Head scratcher about EPA mileage...

[Ghoste]

And it is a one reason why Cat 8 heavy truck sales have gone into the toilet, operators are determined to make their used tractors last as long as they can now.

[charge69]

As far as I am concerned, there should be NO subsidies for growing anything used for making fuel or fuel-additives.

Anyway, you people know that the govt. mandated that ALL cars, starting with the 2015 models, will have a mileage recorder somewhere on the car that will be removable and can be used to report your annual mileage. It probably will also have GPS capability to report your destinations also.

If all cars get twice the mileage or are all-electric, the govt. will lose a lot of revenue in gas taxes. Guess what? Being taxed by mileage driven each year is coming! The govt. has to make revenue some way to maintain the highway system as well as every state and local entity. Where do you think that money will come from if you drive an all-electric vehicle that uses no gas? How about you driving a hybrid that gets 60mpg?

Get ready to report your mileage driven every year and prepare to pay an amount per mile reported as verified by your own car telling the govt. how much it has been driven. I do not know how they will expect you to report older cars without this device but they will and probably will figure out a way to verify it also. Maybe require a mileage report every year for you to register it. Oh, and by the way, the gas tax in place now will not be dropped either. It IS coming so get ready.

[JB400]

You will pay your mileage tax when you get your tags.  The inspector writes your mileage down everytime.

[Steve P.]

So who among us built their car exactly as they wanted it on the very first try? No changes at all after the rebuild? No changes during the rebuild?

With my first 65' I trusted a guy to make me solid motor mounts. Well he made them. I believe I could have done better welding using the wires from a toaster, but they were solid and welded! They never made it on the car. I then did some measuring while the motor was hanging from a chain, and wrote down some dimensions for elephant ears. I went to sea for 8 months and while at sea with no car, motor or even a water pump housing, made my elephant ears and a spacer for the bottom pulley. They were beautiful to say the least. Only they didn't work as I had sort of dialed or placed the water pump holes a little. Had to make another set while I was in port and could check against the motor and car. This was work done with good intentions but needed tweaking.  After many other modifications to that car and others I still find that trial and error is what gets me there as I am not duplicating really anything.. I'm sure we have all been down this road if we've made any changes of our own.
I'm just saying everything takes some planning and trial and sometimes ends up in error and needs tweaking.. Why should whatever the government tries be any different?

[Steve P.]

So are you saying you would rather not pay a tax and have all the smog we use to have?? The gas tax today pays for more than the EPA. It also pays for the very roads you are driving on. So if you are NOT paying a gas tax and they make it a mileage tax you are still paying for the very roads you are driving on..

If you want to get around all these taxes you have a few choices. You can elect to move to a place that is close to work and shopping and walk everywhere you need to go or ride a NON-POWERED bike. Then you will not be putting any money toward decent roads and bridges.

Again bringing everything down to simple is that if we do not pay for things we will not have things. You want cops and firemen?? They want to be paid for their work and needs tools to do them. It's just the same only under  different shell.

[JB400]

I think it would actually be nice to see our tax dollars used more efficiently.  The state just got done repaving roads they just repaved 2 years ago.  There was nothing wrong with them.  The city is the same way,  they repave the same roads over and over, while I'm driving down side streets that haven't seen work in the last 20 years.


As for the police and fire departments, I used to be  now I just  .  I don't think our fire department has saved a house or building yet.  But, the volunteer fire department can save a trailer house with minimal damage.  Don't get me started on the cops.

[bakerhillpins]

I'm just saying everything takes some planning and trial and sometimes ends up in error and needs tweaking.. Why should whatever the government tries be any different?

 

Because when we do *something* we know we had good intentions and it didn't work out but! we know why and so we are satisfied with giving another go. However, when we get *something* from a 3rd party we expect it to work to our expectations the first time. Mostly because, didn't I just pay for that and sheesh, isn't it obvious that didn't work? what did I just pay you for?

All sarcasm aside, sometimes it doesn't work because someone who doesn't like it or want it in the first place inserts something to help make it ineffective/fail.  We tend to get that a lot more from Govt because folks usually don't try to destroy products they are trying to sell because they don't benefit from that. In govt, they tend TO benefit from that behavior. The result is that it don't work and we (not they) end up paying for it anyhow.

