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Doofy · Jul 15, 2006, 06:12 PM

Originally Posted by analogika

12 litres!?

What kind of "very small car" uses 12 litres!? (Unless you habitually pike it at 190km/h, in which case, it's your own damn fault.)

Damn. That's crap. The DoofMobile gets 9.4 @ 180, sustained. And the DoofMobile is shaped like a brick.

Sky Captain · Jul 15, 2006, 06:14 PM

My Beech get's about 10 MPG. Depending on the wind currnets.

Pendergast · Jul 15, 2006, 08:32 PM

Originally Posted by Doofy

Damn. That's crap. The DoofMobile gets 9.4 @ 180, sustained. And the DoofMobile is shaped like a brick.

Austin Mini, MkII body with 1000cc engine? Got Webers?

Goldfinger · Jul 16, 2006, 12:40 AM

Originally Posted by PB2K

It's a 1975 - 1300 junior but with a 2000 in it. Its gorgeous.

you know, in holland gasprices are so incredibly high, and the media say it is because of the crisis in the middle east, but I don't believe it. In France the prices are 10% lower and French gas includes roadtax as well. It's just taxes.

I envy you so much. You use it as a daily driver?

analogika · Jul 16, 2006, 03:23 AM

Originally Posted by PB2K

It's a 1975 - 1300 junior but with a 2000 in it. Its gorgeous.

you know, in holland gasprices are so incredibly high, and the media say it is because of the crisis in the middle east, but I don't believe it. In France the prices are 10% lower and French gas includes roadtax as well. It's just taxes.

I honestly had no idea! Looks like I hit the bulls' eye, though!

That's a lovely car. I just saw a red 1300 for sale here (which is why it was the first thing to come to mind), and it makes my heart skip a little every time I see one for sale - but I need my van, and I couldn't afford to maintain the Alfa.

However, your "very small car" is an oldtimer AND a sports car. Surely, calling that a "very small car" and then complaining about gas prices is kind of disingenious, no?

I mean, a Porsche GT3 is a "very small car" too... yet it would be rather senseless to compare it to, say, a smart car.

PB2K · 03:58 PM

it's what people have been telling me when i start talking about the (quite high) fuelconsumption

they tell me that it's a sportscar and tehre fore is a luxury item.

to me it's my way of transportation, because I don't have much to carry around and dont want to pay taxes, I chose this one (and for esthetical reasons)

To help you with the purchase of your Junior, I would like you to view this video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPADQCoS1-w&search=alfa

It's what makes it all worthwile

bytheway, don't you just love this deep red color? It's very unique, really bright (close to orange), they told me it is the original color alfa's were delivered with

PB2K · Jul 16, 2006, 04:04 PM

I'm sorry, It's that great

you won't find a classic car that has these perfect lines, from every angle. People respond really positive to it, it's not like a ferrari or maserati which will just awe ppl because it's so far out of reach. This car is great in it's own modest way.

analogika · Jul 17, 2006, 06:30 AM

That's the exact color of the one I saw one for sale the other day. *sniff*

Aren't they a bitch to maintain, though?

PB2K · Jul 17, 2006, 06:56 AM

Not really, if you know the right clubs and forums it's easy to acquire cheap parts. I bought this one for about 4500 euro's and the past year I had problems with my clutch and ignition. Also I blew up the 1600 engine (burned a hole in the piston) that's why I replaced it with a 2000 engine from an Alfetta. At the moment parts are in good supply, and the cars quite cheap, but give it a year or two and that situation might be different. I got my hands on a really great leather interior that's nearly perfect, getting the new dashboard in is very difficult, I have spent the past weeks trying to get the wires right.

So the maintenance is not too difficult, there is not too much electronics and the engine is easy to reach. Just check the liquids every now and then. I understood that americans are not that "purist" and don't mind putting a more modern engine inside it. It's actually what I would like to do too when this engine breaks down. (this type of engine was made for about 25 years in different alfa models like the Giulia, Alfetta, Sud, etc)

besson3c · Jul 17, 2006, 08:00 AM

Originally Posted by smacintush

I didn't prove your point, I made mine.

You said "paranoid of the intentions of their gov." I'm not paranoid of their intentions anymore than I am of yours. Other than their fear of not getting re-elected they have good intentions I'm sure. The problem is that the management of such a complicated thing as this is not something that belongs in the hands of a few politicians.

Oppression is nearly always done for the "benefit" of society.

Why aren't more Republicans naturally mistrusting of their government (like they ought to be) when it comes to fighting terrorism?

Kevin · Jul 17, 2006, 08:06 AM

Originally Posted by von Wrangell

The reasons for the rise in oil prices is because of events in the ME. US invasion of Iraq, US threats towards Iran, Israeli actions in Palestine and Lebanon and US support of those actions.

Rise in oil prices is something your own government created. Congratulations.

Hyperbolistic!

Funny, I remember in 1998 The Clinton Adminstration saying Gas prices WOULD Go up soon. Above $3.

Not that I blame them. I don't.

But funny how they knew this BEFORE the invasion of Iraq, or whe when Iran started threatening us (first as I recall) etc.

You are funny sometimes "logic"

Kevin · Jul 17, 2006, 08:09 AM

Originally Posted by kobi

ok then tell me how it's not Bush's fault??

