Back with the G8

After nearly three weeks away from the G8 it’s so great to be back. Last night after my flight from the East Coast I had to go to the grocery store for milk. When I first sat in the G8 after being in a rental car for so long I was totally out of place. Seriously, I thought someone else had been driving my car! It didn’t take long to get back into the feel of the G8… only once did I accelerate a bit too aggressively due to driving in the rental car.

93 Octane @ $2.95/gal = WTF!

I guess I’m still on my gas rant… I filled-up my whimpy rental car today and at the pump was 93 Octane for $2.95/gal.

Seriously, what I wouldn’t give for 93 Octane fuel… let alone for under $3/gal. I wonder what TSA would say if I brought back a gas can with me? Oh well…

Gas Price Inequality

I understand the concept of suply and demand, but what is the deal with the extremely different gas prices from state to state?

Gasbuddy.com

Just look at California! Isn’t there a big refinery (large supply) in Benicia? So why are most prices are over $2.94/gal… where even closely neighboring states are $0.50/gal less expensive? Maybe some of this is because of state/local taxes places on the gas sales, or maybe special formulations to deal with environmental concerns, but still… it is annoying.

On a note about gas… I have been consistantly been getting around 19 mpg in the G8 GT with my commute to work (13 miles, 85% highway at ~75 mph). I’m happy with this, considering I was getting about the same fuel economy with my ’02 Grand Prix that only had a 3.8L V6.

If I’m all highway I’ve been getting up to the 25 mph that the window sticker claimed. I have noticed that the more I drive in manual shifting mode the lower the gas milage, but that has to be connected with the more spirited nature of that driving. Still, the lowest full-tank average I’ve done so far was 15.6 mpg.

Missing the G8 GT

I’ve been on travel for the past week and I’m really missing the G8 GT. I was hoping to get something like a G6 for a rental car, but I got stuck with a 2008 Toyota Carolla S. It’s small, under powered, and sounds like a fart blowing out of a coffee can when you put your foot into it.

Going from a 6.0L V8 to a 1.8L 4-cyl is just depressing… where is the other half of the engine!

‘Sigh… oh well, when I get home I’ll be going on a nice long drive to Tahoe with the NorCal GOATS.