I know these threads get tiring, but I am still in my first year of "dieseling" and I recall from this past winter the mantra "Diesel is always higher in the winter because of demand for heating oil. Gas is higher in the summer becuase of the travel season" Fall agricultural use also uses alot of diesel it was said...can't see, personally, how it's more than planting in winter - it should be less. Plow, till, rotovate, plant, cultivate, etc...harvest is nothing in comparison.
ANYWAY, What the hell is the story now? >From what I know, there are no "diesel refineries", there are oil refineries and all sorts of stuff gets separated out. It can only be two things, it seems: 1. Higher demand. Well, I doubt that as train shipping has jumped substantially (this happens in uncertain economic times and confirmed by my friend who works for one of the big rail freight lines) and trains use ALOT less diesel to move the same freight as trucks would. Is trucking up so much to offset this and create higher demand? 2. Conspiracy (unproveable speculation here). The oil companies remember that the '70's oil crisis caused a jump in the sale of diesel vehicles. It's happening again. Many new diesel models introduced. Front cover of local car mag advertized the diesel Passat Wagon at 30-whatever mpg, etc. Fed gov just passed a $4,000 (!) tax credit for the purchase of a new diesel vehicle. The oil co's didn't care in the 70's/80's as they sold gas and diesel. WHAT IS DIFFERENT NOW is that BioD is becoming increasingly popular (log way to go, but no doubt it is happening). I am wondering if they are not keeping the cost high to DISSUADE the purchase of diesel vehicles which in a few years might be able to fill up on BioD for less than dinoD, which will mean $0 from THAT customer to big oil (unless they are in the BioD game too (I would be if I were them)). In Germany BioD is the CHEAPEST fuel available...so with economy of scale, price will come way down. (Euro fuels are so high becuase they are about 70% tax). Thoughts on the conspiracy theory? P.S. THe old 240D (new to me) is working great. Fun...going from the SD to it is like driving a Mercedes go-cart...peppier than I thought (W115 might be the reason). Thanks. Christopher McCann, Raytown, Missouri -1985 300SD, 207K miles, "Wulf" http://don.homelinux.net/mbz/Chris -1976 240D, ManyK miles, "AKP-Wagen" (Alternativen Kraftstoffs Prüfenlastwagen = Alternative Fuel Test Vehicle) -1998 Toyota Sienna CE, 99K miles, "The Van" __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com