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is gas gonna come down now?

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G

gut

Senior Member

15,058 posts
May 7, 2011 8:36 PM
WebFire;761656 wrote:Bullshit meter is pegged! You tell us the same thing when gas goes up. That they have to raise prices for future purchase. So do they set prices on what's in the tank, or future price? Make up your mind!
Actually since there are often other gas stations on the opposite corner or down the street - getting deliveries at different times -so no one has the same cost of gas in their tanks. You make money when you can because you have to take a loss at times when people drop prices after getting a cheaper delivery. Gas is almost always a loss leader designed to get people into the store to buy ridiculously marked up convenience items. If a station is able to average 1-2 cents profit per gallon they are doing really well.

Don't worry, I'm sure Obama's latest task force will get to the bottom of all this. Maybe we can take those stations making a penny or two a gallon to the woodshed!
May 7, 2011 8:36pm
G

gut

Senior Member

15,058 posts
May 7, 2011 8:39 PM
Keep in mind the BP's and Shells have thousands of stations across the US, so the average price in the tank becomes pretty irrelevant to them. They just set to market price, and all your mom & pop stations basically have to follow suit to keep from taking a bath, basically make money wherever they can to offset losses when the price drops to $3.00 and they paid $3.10 for what's in their tanks.
May 7, 2011 8:39pm
M

Manhattan Buckeye

Senior Member

7,566 posts
May 7, 2011 8:50 PM
"If a station is able to average 1-2 cents profit per gallon they are doing really well."

This is correct, having worked at truck stop in the past. Gas is just the means of getting customers into the shop. The local station owner isn't making anything off of gas, nor tobacco (another commodity heavily priced by the distributors). They make their money off of drinks, particularly fountain soda, and snacks. A profit margin of 40 cents on a 20 oz bottle of coke far outweighs whatever profit margin (if any) from fuel.
May 7, 2011 8:50pm
W

WebFire

Go Bucks!

14,779 posts
May 7, 2011 9:50 PM
gut;762089 wrote:Actually since there are often other gas stations on the opposite corner or down the street - getting deliveries at different times -so no one has the same cost of gas in their tanks. You make money when you can because you have to take a loss at times when people drop prices after getting a cheaper delivery. Gas is almost always a loss leader designed to get people into the store to buy ridiculously marked up convenience items. If a station is able to average 1-2 cents profit per gallon they are doing really well.

Don't worry, I'm sure Obama's latest task force will get to the bottom of all this. Maybe we can take those stations making a penny or two a gallon to the woodshed!

See, I get it. But don't blow smoke up our asses when the price goes up but doesn't come down. I'd rather just have the truth than some BS about the price of gas in the ground.
May 7, 2011 9:50pm
LJ's avatar

LJ

Senior Member

16,351 posts
May 7, 2011 9:52 PM
WebFire;762129 wrote:See, I get it. But don't blow smoke up our asses when the price goes up but doesn't come down. I'd rather just have the truth than some BS about the price of gas in the ground.
This same thing has been told to you bumerous times.
May 7, 2011 9:52pm
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HitsRus

Senior Member

9,206 posts
May 7, 2011 11:31 PM
gas has dropped about 20 cents since Wednesday here in the Akron area.....but market oil prices were on the rise Friday again.

I really have a difficult time comprehending the people who get all indignant about oil prices, as if this was not expected or predicted years ago, or as if they didn't have any warning. If prices moderate, use the time to make lifestyle decisions...buy a fuel efficient vehicle, move closer to work etc etc...at the earliest opportunity. We have had over 40 years as a country to come to grips with this....and at least a dozen when it was painfully obvious. I remember having this very same discussiion on JJHuddle several years ago. Get it thru your thick skulls people...the era of cheap oil is OVER. You need to do the things that mitigate the cost, if the price of a gallon of gas is that important to you.
May 7, 2011 11:31pm
sleeper's avatar

sleeper

Legend

27,879 posts
May 7, 2011 11:49 PM
WebFire;762029 wrote:Ok Sleeper.

Like I said, if you really think gas stations are ripping people off for massive profits, start your own. Only when you start QQ about how you're a low life loser making little money owning a damn gas station will you understand.

Otherwise, bathe in ignorance and let me(and other intelligent folks) make money off you. =) We'll be rich, you'll be poor and QQ your whole life because you don't understand shit.
May 7, 2011 11:49pm
W

WebFire

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14,779 posts
May 8, 2011 12:12 AM
sleeper;762240 wrote:Like I said, if you really think gas stations are ripping people off for massive profits, start your own. Only when you start QQ about how you're a low life loser making little money owning a damn gas station will you understand.

