Gasoline prices.

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
Originally Posted By: cb450sc
We are still paying crazy prices for gas in Ontario dispite the low price of oil. We drove to Florida a couple of weeks ago and the highest we paid was $2.27 a gallon, the lowest was $1.87. It is $0.96 a liter here in Ontario!!


That's because we have to keep the sand oil fields propped up, otherwise they simply cannot compete and would be out of business.
When the barrel was over $100 Canadians of course did not get any price break and were actually paying more than people in US that used Canadian crude. Now that the price of the barrel tanked, Canadians as usual still have to pay more to prop up the crooks running the shell game. We must be the only country that punishes people in its own market on price.


I think it's the US that doesn't really tax gasoline highly to support social programs like Canada and many other European countries do. So you have to blame your government for that. On the other hand you don't have to complain about health care premiums, there are many in the US that pay $500-$1000 a month or more for health insurance.

 

[stchman]

Originally Posted By: cb450sc
We are still paying crazy prices for gas in Ontario dispite the low price of oil. We drove to Florida a couple of weeks ago and the highest we paid was $2.27 a gallon, the lowest was $1.87. It is $0.96 a liter here in Ontario!!


How do you think Canada's socialized medicine gets paid for? Big government needs big money.

 

[stchman]

Originally Posted By: A_Harman
Originally Posted By: stchman
Originally Posted By: A_Harman
The current trend I have noticed in the last 6 months is that gas stations will price regular very cheaply, and then really charge big differentials for mid-grade and premium. But I really hit my limit this morning at a Mobil station close to work. Regular was $1.88, mid-grade was $2.66, and premium was $3.00. Gas prices used to be only 4-5% difference between grades, but 60% increase from regular to premium is ridiculous.

So what did I do? I filled up with a blend of 50% premium 93 with 50% regular 87, and effectively paid $2.44 for a mid-grade blend that was cheaper than the pump mid-grade. I won't say that it's 90 octane, but I will say that it's at least as good as the 89 priced at $2.66.


Here in St. Louis, very few stations sell 89 octane, and 93 octane is ~$0.30 more than 87. What part of Michigan you live in?

What car do you have that needs premium? Most cars on the road do not require premium and actually running premium at best is a waste of money.


There have been 3 grades of gasoline at every station I've ever seen in Michigan, so where I live doesn't really matter.

I run premium in my Camaro in hot weather, and mid-grade in cold. Although since the car has aged, it seems to require premium more than it used to.


I just did a gas buddy in Lansing MI and it looks like premium is $0.46 a gallon higher than 87. Hard to imagine that a simple combustion inhibitor costs that much, oh well.

 

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Originally Posted By: rslifkin
As someone who pretty much only buys 93 (out of necessity), it sucks. Although I've been paying under $2.50 for a while, so it's not too terrible.


If you read the owner's manual, I'm sure it says the minimum octane requirement is 91. That's for west coast states that only have 91. So if you have 93 in your area, you can mix 2/3 super with 1/3 regular to end up with a 91 mix.

I don't mind too much using premium. It's better than it was before when it was over $3 a gallon before the prices fell. It's really the only major drawback with luxury cars like the Mercedes, seems like a high end car always needs to use high end fuel.


Factory spec is 91 minimum, but the motor isn't stock and neither is the tune. I could run 91 safely, but I'd likely have to tweak the timing curve a little to keep it from pinging (no stations around here have 91, so I've never run it on less than 93 with this tune).

The few cents per tank saved by mixing isn't worth the effort to do it, IMO. Plus having to worry about accidentally dipping the octane a little too low (no knock sensor on this motor, so you find out the gas isn't good enough when you hear it start to ping).

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Wolf359
According to news reports, the difference is because Shale oil is good for regular, not so good for super and the US has lots of shale.

Yeah, that's what I've read as well. See the link to the article I posted in this thread:

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubb..._an#Post3600765

Alas, that still does not explain why the spread is still fairly low at some gas stations/parts of the country, but very high at others. I just fueled up last week. Premium was 70 cents more than regular.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Who makes the most money with large difference between grades ? Retailers or distributors or oil/refinery companies ?

In So Cal the difference is 10 cents between grades at most stations.

Price difference of the same grade between Costco stations in Orange County, CA can be as much as 30 cents. Why is so much difference ? Costco stations set their own price or distributors charge different price or oil/refinery companies is the culprit ?

 

[Wolf359]

The other piece you're missing is the crack spread. Just be careful when you're googling that! The one I'm referring to is what the refineries pay for oil and what they charge for gasoline. Because there are so many individual markets for specific blends of gas, some refineries can charge more for gas in one area than another. Costco might have better contracts with their supplier or they may just be breaking even on it. Remember, their primary business isn't gas, they just use that to hopefully get you in the store.

 

[Ratchetgrinder]

$1.85 cash or credit 87 down the block.

Been driving this Blazer like it's a Civic.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: Ratchetgrinder
$1.85 cash or credit 87 down the block.

Been driving this Blazer like it's a Civic.


Don't treat its head bolt holes the same way.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: Wolf359
The other piece you're missing is the crack spread. Just be careful when you're googling that!


Coworker was doing some research on a HTOL testing. Apparently HTOL has more than one meaning!

 

[DBMaster]

 

[Ratchetgrinder]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Originally Posted By: Ratchetgrinder
$1.85 cash or credit 87 down the block.

Been driving this Blazer like it's a Civic.


Don't treat its head bolt holes the same way.

 

[Merkava_4]

Out here the octane grades are always 10 cents apart.

 

[grampi]

I'm glad I no longer have any vehicles that require mid or premium grade fuels...

 

[Quattro Pete]

Yikes...

 

[daves87rs]

My cars are all small, so I am not going to sweat whether I get 87 or 93. Just as long as I avoid that Poopy Kroger gas....

That said, enjoy the prices while you can-this will not last too much longer before they really jump again....

 

[tbm3fan]

Gas down the street at ARCO tonight was 2.35 for 87, 2.45 for 89 and 2.55 for 91.

 

[gabriel9766]

$1.79 here in KC, MO

 

[artificialist]

$1.97 for 87 octane where I live. I haven't been driving my car as often, so I don't remember the price of 93 octane. At a few gas stations, you can get 91 and 93 octane, and 91 is about 10 cents cheaper per gallon. My car doesn't suffer any loss of performance with 91, so I use 91 octane when it is easy to get.