Gas Could Hit $5 a Gallon — Here's What Jacksonville Drivers Should Do Now

If you filled up your car this week, you already felt it. Gas is at $3.716 a gallon in Florida today — and $3.675 nationally — according to AAA data as of March 14, 2026. Two weeks ago it was $3.21.

That's not the bad news. The bad news is what comes next.

Where Gas Prices Are Headed

The Iran conflict shut down the Strait of Hormuz, choking off roughly one-fifth of the world's oil supply. Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, hit $119.50 a barrel in the days after the strikes began — up from around $70 before the conflict. It's since settled near $90, but analysts warn that a prolonged conflict could push prices higher again.

Prediction markets currently put the odds of the national average hitting $4.50 a gallon by the end of March at 64%. Goldman Sachs has warned that if oil prices stay elevated, gas could approach $5 a gallon in the second quarter of 2026.

For context: gas was under $3 a gallon just a few weeks ago. We may be looking at prices nearly double that within 90 days.

What This Means at the Pump in Jacksonville

Jacksonville is a big, spread-out city. The average resident drives more miles per month than people in compact urban areas. That mileage amplifies every cent per gallon.

Here's what the numbers look like for specific vehicles at today's Florida average of $3.716 a gallon — and at $5 if prices keep climbing:

A Ram 2500 currently costs around $99 to fill at Florida's current $3.716 average. At $5, that's over $133 per fill-up.

A Ford F-150 or Ram 1500 currently costs around $81 to fill. At $5, that's nearly $110.

A Toyota Camry currently costs around $49 to fill. At $5, that's around $66.

A Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla currently costs around $39 to fill. At $5, that's about $52.

If you're driving a large truck or SUV that you don't actually need for hauling or towing, you're paying a significant premium every single week — and that premium is growing fast.

The Hidden Cost of Keeping an Inefficient Car

A lot of people hold onto old trucks and SUVs because they run. Maybe not great, but they run. The thinking is: why replace something that works?

Here's why: at 14 miles per gallon and 1,000 miles driven per month, you're spending around $265 a month at Florida's current $3.716 average. At $4.50, that jumps to $321. At $5, it hits $357.

A car getting 30 miles per gallon on the same 1,000 miles costs $124 at Florida's current average and $167 at $5.

That's a difference of $134 a month at current prices — and nearly $190 a month if prices hit $5. Over a year at $5 a gallon, that's more than $2,200 in fuel costs alone just from driving an inefficient vehicle instead of an efficient one.

Add insurance, registration, and any repairs you're putting into it, and the real cost of keeping that old gas-guzzler starts to look very different.

The Cars Most Affected Right Now

If you own any of the following and don't regularly need their hauling or towing capacity, the math deserves a hard look:

• Full-size pickups (F-150, Silverado, Ram 1500/2500, Tundra)
• Large SUVs (Tahoe, Suburban, Expedition, Yukon, Sequoia)
• Older V8 sedans and muscle cars used as daily drivers
• Any vehicle getting under 20 miles per gallon

This isn't about whether these are good vehicles. It's about whether they make financial sense as a daily driver when gas may hit $5 in the next 60 days.

Don't Wait for Prices to Come Down

There's always a temptation to wait and see. Maybe the conflict ends quickly. Maybe prices stabilize. Maybe gas drops back to $3.

Maybe. But gas prices tied to a major geopolitical conflict don't follow predictable timelines. The Strait of Hormuz disruption is the biggest oil supply shock in history, according to analysts. Prices can stay elevated for months.

Every week you wait is another week of paying peak fuel costs on a depreciating vehicle.

What Your Old Gas-Guzzler Is Worth Right Now

More than you might think. Large vehicles contain more metal, which works in your favor on scrap value. Running trucks and SUVs bring strong offers. Even non-running ones pay real money.

Call (904) 666-4487 or get a free quote online. Same-day pickup available across Jacksonville and Duval County. Free towing always included.

Gas at $3.716 in Florida is already painful. Don't wait until it's $5 to make a decision you should be making today.