As if record breaking profits weren't enough...

[ryan34]

http://money.aol.com/fortune/investing/fortune5002006

Now they are the number 1 retailer in the country. And i thought Wal-mart would never get topped

[TraceZ]

We are getting raped at the pumps.

It was $44 to fill up our minivan this weekend.

[ryan34]

We are getting raped at the pumps.

It was $44 to fill up our minivan this weekend.

What?!?!?!? How big is the tank? I spent $36 to fill the formy up on premium. $2.63/gallon is what i paid. (gasp. i just rememered i bought it from mobil ) Oh well it was the cheapest in the area by about 10 cents.
An extra $3.60 in my pocket for going there and an extra 12 dollars or so in their pocket for jacking up the prices. doesn't really sound like a fair trade off does it?

[Jeff_in_Atl]

Do you know the difference between a profit and a profit margin? Did you know that the profit margin for Exxon-Moble is less than that of McDonalds? Did you know that if you made Exxon-Moble reduce their profit to Zero it would only reduce the price at the pump $.075 per gallon?

[ryan34]

No i didn't know that would only reduce the price by 7.5 cents. Where did you get this information?

But i really didn't mean to make topic about their profits or profit margin(thats been beat to death). Its really about the fact that they took over the number 1 retail spot.

[Joe 1320]

Folks, a big chuck of what you pay at the pump goes directly to the government...... it's the taxes on the fuel that are jacking up the price.

[Jeff_in_Atl]

Folks, a big chuck of what you pay at the pump goes directly to the government...... it's the taxes on the fuel that are jacking up the price.

Yea the oil company makes about $.075 per gallon for refining and tranporting the oil while the government gets I think $.18 per gallon for doing absolutley nothing. Now where is the problem again?

[Christopherrr]

Yea the oil company makes about $.075 per gallon for refining and tranporting the oil while the government gets I think $.18 per gallon for doing absolutley nothing. Now where is the problem again?

Jeff remember when governor perdue suspended taxes on fuel in GA for like 2-3 weeks and prices dropped that same day by like .15 cents!

[Jay 02 TA ws6]

Do you know the difference between a profit and a profit margin? Did you know that the profit margin for Exxon-Moble is less than that of McDonalds? Did you know that if you made Exxon-Moble reduce their profit to Zero it would only reduce the price at the pump $.075 per gallon?

Source please. Not arguing with you... would just like to see the source.

[e40]

Here's some info about profit margins between the different industries...

Profit Margins

[thenuge876]

I understand that there may not be one particular party to blame for the high cost of gas, but when I see it go up 20 cents in the last 2 days and its almost up to 3 dollars per gallon I see something wrong. I feel that this is absurd (remember after katrina when it got this high there was outrage) and something needs to be done to control it. Im not saying im an expert on this stuff its just that something doesnt seem quite right here.

[Jay 02 TA ws6]

I understand that there may not be one particular party to blame for the high cost of gas, but when I see it go up 20 cents in the last 2 days and its almost up to 3 dollars per gallon I see something wrong. I feel that this is absurd (remember after katrina when it got this high there was outrage) and something needs to be done to control it. Im not saying im an expert on this stuff its just that something doesnt seem quite right here.

1. Walk more often
2. Ride a bike more often
3. Move closer to your place of work
4. Car pool when you MUST drive
5. Buy a more fuel efficient car

Best ways to combat this... until we're able to make alternative fuel vehicles mainstream.

[Joshu]

Im getting a straw and a shovel

[Jeff_in_Atl]

I understand that there may not be one particular party to blame for the high cost of gas, but when I see it go up 20 cents in the last 2 days and its almost up to 3 dollars per gallon I see something wrong. I feel that this is absurd (remember after katrina when it got this high there was outrage) and something needs to be done to control it. Im not saying im an expert on this stuff its just that something doesnt seem quite right here.

Politics don't have anything to do with the free market price of goods and services. (generally speaking) Oh and who thinks the president sets the price for gas. I can't believe how many people blame Bush for the price of gas.

The biggest reason for the hike in prices right now is due to several refineries shutting down to change over to the special summer blends of gasoline to meet the EPA requirements for clean air. Supply has reduced but demand has not which means the price goes up. At least this is what I have read recently.

I heard a list of gas prices in Europe. They range from about $5.00 a gallon to almost $7.00 a gallon.

[Dave-S]

There are also mandates to switch all fuel over to ethanol blends and this is driving up prices too.......and guess what..........there isn't enough ethanol either in this country so it will be imported at another premium price. And you will also get poorer gas mileage with ethanol blends as well. http://www.motortrend.com/features/a...06/112_news45/ The whole price structure picture is difficult to judge objectively but the price of crude oil largely drives the price at the pump. The fact that the oil companies made record profits and the fact that the retiring chairman at Exxon is getting a record setting pension do nothing to put the oil companies in good light. http://www.aynrand.org/site/News2?JS...s_iv_ctrl=1223 But they are not necessarily the main culprits here as much as we would like to believe they are.

I found this article does a decent job of summing up our current situation. http://www.dailyhome.com/news/2006/d...-6d11v3514.htm