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NOT CHEAPER by the GALLON By DAVID PRESZLER It's a scenario that plays out daily at drive-through coffee stands around the Rogue Valley. Coffee-craving motorists idle away gasoline that costs them $1.45 to $1.65 a gallon, willingly waiting to buy a cup of java that, if purchased by the gallon, would set them back $11 to $20. Sound like an exaggeration? At Dutch Bros., a 20-ounce cup of regular coffee goes for $1.75. That's 8.75 cents an ounce. There are 128 fluid ounces in a gallon, so that's $11.20 a gallon. Imagine the cup, let alone the cup holders, the jitters, the trips to the restroom. Want a mocha or a latte? At $3 for the same size, that'll be $19.20 a gallon. That's one reason not to fill your gas tank with coffee. Of course, few people buy coffee by the gallon. But considering how much other liquids cost may take some angst out of trips to the pump since, by volume, gas remains among the cheapest liquids. Ever stop to think how much you pay for the liquids in your life? Hint: It's isn't a $1.45 a gallon. Thinking of perfume for Mother's Day or a surprise for your sweetheart? By the gallon, it'll cost you $3,000 to $5,000 for designer spray-on scents. A gallon of the high-end concentrated parfum, the kind you dab on that comes in tiny bottles, can cost more than many new cars. Chanel No. 5 parfum at Meier and Frank is $145 per half-ounce. The per-gallon price? $37,120. Similar studies done by other newspapers around the nation found some even higher prices, if that makes gas grumblers feel better. The Chanel No. 5 the Courier-Journal in Louisville, Ky., found was $45,056 a gallon. Not looking for spendy perfume or drinking a fancy coffee, you say. Fine. Drink your Pepsi or Coca-Cola. But know that even if you get the 2-liter bottle for 99 cents, you're paying $1.92 a gallon. Buy the 64-ounce Big Gulp at 7-11 and it's $2.58 a gallon. Bottled water can be even more. You can buy a gallon of bottled water for about the same price as gas, but buy it in smaller quantities and you'll pay. A liter bottle of Evian is $5.63 a gallon. A recent sale price for an 18-pack of Coors Light worked out to $5.73 a gallon. Don't even ask about the microbrews or wines. And drinks are pretty cheap, compared to other things on the supermarket shelf. Check out the per-ounce prices stores post on many items and multiple by 128. Canned spaghetti sauces run $9 to $11 a gallon. Salad dressings are $25 to $39 a gallon. A recent sale offered Listerine mouthwash for the low, low price of $17.76 a gallon. Shampoos -- assuming you prefer the size bottle that actually fits on a shower shelf -- start at around $8. More specialized liquids move the bar even higher. Basalmic vinegar ranges from $35 to $161 a gallon. Eye drops? Nearly $900 a gallon. On sale. Even things people normally buy by the gallon cost more than gas. A gallon of milk is usually well north of $2. A gallon of paint? That'll be at least $10 or $12. Such comparisons are, of course, limited. With liquids other than gasoline, you're generally paying for a container. And gas prices have risen much faster than the other products. There are a few liquids still cheaper than gas. A recent sale on Clorox bleach worked out to $1.28 a gallon (though gas was well below that a mere 18 months ago). And there's always tap water. Tossing out the hook-up fees and such, most Medford residents get a 1,000 gallons for 37 cents. That's 0.037 cents a gallon. Such a deal. But, to prove nothing's immune to price hikes, tap water goes up to 42 cents per 1,000 gallons for the summer, starting June 1. The price , by the gallon, of a few common liquids sold at Rogue Valley grocery and department stores: Pepsi $1.92 Thompson's Deck Wash $3.99* Crisco vegetable oil $4.51* Henry Weinhard's beer $6.27 Suave shampoo$8.45* Black Butte Porter $11.78 Listerine mouth wash $17.76* 1997 Valley View Pinot Gris $55.42 Visine eye drops $893.44* Chanel No. 5 eau de parfum $5,044.71 Chanel No. 5 parfum $37,120 * recent advertised sale prices Sources: Albertson's, Fred Meyer, Meier and Frank Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA