Ever seen this large a difference between the cash cost and the credit price?

a good air filter comparison, with the prices included

https://www.hagerty.com/media/maintenance-and-tech/is-a-high-flow-air-filter-really-worth-it

price of gas at the local inexpensive gas station... not the most expensive in the state. There are ALWAYS more expensive places to buy gas.

it's a lot worse in Mendocino county Ca

https://dailytimewaster.blogspot.com/2022/03/mendocino-county-i-think-i-know-where.html

the price of oil is down about 12 % today because they're freaked out about the new South Africa covid strain

Oil posted its worst day of the year on Friday, tumbling to the lowest level in more than two months as the new Covid-19 strain sparked fears about a demand slowdown just as supply increases.

 U.S. oil settled 13.06%, or $10.24, lower at $68.15 per barrel, falling below the key $70 level. It was the contract’s worst day since April 2020. 

WTI also closed below its 200-day moving average — a key technical indicator — for the first time since November 2020.

 International benchmark Brent crude futures slid 11.55% to settle at $72.72 per barrel. Both contracts registered their fifth straight week of losses for the longest weekly losing streak since March 2020.

 meanwhile, a couple days ago the Biden Administration announced plans to release 50 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. The move is part of a global effort by energy-consuming nations to calm 2021′s rapid rise in fuel prices. India, China, Japan, South Korea and the U.K. will also release some of their reserves.

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/26/oil-tumbles-5percent-as-new-covid-variant-sparks-global-demand-concerns.html

just thought you oughta know the news on the oil market. By the way, there is a link to the right, in the babble about my other websites, so you always can quickly just click to see how oil is doing. 

gas can be bought for under 2 dollars a gallon in Viginia and Ohio

$1.96
It's still $3.39 in San Diego... because there are no oil refineries in San Diego, and only one in So Cal that I know of.

So, if you want the cheapest gas, live in a state that produces oil, and has refineries. 

Prices on gas at different places, on the same day, show that it's completely absurd how much money you might waste tanking up... if you happen to not be at a less expensive gas station

and for reference sake, oil is 69 a barrel 

well, I can tell you the truth, the Pep Boys advertising has a problem. It's not accurate

They do not sell oil for less than Walmart

the above 5 quart oil containers are 38.99 at Pep Boys, and 23.99 at Walmart. Mobil 1, synthetic

above 2 photos are the Pep Boys oil shelf, below is the Walmart shelf,

take the Castrol Edge gold, for an example. 9.89 at Pep Boys, 8.64 at Walmart
It's even worse with Pennzoil 9.89 at Pep Boys, and 6.64 at Walmart

So there you have it. You'll pardon me for forgetting to take a photo os the 5 qt containers at Walmart.... but I bought a couple, as I do not intend to waste 15 dollars an oil change for nothing.

and here are the prices in O'Reillys

 and in Autozone

price comparison on tires.

As I do when I need to buy a new set of tires, I compare prices.

This time I have a Veloster R Spec, which simply has a turbo and better shifter, and last time I had a plain jane Veloster

Prices went up. Mostly.

This time, The rim is an 18 in.

Walmart 536
Tire Rack 543
Amazon 573
Discount tire 592
Tire Depot: 598
Hyundai dealership 856

The best price last time was 376. So getting a more fun car, means more expensive tires. Damn it.
Last time discount tire was 610. This time they are 18 dollars less expensive

last comparison
http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2013/07/shop-around-so-said-capt-and-tenille.html

a small town in the middle of Michigan's lower penninsula is the scene of a gas war, it's below 80 cents a gallon

Oil is less than 30 dollars a barrel right now, and that's the lowest since 2003. So, these guys aren't losing a lot of money. http://www.9and10news.com/story/30988075/houghton-lake-gas-prices-drop-below-one-dollar

Meanwhile, here in San Diego, gas is still over 2.79

here is 3.59 a gallon at one of the more expensive places in town. All Chevrons are over priced

U.S. benchmark crude closed at $33.97 a barrel in New York, its lowest price since December 2008.

And yet, the price of gas went up from when oil was 36 a barrel a couple weeks ago.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-financial-markets-20160106-story.html

the classic pony cars, but in 2015 models, compared

found on http://blog.caranddriver.com/performance-data-porn-how-the-2015-ford-mustang-gt-stacks-up-against-camaro-ss-1le-challenger-rt-scat-pack/

image from http://www.caranddriver.com/photo-gallery/2015-ford-mustang-gt-vs-chevrolet-camaro-ss-1le-dodge-challenger-r-t-scat-pack-comparison-test

"Shop around" so said the Capt and Tenille, and they were right... tire comparison 2013, this time Tire Depot on Adams Ave beats all the rest

With a classic Coke bottle vending machine and a 60's juke box in the customer service area, you gotta love a place like this. They even have a koi pond!

