[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by stovt001

Truer words have never been spoken.

I've noticed that every news article, even the ones from reputable publications and sources, that mentions rising gasoline prices only mentions the nominal increase in price, rather than the real increase in price (in other words, the price increase adjusted for inflation). In nominal terms, the price of gas has skyrocketed since it was $0.25 a gallon, but when expressed in real terms, yes the gas of price has increased, but the amount it has increased has been more than covered by improvements in fuel efficiency. The real problem is drivers driving longer distances and wanting more money to spend on their iPods. If I had a car from an era when gas was $0.25 a gallon, but that gas was priced adjusted for inflation but not any other price increases, and another car from today, and drove them equal distances, I would spend less money driving the modern car with modern gas prices.

You always here people say "Oh, gasoline is so expensive today. When I was your age gas was $0.25 cents a gallon." Of course I say "Yes, but a new car was only $2,000 and compare how much money you made then to how much you make now." Why people can't understand the simple concept of inflation is beyond me.

I never thought of the efficiency aspect of it. The price of gas now is about double what it was 40 years ago, but fuel economy has roughly doubled as well. For muscle cars it has quadrupled.