# Orlando at over $5 a gallon highest gas in the country



## tombo (Mar 8, 2011)

GMA just showed many Orlando stations near the airport are charging $5.25 to $5.39 per gallon. WOW!!!! This is the highest gas prices in the country.

They predicted well over $6 a gallon by this summer for most of the country. RCI is going to have a lot of availability this summer if these gas prices keep rising.


----------



## rickandcindy23 (Mar 8, 2011)

It's only $3.25 at Costco in Denver right now, but that will increase soon.  

Gas was $3.69 a gallon last week in California.  I can imagine what it will be in Hawaii this summer.  I guess we will not take some of our customary long drives.


----------



## daynab (Mar 8, 2011)

It was $3.98 in Hawaii 2 weeks ago. I am sure it will be well over $4.00 by then. Prices were a little less in the Kehei area.


----------



## timeos2 (Mar 8, 2011)

You cannot judge by those stations near the Orlando airport. When gas was averaging $2.35/ $2.50 they were near $4/gallon. No surprise they would be way out of line now that prices are on the rise (makes that 4 cyl, manual shift compact I enjoy owning/driving look good next to the more expected big , six/eight cylinder SUV) id they maintained the same spread over average they will be pushing $7/gallon soon!  It is so bad there is even a push for a local law requiring them to post prices (they currently have their extremely high price only shown at the pumps - can't see it from the roadway).


----------



## AwayWeGo (Mar 8, 2011)

*Grind Your Own Gears Or Go Shiftless ?*




timeos2 said:


> (makes that 4 cyl, manual shift compact I enjoy owning/driving look good next to the more expected big , six/eight cylinder SUV)


When we were looking at EPA fuel economy estimates recently, we noted that the newish cars we were interested are slightly thriftier in the hydramatic versions than in their straight-shift counterparts. 

Who'd a thunk ? 

( Click here for the official web site for looking up EPA fuel economy estimates, keeping in mind that your mileage may vary. )

_Full Disclosure*:*_  The near-new (i.e., used) car we bought recently has EPA estimates of 27 city & 31 highway.  By contrast, our old 2002 model that we recently sold off has estimates of 17 city & 23 highway.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


----------



## bnoble (Mar 8, 2011)

> near the airport


That's the operative limitation.  For some reason, the MCO-area gas stations are even more rapacious than most airport locations.  And, at least one rental car agency (I forget which one) requires that you show a receipt within X miles for your fill-up to "count" as returning with a full tank.

Just last week, the Hess stations on WDW property were around $3.60 or so.  They might be up to $4, but I doubt they are at $5.


----------



## ogzy1 (Mar 8, 2011)

*I Luv my Prius*

52 miles a gallon but even I will curtail the driving this summer


----------



## AwayWeGo (Mar 8, 2011)

*That Is Outrageous -- And They Deserve To Be Outfoxed.*




bnoble said:


> For some reason, the MCO-area gas stations are even more rapacious than most airport locations.  And, at least one rental car agency (I forget which one) requires that you show a receipt within X miles for your fill-up to "count" as returning with a full tank.


Shux, that's low. 

Only thing to do is tank up at Race Trak or some other _el cheapo_ generic gas station along the way, then top off at a rapacious brand-name station near the airport -- & show the rental agency flunky the top-off receipt.  

Shux upon'm. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


----------



## timeos2 (Mar 8, 2011)

*Small is beautiful (and cheap!)*



ogzy1 said:


> 52 miles a gallon but even I will curtail the driving this summer



We have cut our driving SO MUCH that my wife thought I had forgot to record my most recent gas purchase (we keep a 100% log in the glove compartment of each vehicle) as when she went to fill up this week the last purchase was 12/23/10!  Nope - that's all I've used in well over 2 months! Of course the 3 weeks we were on vacation during that period helped but still thats not much mileage for 6-7 weeks at home.

I got into liking small cars back in the 70's gas crisis and although we had an SUV for over 10 years (as a third vehicle so it was used sparingly - we sold it last year with 96K miles after 14 years of ownership) the majority of our miles are done in a high mileage small car & I really like it. Even more now with the rise in gas price.  We haven't had a car payment in over 10 years (paid cash for the newest vehicle purchased in 2004) and that sure has been nice recently given the economy & health concerns.  Don't think we'll ever get another car we have to finance - not even a super high mileage one we'd probably enjoy.  The pay back isn't there even with the high gas costs and our little plastic vehicles look good & cost little to run so why buy? Got other things to use money on (including expensive gas!). 

Sure do love that new car feel/smell, but no more for us...


----------



## AwayWeGo (Mar 8, 2011)

*I Resemble That Remark.*




timeos2 said:


> We haven't had a car payment in over 10 years (paid cash for the newest vehicle purchased in 2004) and that sure has been nice recently given the economy & health concerns.  Don't think we'll ever get another car we have to finance - not even a super high mileage one we'd probably enjoy.  The pay back isn't there even with the high gas costs and our little plastic vehicles look good & cost little to run so why buy? Got other things to use money on (including expensive gas!).