The tires on the Veloster were good for 40 thousand miles, now they're near bald

215/45r17 Nexen Cp671came from Hyundai on it, and stangely, can still be bought from places but not at the Hyundai dealership

So, the prices and tires from the places in order of  best price to worst, with out the door prices, and extras that impressed me

Tire Depot http://www.americantiredepot.com/  and I doubt any company can beat the reviews on Yelp http://www.yelp.com/biz/tire-depot-san-diego-2

376 out the door

SD tire and wheel
430 out the door

Kearny Mesa Hyundai
same brand etc, but part number CP672
520 out the door

Discount Tire
normally my go to for buying but the prices were way too high this time
440 plus extra costs for install and road hazard which is something I value from them, but can't afford this time. 610 out the door with the road hazard

Evans Tire
420 out the door with some nonsense about buy 2 get 2 free

EXP Tires
buy 4 Cooper tires, and get 4 MLB tickets to the Padres
I don't need to waste that much time talking to people at a ball game. They bore me as I wait for the next ball to be thrown and only to see a strike. Yippee. Hooray. 15 bucks a beer.
550 for Cooper Zeon RS3a

Walmart
Very cool, the nice guy behind the counter insisted on looking at the tire and verifying he would be getting the right tire for me. Wow. I am impressed with that from the place I expected to be the worst
575 Eagle Authority tires

Costco
They impressed me by looking up the car to see what it should get. Yes, they were the only ones!
They only had Bridgestone Euopa. Fine tire, but 300 more than Tire Depot. 65k mileage warranty
671 out the door

if you want to save money on car insurance with Geico, switch to Allstate or AAA

back in 2008 I got the same car insurance coverage levels on the same car, by about 8 different car insurance companies, and Allstate and AAA came in very close to the same costs, and I got fed up with listening to the Geico ads, the ones that keep repeating how you "COULD" save UP TO 430 dollars by switching from your car insurance company... you've probablly heard it to, on radio, TV, internet pop ups, magazine full page ads, etc etc. All that advertising costs them so much, they charge more to their customers so the profit isn't hit.

I just got a quote from
AAA for $970 every 6 months,
Geico for $1030 every 6 months

And Allstate charges me $812

Now, I mentioned that AAA and Allstate charge about the same, but the above numbers are about 180 dollars apart... well, everyone seems to do one thing or another to sweeten their deal, and AAA has a dividend check, and Allstate has the customer loyalty discount, plus decreasing deductible discount, and all that stuff.

So with those factors removed, AAA and Allstate charge about the same.

the 2008 comparison is here: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2008/11/car-insurance-comparison.html  and I don't have the time tonight to get quotes from the rest of those companies to see how they've compared after 4 years, but you'll notice the difference between Allstate and Geico has doubled. 

new car comparison of the 2012 econo boxes. 2 dr, better than 35 mpg freeway, costs less than 22 thou, and having a stick shift and XM stereo with a subwwoofer would be great

Honda Civic, 18,6 thou, gets 39mpg with a automatic. 2dr, 15" wheels 195-65R15's with hubcaps , 6 airbags, great looks. 65 % US parts, 20% Japanese, 3-36 warranty. Auto tensioning seatbelts. No maintenance package.  Assembled in Alliston, Ontario Canada
But you can't get the stick shift in the upscale models. You'd have to pay 1800 for the upscale model with rims, bluetooth, and sunroof. But this model (LX?) has no factory subwoofer, No XM, No rims. Not in the 18,600 dollar model on the dealership lot, and though it's likely the best looking, it's the least well equipped.

Fiat, 18,5 thou, 38mpg, 2drs, 7 airbags,5 speed stick, new to the US after decades not in the US market, 3 models with 2 optional packages... the Gucci http://www.coolpicturegallery.us/2011/08/fiat-500-by-gucci-goes-topless-priced.html and the Arbarth.
The engine isn't resting on the engine mounts... it's under them. If a front end collision happens, the engine goes under the passenger compartment, instead of into it. That is damn good engineering design.
It has a download feature, that you can get info from the car computer, and look at it on your computer... even plan how to reroute for better gas mileage.

 Above... Sport model with foglights and sunroof, below... the lounge or pop... I don't know which, but it's a cabrio convertible, with the other rims

 Interior has the dash panel in the same color as the exterior.. and that is a very cool thing. You don't notice that your car interior is drab until you see a dash with paint on it like the good old days

 No center console for storage... but 2 cupholders up front in good reach, and two for beack seater types if you ever have any. I don't.

 the doorlocks are integral to the door handles, when you select drive and get up to 8mph, they lock automatically

 The front overhang above, the rear below.

two versions of the rims. The ones in back are great.

