On the price of a gallon of gas...

[Guest]

Just ran across something that mentioned the average cost of unleaded gasoline in 1980 was $1.25/gal.

According to the inflation calculator at the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2012 terms, that would be $3.44 - ten cents less than it is at the cheap station down the road from me.

In 1980, my car got 17 MPG.

In 2012, my car gets around 30 MPG (though, to be fair, I've had cars that have gotten as much as 62 MPG and in the 40s - cars which I no longer have - and yes the 62 was a one-timer when I was in no rush to get where I was going)

[Guest]

Yes and in 1968 I paid .12 per gallon. In the 70's and 80's there were in my opinion false shortages and the price went up if you could get gas. I wouldn't be surprised that next year we will be back to shortages.

[Guest]

Cost of a gallon of Milk in 1960 was $0.49. The cost of a new home was $16,500.00 and the Dow Jones had a high of 685

Try to see the reality. The sky will not fall due to gas going to 5 dollars a gallon.

[Guest]

I would guess the mobility 'factor' of individuals has changed substantially from 20-30 years ago. We seem to have to jump in the car and go some where for almost everything/anything these days. Hence even with the inflation calculated in, the percent of expendable income spent on gasoline is probably much higher than back then/when.

btk

[Guest]

Its not the problem of $5.00 a gallon gas, the problem is that everything else goes up as the cost to get it here cost more. Just keep adding everything up and see how far your retirement or wages goes.

[Guest]

I would guess the mobility 'factor' of individuals has changed substantially from 20-30 years ago. We seem to have to jump in the car and go some where for almost everything/anything these days. Hence even with the inflation calculated in, the percent of expendable income spent on gasoline is probably much higher than back then/when.

btk

Very astute but you neglected to include a factor for the increased fuel efficiency of today's Hybrid vehicles which would no doubt influence your highly technical calculations and conclusions.

[Guest]

Its not the problem of $5.00 a gallon gas, the problem is that everything else goes up as the cost to get it here cost more. Just keep adding everything up and see how far your retirement or wages goes.


Very true. It will not be the $5 gas that will get us it will be the cost of absolutely everything else that will be the killer.
Try to name one thing that energy cost will not affect.

Yes we can survive $5 gas but not $8 bread $6 milk, you name it!

[Guest]

Yes and in 1968 I paid .12 per gallon. In the 70's and 80's there were in my opinion false shortages and the price went up if you could get gas. I wouldn't be surprised that next year we will be back to shortages.

really 12 cents I paid 29.9 Where did you live?

[Guest]

really 12 cents I paid 29.9 Where did you live?

I was paying 21.9 back in 1963. I have not seen 12 cents even in gas wars back then.

[Guest]

I think it was 1962 or 1963 and a gas-war was going on in Buffalo. My Dad had a Gas-Station in northern Pennsylvania and I can remember him saying the gas prices in Buffalo were much cheaper than he was able to buy it. The price .... 17.9 cents. I pumped gas since I was 10 years old and I don't ever remember gas being cheaper. Not many customers filled up their cars. Most would say, "Give me 5 gallons." Sometimes it would be, "Give me a dollars worth." ... and with those huge sales they got their windshield washed, oil checked, fan belt examined, water checked and, if they asked, we'd check the air in their tires and add some if it was needed. Dad paid me $10 and all the gas I could burn for a weeks work (35 hours) in my senior year. He changed "all the gas I could burn" to "one tank a week." I could burn a lot of gas. I had a 1956 Plymouth with push-button drive with a 277 cu in V8. It would smoke all of the Chevys and Fords of the day.

Xavier

[Guest]

The gas price was in Toledo Ohio and then in Texas back in hippie days

[Guest]

I had a 1956 Plymouth with push-button drive with a 277 cu in V8. It would smoke all of the Chevys and Fords of the day.

A car guy and a liberal. The only way that could be better is if you were not a liberal.
Oh well, at least you are a car guy. :wave: