Problems at the pump

What's the matter with my wife's little car. Six months ago I could get over £40 worth of petrol in the tank and now I can only fit £30.

I expect the same problem when I fill the van only worse.

Fred,

I like it ....   

.... and it reminded me that at one time I could fill the tank, buy a packet of 20 fags and still get change from a fiver!!   

Best regards,

Ian

Dutto wrote:Fred,

I like it ....   

.... and it reminded me that at one time I could fill the tank, buy a packet of 20 fags and still get change from a fiver!!   

Best regards,

Ian

Are you sure that wasn't five guineas Ian? 

  

However, times they do change and this last weekend I noticed something that has me puzzled.

After WW2 there was a severe housing shortage in the UK and house prices soared so bear that in mind.

In Louth last weekend I saw a small "two up - two down" terrace house for sale at £85,000.

Back in 1963 the same house was selling for £400.

In 1963, as a probationary Policeman, I was on about £450 a year.

What has me puzzled is how come a small terrace house now costs much more than a person's average annual salary? 

Can we expect house prices to tumble now that the cost of crude-oil has fallen? 

Best regards,

groundhog wrote:Why would the price of crude make house prices tumble?

Hi there,

Almost everything that is part of our modern way of life is dependent on crude oil ....

.... from pharmaceuticals, to power generation, to plastics down to the tar on our roads.

In the case of house building the kilns that make the bricks and cement are fired by oil or gas ....

.... the generators that produce the electricity that is used to build the houses are mainly fuelled by oil or gas ....

.... the transport used to move the raw materials and to deliver the products is powered by oil ....

.... the products used to insulate, weatherproof and decorate the houses are made from oil ....

.... it goes on and on and on!

We  tend to get hung up on the price of a litre of fuel at the pumps and that stops us from looking at the fact that everything associated with oil and gas should also have fallen in price!

However, just like the price of petrol and diesel, the "rocket and parachute" effect predominates ....   

.... and many firms will be trousering major profits as upstream costs plummet whilst downstream prices stay the same!   

Best regards,

Dutto wrote:

Almost everything that is part of our modern way of life is dependent on crude oil ....

including the Scottish National Party????

 It will be interesting to see, come the next election, whether voters, particularly those living in Aberdeen, are as keen on voting for an Independant Scotland now they realise the price of oil does not always rocket up, and may appreciate being part of the United Kingdom to protect their economy as the price of oil parachutes towards earth.

Hi there,

How about the latest bit of theatre tacked on to the plummeting oil price? 

You know, the bit where our illustrious PM begs employers to pass on windfalls by paying their employees "a living wage".  

I reckon that this is a real vote winner and when it happens I plan to shoot down some of the pigs that will be flying over Skegness! 

Just to remind everyone, this is the man who has laid out his "Six Priorities" for after the next election.  

The NHS doesn't get a mention but one "priority" is to reduce taxes and increase the Inheritance Tax threshold to two million pounds. 

Another vote winner I reckon.  

Caviar always makes me thirsty so I will dig another magnum of Moet and Chandon out of the cellar to celebrate! 

Best regards,

...do I remember Dave saying the NHS is safe in his hands ?
..and his government will be the greenest ever ?

Not too long until May, when we can all thank him for keeping his promises....

repoort wrote:...do I remember Dave saying the NHS is safe in his hands ?
..and his government will be the greenest ever ?

Not too long until May, when we can all thank him for keeping his promises....

I do hope that folk vote for mainstream parties and not the minority ones; if not we will end up with another coalition.

Well that is the interesting thing - we have no say who is in the coalition we have to leave it to the politicians to cobble something together that we are stuck with for 5 years   

oldfred wrote:What's the matter with my wife's little car. Six months ago I could get over £40 worth of petrol in the tank and now I can only fit £30.

Noticed that the price of fuel is creeping slowly back up - perhaps your wife's car will soon get back to normal Oldfred!  Petrol now 111p at local garages. 109p in local Morrisons / Tesco.