Rims nice, Best stereo with a Bose and subwoofer, XM, 4-50 warranty, and 3-36 bumper to bumper warranty.
Fiat has a Studio, not a dealership. They aren't dealing, they are displaying for sale. I like that. Suspension in two packages, sport and normal. I test drove the sport, and you'd have a ball at the track, but not in the daily commute on lousy California freeways.
Tires are Continentals on the Sport model 195 45 16s.. and Firestone Firehawk 185 55 15s
I test drove the ordinary, and it's comfortible.
Side mirrors have a convex - normal split, and the convex is necessary as well as safe, because you can't look over your shoulder to see what is in the lane you're trying to merge into. 3 year, 36 thou free maintenance, and that means clutch and brakes in addition to oil changes. Wow. Best  maintenance deal going so far. Fiat even has a ownership club. That is cool.
Assembled in Toluca Mexico, 59% Mexican parts... and they are looking to make a plant in Illinois.
Fiat has been making cars since 1895, and are standing behind the car to a unheard of extant, if it becomes inoperable and you are more than a 100 miles from home, you get a 1000 dollar reimbursement for lodging, meals, adn car rental expenses if the problem is covered by the warranty in the first 4 years (mileage not relevant) they call it "Trip Interruption Coverage"
Fiat was reviewed by Motortrend, here is it http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/hatchbacks/1101_2012_fiat_500/viewall.html




Hyundai Velaster 18,3 thou, 40mpg, rims nice, tires 215-45 17, 3 dr hatch, no 2 door. Ouch. 6 spd stick, optional subwoofer, great cupholders, armrests, comfortable seats, and deep center storage, cool door handles, 6 airbags, LoJack and a demobilization security system, best warranty at 10 year 100thou and 5 yr 60k bumper to bumper. Best radio display, XM, touchscreen, bass boost makes up for the lack of subwoofer, nice transmission shifting and clutch.  Made in Korea

Front looks fine

Little busy around the bumper,

Great door handles above... innovative. Solid too.

I think the designer had too much to drink the day they worked up the look of the profile. The quarter panels to the back of the front doors... ugly is not too strong a word.

Center exhaust... good looking.

Smart, 16-19k. 40mpg, only 70 horsepower, hate the transmission shifting... even the cool paddle shifter couldn't change my mind about the shift... feels like someone hits the brakes lightly every time it shifts. EVERYTIME! You do the head and upper body bob. Not fun. Ouch. Optional subwoofer and XM, but you doens't sound right with the factory setting of front to rear balance. It's too much front. You can't adjust that, Ouch. 8 airbags, 4 yr 50 thou warranty, no stick shift, just horrible automated 5 spd. Yuck. Nice rims, 2 dr that ought to have been a 2 seater. No way the back seats are useful, and I don't want a 4 seater. No kids, no passengers, just get me to work and back comfortably is all I want. Part of the Mercedes Benz network/dealership, it has the nicest studio, and the most incredible drive it in for service you'll ever experience. Stunning. Too bad I hate the transmission.
Love the tires being this close to the corners of the car, you'll never scrape going into or out of the parking lots off the streets... that is very annoying that there is so much overhang in so many cars. Not the smart... I bet curbs or offroad would be a snap too.

Above, front tires, below - back tires

Mini coupe, 31 thou, only gets 35 mpg, stick, rims, only 4 airbags, factory subwoofer, XM, 2 dr, nice rims, good looks, assembled in Oxford England, 4-50 warranty. The mini doesn't have salesmen, it has motoring advisors. I like that, but when I went into the San Diego Mini dealership, 100th in America, I was ignored, then found that the one sales person was offensive. Best maintenance package I think (can't recall the years and miles limits) but they take the oil, clutch, brakes, rotors, wiper blades, spark plugs and o2 sensor. Wow. Too bad it's 33% overpriced by the competition.


Ford Fiesta 17,6 thou and Focus 21 thou, both have 40mpg, only have 4 drs in hatch or sedan, look fine, Sony stereo with XM and Subwoofer, 3-36, stick or auto, rotten 4.9% apr, 5 or 7 airbags. But no stick on the high dollar optioned out model. Was offered a coke by a random salesguy. Wow. Only time that happened in a dozen different manufacturers dealerships. Salesman didn't know the Fiesta or Focus. Not good to have to look up every thing I ask about. Seriously, know the cars you are selling, especially the new models. http://www.ford.com/?EmailID=ford_hxxa_fusf_on&cks=10181782821 for a comparison website from Ford to check out the Fiesta and Focus.