Otherwise, bathe in ignorance and let me(and other intelligent folks) make money off you. =) We'll be rich, you'll be poor and QQ your whole life because you don't understand shit.

You can't even comprehend what I am saying. I never said gas stations were rich and making billions. But don't give a lame excuse about gas prices rising, then reverse the excuse when the opposite happens. Just say what you are saying now to begin with. CAN YOU GRASP WHAT I AM SAYING?

And your "open your own gas station" is freaking retarded. You can say that about anything. Don't like what Obama is doing? Run for President and change it.

See how dumb that is?
May 8, 2011 12:12am
W

WebFire

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14,779 posts
May 8, 2011 12:14 AM
HitsRus;762223 wrote:gas has dropped about 20 cents since Wednesday here in the Akron area.....but market oil prices were on the rise Friday again.

I really have a difficult time comprehending the people who get all indignant about oil prices, as if this was not expected or predicted years ago, or as if they didn't have any warning. If prices moderate, use the time to make lifestyle decisions...buy a fuel efficient vehicle, move closer to work etc etc...at the earliest opportunity. We have had over 40 years as a country to come to grips with this....and at least a dozen when it was painfully obvious. I remember having this very same discussiion on JJHuddle several years ago. Get it thru your thick skulls people...the era of cheap oil is OVER. You need to do the things that mitigate the cost, if the price of a gallon of gas is that important to you.

I actually don't really complain about gas prices going up. I don't, however, care for the reasons. I don't like that speculators control the market, even when they really have nothing to speculate about. I don't like it that a foreign organization made up of oil countries can cut off supply to raise oil prices.

Maybe I should start my own oil company and a special interest organization to control it. :rolleyes:
May 8, 2011 12:14am
sleeper's avatar

sleeper

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27,879 posts
May 8, 2011 12:16 AM
WebFire;762283 wrote:You can't even comprehend what I am saying. I never said gas stations were rich and making billions. But don't give a lame excuse about gas prices rising, then reverse the excuse when the opposite happens. Just say what you are saying now to begin with. CAN YOU GRASP WHAT I AM SAYING?

And your "open your own gas station" is freaking retarded. You can say that about anything. Don't like what Obama is doing? Run for President and change it.

See how dumb that is?
Terrible analogy.

And no, I don't understand what you're saying, all I hear is painfully ignorant statements from a person that has no idea what they are talking about.
May 8, 2011 12:16am
W

WebFire

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14,779 posts
May 8, 2011 12:18 AM
sleeper;762288 wrote:Terrible analogy.
How so?
sleeper;762288 wrote:And no, I don't understand what you're saying, all I hear is painfully ignorant statements from a person that has no idea what they are talking about.
I know you are, but what am I.
May 8, 2011 12:18am
sleeper's avatar

sleeper

Legend

27,879 posts
May 8, 2011 12:22 AM
WebFire;762292 wrote: I know you are, but what am I.

My bank account says otherwise. I have no incentive to waste my time educating you when I am making money off you. Enjoy mediocrity, I will enjoy my fat cash money stacks.
May 8, 2011 12:22am
W

WebFire

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14,779 posts
May 8, 2011 12:24 AM
sleeper;762297 wrote:My bank account says otherwise. I have no incentive to waste my time educating you when I am making money off you. Enjoy mediocrity, I will enjoy my fat cash money stacks.

I wonder if you are like this in real life?
May 8, 2011 12:24am
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sleeper

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27,879 posts
May 8, 2011 12:39 AM
WebFire;762299 wrote:I wonder if you are like this in real life?

Yes.
May 8, 2011 12:39am
M

MontyBrunswick

May 8, 2011 12:42 AM
HitsRus;762223 wrote:but market oil prices were on the rise Friday again

Oil was down Friday, not that it matters.
May 8, 2011 12:42am
G

gut

Senior Member

15,058 posts
May 8, 2011 5:22 AM
WebFire;762129 wrote:See, I get it. But don't blow smoke up our asses when the price goes up but doesn't come down. I'd rather just have the truth than some BS about the price of gas in the ground.
Well, a big part of it is memory bias. You notice the spikes far more than you notice the drops, and since we are in a cyclical bull market for oil the spikes are going to outnumber the drops.

