See, there you go, now don't be so mad people, even cars in the US are alot cheaper then "over here".

 

Yeah that's another good point fj0, the Mini dealer I go to over here in the UK has a used (3,000 miles) JCWS on his lot and it's for sale for 28,000.00 pounds which at today's exchange rate equals $50,814.39 No thank you

 

kaeleria - If they're stealing from you on water that would make them pirates!

Everyone getting their panties in a wad entirely depends on what they're used to. While the US has been spoiled rotten on gas prices forever and should've been paying much higher prices to curb their autoroticism (ie. the SUV movement) it's still a shocker for everyone to continually keep paying higher prices than they're used to. For example, it wasn't but a few years ago and I was paying $.75/gallon! You read it right, that's seventy-five cents a gallon right here in Atlanta.

Now I'm paying $2.389 for regular, $2.589 for premium and that's if you hunt for it. I use this site to hunt for gas prices. I probably won't change my habits until it hits around $5/gallon just because I live so close to work. I'd start carpooling with some guys that don't live more than a few miles from me. But living close to work is something I've always believed in.

 

MGear - Any idea of what it would take to buy a MCS here in the states, ship it back to UK, sell it there for less than what they're selling it and still make a profit? Hmmm.....

 

Wow, .75$

And I promise you, the price over here is rising as well, quickly and people are not happy, it's all over the news.

 

It'd lose value since it's US-Spec I believe, mph different emissions and such.

But I guess it can be done, shipping isn't that bad.

 

Gr8Force I know exactly what the costs are becasue I just went though the entire process. Here is a breakdaown of all the costs:
Shipping Mini Overseas: $2,300.00
UK Spec Halogen Headlamps Used: $500.00
Activating Rear Fogs ('02 car hardware flash and new toggle panel): $200.00
Single Vehicle Road Test: $350.00
MOT Test: $100.00 (Required on all vehicles 3 years and older, mine was 37 months!)
License Plates: $80.00
Total Amount: $3,530.00
My car over here in the UK is worth only about $15,000.00, the same car over here in RHD is worth 50 Grand LHD cars in the UK are cheap, but if I put it up for sale in Europe I could make a bundle. Had I known it was going to cost $3,500.00 to get it over here and convert it I would have sold mine in the USA come over here drive down to John Cooper Works in West Sussex and purhcase a a Classic JCWS for about $18 grand and pocket about 5 grand. Oh well, water over the damn as they say.

 

I wonder why a RHD is worth $35k more than a LHD drive there? Preference? For that much I'd be more than willing to live with an opposite side drive.

 

2.99 this morning for premium at the Shell and Chevron in La Mesa; east of San Diego.

 

I agree with you G8force, in fac all LHD cars over here go for real cheap. The reason is just market preference. Living in a different country certainly opens your eyes up to seeing what others place a preference on. For instance the license plate industry over is a private industry. Custom plates cost anywhere's from $500.00 to $100,000.00 Can you imagine spending 100 grand on a license plate or going out to get a lone so you can purchase a custom plate That is no exageration either it's done everyday of the week over here. Oh here's one for the books, sales tax is 17.5% really

 

Sales tax in Sweden on everything except very few things like medicines and stuff are 25%!

Did you import a car from the US to the UK? What car and how much was it?

 

I've only been driving for...let's see...15 years, with a 2 year...break lol (over 500,000 miles under my belt though!!) and even *I* remember $0.75 gas! In fact for the first few years of my driving career, it was below a buck - and I remember the uproar about the dollar mark! Ohhhh, loss of the times past...what we wouldn't give eh??

 

(Since this is a SoCal forum) I recall the Arco on Crescent Avenue across from Knott's Berry Farm selling regular (no unleaded) for 21 cents a gallon!
Needless to say, the station across from them at the time turned around and snipped 2 pennies per.

Yup, sure was fun ridin' around in my buddy's Road Runner back then. (or his brother's Barracuda) Myself? Lowrider times. I drove a '63 Impala.

 

so, is the price of gas just going up in the US? my understanding is that gas in europe is more expensive because of taxes. so wouldn't it suffice to say that gas is going up there too?

i have no idea what i'm talking about so, please, let me know what's what.

 

Juan, I remember filling up my '67 Ford Cortina for about $2.12 back in 1969! HA HA!!! And I sure remember when the prices shot up in the 70s....buying gas on even or odd days, depending on your license plate!

As for feeling lucky for paying $3/gallon: in Los Angeles and much of SoCal, we are pretty much stuck with automobiles. Public transportation has not kept up with the times and everything is so spread out. We don't have many realistic choices apart from our cars. I wonder when prices will top out and what the highest price will be!?


Clover

 

And what's up with not having any trains going to LAX?
I live at the eastern end of the Green Line. The few times I've taken the train to get to LAX, the damn line veers off toward Redondo Beach instead of the airport! One needs to disembark at the Aviation stop and take a bus to get to their terminal.

When I lived in Chicago, I could walk to the neighborhood CTA station, hop on the 'L', and transfer to any train taking me direct to O'Hare or Midway.

 

I hear ya! It is SO dumb! The folks that designed the metro rail routes and the train routes should be FIRED!


Clover

 

Yesterday I saw a Chevron in El Centro charging $3.19 for premium unleaded although I got some for $2.95 a few blocks away. The Shell in Jacumba on I-8 was at $3.09.

Haven't yet had to go over the $3 barrier but it seems like its just a matter of time....

 

I paid $3.37 today. OUCH!

 

Every gas Station here is now $2.99 - $3.03

 

I paid $5.50 for 100 Octane at the Willow Springs track this weekend and that seemed like a bargain with 91 octane over $3.00 around So Cal.


Bill

 

Hmm, $2.96 @ Chevron, Brookhurst/Warner in Fountain Valley two days ago...over $41 to fill the tank, but I'm still okay with this...I have a 20-mile roundtrip commute during weekdays (mostly city miles though ) and highways on the weekend. I'm still doing better than my 03' Jetta, and thats even with the fact that I always use premium.

 

At a dodgy looking Chevron station on Florida Ave in NE - it's right by Galluadet University. MINI seems to be running fine so I guess it's not watered down!

 

We are at $2.64 here in Middle Tennessee. The only thing I can say is, "Thank God I have a MINI!!"

 

Monday, I paid $3.05 @ Mobil in Glendale (Central, off the 134) OUCH!! I got back to the IE and the prices are in the high 2.80 range (and this is a GOOD thing )