[stressdoc]

It seems some USA politicians are so corrupt they don't even have to come up for air (e.g., Tom Delay, Ted Stevens). Not that we have a monopoly on trough feeders, but we are doing it bigger and better. Let's hope we get the diesels soon. I just smile as I am whizzing along at 80mph getting 30+mpg amongst the SUV dinos. My kids are really angry about the lack of future vision.

[shragon]

Originally Posted by ward

I love how the big 3 aren't penalized for their trucks......

what a load of crap.

yep.

[noflash]

Originally Posted by stressdoc

It seems some USA politicians are so corrupt they don't even have to come up for air (e.g., Tom Delay, Ted Stevens). Not that we have a monopoly on trough feeders, but we are doing it bigger and better. Let's hope we get the diesels soon. I just smile as I am whizzing along at 80mph getting 30+mpg amongst the SUV dinos. My kids are really angry about the lack of future vision.

Ahhh, angry liberal kids... is there anything cuter?


P.S. Right there with you.

[JamieA]

Originally Posted by espo89

I love this fuel economy debate.... A little history. The original idea for these standards came after the gas crissis here in the late 70's. In 1978, the government put in these fleet and individual car taxes and penalties for crappy fuel economy. At that time, they did not want to add and extra tax burden for farmers and small businesses so they exempted "light trucks". Now fast forward to 2006 where 50% of new cars sold by the "big three" fall under that catagory. As a result the overall fuel economy of ALL cars on the road has been dropping over the last 10 years instead of going up. And people wonder why gas prices are $2.50/gal... They deserve it!!

BTW SUVs and other light trucks also do not have as strick environmental regulations as standard cars for the same reasons.... Don't you just love that one also :mad: :mad: :mad:

As a non US Citizen, thanks for the info it certainly helps. Didn't they also reduce the highway speed limits to 55MPH, which they have recently restored to 75MPH (with an interesting drop in the crash/road fatality rate!) ?

This is your classic Pigovian Tax and would be about as sophisticated as economics in the 70s would have gotten. But the whole point of a Pigovian tax is to spend the money offsetting the problem - I bet that doesn't happen...

Does anyone know what happens to this money once collected?

[stressdoc]

"Does anyone know what happens to this money once collected?" (JamieA)

Beautiful.

[JamieA]

Originally Posted by stressdoc

"Does anyone know what happens to this money once collected?" (JamieA)

Beautiful.

LOL - yes it gets washed through the trough for the pigs to swill I know... but I guess no one kicks up a fuss because the end user doesn't perceive that they pay for this directly.

In Australia we have a fuel tax which makes up about 50% of the fuel price. It is ostensibly to fund safer roads etc. It raises a huge amount of revenue, but (and no surprises here really) only a small fraction is spent on roads.

[poldim]

Originally Posted by espo89

Fo you think my numbers are BS or the fact that an owner doesn't have to pay this amount...


If you think my numbers are BS then here is the link that gives the schedule for taxes:

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/info.shtml#guzzler

Look at the bottom around the 12.5 number... GM doesn't have to disclose the MPG for the car since it weighs SOO much it isn't even considered a "passenger" car.... Because of that I would have to assume the MPG number is in the 12-14 range..

No, not doubting your facts, just finding more and more evidence of how much shit goes on behind the scene that most folks dont know about.

Anyone not driving one of the BIG 3's cars would probably be shocked by this. Too bad 99% dont know...

[poldim]

Originally Posted by stressdoc

It seems some USA politicians are so corrupt they don't even have to come up for air (e.g., Tom Delay, Ted Stevens). Not that we have a monopoly on trough feeders, but we are doing it bigger and better. Let's hope we get the diesels soon. I just smile as I am whizzing along at 80mph getting 30+mpg amongst the SUV dinos. My kids are really angry about the lack of future vision.

I do that now. Average about 32 mpg at an 85 mph cruise over a 350 mile drive.

[stressdoc]

Poldim, that is great news. I was getting a bit concerned with some members reporting 20 mpg or so.

Noflash, my read on kids these days (I am in child health) is that they are not 'liberal' per se, but they are really sick and tired of political and ideological crap. A pox on most liberal and conservative politicians alike. The ones that actually bother to concern themselves want efficiency, logic, honesty. Unless they are religious types, they seem to prefer the Evan Bayh/John McCain types. If they were voting cars, the honda civic would be president; E90 would be in the senate. Whew, avoided having to post an off-topic warning!

[noflash]

Originally Posted by stressdoc

Noflash, my read on kids these days (I am in child health) is that they are not 'liberal' per se, but they are really sick and tired of political and ideological crap. A pox on most liberal and conservative politicians alike. The ones that actually bother to concern themselves want efficiency, logic, honesty. Unless they are religious types, they seem to prefer the Evan Bayh/John McCain types. If they were voting cars, the honda civic would be president; E90 would be in the senate. Whew, avoided having to post an off-topic warning!

Stressdoc, from your name I concluded you were a psycho-something. Are you a therapist for kids? What is the age of these kids that are so politically in-tune?

I have a hard time thinking these kids even know who there congressmen are.

[b1mmer2]

Originally Posted by stressdoc

Poldim, that is great news. I was getting a bit concerned with some members reporting 20 mpg or so.

umm.. that's probably what happens when you don't shift your gears

[poldim]

Originally Posted by poldim

I do that now. Average about 32 mpg at an 85 mph cruise over a 350 mile drive.

Did it last night.

Averaged 81.7 MPH, 347 miles, 29.7 mpg.

The low mpg was caused by going over 100 for extended periods of time and my mirror cap being off on the drivers mirror...

[poldim]

Originally Posted by b1mmer

umm.. that's probably what happens when you don't shift your gears

You shift gears while cruising on the highway?

My 330 has more than enough power to accelerate in 6th. Do you have a 325?

[b1mmer2]

Originally Posted by poldim

You shift gears while cruising on the highway?

My 330 has more than enough power to accelerate in 6th. Do you have a 325?

I was jk. Your result of 29 mpg is way above 20mpg some people claiming.

Yeah mine is 325 and the acceleration is great even on 6th esp after 3k rpm.