Priceless

I drive a Yukon XL in order to haul three Labrador Retrievers, a boat, 4′ x 8′ sheets of plywood or sheetrock, tools, etc. Stuff and lots of it. Today two non-events collided with rude reality: I ran the fuel level down to the point where the low fuel light illuminated and I decided to correct the overdue need for an oil change. A hundred dollars. Damn. One hundred dollars for gas and oil. My brother’s commuter scooter is starting to look good but no, in Birmingham a scooter would be a suicide ride. The whole thing developed into a Mastercard ad, you know the one.

Used 2001 Yukon: $20,000
25.7 gallons of regular: $74.60
Oil and filter change: $33.89
Needs a new fuel pump which is in the tank: $900

Replacing the 5.3 liter V-8 with a flux capacitor which burns the biomass produced by three Labrador Retrievers: PRICELESS!!

In 1981 the average price of a gallon of gasoline was approximately $1.10 but adjust that for inflation and the real price was closer to $2.25 per gallon. We’ve been spoiled by relatively cheap gas over the last twenty years and now several factors are forcing that gap to close. The fact remains that as gas prices continue to rise, disposable income declines and threatens to take the economy with it.