CA Gas Prices!!! Ouch

[bootlegger]

The car is $33k, $110 more a month for gas is my monthly full coverage insurance payment. Car was paid off 3 months ago. I have been following spot prices on oil and gasoline for 4 years. I understand fuel blends ( which is bs in itself). Ethanol is a waste of an additive with less energy per gallon and more harmful to the ozone per gallon than regular unleaded gasoline.

My problem is with the chart graphs for the past 10 years. The spread is abnormal compared to previous oil/ gas prices considering normal operations under normal conditions. Last time we paid prices anywhere near this was when oil was $128 a barrel not $70 as of today. Supposedly there is an abnormal condition with 2/3of our refineries being offline. No one monitors this for accuracy.

I work in the power generation field ( not living above my means) as turbine engineer. When we have outages which are twice a year, the price of electricity does not spike during that time. We have to buy it on the open market but our customers don't see a surge. Sure rates increase periodically as do ins, gas etc.

There is for sure price gouging going on here in Ca. Has been for some time. My average calculation over a 5 year period in this state has been $.48a gallon.

Just a few points (speaking as an ex-oil petrochem guy)...
Ethanol is far from a waste of an additive. It's an oxygenate, and a great source of octane. It's safer and cheaper than any other alternative. "Worse for the ozone" isn't such a big issue, as gasoline combustion emissions had minimal contributions to the old ozone issue. The key now is reducing carbon emissions and reducing the need for fossil fuels. EtOH is pretty good for those issues. The biggest negatives are some increased ground level emissions (harmful to lungs), reduction of lubricity (harmful to fuel pumps), and increase in solvency (harmful to older hoses and seals). Those of us running E85 know what an amazing fuel it is for the performance enthusiast. I wish more stations sold it, as it is cheap and high octane. If I were in Cali, I would be looking for E85 stations and take the plunge.

As for gasoline prices, people love to whine about taxes. But taxes aren't the core of the issue in Cali. While your taxes are high, less than $0.50 per gallon goes to taxes. There are many other reasons that explain your high prices. Two standouts I see are lack of pipelines and strict regulations for fuel refining/blending. https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-gasoline-manipulation-infobox-20150706-story.html

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[Cobra Jet]

Nothing out of the ordinary - fuel prices always jump after the winter months around this way, it’s pretty much a given... and then you’ll see sporadic increases around certain holidays as highway travel ramps up.

The reasons or excuses for such increases always relate back to “seasonal formula changes”...

Also be aware in some States, the fueling station cannot change the price of fuel within 24hrs... if there’s a change (increase likely - and some stations try to cheat), the fueling station can get hit with fines from Weights & Measures.

This country should have an abundance of fuel and oil both in active stock and storage stock.

 

[Kaw8787]

You guys make me laugh, your gas is so cheap. In the UK it calculates to about $8 to a US gallon.

That’s cause your government are commies and they hate their citizens

 

[Kaw8787]

I was fine when 93 was .70 over 87. But 1.20, that’s retarded. In July the gas tax goes up the 36 cents a gallon in Ohio I believe. Which is 8 more cents on the gallon. Not a huge deal. But it’ll only go up from there.

 

[NoVaGT]

$4.79 for 91.... 10 refineries and 6 are down for maint/issues. On July 1st, the gas tax increases another $.06 a gallon. They predict $5 for premium within a few weeks....

Gotta pay for the druggies, illegals and homeless shitting all over San Francisco somehow.

You vote democrat, that's what you get!!!

 

[bootlegger]

Gotta pay for the druggies, illegals and homeless shitting all over San Francisco somehow.

You vote democrat, that's what you get!!!

As with most things in life, this isn't so black and white. There are many "left" states with normal gas prices. As stated above, and backed with data, taxes are just a small part of the many issues with fuel in Cali.

 

[Cobra Jet]

Speaking of “gas tax”, here in NJ (mini-CA), similar gas taxes were implemented and added to the price per gallon of fuel. Supposedly this new tax is supposed to be used to offset road repair and road improvement costs... funny thing is, many of the heavily traveled roads are still shit - and it’s been well over 1+years that new tax has been in place.

Also to note, when buying a new vehicle in NJ, there’s something called “tire tax” that gets added to your new car invoice - guess what that is for.... nope not tire disposal... that tax or fee is also supposed to be going towards road repairs/improvements.

Know what else - all the roads or highways that have tolls implemented, that money is also supposed to be going for road construction repairs and improvements (since 1951).

So tell me something - WHERE in the hell is all this money going from fuel taxes, new car tire fees and tolls?!?!?!

 

[NoVaGT]

As with most things in life, this isn't so black and white. There are many "left" states with normal gas prices. As stated above, and backed with data, taxes are just a small part of the many issues with fuel in Cali.

It's black and white, as we are talking about Cali in specific, not other "left" states.

 

[Jiki05]

Speaking of “gas tax”, here in NJ (mini-CA), similar gas taxes were implemented and added to the price per gallon of fuel. Supposedly this new tax is supposed to be used to offset road repair and road improvement costs... funny thing is, many of the heavily traveled roads are still shit - and it’s been well over 1+years that new tax has been in place.

Also to note, when buying a new vehicle in NJ, there’s something called “tire tax” that gets added to your new car invoice - guess what that is for.... nope not tire disposal... that tax or fee is also supposed to be going towards road repairs/improvements.

Know what else - all the roads or highways that have tolls implemented, that money is also supposed to be going for road construction repairs and improvements (since 1951).

So tell me something - WHERE in the hell is all this money going from fuel taxes, new car tire fees and tolls?!?!?!

That's what I ask myself Everytime they ask for a new tax to be implemented regarding road upkeep and maintenance. Isn't that why we pay taxes already?

 

[samd1351]

Missouri voters just shot down a "Highway Improvement Bill" that would have added a 3/8ths cent sales tax for road and highway improvements because most of the money was actually going to the Highway Patrol.

 

[marks]

That’s cause your government are commies and they hate their citizens

Ha ha, okay there cowboy

 

[Deleted member 35786]

 

[Deleted member 35786]

Worldwide prices.. 3.78Liters to the gallon. You do the math..

 

[Freedom]

I live 20 min away from you. Where are you paying 3.82 for premium?

Costco in Modesto, CA. i think most costcos are similar priced in the area.

 

[CAL Captain]

About $4.30 for 91 here on the Central Coast. 100 was $7.55 about a week ago.

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