GM to Cap Gasoline Prices in Calif., Fla. ($1.99 for gas guzzlers)

[420inTN]

I would have posted in LBN, but i'm 2 hours late...

By DEE-ANN DURBIN, AP Auto Writer
Tue May 23, 6:38 PM ET

DETROIT - Aiming to capitalize on consumer angst about the high cost of gasoline, General Motors Corp. on Tuesday said it would cap pump prices at $1.99 for customers in California and Florida who buy certain vehicles by July 5.

One hitch to the promotion is that customers must also agree to enroll in the OnStar vehicle diagnostic service, which is free for the first year but after that will cost $16.95 a month. The other is that many of the eligible vehicles are serious gas guzzlers.

The offer is good for 2006 and 2007 model year vehicles. In California, eligible vehicles are the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban sport utility vehicles and Impala and Monte Carlo sedans; the GMC Yukon and Yukon XL SUVs; the Hummer H2 and H3 SUVs; the Cadillac SRX SUV; and the Pontiac Grand Prix and Buick LaCrosse sedans. In Florida, eligible vehicles are the Impala, Monte Carlo, Grand Prix and LaCrosse.

Each month for one year, GM will give drivers a credit on a prepaid card based on their estimated fuel usage. Fuel usage will be calculated by the miles they drive, as recorded by OnStar, and the vehicle's fuel economy rating. GM will credit drivers the difference between the average price per gallon in their state and the $1.99 cap. The credits can be used through December 2007. Consumers wouldn't get any credits if gas prices fall below $1.99.

more, full story here

[HereSince1628]

1. Great idea! They can use all the savings from closed plants and

cancelled retirement benefits to keep their idiotic SUV's from being rejected when they ought to be spending that money designing cars that are actually gas efficient and as attractive to buyers as are imports.

[lonestarnot]

5. Yes now who put that bulb in the box? Does it have a purpose other

than getting the rich richer? Kind of like the tax cuts egh? And what's that no class war? Hmmmmf.

[Neshanic]

2. Wow. You can't write comedy like that. Pay you to support GM bad vision.

[dysfunctional press]

3. here in chicago, i saw a commercial for a Hummer...

the dealer was advertising it as "22 MPG"....the first time i saw mileage listed in a hummer ad- and i wonder what you have to do to get 22 mpg...? do they make hummers with a 4-banger? my vw beetle gets 22mpg- but it's a turbo and i tend to drive a tad rapidly.

[hobbit709]

6. 22 mpg

downhill with a tailwind and the engine off maybe. Or it could be 22 mpg of cheap beer for the driver.

[elehhhhna]

10. 22 mpg when it's being towed, maybe.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

17. My Jeep only averages 16mpg and I drive mostly on the highway!

I don't know where they're getting the 22mpg on a hummer.

[Scoody Boo]

4. Time to trade in my 2004...

Hummer H2 for a new one if that promotion hits Texas.

[bigscott]

7. maybe if the hummer

coasting downhill, with the power off it would get 22 mpg. who the F&^% needs a Hummer in downtown Boston anyway? I see them everywhere and it just looks stupid. Jesus christ almighty - there are streets in Boston these things cannot even get down because they are so freaking big

[Scoody Boo]

9. I live out in Rural West Texas...

wide open spaces and all that. When I go to Austin or San Antonio, I ride one of my motorcycles.

The business my company is in, an H2 or big pick-up truck is pretty much expected.

[elehhhhna]

11. what biz is that? Are you a Senator? lol

[SammyWinstonJack]

13. Or an oil company exec?

[Scoody Boo]

16. I own a wireline service.

My company does down hole tests on oil and gas wells. Fishes out lost plungers and tools out of oil wells and gas wells and does temperature readings.

Started out with one wireline truck early last year. Hired a crew for my third wireline truck last week. Promoted one of my operators to foreman last week. Three trucks are too much to supervise by myself.

[elehhhhna]

19. Super! Congrats on your expansion.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

8. In other news...

Right To Lifers Demand Death Penalty

[originalpckelly]

12. The real news here is that they know where you are and how far you drive:

But I guess that doesn't matter, until it gets put into some NSA database, right?

[MadHound]

14. Not only is OnStar an excellent tracking device

But it has been used to seriptisouly listen in on peoples' conversations without their knowledge.<http://www.bobbarr.org/?pt=newsdescr&RI=473>

More and more, technology is becoming a two edge sword. People are exchanging their privacy for convience, and sadly they're actually paying good money to do so:eyes: OnStar, cell phones, wireless phones, computers, all of this is now being used against the consumer.

I'm never, ever going to have an OnStar equipped vehicle, and if they become standard equipment, I'll be disabling the sucker ASAP. I have nothing to hide, but I value you my privacy if for no other reason than the principle of the matter.

[LynneSin]

15. I had a coworker that not only wouldn't get an OnStar but...

..wouldn't get an EZPass for the turnpikes she travelled often. Said that with an EZ pass that it was an EZ way for government to track where you are especially if you were routinely taking turnpike highways

[MadHound]

18. And your co-worker is correct

I would do the same if I lived in a state with toll roads. I realize that it is impossible to fully prevent my data being mined, but they're going to get as little as possible out of me. Hell, I don't even have a cell phone luddite that I am.

And speaking of cell phones, here in Missouri they're doing a trial run of tracking cell phones for "traffic control" Basically they're using the GPS chip in your cell phone, along with triangulating your cell single between towers in order to pinpoint your location and the speed with which you're moving. This system is supposed to be fully functional in St. Louis, Columbia and KC by June. And this will probably be coming to a city near you, soon.

These sort of "convience" technologies are quickly turning into double edged swords, providing convience for you, but also opening a window into your life that many others can look through. A sad state of affairs.