Spin off: at what $/gal would you ditch gas?

[Robinhood4x4]

Eventually the cost of gas is going to go up even higher than it is today. At what point would you start to seriously look at some kind of alternative fuel vehicle, whether that means pure electric, hydrogen, or something else.

[troyboy162]

it wont be a dollar point it will be when it makes economic sense to switch. the price tag of the next option will play as much as the cost of fuel. i didnt buy a 24K prius just to save 50 bucks in gas a month when it hit 4.50 per gallon.

ill take a guess that that would mean over $10

[oly884]

I'll say $7 per gallon.

However, it will depend on the availability and cost of alternatives. As of right now, there isn't much widely available, nor incredibly affordable. Sadly I have a feeling prices will reach those levels before most can afford something else, and when you consider there won't be any trade in value for your gas/diesel powered vehicle (except government incentives, but those won't work if everyone is trying to trade in...), you're going to have a lot of people who will have a hard time affording $15k+ vehicles (and 15k is a cheap estimate for electric cars, now or in the future).

[Okie81]

In a perfect world of supply and demand, I'd hope that $10/gallon would drive the demand for a cheap alternative

[L33T35T Tacoma]

Also, at what point will the government step in and establish a price freeze on gas?

[Erich_870]

I said $7 as well, but I wouldn't switch away from gas, I'd just build one of these for commuting to and from work :drink::

http://blowbyumotorizedbicycles.ca/mediac/400_0/media/SANY0031.JPG

Erich

[CJM]

Cant, have to far to travel and public transportation here is the pits. Id buy a motorcycle instead and enjoy 50-70mpg. Think a nice honda or suzuki enduro would work well.

[fenrisx]

I vote $8/gal. After gas breaks $5/gal I'll be looking for a motorcycle to commute on. I want to do that anyways, and I hope to have one next year. Once gas breaks $8/gal I'd be looking into getting an electric car. I wouldn't bother selling the 4Runner because I think I'd have a hard time selling something that gets about 17mpg if gas is that high. I'd probably even get rid of the gas-powered bike in favor of an electric bike at that ppg.

[Obi..]

Great topic. FWIW I won't put a future price cap on things simply b/c after getting my degree and having taken all I learned into account I came to the conclusion I want to work within a 10-15 mile radius of home if in a metro area. The 10 mile radius is the premium figure where anything after that I seriously start to place a dollar figure for every additional mile. Most people hiring right now aren't even willing to look at the $25-$30/hour figure that I am worth at minimum so why waste my time with trying to commute to a job that won't pay that figure so I can life responsibly and financially secure, right?

Besides, at the 10-15 mile mark I can just as easily ride to and from work if I am forced into an underpaying position. I'll save the money I might waste on gasoline for necessary things instead..or give in and get one of these since the wife doesn't want me commuting on a motorcycle on the freeways out here..

http://www.scootermoped.net/wp-content/uploads/2011_vespa_lxv150ie.jpg
Would be kinda funny since I'm technically a rocker and the wife's a mod. ;)

*I've yet to have someone logically explain the profitability index of gas sales in relation to market support levels. Keep going higher when people can't afford it, that's smart..and why Hawaii has an existing gas cap law.

[Robinhood4x4]

Cant, have to far to travel and public transportation here is the pits. Id buy a motorcycle instead and enjoy 50-70mpg. Think a nice honda or suzuki enduro would work well.


Doesn't it snow over there in NJ?

And also, say the average gas tank holds 3 gallons of gas. That's over $30 to fill up your motorcycle to go 150-210 miles.

[Ric]

Im not sure at what dollar point it would take for me, geuss it would depend on how much Im making.

As I do outside sales, the price of gas does matter to me, Ive even looked at getting something like a civic or even a prius, but man, I cant stand the interior of the prius, or atleast from what Ive seen online.

[YotaFun]

I have my DD and I have my truck.
But I think my breaking point if it were to happen today would be $6.

Both the Camry and until recently the truck are 18 gallon tanks. ($108 a tank roughly)
Half my paycheck would go into fuel alone....

The unfortunate thing about that is we don't really have a vehicle in mass production that relies solely on another form of fuel, or at least one that is supported across the United States.

In the future if gas does rise though I would probably do what most of you have suggest, a bike, for majority of what I can, then have the Camry for the bad weather and the 4Runner for the horrible weather until support for alternative fuels is found.

[Obi..]

This thread's depressing.

[DHC6twinotter]

Probably around 7 or 8/gallon. I live 6-7 miles from work, which is close enough that I could ride my bike back and forth. If our sidewalk infrastructure was better, I'd probably be doing it already. The way people drive around here, I don't really want to ride on the road. I'd be afraid some moron texting their bff will run me over. But if gas hits 7 or 8, maybe I'd risk it.

I'd also consider buying a scooter or motorcycle. 100mpgs would be nice!

Maybe we can just drill for more oil in Alaska and re-open all the shut down rigs in the gulf. If gas prices go super high, it's just going to hurt the economy further.

[Crinale]

Probably around 7 or 8/gallon. I live 6-7 miles from work, which is close enough that I could ride my bike back and forth. If our sidewalk infrastructure was better, I'd probably be doing it already. The way people drive around here, I don't really want to ride on the road. I'd be afraid some moron texting their bff will run me over.

if gas hits those levels, you probably wouldnt be the only one switching to alternate transportation, thus there would be less cars on the road.

and yes Shane, this is a very depressing thread.. mainly because it is bound to be reality at some point >.<

[fenrisx]

Yeah... just imagine how much the cost of food/everyday necessities will go up if gas hit those prices.

[paddlenbike]

It would take more than $10/gal prices for it to make sense for me to buy a hybrid or alternative fueled vehicle. Even at 3X the fuel mileage of the 4Runner, the 10,000 miles/year I drive is too little to cover the $25-30k (Prius, Volt, Leaf, etc.) purchase price plus insurance and registration. As fuel goes up I reduce my driving.

[fenrisx]

10k annual mileage / 17 mpg / $10/gal = ~$5890/annually on gas.

$25k car loan / repaid over 72months / 7% APR = ~$5100/annually for car payment not including the increased electric bill to power it, or the possible higher insurance premium depending on if you've got a new or old 4Runner.

Plus, that $5grand you paid in interest over the 6 years of repaying the car loan could have bought you gas for about a year.

[arjan]

I think the bigger question is at which fuel price level will the economy tank again.
A good portion of your grocery bill is transportation (fuel) cost to get it to the store. Cost of living will go up significantly if the cost of oil goes up.