patrick.net

Tenouncetrout says

OH I haven’t forgot that I’m pissed off that $45,000 Egg cars that get crappy gas mileage for it’s intended practical purpose. While gas and oil is being artificially inflated to make it so, at the expense of Global famine, just so Political points can be scored. While in the meantime we’re stockpiling Oil and currently there’s an over supply.

Yeah, I think that the gas mileage on supposed "green" cars is absurd, and then charging a premium for it is even more absurd.

I think that gas is held "artificially" low. I did not see if you answered the question on peak oil, but I suspect that your view on that may be the reason for your valuation.

I think that we are either at or close to peak oil. That combine with all the externalized costs that go in oil production. Also, all the great things that we make out of oil.

Not only is oil undervalued, but the rate at which we burn it, and what we burn if for is somewhat foolish.

BigRock says

As a big guy I had a VW Jetta TDI (Diesel) which was fairly small but got 40 miles per gallon!

Yeah, at 6'2" 215lbs. I fit just fine in my Jetta TDI Wagon. On long highway trips I find that I can get 45 mpg.

Better mgp than a lot of the hybrids.

state says

who is holding it artificially low? why are they doing it?

Well... basically all of us for allowing the oil industry to avoid paying for their Externalities of their product.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Externality

Do you think BP is ever going to pay the full cost of their oil spill?

Some may say... but... but.. but.. "if we had to pay the fishermen for all their lost profits because of the spill, gas would be $10 a GALLON!"

...yes... yes it would...

...Also, our short sightedness in letting a finite resource, a resource that can do amazing things, a resource that should be used to build the next stage of human development, be burned like it is going out of style.

Humanity is just not built to think long term.

I am reminded of American history when people were moving west, and upon seeing the great redwood forests of the pacific north west thought that they could cut as many and as fast as they pleased, and would never run out of trees...

...they were wrong...

BUT! trees, different from oil, can be managed, regrown and basically made to last forever.

bob2356 says

I really want to know what TOT smokes. Ok I’ll bite TOT, could you document this process with actual facts, examples, real world numbers etc.?

That's another problem with liberals. Always trying to stifle creativity.

Tenouncetrout says

the Liberal politicians in City hall that were architects the whole scheme, go home to hide behind the Gates in their 3million dollar home.

Yes, here's a good movie clip representation of one of those evil liberals.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FARSi_ZXe3A

The real problem is that the automakers are run my their marketing department. These marketers force the automakers to build cars with a lot of extra unescessary crap like 4 doors instead of 2, and power door locks, power windows, cabin air filters, side air bags, oversized rims, and worst of all their edict that all cars have a 0-60 in less then 10 seconds. All those things, plus government mandates have made gas mileage improvements over the last 30 years negligable. But now even the lowest form of car can smoke it's tires from a stoplight.

zzyzzx says

The real problem is that the automakers are run my their marketing department. These marketers force the automakers to build cars with a lot of extra unescessary crap like 4 doors instead of 2, and power door locks, power windows, cabin air filters, side air bags, oversized rims, and worst of all their edict that all cars have a 0-60 in less then 10 seconds. All those things, plus government mandates have made gas mileage improvements over the last 30 years negligable. But now even the lowest form of car can smoke it’s tires from a stoplight.

Auto makers build cars that people will buy. Period. Automakers that don't are gone. The marketers don't do jack. There are plenty of makes and models out there. If someone wants it they can buy it. If people wanted high mileage they would buy it. If they want low power they would buy it. People are happy to plunk down the money for power everything and fast acceleration. It's called a free market. If you want higher mileage cars then tax gas more.

bob2356 says

Auto makers build cars that people will buy. Period. Automakers that don’t are gone. The marketers don’t do jack. There are plenty of makes and models out there. If someone wants it they can buy it. If people wanted high mileage they would buy it. If they want low power they would buy it. People are happy to plunk down the money for power everything and fast acceleration. It’s called a free market. If you want higher mileage cars then tax gas more.

Well... they don't always just go out of business, they also lose market share, but stay in business.

And, this is what has been happening to the US automakers over the past several decades, because... drum roll please... * * * * * --> More people have been wanting higher mileage, reliable cars.

Marketers can and have in some organizations been instrumental in running companies into the ground.