We've been buying newish cars in recent years since we've become semi-affluent, but the cars we buy are still _used-used-used_ any way you shake it. 

The 2010 model we bought week before last has 16*,*000 miles on it.  Before that we had a 2006 bought in 2008, a (used) 2005 bought in late 2004, & a near-new (i.e., used) 2002 bought in mid-2002. 

To us, fuel economy is important, but not necessarily all-important.  By me, the only thing worse than expensive gasoline is NO gasoline.  By being frugal on other things, we are able to swallow hard & cough up the money it takes to buy the high-priced gas.  

Our son & daughter-in-law (co-owners with us on our timeshare deeds) are side-stepping the whole issue of pricey gasoline by driving around lately in cars that run on battery power recharged by plugging into the wall.  When the battery runs out of charge (as on intercity road trips), the car's gasoline engine kicks in to (a) run the car & (b) recharge the battery.  It's a neat concept that works for them -- but they're paying major bux for it by contrast with what we old folks are paying for our old-fashioned gasoline-powered cars.

We got imprinted young on buying used cars instead of new.  From the start, The Chief Of Staff & I both believed in paying cash rather than financing, a trait we picked up from our respective parents, whose formative years (both sets of parents) came from the Great Depression.  

What sealed it was The Chief Of Staff's experience in buying a real-for-sure factory-fresh brand-new car 1 time.  She took her junior year off from college, working full time by day & taking college classes at night, to save up for a car that we could drive around after we got married.  She paid cash money to the dealer for her beautiful spanking-new deep blue 1963 Chevy II 4-door, straight-6 & straight-shift (3 on the tree).  When she sold it just a couple of years after we were married, it lost so much value on resale that she vowed _Never Again_.  

Sticking to that during our non-affluent years meant driving around in some semi-awful used cars, including a few that show up on the _All-Time Bad Cars_ list compiled by Click & Clack The Tappet Bros. (e.g., Chevy Vega, Ford Pinto, etc.).  The payoff was financial freedom -- no monthly payments & not owing any money to any finance companies -- which helped get us financially to where we are today.  Plus, we were never without car(s) -- always were able to drive where we wanted to go.  

Is this a great country or what ? 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


----------



## strandlover (Mar 8, 2011)

Last week, it was $3.39 in VA, $3.49 in PA and $3.69 in NY all along I81?.

It's ridiculous how the unrest in Libya and it's 5% total oil production is sending gas prices into the stratosphere.


----------



## rachel1998 (Mar 8, 2011)

We are being fleeced for a change. Gas here in Atlanta, East Cobb to be exact is $3.49 a gallon.


----------



## mecllap (Mar 9, 2011)

Never a good idea to do your last fill-up close to any airport.  Let's not get too carried away with prediciting prices -- if they think we're all expecting major increases they'll figure they might as well meet our expectations.

At least it's still cheaper here than in many other countries -- but we also have to deal with greater distances, and lesser availability of mass transit.


----------



## AwayWeGo (Mar 9, 2011)

*Beating The System.*




mecllap said:


> Never a good idea to do your last fill-up close to any airport.


Fill up cheap away from the airport, then top off if necessary close to the airport. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


----------



## Passepartout (Mar 9, 2011)

I've never had any rental return agent say anything about a receipt (if they ask at all) from 10 or more miles away from the airport. If the gauge shows full that's good enough. Obviously, each return is different- like one cop will write you for 2-3 mph over the limit and another will give you 10.

Jim Ricks


----------



## Armada (Mar 11, 2011)

I think the most notorious of the rip-off gas stations is the one by the Hertz car rental return.  It is typically $2-$3 more than most gas stations.  They are like sharks feeding on the tourists.  Imagine going back to airport after Disney with a bunch of kids in the van and you are on short timetable. Pull up to pumps and starting pumping without checking the price on the pumps(no signage outside of the pumps showing price) and they've got you.  However, if you continue down the same road a couple of miles further away from the airport, you will find normal pricing.


----------



## jlwquilter (Mar 12, 2011)

It's $3.65 here in the West Palm Beach area. I have not yet seen anything break the $4 mark. OMG.

We go to Glacier and Banff this summer. Between airfare (I did ok on that), rental car (almost $500 for 15 days and that's in Canadian dollars - exchange is NOT moving in my favor), and now gas, it's going to be a REALLY expensive vacation given the miles we'll be driving.

 

And next year... Ireland and England and Scotland.


----------



## MichaelColey (Mar 12, 2011)

I would recommend going to the 7-11, one exit before the airport on 528.  Take the Tradeport/Conway exit and it's on the NW corner.

This route has an additional advantage.  After you fill up, head north a block on Tradeport and take McCoy east about a mile to Semoran/436, avoiding the last toll booth that you normally have to go through on the way to the airport.


----------



## dsfritz (Mar 12, 2011)

*$5.00 gas*

We;re in Orlando now, and nowhere is the gas $5.00!  Most of the stations are around $3.49.


----------



## toxic (Mar 14, 2011)

I'm in San Francisco.  

$3.89 is rare, $3.99 is common, and $4.09 and up is not all that unusual -- everywhere for miles around.  I hate to think what it costs near the rental car center.

