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Technology Stocks : Semi Equipment Analysis -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: michael97123 who wrote (15303)	5/21/2004 11:22:51 AM
From: robert b furman	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 95616

I'm just back from riding an 1150 RT BMW around Italy.Gas was 6.00 euro's per imperial gallon (4 liters). Gas in USA is cheap - our government doesn't rape the consumer like they do in Europe and elsewhere. The taxation is the only difference. At 2.00 a gallon it only costs 500.00 dollars more per year to fill up if your vehicle gets 15 mpg vs 20 mpg. I have a 3/4 ton Crew Cab and am averaging 14.7 mpg.At times I pull a trailer and need the 3/4 brakes and pulling power. I would never consider driving a underpowered or unsafe truck and all for saving 500 bucks a year (that's if you drive 15,000 miles per year). I drive 30,000 miles per year so make that 1000 bucks a year.Eighty bucks a month more in fuel will not stop me from driving the kind of truck i prefer or need (40,000 msrp). It is being way blown out of proportion - it is a non event. Gas is cheap and there is more of it than we need - we just don't want to go after it in out back yard. NIMBY is the main reason we are out of kilter. America has epa'd our resources out of economic touch.So we are dependant elsewhere. In my market a small truck cost as much as a big truck - if they both are similarly equipped. 3-4 years later the full size truck is worth 3-4 thousand more as a trade. Make no mistake about it Texas is a full size state - we have the room and the needs. LA,Chicago, New York - different story.I like small economic cars - I had an 89 Metro - got 48 mioes to the gallon.It was a great car for its purpose - I just didn't love it.It didn't reflect me.To me a car does that. While in Italy I saw many SMART CARS - They look cool and are classy. Understand they will be sold in USA next year.Probably do well in big urban crowded areas. It all come downs to preference - the rest is bitching in a political environment. JMHO Bob