Gas prices and quality

[Radar24]

I don't usually pay that much attention to it; you pay whatever it cost if you want to drive.

Today I personally hit a milestone just 25 north of where I live in the larger City of Manchester NH. Mobil 87 octane (regular), at $1.959. Here in Nashua where I live it is still above $2 at $2.059. The independents hit below the $2 threshold some time ago. But not the brand names I only ever buy from; Shell, Exxon/Mobil, Texaco, Chevron and my last choice being Sunoco as a last resort. Only if they are relatively new station too!

IMO buying from independents can be false economy; short term gains in exchange for potential long term problems and repair expenses. At $150 for one injector cleaning service you have to buy 1500 gallons at 10 cents per gallon savings just to break even. At 5 cents less it is 3000 gallons! It takes me over 10 years to burn 3000 gallons at 30 MPG! I do not think it is worth the risk to save a few cents. Ending up with for example dirty injectors and other engine deposits due to an inadequate additive package added by the independent retailers.

Otherwise the gas comes from the same place but it may not be as clean (infrequent pump filter changes) and might contain more water when sold by the independent retailers. Wherever it goes below say 20F any water in your tank can be a huge problem. Water possibly coming from the bottom of the storage tanks at the fuel depots; you get the idea. In general some independents might be of equal quality; I just don't want to take a chance. It might cost more in the long run. See the report on Top Tier gasoline below.

http://www.toptiergas.com/ click on <RETAILERS> for a list of those that meet higher standards regarding fuel injector cleaning additives.

See also POST #8 of the thread "Fuel Inject Service Needed" (link below) for my believe it or not story as told by a Mobil tanker truck driver about 15 years ago.

http://www.crvownersclub.com/forums/sendmessage.php?do=sendtofriend&t=4814

-RG

[tcturner]

The sad part is what happens if all independants go out of business leaving no competion for the big boys.Around here though they say and the FederaLIES say there is no collusion all the big boys manage to up the price or lower it at 12:01 on the same day to the same price every time.For years the independants would leave the price until they had to refill their tanks creating some competion for the big names.I shouldn't be saying anything because I only buy my gas at Shell.:(

[Badgerland]

I don't usually pay that much attention to it; you pay whatever it cost if you want to drive.

Today I personally hit a milestone just 25 north of where I live in the larger City of Manchester NH. Mobil 87 octane (regular), at $1.959. Here in Nashua where I live it is still above $2 at $2.059. The independents hit below the $2 threshold some time ago. But not the brand names I only ever buy from; Shell, Exxon/Mobil, Texaco, Chevron and my last choice being Sunoco as a last resort. Only if they are relatively new station too!-RG

Man how gas varies, it was $1.59 here yesterday.

[Radar24]

Why the price discrepancy between states; we have no oil rigs off shore, refineries or wells that I know off. Yes I know Kansas has no offshore.

The New England states have the highest gas and federal tax per gallon in the US except for California, New York and Washington. What is more important is that they want to raise taxes even higher due to lower fuel tax and tolls collected with reduced driving. State taxes and tolls collected presently is not sufficient to maintain the roads. :confused:

As is often the case along with the good comes the bad; with less driving will come even higher taxes. :mad:

-RG

[electric V]

Radar-24

I think that you just put the nail in the coffin. I usually stay away from indepentant gas stations unless extreemly necesary that I have no other choice. But what about putting octane boost or another additive like techron into the tank along with the "low grade" gasoline.

I always use Cheveron and about once a month I run premium in the tank with a bottle or two of octane boost.

Safeway and Costco usually have cheaper gas than anyone but that is only if you are members to those two places. But even though their gas is cheaper it is a lesser grade than top tier and has had problems on vehicles that are exclusivly running that brand ie wasted fuel injectors. So do the ends really justify the means?