So are you saying you would rather not pay a tax and have all the smog we use to have?? The gas tax today pays for more than the EPA. It also pays for the very roads you are driving on. So if you are NOT paying a gas tax and they make it a mileage tax you are still paying for the very roads you are driving on..

If you want to get around all these taxes you have a few choices. You can elect to move to a place that is close to work and shopping and walk everywhere you need to go or ride a NON-POWERED bike. Then you will not be putting any money toward decent roads and bridges.

Again bringing everything down to simple is that if we do not pay for things we will not have things. You want cops and firemen?? They want to be paid for their work and needs tools to do them. It's just the same only under  different shell.

 

It's the "Not in my backyard" or the "Not my problem" syndrome there. Either way it's not something that should be paid for "because I don't need it right now".    

[bakerhillpins]

I think it would actually be nice to see our tax dollars used more efficiently.  The state just got done repaving roads they just repaved 2 years ago.  There was nothing wrong with them.  The city is the same way,  they repave the same roads over and over, while I'm driving down side streets that haven't seen work in the last 20 years.


As for the police and fire departments, I used to be  now I just  .  I don't think our fire department has saved a house or building yet.  But, the volunteer fire department can save a trailer house with minimal damage.  Don't get me started on the cops.

Yes, I do think could be used more efficiently.

I am going to try to avoid the whole Unions debate here but Volunteer fire departments cost money too. I have lost count of the # of times folks quote the fact that nothing burned down as a reason to trim the budget. No one seems to make the connection that it was the investment in the first place that kept them from burning down.    Many folks question even the NEED for the dpt because - I haven't needed it?     Proactive vs Reactive.

[rebby]

Just like the new "Urea" "Cat converter" on the new Diesels. When the light on dash comes on for "Perform Re-Gen now", it means you drive at around 30 MPH (Which the computer limits the throttle so you CANNOT drive any faster), for over 1/2 hour.


This is to "Clean" the "Urea" (Yes, it litterally means Urine), filter. Good one Ford/EPA/GOV. Lemme know how this works out for you trying to sell $65K Diesel Trucks....

Damdest thing happened to my 2012 Cummins, the entire exhaust from the turbo back (including the DPF) and the entire EGR system feel off my truck at roughly 1500 miles. I had to replace the entire exhaust system as well as a great deal of the intake. Because I couldn't afford to reinvest in the factory components, I even had to add a tuner to the truck to disable all the DPF/EGR stuff. You'd think that a big expensive truck like this would have been built a little better. My mileage when up about 5 miles per gallon over night!

[Steve P.]

( bakerhillpins ), I cannot agree more....

For those in question of the need for firemen and cops, why not ask some of our resident firemen and cops for their opinion? Maybe how many lives they have saved?

Yes, if it didn't happen to you it didn't happen to anyone.. So why do we need it?? (sarcasm).

[JB400]

The way our volunteer fire department works, if you don't pay your dues, you'll wish you did.

[Steve P.]

Once again proving that you GET what you PAY FOR!!!

[LaOtto70Charger]

Are they the running a protection racket?  Our little volunteer fire department has no dues so how does that work?

[Steve P.]

I think he's referring to getting the phone call looking for offers of CASH for the volunteer force. A while back it made the news about some of these "VOLUNTEER CALLERS" asking for cash and after hearing, (we just don't have it), started saying, (Well I hope your volunteer firefighters remember you when you need them)!  A few had been reported and people started to RECORD them.. So of course it hit the news and the papers.

Either way it is sad.  We get those calls for the cops all the time.. I think I have paid plenty with the last few tickets I paid... 

[resq302]

I think it would actually be nice to see our tax dollars used more efficiently.  The state just got done repaving roads they just repaved 2 years ago.  There was nothing wrong with them.  The city is the same way,  they repave the same roads over and over, while I'm driving down side streets that haven't seen work in the last 20 years.


As for the police and fire departments, I used to be  now I just  .  I don't think our fire department has saved a house or building yet.  But, the volunteer fire department can save a trailer house with minimal damage.  Don't get me started on the cops.

Yes, I do think could be used more efficiently.

