Yes, but how long have you been paying high prices? Gas in the U.S. was half the cost of what it is now in fairly recent memory.
I took two trips from Texas to NC in the early 2000's and it was considerably less expensive to drive the Miata back and forth than to get a plane ticket.
Now, the opposite is true. I estimated my fuel costs for a road trip from Austin to Seattle, and it was going to be several times more expensive than to get a plane ticket.
Pat
ULP was 0.70 /litre in '99, 0.80/litre in 2000 and has risen constantly to now. Talk is of $2.50/litre by this time next year.
OzOne of the three twins
I welcome you to Crackerbox Palace.
Yikes! I am amazed at how many large trucks are still on the road. One friend has a dually pickup with a 8.1 liter engine as his primary transportation. This increase has to be eating into the average person's income badly.
I am actually driving about 2/3 of what I was back in 1999, so that helps some price-wise.
Pat
In the UK UL is about GBP1.06 per litre. That equates to about USD9.00 per Imperial Gallon or I believe USD7.50 per US Gallon.
Just got back from driving on packed snow and ice in blizzards in North Norfolk (England) where I was really pleased to fill up at GBP1.03/L
Besides, if you drive who will be rude to you, lose your luggage, bump you off your flight or cancel it? You have to give all that up if you drive.
Driving gave me the opportunity to be pulled over by a descendant of Barney Fife in Alabama for doing 60 in a 55.
I would have then missed the chance to have an illegal search of my car for no other reason that it having Texas license plates....a clear indication that I must have been running weapons or drugs.
The joys of driving cross-country and dealing with bum-f*ck state troopers.
Pat
You're lucky you weren't wearing Florida plates.
By the way it seems by looking at my mileage log, I got about 2-3% worse mileage when I was running regular than with premium, plus I get wheezy acceleration, plus engine knock. And I've got a stock '99, which supposedly doesn't require premium. I'm guessing here, but since I live in Florida I suspect I get a blend formulated for cooler air than I what actually get to drive through. I wouldn't mind if anybody who actually knows anything about gasoline formulas could set me straight on that.
yrs wdk
You're probably right, I don't know the regional formulations but I do know from my service station days that gas is different from one area to another. Gas in Florida *should* be formulated for the climate.
It would have been the same result, a violation of the law by one sworn to uphold it. At least this brain-trust LEO did not plant any evidence.
He did tell me to "drive safely" as he left. It was extremely tempting to ask if he meant that I should slow down by
5 mph, you know, take it down from that dangerous 60 to a safe 55.However, I have learned not to irritate people who have taken a job that gives so much power while requiring so little intelligence, especially when they patrol the town of, "IwouldnotlivehereoranywhereelseinAlabamainamillionyears, AL".
Pat
Must have been the same idiot that pulled our son over - he had Texas license plates too.
But you think the fact that he was in Army uniform might have given the trooper a clue.
Iva & Vixen
2004 Classic Red No more winkin' Miata
Every state immediately north and east of Texas has a bad reputation for the way the troopers treat Texas drivers, with Louisiana probably having the worst. Definitely nothing deep about the deep south.
Well, at least it shows that they are not profiling, they pull over anyone regardless of appearance.
With me, it was a white couple, an evil Ebay seller and a school librarian. Major crime wave averted that time.
With your son, it was probably a matter of jealously over the fact that Dept. Fife could not pass basic training when he tried to enlist.
Pat
I have an 06 mx5 and an 89 f250 (big block>big gulp) I hav never tried running the Miata on anything other than super, but I did try economizing on the truck for a # of years. (Ford recommends super for IT as well) What I found is that I suffered a signifigant loss of power as well as trouble on hills. Most front end power adders are all designed to do one thing, get hydrocarbons to mix with oxygen for increased power and this also adds milage. Higher octane fuels equal more power. Buy the Miata, deal with it at the pump, you won't be sorry.
My '06 MX5 runs OK on mid-grade, but it's a lot more fun with a tank of premium!
I wonder if there is a significant difference in MPG between grades of fuel?
Phil Woolfs> I have an 06 mx5 and an 89 f250 (big block>big gulp)
Yes and no. Vehicles equipped with knock sensors will retard the ignition timing when knock is detected and that will reduce economy and performance. If you drive with a very light foot so as to never cause the engine to knock there'll be no difference between fuels but... If you drive with a very light foot, why did you get a MX5?
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