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Kip

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After the lively thread regarding fuel prices..........

 

Just thought I would let you know that an 8 litre Chevy pick-up can be filled up with petrol - in this country once a week for $25 !!!!!!!!!!!! about £19?

 

Yep.. in this country $25 for a FULL tank of juice!!!!

 

I recently visited an American air base and one of the guys was spinning around in one of them out rageous Chevy things - u know, they'r the size of a super tanker and the engine could power the south of England! - and I asked him how much to fill up and he replied with the above. I was gob smacked to say the least..

 

How and why??? Where does their petrol come from, UK refineries or do they import it?

 

Wonder how much our guys pay in the States, local rate or our rate? ( do we have any military bases in the States?)

 

Just how pi**ed off are we now?

 

Just goes to show just how ripped off we are in this country..

 

Here endeth my minor rant.

 

Look forward to seeing your comments...

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Interesting for sure. Is he American or British?

 

I know forces guys who work abroad don't pay for petrol in even there own cars (In Germany for example).

 

I am guessing the way this happens is because he may be exempt for any kind of tax on the fuel, thats the only way it can be so cheap?

 

Gaz.

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He is an American soldier.

 

Surely if it is in this country and they are using OUR roads etc. (all the excuses our government come up with to justify our prices) they should be paying something towards the privilage?

 

And if they are buying it from our refineries, surely the same taxes etc should apply.

 

Or if they are importing it it should be taxed, so, at a higher price to reflect this.

 

Think what I am trying to say is if the septics can do it why can't we?

 

C'mon $25 for a full tank of juice, and someone is still making a profit!!

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Let me shed some light on this. I'm a "yank" in the US Air Force stationed in Germany. $25 USD to fill up a full-size Chevy truck is a bunch of f*cking bullsh*t. Perhaps to top it off maybe. That guy was pulling your leg for sure. The average Chevy full size has a 80-140 litre tank(s). I'd bet a full tank costs him around $90-120 USD. While stationed overseas in some countries, U.S. military personnel are able to buy gas-coupons which are accepted in certain 'petrol stations'. I buy super-plus coupons for ESSO (RON98) here in Germany for .70 Euro per litre. Yes, I know that's incredibly cheap compared to what you guys pay up on "the island". Yes, you are correct, it's because of tax-exemption.

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I served in Germany in the early 90's and we used to get fuel/fags/tea and Coffee coupons, so, 98 octane fuel was buttons :) I was an Optimax freek then too :D

 

You do get through some fuel when on the Autobharn (sp) :D

 

I forget how much the 98 coupons were priced at but, it felt like £1 for a single 10ltr coupon :D

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I might add that most U.S. bases overseas have their own gas stations on them. I don't know where they get their fuel, but it's donkey-piss for a turbo car or motorcycle. Economy cars and sh*tboxes can run on the stuff just fine but I wouldn't put it in either of my cars unless I had to. In Japan there was no choice because the fuel off-base was insanely expensive and we didn't get coupons for it like we do here in Germany.

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He is an American soldier.

 

Surely if it is in this country and they are using OUR roads etc. (all the excuses our government come up with to justify our prices) they should be paying something towards the privilage?

 

 

Think of all the money we pay and our roads are still s***. Of all the money collected most of it goes towards social engineering, not the roads. I dont begrudge anyone being able to circumnavigate the system.

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Well, Mr Jspec Germany, I apologise for shooting my mouth off.

Sounds like I got it all wrong then...

It sounds like the t**t was having a laugh and trying to be clever, rubbing my nose in it so to speak - knowing the prices we have to pay.

Still think it should be the same price as we have to pay, afterall the guys are using the road system etc.

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A schoolfriend of mine came over from the US and lived quite close to Menwith Hill (crikey those computers will be tracking me now ;)) - his family used to get invited into the base at certain times of the year and could use the onsite ''Post Exchange Store" to buy cheap items with no tax on them. Seems fair enough if they stay in the base but they let the tinkers out too ;)

 

http://www.menwithhill.ukf.net

http://www.fas.org/irp/facility/menwith.htm

http://www.gn.apc.org/cndyorks/mhs/index.htm

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Jspec Germany - You must be at.......the AWAC site ;) or near M'gladbach ?

 

I like your PX's ..the bigger ones in the south of Germany, I am a donutaholic :D

 

You sir are correct. Geilenkirchen, Germany. The south is a bit different. Ramstein, holy sh*t, it's a f*ckin major city almost. Lots of cool crap to buy there.

 

A lot of interesting responses to this post. Especially the WWII posts. I can say this with the best of confidence boys, that's one subjects that most britons aren't willing to touch upon. I can tell ya this though (after many beers and six bottles of wine with my German friends), should you ever want to visit, there is a place to park, a place to crash, and all the beer you can drink. Oh yeah, the ring is only two hours away and I'll do all the cooking.

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A few months ago I watched 'Buffalo Soldiers'.

I liked it a lot, labour of love, similar in spirit to 'wag the dog'

 

Buffalo was about the US bases in Germany in the period around the fall of the Berlin Wall. Idealistic in it's own way...

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When I was in the (British) Army in Germany we used to get tax discounts over the locals too. They used to get just as upset about it as some do now about the Yanks over here. ;)

 

I don't have a problem with it - it's just a perk of the job and having to work miles away from home.

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I once used a shopping trip to a PX as part payment for some work on my car by a local German, they could not get X items (at that price) so, we came to a deal.

 

Everyone was a winner :)

 

********************

 

Yeah, I used to "pop" down to Ramstein from JHQ and then while in the neighbourhood go to Frankfurt AM Main PX too. Ohhhh and the real BurgerKing that the US mil provided for it's forces, none of this Euro small burger cr@p - well, it was the early 1990's....is Rein-Main still open ?

 

Geilenkirchen - The name was bugging me all day yesterday :) I used to buy too many cases of Warsteiner or known as "wobbly" if you had too many :) my car did struggle.

 

Happy days.....

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Haha.. so you like the BK huh? Good stuff but I hardly ever eat the stuff. Makes me fat and I've eaten there too much, gets old after awhile. Ah yes, the Warsteiner. Decent beer I guess if you like pils. Much better than sh*tburger as we called. I prefer Alt-bier myself. Love British/Irish/Scottish beer. Beamish has to be my favorite though.

 

Rhein-main is closed for the most part. There's very little left and the Air Force is in the process of turning it back over.

 

I haven't seen Buffalo Soldiers yet, but want to.

 

I've been to Mildenhall and Lakenheath AB a couple of times. I dig England (especially the Rugby and beer), just hate the weather. It's very similar here only warmer.

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