I am going to try to avoid the whole Unions debate here but Volunteer fire departments cost money too. I have lost count of the # of times folks quote the fact that nothing burned down as a reason to trim the budget. No one seems to make the connection that it was the investment in the first place that kept them from burning down.    Many folks question even the NEED for the dpt because - I haven't needed it?     Proactive vs Reactive.

My fire chief (volunteer) summed it up best!  Failure to plan on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part. 

Come to think about it..... maybe it does.   

[JB400]

Our local volunteer fire department has dues.  $50 a year per household.  They also have benefit dinners twice a year to raise money.  All of this money goes into the general fund for new equipment and operating costs.  Does the volunteers get anything, I don't know.  If they do, it's not much.  Where I'm at, the town is real small.  Less than a hundred houses total.  But, the fire department does more rural stuff than they do in town.  I think they cover 1/4 of the county.

[bakerhillpins]

My fire chief (volunteer) summed it up best!  Failure to plan on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part. 

Come to think about it..... maybe it does.   

Yep, that has made the rounds here as well.

Our local volunteer fire department has dues.  $50 a year per household.  They also have benefit dinners twice a year to raise money.  All of this money goes into the general fund for new equipment and operating costs.  Does the volunteers get anything, I don't know.  If they do, it's not much.  Where I'm at, the town is real small.  Less than a hundred houses total.  But, the fire department does more rural stuff than they do in town.  I think they cover 1/4 of the county.

Our funds for equipment/etc are raised through the local tax base so in a way it's not any different. What volunteers get depends upon state and local laws. We used to get a small rate per hour but it was basically enough to buy a few pizzas at the end of the year. Of course that depended on the call volume which actually made the budget difficult to manage. So we, as a group, voted to go to strictly volunteer (no pay) in exchange for an insurance policy held by the town on our behalf. It's not much and certainly doesn't cover our normal salaries but it's something if we get injured or worse yet. 

[odcics2]

Interesting thread!   

The nice thing is that for anyone that doesn't like it, well, they are free to leave this country and find another more to their liking!     

Having been in other countries on work assignments, I can clearly remember kissing the ground when I got back. 

I'm just sayin'....

[Ghoste]

As someone else who does some world travelling, nothing but agreement!

[Steve P.]

I didn't want to be the first to say it, but I also have been around the World and Spend more than too many days in countries that do not care about their people ans that cannot care for their people. I have docked in ports that had women trying to sell themselves with their children hanging on them. All skin and bones. Some port were so bad we anchored out and sent in our motor whale boat just to say we made land..

This is paradise when people work together and care about humanity.

Now, back on track.. Troy, have you found a vehicle that does it all and gets good mileage yet?? I am kind of looking again myself. So far for my needs I am looking hard at a new F-150 with a 3.5 Eco-tech twin turbo. It has the comfort I need and can tow nearly as much as my F-250 with V-10. Tires and yearly registration will be cheaper and they say it gets 17/21 MPG. Still researching though...

[JB400]

Why pay $40k+ for a truck that gets 1-2 mpg more than a truck that costs $25k with similar payloads


Of course, I've gotten better than EPA rating on some of these trucks anyway.  Just depends on how you drive them.

[Steve P.]

Please be more specific. What are you comparisons?

[Cooter]

Interesting thread!  

The nice thing is that for anyone that doesn't like it, well, they are free to leave this country and find another more to their liking!    

Having been in other countries on work assignments, I can clearly remember kissing the ground when I got back.  

I'm just sayin'....

With that kind of thinking from now on, it's a wonder vehicles get any more than 10 MPG as that's what they got back in '69 so no need to try and improve on anything here, just if you don't approve, get out.

And furthermore, along that same line of thinking...Why stop at improving vehicles, why not allow homes to have LEAD paint, rusty iron pipes, sub-standard building materials, etc.

Thing only improve because of the perverbial "Squeeky wheel"...No squeek, no grease. Been that way for YEARS.

Nice of you to compare us to another country, but um, no, I think I will continue to make the USA the best country instead of just stalling like the ones you mentioned, as they are clearly happy with the situation state they are in, I am not.

[Steve P.]

Cooter, I believe he was saying that we need to make adjustments and change for the better and those that didn't like it DO have a choice!!  Not that we should go back to the nasty crap we had. Maybe I'm wrong, but that is how I took it!!

And for all of our sakes, I hope we do continue to improve this World for ourselves and our children...

[odcics2]