Yeah I guess the Clinton Administration KNEW Bush was gonna be re-elected when they kept saying Gas prices would be raising in the future..

besson3c · Jul 17, 2006, 08:10 AM

I don't understand why gas/oil prices shouldn't be more regulated - at either the OPEC level or domestically. Our utilities are regulated, because they are treated as assets that we truly need, and access to these assets are too fragile to trust that simple human greed would not try to exploit our needs. Gas is now pretty much in the same league, in my opinion, so perhaps it should receive the same treatment?

Obviously, a mark up is occurring somewhere, as there are plenty getting rich by our reliance on gas at the expense of our economy and welfare.

Doofy · Jul 17, 2006, 08:37 AM

Originally Posted by besson3c

I don't understand why gas/oil prices shouldn't be more regulated - at either the OPEC level or domestically.

They are regulated at OPEC level - to make money for OPEC.

itai195 · Jul 17, 2006, 02:20 PM

Our utilities are regulated? Not so much in CA.

The price of gas is set on the open market according to the laws of supply and demand. It's down so far today at least. Gas, along with pretty much all commodities, experienced a long bear market in the 80s and 90s, thus why prices got so low. Nowadays that market appears to have ended and prices on all commodities are rising (e.g. look at the prices of gold, silver, and copper). There are some shorter-term geopolitical events that affect the volatility of commodity prices, such as gas, but the bigger picture seems to be that we're in a period of rising prices generally.

Doofy · Jul 17, 2006, 02:22 PM

Originally Posted by itai195

Our utilities are regulated? Not so much in CA.

The price of gas is set on the open market according to the laws of supply and demand.

Guess who sets the supply to suit themselves? OPEC!

besson3c · Jul 17, 2006, 02:44 PM

Originally Posted by itai195

Our utilities are regulated? Not so much in CA.

The price of gas is set on the open market according to the laws of supply and demand. It's down so far today at least. Gas, along with pretty much all commodities, experienced a long bear market in the 80s and 90s, thus why prices got so low. Nowadays that market appears to have ended and prices on all commodities are rising (e.g. look at the prices of gold, silver, and copper). There are some shorter-term geopolitical events that affect the volatility of commodity prices, such as gas, but the bigger picture seems to be that we're in a period of rising prices generally.

And, AFAIK, that deregulation in CA is thanks to Enron.

Sky Captain · Jul 17, 2006, 07:23 PM

So if a Democrat is elected, oil prices will plummet?
Is that what's being implied here?

Kevin · Jul 17, 2006, 07:29 PM

Originally Posted by Sky Captain

So if a Democrat is elected, oil prices will plummet?
Is that what's being implied here?

It's all Bush's fault!11

itai195 · Jul 17, 2006, 10:27 PM

Originally Posted by besson3c

And, AFAIK, that deregulation in CA is thanks to Enron.

It's thanks to former governor Pete Wilson and his cronies, Enron just took advantage of it.

tie · Jul 18, 2006, 01:11 PM

Originally Posted by Sky Captain

So if a Democrat is elected, oil prices will plummet?
Is that what's being implied here?

It's more that Bush's policies from the start have been to try to drive oil prices higher. These policies were written by energy companies after all. How much effect have his policies actually had? That I obviously don't know.

Kevin · Jul 18, 2006, 01:16 PM

Originally Posted by tie

It's more that Bush's policies from the start have been to try to drive oil prices higher. These policies were written by energy companies after all. How much effect have his policies actually had? That I obviously don't know.

Again the Clinton administration said oil and gas prices would skyrocket in the 2ks.

How did they know this?

(Not blaming the Clinton adminstration for it BTW)

hey!_Zeus · Jul 29, 2006, 01:48 AM

A bump for Cody Dawg.

black bear theory · Jul 29, 2006, 02:07 AM

Originally Posted by Kevin

Again the Clinton administration said oil and gas prices would skyrocket in the 2ks.

How did they know this?

(Not blaming the Clinton adminstration for it BTW)

because it's a natural consequence of using a finite resource at or near it's production limits. and while this is inevitable, people will still make billions of dollars during the decline.

tie · Jul 29, 2006, 02:09 AM

Originally Posted by Kevin

Again the Clinton administration said oil and gas prices would skyrocket in the 2ks.

How did they know this?

(Not blaming the Clinton adminstration for it BTW)

Perhaps my post wasn't clear. I wasn't blaming Bush for it either. I think his policies are a major contributing cause -- probably 15-20% of the price of gas can be blamed directly on him. But prices were going, and will continue to go, up anyway. Given Bush's friends in the oil industry, and the kinds of people he lets write our national energy policy -- like Ken Lay -- it's unfortunately clear that Bush wants prices to go up.

In the meantime, Americans except Bush's buddies suffer, and Saudis and Al Qaeda party.

Y3a · Jul 29, 2006, 06:49 AM

The "GOOD PART" of Global warming is that we will use less fuel to heat our homes in winter....

Wiskedjak · Jul 29, 2006, 09:44 AM

Originally Posted by Y3a

The "GOOD PART" of Global warming is that we will use less fuel to heat our homes in winter....

I've heard of at least one utilities company that has proposed raising prices because too many of it's customers homes are highly energy efficient and are using less fuel.