At what price differential do you buy E85?

[Tdbo]

Needed to go fill up the truck, which is a FFV.
At my closest station RUG was $2.53.9 and E85 was $1.45.9.
With the $1.08 price differential, the 12% hit in mileage is worth it. So, I went E85.
Out of curiosity, for those of you with FFV's,at what price differential to you decide to burn E85 instead of RUG?

 

[Cujet]

The MPG difference is generally 27%. It's only lower, say as low as 16%, when the ethanol content is reduced to 50%, such as during the winter. Remember, ethanol content is reduced in winter to ensure engine starting.

The MPG reduction is directly proportional to the ethanol content. Even in South Florida, ethanol content is often reduced in the winter.

 

[sasilverbullet]

Um, never...

 

[Oro_O]

Originally Posted By: sasilverbullet
Um, never...

 

[gathermewool]

The small amount of potential savings, if any, wouldn't offset my annoyance at having to fill up more frequently.

 

[gathermewool]

The small amount of potential savings, if any, wouldn't offset my annoyance at having to fill up more frequently.

 

[Rat407]

I use it for the fact that it burns cleaner, which in turn keeps the combustion chamber cleaner not to mention the higher octane rating. Some will say it is all in my head but when I run it I can tell a difference in better throttle response and power.

I saw where it is down to $1.25 a gallon in Indiana.

 

[Astro14]

Originally Posted By: gathermewool
The small amount of potential savings, if any, wouldn't offset my annoyance at having to fill up more frequently.


Even on E85, I only fill my flex fuel truck once a month.

Having a 38 gallon tank helps with that...

 

[Astro14]

I don't buy on price differential alone, though I might in the future.

The truck just seems to run better on the corn juice.

So, if I am paying only 10% less than RUG, perhaps that isn't the right comparison. E85 is over $1.00/gallon cheaper than premium, which still doesn't have the octane of E85...so, at 10% cheaper, with a 20% MPG hit (based on tracking truck performance, not BTU comparison) I still prefer E85, for the performance.

 

[Tdbo]

Originally Posted By: Rat407
I use it for the fact that it burns cleaner, which in turn keeps the combustion chamber cleaner not to mention the higher octane rating. Some will say it is all in my head but when I run it I can tell a difference in better throttle response and power.

I saw where it is down to $1.25 a gallon in Indiana.



The truck runs well on it, although I rarely buy it.
The one time that I started with basically an empty tank and filled it up with E85, I got 17.5 MPG vs. 20 w/RUG.
However, for over a buck a gallon cheaper, I figure I'm not any worse off.
At least until RUG goes down.

 

[Tdbo]

Originally Posted By: Astro14
I don't buy on price differential alone, though I might in the future.

The truck just seems to run better on the corn juice.

So, if I am paying only 10% less than RUG, perhaps that isn't the right comparison. E85 is over $1.00/gallon cheaper than premium, which still doesn't have the octane of E85...so, at 10% cheaper, with a 20% MPG hit (based on tracking truck performance, not BTU comparison) I still prefer E85, for the performance.


I'm with you on the performance.
I feel if I take the mileage hit, that I need to make up for it on price.
I figure I can lose 12% on mileage, if I'm paying 43% less for it.

 

[blupupher]

I rarely see a more than $0.05/gallon difference between the two around here, usually $0.02 difference. No point in running e-85 at that price.
Not that I have any vehicle that is e-85 compatible.

 

[redbone3]

If your vehicle tends to run hot or overheat, E85 burns cooler.

 

[thastinger]

If corn juice wasn't subsidized by all of us, then it wouldn't even exist in a capitalistic system as it is a carbon negative fuel source and we're burning our food source in our gas tanks. It takes diesel to plant, cultivate and harvest the 1 ear of corn that the 7 foot tall stalk produces, ammonia nitrate (natural gas) to fertilize it, and energy to cook the enzymes into alky you burn in your tank...so just say no and decrease the demand for it.

 

[Crispysea]

I only buy ethanol when my still is broken. Oh, you meant for the car...

 

[WyrTwister]

Precisely !

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

I fill up rental cars before returning with E85. Its a nice trick.

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: Or
Originally Posted By: sasilverbullet
Um, never...





+1

 

[Revving2Redline]

E85 seems to have concerns as oil mfg try to make their GF5 oils and such tolerant to it. Sounds like it might lower the oci compared to E10. I've seen the pump hoses for E15 E85 and they are huge and reinforced so that tells me a conclusive story I want none of that jazz in my fuel tank.

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted By: Astro14
I don't buy on price differential alone, though I might in the future.

The truck just seems to run better on the corn juice.

So, if I am paying only 10% less than RUG, perhaps that isn't the right comparison. E85 is over $1.00/gallon cheaper than premium, which still doesn't have the octane of E85...so, at 10% cheaper, with a 20% MPG hit (based on tracking truck performance, not BTU comparison) I still prefer E85, for the performance.


I think from a BTU standpoint, it's supposed to be about a 27% difference so maybe it's worth it because you may actually be getting a higher gasoline mix. I wonder if you can get an OBDII scanner that will tell you the actual mixture.