I'm glad this is a walkable town.


----------



## Sea Six (Mar 14, 2011)

I just paid $3.65 for regular in Naples at a Hess station.  Here on Marco regular is $3.69 at BP.


----------



## JPD (Mar 17, 2011)

go to "gasbuddy.com"  put in a city or zip code and get the prices of gas around the country.


----------



## Jim Bryan (Mar 17, 2011)

$3.48 in Winter Haven


----------



## jlwquilter (Mar 18, 2011)

I an at Disney now. I paid LESS per gallon on I-192 yesterday than I did at home in West Palm Beach the day before we left to drive here last week.


----------



## rickandcindy23 (Mar 18, 2011)

I paid $3.28 per gallon at Costco near our house.  My stepdad just reported $3.26 at the Western Convenience store in Brighton, CO.


----------



## Carolinian (Mar 18, 2011)

Heck, its all classics for me.  I want something that is fun to drive and looks good.  Car designs have been bland and boring now for several decades.  The only 2011 I would consider is a Morgan, but then Morgan has not changed its basic body design since 1939.  When I took my present position, I sold my Studebaker GT Hawk, and left my 1968 MGB and 1968 Cutlass convertible in the states.  Although I have a driver on staff, and generally do not have much need for a car, it would still be convenient to have one.  I am contemplating buying an English classic or perhaps a French or German one and driving it here.  Even closer, I might try to find one of the 1960s Czech Tatra V-8's that are popular these days with Brit classic car enthusiasts.  I thought about shipping my MGB over, but the winters here are too long and the car is too low slung for many of the local roads.

Gas here is sold in local currency and by the liter.  I have not worked out the price lately but the last time I did it was only a little more than in the states.  Converting cars to propane or another similar fuel is popular here, and those fuels are widely availible at about half the cost of gasoline.  The conversion is relatively simple.

The gas stations near the airport here do not charge any more than elsewhere in the city.


----------



## MichaelColey (Mar 18, 2011)

Carolinian said:


> Converting cars to propane or another similar fuel is popular here, and those fuels are widely availible at about half the cost of gasoline.


Before you consider that, factor in the lower fuel economy that the alternate fuels have. Then take a look at the savings over the length of time you'll own the car. It might not pay for itself (and in some cases might not even be cheaper).

Our Suburban can use E85, which is about $0.30 cheaper per gallon. But when I tried it for a tank, I got 10 MPG instead of my usual 15 MPG. At $3 per gallon instead of $3.30 per gallon, E85 costs me $0.30 per mile while plain gas only costs me $0.22 per mile.


----------



## e.bram (Mar 18, 2011)

Gas is not the majority cost of operating an automobile. You have to factor in depreciation, insurance and maintenance.Putting  your life  and limb at risk for a small difference in operating cost by driving a small car which can be crushed by SUV or pickup trucking makes no sense. I enjoy my Expedition and F150 knowing the safety benefits are worth the extra fuel costs.


----------



## AwayWeGo (Mar 18, 2011)

*You Typed A Mouthful.*




e.bram said:


> Gas is not the majority cost of operating an automobile. You have to factor in depreciation, insurance and maintenance.Putting  your life  and limb at risk for a small difference in operating cost by driving a small car which can be crushed by SUV or pickup trucking makes no sense. I enjoy my Expedition and F150 knowing the safety benefits are worth the extra fuel costs.


You are correct, sir. 

_As the snow flies,
At a used car lot on the edge of town
A nice young guy & a nice young gal
Buy a Yugo.

And they drive with pride.

'Cause if there's 1 thing that this world needs
It's environmental friends who'll take the lead
In a Yugo

They say, "People, don't you understand
Those F-150s are ruining the land."
But they'll wish they had a full-size van 1 day.
They point fingers at you & me.
They say we're too blind to see.
But do we simply use our heads
And choose another way?

As those small wheels turn,
Fifty miles to the gallon 
And their knees on their chest,
They're gonna save enough gas
For all of the rest
In a Yugo

Then 1 day on the Interstate
They suddenly lose control.
They swerve to miss a baby duck.
They're squashed beneath a produce truck.

But they drove with pride...

And as the crowds drive past a little flat car,
You know they saved a lot of gas
But they didnt get far
In a Yugo

And as they're trapped inside,
At a used car lot on the other side of town
A nice young guy and a nice young gal
Buy a Yugo....

And they drive with pride...​_
-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


----------



## Sea Six (Mar 18, 2011)

I just bought gas at a Hess station at Downtown Disney - $3.49.  Cheapest gas I've seen in weeks.


----------



## pedro47 (Mar 19, 2011)

On 3/18/2011, I paid $3.35 per gal regular @ Hess in Newport News,VA.


----------



## bankr63 (Mar 24, 2011)

*Just returned*

We're just back.  Gas was running in the higher $3.40's everywhere throughout the week.  I fill up just before getting on the toll road back to the airport.  Gauge still read well over full when we arrived, so no problem there.  Suggest you fill up elsewhere before returning the car.


----------