Kia Rio, 17thou, no stick, 40mpg, hub caps... yuck. Ok looks, 6 airbags, XM, optional subwoofer, steering wheel controls for stereo are optional, Ties for best warranty at 10 yr 100k, Made in Korea. Salesperson wasn't interested in telling me about the car, kept asking "Where is this going?" reply, "I'm comparing cars with better than (you know the rest) and the dealerships to see where I'll buy my new car this month, plus I'm posting this on my website" and I was brushed off onto another salesman. Yeah, too busy to try to sell me on a Kia. And Kia owns the dealership.



Toyota Yaris, 16,8 thou, uggg hupcaps, 2 dr stick, 9 airbags, XM with FM HD (only one I found) but no subwoofer, No armrests! WTF? 3-36 warranty, 2 yr 25 thou free maintenance of oil changes and that ordinary stuff. Front and back sunroof, that is new to me... cool too. But, Toyota give college students twice the discount they give military. Another WTF, and a post telling you I hate that http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/10/toyotascion-what-fuck-college-grad-gets.html , and boycott Toyota till that changes to equal  or better



VW Golf tdi is a diesel, 25thou, 42 mpg, stick, 2dr, 17" rims, 8 airbags, no subwoofer, XM, 3-36 bumper to bumper, 4-50k powertrain, and 3 year 35 month maintenance of oil changes and the normal. Great seats, big hatchback opening, full size spare, no coke machine, Ouch. Glove box gets an AC vent to keep sodas chilled while you drive with AC. Heater does that smae glove box when using the heater. Most unusual, and unique feature.



Nissan Versa, 13,7 stripped without even power windows, 17,2 normal. 38 mpg, 4dr Ouch. No stick, just auto, 6 airbags, XM is optional, no subwoofer, NO ARMRESTS, Ouch. 3-36 warranty, Looks only ok. Salesman was impressively knowledgeable and nice.



Chevy Cruze ECO 20 thou, not in a 2 dr, looks very good, and has the coolest interior. If they made a 2 dr, I'd buy it. They don't. First time in Chevy history that they don't make a 2 dr? I think so. Even the Pontiac Soltice, and Saturn Ion were roadster 2 doors... I call them Chevy anyhow, but they were killed off, and now Chevy doesn't make a 2 dr econo car. If you want a Vette, hell yes you get a 2 dr. For about 60 thou to start.
anyway, 3-36 warranty, great lighweight rims, and other lightweight stuff like body panels of plastic are many of the engineered to get the best gas mileage in the 2012 cars comparison, and it's the best selling new car in the US. XM, no Subwoofer, poor armrests that I don't like, cupholders that you find are under your elbow in front of the drivers armrest barely, very comfortable car. 10 airbags


Anyone have any insight into anything I missed? Let me know. I'll post it here to share with everyone.

In summary, most impressive car was the Fiat, Ford and Chevy are idiots for not selling a 2 dr stick with a factory subwoofer and at least 40mpg,

Mini salesperson pissed me off. No shit.

Buick, Mazda, Chrysler, Dodge, Scion, and MINI don't make a better than 35 mpg car.

There are way too many cars competing for the 2 dr better than 35 mpg for mediocre impressions when a buyer walks in... but that doesn't phase the dozen dealerships I went to here in San Diego. I wonder if anyone rates or compares them with other from the same manufacturer, or the competition.

Though I asked at all dealerships about the cost of a coke, only one took the hint and offered me a free coke. Geez, is a dollar to impress a new customer too much to get them to buy a 20 thousand dollar car? Stupid dealerships.

Kia should try harder to sell cars, they've got a decent package, but their sales people aren't up to the challenge.

Nissan Leaf? 5 thousand dollar dealership markup. On a 35,600 dollar car. So you ain't getting it for less tha 40 thou.

The most impressive dealership ambience and looks? The Mercedes (and Smart Center) at the 163 and Baboa, Marvin Brown Cadillac, MINI of San Diego, Bob Baker Fiat in Carlsbad.. the Fiat place has Italian American salesguys... it may be corny, but I thinks it is cool as hell to have a guy with an Italian accent talk to me about Fiat. I'll say the same about any ethnically related car maker... British selling MG's, Rolls, etc... Japanese selling Hondas, Koreans selling Hyundais, French selling Citreons, you get the point. It's cool to have someone with the cultural fundamentals telling you why cars from their country are superior to the others. I have respect for that.

 but that Poway Nissan showroom has the sales manager desk manned front and center. That is very cool. No side office off the side and out of sight and sound from the customers and salespeople, the manager was smack in the center of it all, and walked over to say "What can I help you with?"

a 20,000 dollar car is about 420 a month for 60 months

LoJack costs about 800 bucks

It's not important how many airbags the car has, you are only sitting in the drivers seat, so learn how many are protecting you. No, I don't have passengers 99% of the time. They can take their chances, or buy their own car with 3 airbags around them . Backseat passengers get 2 at most anyway.