Also, there's a rather large disconnect between the market reported on the news and the price at the pump. Without getting into specifics on crack spreads, delivery and all that, what is talked about on the news are futures prices whereas your local gas pump is dealing in spot prices. It's actually possible for futures prices to be dropping while spot prices rise.
May 8, 2011 5:22am
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HitsRus

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9,206 posts
May 8, 2011 9:13 AM
Maybe I should start my own oil company and a special interest organization to control it.
You can't, as an individual. My point is that the people complaining need to realize that cheap oil is over and focus on what they can control...i.e. lifestyle changes, so that this isn't a perennial discussion.
May 8, 2011 9:13am
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HitsRus

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9,206 posts
May 8, 2011 9:19 AM
dlazz;762311 wrote:Oil was down Friday, not that it matters.
You are correct...There was a rally in oil prices early Friday on news of the U.S. job numbers, but it did actually finish down slightly on the day.
As I posted earlier on this thread, there have been reports that the fundamentals aren't there to sustain the continued prices.
May 8, 2011 9:19am
W

WebFire

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14,779 posts
May 8, 2011 9:30 AM
HitsRus;762365 wrote:You can't, as an individual.
That was my point about stupid his comment was.
HitsRus;762365 wrote: My point is that the people complaining need to realize that cheap oil is over and focus on what they can control...i.e. lifestyle changes, so that this isn't a perennial discussion.
I don't disagree. I never actually complained about the high price itself. I always tell people we should be glad it's only $4 gallon. If it followed inflation like everything else, it sure would be a lot more expensive!
May 8, 2011 9:30am
W

WebFire

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14,779 posts
May 8, 2011 9:32 AM
I do think we as a nation, including the government and car companies, need to come up with a way to get us off the oil dependency. As long as there are gas guzzling vehicles to buy, people are going to buy them. Hybrids and electric cars are not affordable, and that is a problem.

It's easy to say people should make changes, but it's not necessarily easy for people to make changes.
May 8, 2011 9:32am
M

Manhattan Buckeye

Senior Member

7,566 posts
May 8, 2011 9:47 AM
WebFire;762370 wrote:I do think we as a nation, including the government and car companies, need to come up with a way to get us off the oil dependency. As long as there are gas guzzling vehicles to buy, people are going to buy them. Hybrids and electric cars are not affordable, and that is a problem.

It's easy to say people should make changes, but it's not necessarily easy for people to make changes.

Why "we as a nation"? What do you think other countries do, hop around on pogo sticks or ride rickshaws? Its a global market. Americans will continue to purchase fuel because relatively it is cheap, even at $5.00/gallon most Americans spend less than $5.00/day on their fuel bill....how many public transportation models can move people around for that amount?
May 8, 2011 9:47am
W

WebFire

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14,779 posts
May 8, 2011 10:03 AM
Manhattan Buckeye;762373 wrote:Why "we as a nation"? What do you think other countries do, hop around on pogo sticks or ride rickshaws? Its a global market. Americans will continue to purchase fuel because relatively it is cheap, even at $5.00/gallon most Americans spend less than $5.00/day on their fuel bill....how many public transportation models can move people around for that amount?

We as a nation because it's a collective effort. Are you saying we shouldn't come up with an alternative to gasoline?
May 8, 2011 10:03am
C

Con_Alma

Senior Member

12,198 posts
May 8, 2011 10:42 AM
Manhattan Buckeye;762373 wrote:... even at $5.00/gallon most Americans spend less than $5.00/day on their fuel bill.......
I am not disputing this. I am expressing my surprise to it!!! Can this be true that adult US citizens spend less that $5.00 per day on transportation costs??? On a normal month I spend over $600 on fuel alone and that doesn't include weekend uses. That expense is just my Monday through Friday use.
May 8, 2011 10:42am
W

WebFire

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14,779 posts
May 8, 2011 10:49 AM
Con_Alma;762387 wrote:I am not disputing this. I am expressing my surprise to it!!! Can this be true that adult US citizens spend less that $5.00 per day on transportation costs??? On a normal month I spend over $600 on fuel alone and that doesn't include weekend uses. That expense is just my Monday through Friday use.

Yeah that's only 1 gallon per day at these prices. Though, at 20-30 MPG, if you live in the town you work, it is feasible to spend less than $5 per day.
May 8, 2011 10:49am
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tk421

Senior Member

8,500 posts
May 8, 2011 11:40 AM
Yes, but what everyone always always fails to realize, it's not just putting gas in the car. It's the price of everything else that is going up with the cost of gas, most importantly food. So yes, people can and are hurt by the ever increasing price of gas. It's not so easy to absorb as people on here would have you believe. Not everyone is so lucky.
May 8, 2011 11:40am