

Diesel used to be significantly less expensive there until the majority starting using it - now it costs more because of the extra tax - seems as though the US is ahead here.

Hybrid is the way to go.... Performance and economy.

sosh

Actually I am very pleased with all of my current and past gas MB's. We, here in the US just are not used to the current pricing. I am quite familiar with European fuel prices and have spent much time over there. For years the fuel pricing in europe is what drove their penchant for underpowered vehicles in spite of the fact that they made some excellent luxury and performance cars.I do not think that I would ever be happy driving a Hybrid, particularly a Japanese one.

350911

Pulled into gas station today to fill up. Paid $3.59 gal for gas. Couldnt believe that diesel was $4.35. I also remember in the 70s filling my car for .35 gal,
$3.00 went a long way.

NickIndy

That's regulated by the credit card company. Some are $50, some are $75...Discover has no such limit I believe. I generally think Discover is a useless card, but I use it for gas and gas only for this reason.

DUTCH

I pumped $98 and change on my AMEX card the last time I filled. No interruption until it was full.