Buying a car with a 3 36 warranty, and then having to pay 1500 for a extended warranty doesn't make sense when you can buy a car with a 5 or 6 year warranty. Even better, get the 10 year 100000 mile warranty
Insurance costs
The Hyundai will cost me $480, the Fiat: $522 every six months

Marc commented that the Sonic might be in this comparison... but it's not a 2 door.. and it's ugly. Yeah, I know that the Hyundai Velaster is also an ugly 3 door hatchback.. but it's got a hell of a lot more going for it. Buy the Cruze Eco instead of the ugly Sonic if you want an awesome 42 mpg car, but don't mind 4 doors. The CarGal bought one... and loves the hell out of it.

Car insurance comparison

For insuring my daily driver I am calling the top 10 biggest insurance companies around, and with the identical policy info given to them, here's the dirt on how bad they will rip you off compared to the other company.

 Rip off? Yeah, if you are forced to pay for it but never use it, need it, or file a claim, it's a rip off.

If you use it, when you need it, that's a different situation of trauma, drama, and need for assistance.. that would be a damn good time to have customer service.

I haven't had any customer service from car insurance companies, just from the insurance agent that I was fortunate enough to find when comparing companies years ago. My agent has been at the same company, as an agent for over 30 years, and I really dig his whole role and occsional check in with me to keep in touch.

Anyway here's the rip offs: (6 month policy quotes) in US Dollars

 Allstate: $438

AAA: $448

 Farmers: $477

 Geico : $525

State Farm: $608

Progressive: $619

Mercury: $634

20th Century / AIG : $696

Sad huh?! I'm going to get more quotes, and update this post with them, during the regular work week I suppose, since Saturday wasn't good for gettting ahold of local agents when their company didn't have a 1 800 #

 Also, if you are a member of the following 6 occupational organizations, associations, or university degree holding professions, you are going to get a discount too from some insurance companies:

 California Medical Assoc.

California Association of CPAs

LA county Bar Association

Degrees in Education, Engineers, and Scientists

So, if you were lucky to get college degrees for those wealth making professions, you are going to keep more of your dough 'cause the insurance companies have found that those types of people aren't as likely to have their expensive cars stolen, damaged in parking lots, or hit in traffic jams. Must be really special to have the car gods shine on you like that.

 Also, the insurance companies will jack you for a more money if you don't have car insurance... they aren't picky either, they don't care if you stopped due to a reason, or who you used to have, they are equal opportunity opportunists, and just that you don't currently have insurance on a car is all the reason they need to charge more without doing anything more for you.. further giving me cause to label them all rip offs.

How much for a pair of tires? Here's what I found, and where

I asked for price quotes from these places, and the brand name varies from place to place. . . but when you are buying tires don't you want to go with the least expensive? I do. No way I'm able to afford BFG's or Goodyears all the way around my daily driver and my musclecar.

For 2 tires, 215 60/15 total cost out the door is

PepBoys Cooper Definity 75K mileage warranty -------------------$187
Wal Mart DP GT-4 (whatever that is) 40K mileage ---------------$170
plus tax
Costco Michellin 80k mileage ---------------------------------------$264
Tire Depot -----------------------------------------------------------$166

I like these guys - I always go to them first, for both of my cars- but they haven't won me over like Discount has


EXP tires Cooper SCE 50K ------------------------------------------$214

to get your business EXP will match the competition's price. Not good enough for me.

Discount Tires Koumo 50K ----------------------------------------$177

And if the price, road hazard warranty fee, and all the goodies that Discount will do for you weren't enough, find the same tire advertised cheaper elsewhere, and they'll beat it.... not like the high price at EXP from step one, Discount has the 2nd lowest price for a pair of tires, and then there's the extra service.

I like these guys. That's why I keep going back to Discount tires.
All our TirePrices Include: FREE Valve Stems FREE Prorated Road Hazard FREE Lifetime Rotations http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/searchTiresByVehicleAndSize.do?mk=PONTIAC&rc=CASINT&yr=2000&sw=false&cs=215&rcc=San%2520Diego&vid=004643&rd=15&ar=60