tbrom

So what do you guys in CA pay for a gallon? I bet it's higher than Georgia or Florida and most of the Southeast including Texas. It seems to me that CA taxes are some of the highest in the country. I have to wonder if it's not the management of the taxes that is the issue. You guys are the home of liberal thinking and I bet things are far from the more austere days of Ronnie Reagan. Just saying....and curious....

Fahrer

I live in NJ and we have one of the lowest state gas taxes in the US. Big deal. They should charge more and fix the roads. What is really funny is that most people do not understand how socialized the road maintenance costs are in the US. People who do not own cars or even drive have to pay into those funds through other taxes. Actually, the way they do it in Europe is the proper way. Pay for road repairs through fuel taxes so the users pay, not the general population. An the result? First class roads instead of the second rate roads we have here. In addition, they drive cars that cruise at 125 mph while getting 40 mpg. I know because I have lived there. Higher gas prices are NOT the end of world.

tbrom

Roads in NJ are pretty bad as are many roads north of the snow belt. Roads in GA and FL are pretty very good. Cheap gas prices - it costs more to keep roads up in the snow belt. I think it's a mistake to say that only those that buy gas should pay road taxes when everyone uses the roads whether by riding the subsidized buss system but really who doesn't use the roads? In Europe you have a lot of bicycles and small Euro towns - it's a different life in Europe. I never lived there but I surely have driven there. I wouldn't trade the gas prices they pay for the difference in road condition.

Our country is completely different anyway and we need lots of roads the way we're spread out - not saying whose better it just is what it is. Our biggest problem is basically the mishandling of tax dollars in this country. I could go on but I'm sure you can fill in the blanks on that discussion. But then this is getting political and that's not good on this site. Sorry for the diversion.

Edgy01

Unfortunately, some time ago in California they began to take the road taxes (per gallon of fuel) and started plugging it into the general fund, and since California is always way over extended trying to help all those homeless people from Minnesota and Mexico, there is little left to keep the roads maintained.

php

What's wrong with the Prius? Amazing fuel economy and zero issues. It's a great daily driver. I like them and would not hesitate to give some serious consideration when I look for an additional car.

Tcc1999

Alas if it were this simple.

California already has the second highest exise tax on gasoline in the country, not to mention whatever direct or indirect county taxes are levied. And now cars are acheiving better fuel economy so revenues from gasoline taxes are actually falling (we have the same problem with water; urged to conserve, we do, and fees are increased b/c utility district revenues fall). So what is the tipping point for the state levied tax on gasoline? We all recognize the Beast needs to be fed (that would be California's insatiable demand for revenue) but on top of an almost 11 percent state income tax (highest bracket) and an approximate nine percent county sales tax (to mention just two sources) where are the funds going to come from to maintain roads? Repeal Prop 13? Fat chance! So we are saddled with all these taxes and the state is just apparently meeting it's obligations (which is fine until the extra tax on high income individuals expires). But I digress. Raise the gas tax and who suffers? Assuming you own a 911 you can afford a few extra cents at the pump but those less fortunate, say those who have to drive to work in SF b/c they can't afford to live there, will see a greater percentage of their income go to supporting our desire to drive our 911s on better roads (okay, that's unfair but it's an easy assumption to make and may be twistable to look like an entitlement for the wealthy paid for by working folk).

It's just too pat to say raise the gas tax, and when you scratch the surface the decades old idea of California being ungovernable looks less and less like hyperbole. We may not need to split up into six states but there has to be some policy solution better than the piecemeal approach now in place. It's not even a liberal/conservative conundrum; as Mr. Lincoln once said, "[n]ot enough teats for the pigs." - which as Dan mentioned, is why gasoline taxes are siphoned (pun intended) into the General Fund.

And on these joyful observations I am looking forward someday to retiring to a grass hut on the beach north of Kona and allowing other, brighter individuals contemplate these issues!

(And we pay anywhere from 4.10 to 4.40 per gallon for premium branded gasoline. More expensive than most places because we refine all our own gasoline to meet state and regional air district requirements.)

svb

I moved here from New York City. As a naive and determined medical student I had a lowered 996 C4 as my only car and bottomed it out on the BQE (that is Brooklyn-Queens-Expressway for you nubbins) rendering major drivetrain and engine damage. There are not just big gaping potholes there that you and your little Porsche can fall into, but major and dramatic angles to the road surface that I have never seen anywhere else.

Yes SoCal roads are bad, but it is still paradise for me here. Plus no salt/snow season and it's really hard to complain. And even LA is still car heaven for me. I am constantly in town and street park my 997 all the time and never have had an issue. Never once did I street park my 996 in NYC. I wouldn't even think about it.

And I will take Whole Foods shopping Prius drivers over the grumpy truckers of NYC anyday.

Yes I am still CA dreamin.

Fahrer

The problem with the Prius is that the computer is always telling the drive to take their foot off the gas to increase the mpg. And they should stay out of the left lane Their driving behavior is the problem.

svb

bwahahah this is so true

Tsilnner

Regarding CA gas, there has not been a tax increase in, as I remember 13 years, but the local taxes are are pushing 10% and, as mentioned, the emission standards here caused another steep increase. Also, Standard Oil of CA and Union 76 are not exactly loosing money.

I would pay $5.00 a gallon if they would just keep the alcohol out of our gas and give us the 93 Octane called for by Porsche. I wonder how much HP we loose with the 91 max we have in the "Golden State"?

Ezkill

My first experience with a Prius driver happened the second day we moved to California. I decided to go get the cars smogged immediately while waiting for the house furniture to arrive. Smogging new cars with California emissions stickers is a bit lame but whatever, that's the process. I pull of my block onto a main street to go to the smog station and pull up next to a Prius. Guy inside catches my attention and motions for me to roll down the passenger window. I figured he wanted to make some comment on the Shelby....NOPE. He says "F*** you a*****e, you're ruining the environment". Nice. I'm sure you can read between the *'s. That pretty much soured me on Prius drivers. I get why they're so plentiful here. They have a huge pre-production carbon footprint. Sure they're clean for the local environment but lets not get carried away with saving the planet here. I'm confident in the fact that my non Porsche garage queens will leave a smaller carbon footprint being drive a few thousand miles a year each then most Prius's.

tbrom

Not all Prius drivers are "created equal" - so generalizations like the one above are just that. The Prius is one of the best cars I've ever owned and I've owned a lot of cars over the years. It's utility is second to none and add the gas mileage - it's a no brainer. It's a great second car or DD. Keep the Porsche for the nice days and fun drives and if your single and only have one - a 911 is a great car. If you have two - the Prius is a great second car. The new ones get around 50+ miles per depending on the relative flatness of your geography and in FL I get over 60 sometimes. I also can get about 47 mpg at 75 mph with the AC on when taking trips. That's what makes a Prius owner happy as we drive by the pumps using regular gas with a tank that only holds 10 gallons. So I wouldn't dis the
Prius too much. And if you're in your Porsche I bet you can figure out how to pass a Prius....: )

About the guy that gave you a hard time at the gas station - there are *** ****s driving all kinds of cars - we've all heard the Bimmer jokes - right. People like that are to be ignored and flipped off. CA has a bunch of weirdoes of all sorts - and it's the coolest state in the Union IMHO. I love CA.

Adios

Fahrer

To each, his own but my choice would be a Golf TDI. Better handling, similar mpg and a lot less on-board nonsense.

tbrom

I bet you're right about the fun factor; the Prius is rather bland on the driving factor but the gizmos makes it kind of like a game to achieve high mileage.

I've actually always thought that a GTI would be a great fun car!

Edgy01

Okay, okay--let's not be down on the Prius drivers. There are a few who are good guys, but they're also the ones texting from the left lane. I see that every day.