Gas Costs Rise, Set Record For This Time Of Year

[Doc]

Filled up for $3.17 yesterday, but noticed that it jumped to $3.32 here overnight.

Gasoline without ethanol is widely available here......Casey's is usually where I get it, and it is rated at 87 octane.......gas with 10% ethanol is sold at the same price (at Casey's), but is rated slightly higher at 89 octane, and my vehicle (which has a "Flex Fuel" engine) gets slightly better mileage with the 10% mix.

Pure ethanol is also available around here (usually at QuickTrip or MFA stations), and generally sells for about thirty cents per gallon less than gasoline.  I've used it a couple  of times, and found that my gas mileage drops 40% on pure ethanol, therefore the cost savings simply don't come close to offsetting the reduction in mileage.

Strange as it may seem, there IS an engineering advantage to using a fuel with a small amount of ethanol.  Basically, alcohol will absorb water, but pure gasoline won't.  Therefore using a mix will ensure that moisture and condesation that forms in your fuel tank in winter, doesn't become a contaminant.......it is absorbed by the ethanol, and burned with the reat of the fuel, keeping the system dry.

doc

[IassaFTots]

Filled up for $3.17 yesterday, but noticed that it jumped to $3.32 here overnight.

Gasoline without ethanol is widely available here......Casey's is usually where I get it, and it is rated at 87 octane.......gas with 10% ethanol is sold at the same price (at Casey's), but is rated slightly higher at 89 octane, and my vehicle (which has a "Flex Fuel" engine) gets slightly better mileage with the 10% mix.

Pure ethanol is also available around here (usually at QuickTrip or MFA stations), and generally sells for about thirty cents per gallon less than gasoline.  I've used it a couple  of times, and found that my gas mileage drops 40% on pure ethanol, therefore the cost savings simply don't come close to offsetting the reduction in mileage.

Strange as it may seem, there IS an engineering advantage to using a fuel with a small amount of ethanol.  Basically, alcohol will absorb water, but pure gasoline won't.  Therefore using a mix will ensure that moisture and condesation that forms in your fuel tank in winter, doesn't become a contaminant.......it is absorbed by the ethanol, and burned with the reat of the fuel, keeping the system dry.

doc

I think (I could be wrong, and I am sure someone here will correct me.)  that we are still set on our winter fuel blend, which is 15%.  I know we have 15%, but I think it decreases to 10% in the summer. 

[CG6468]

Gasoline WITHOUT ethanol is NEVER available here. 

[franksolich]

Strange as it may seem, there IS an engineering advantage to using a fuel with a small amount of ethanol.  Basically, alcohol will absorb water, but pure gasoline won't.  Therefore using a mix will ensure that moisture and condesation that forms in your fuel tank in winter, doesn't become a contaminant.......it is absorbed by the ethanol, and burned with the reat of the fuel, keeping the system dry.

Right.

But my automotive mechanic, right here in one of the major ethanol-producing states, providing lots and lots of good well-paying jobs, some years ago told me not to use the 85-15% blend; to use only regular gasoline.

Something about "it depends upon the engine," and my engine apparently runs better on regular unblended.

I did notice when I was doing this, using blended gasoline during the winter (this was before he told me not to), the miles-per-gallon dropped, and not just a little bit.  Like about 5-6 mpg.

[IassaFTots]

Right.

But my automotive mechanic, right here in one of the major ethanol-producing states, providing lots and lots of good well-paying jobs, some years ago told me not to use the 85-15% blend; to use only regular gasoline.

Something about "it depends upon the engine," and my engine apparently runs better on regular unblended.

I did notice when I was doing this, using blended gasoline during the winter (this was before he told me not to), the miles-per-gallon dropped, and not just a little bit.  Like about 5-6 mpg.

Oh well hell Frank.  5-6 MPG?  Man, I bet I could get up there if I had regular gasoline.  I am obsessed with my MPG.  Well, fixated is probably a closer definition. 

[TVDOC]

Right.

But my automotive mechanic, right here in one of the major ethanol-producing states, providing lots and lots of good well-paying jobs, some years ago told me not to use the 85-15% blend; to use only regular gasoline.

Something about "it depends upon the engine," and my engine apparently runs better on regular unblended.

I did notice when I was doing this, using blended gasoline during the winter (this was before he told me not to), the miles-per-gallon dropped, and not just a little bit.  Like about 5-6 mpg.

Probably true......my engine is designed to run on "pure ethanol", albeit with a significant drop in efficiency.  It seems to perform better on a 10% mix than pure gasoline however........dunno why, but it will deliver about 2 mpg more with the mix than on just gasoline.  Since it is a relatively high compression ratio V8, I suspect that it has to do with the increase in octane, and the injector timing.

Engine designs have changed quite a bit in the last decade, so the older the vehicle, the less tolerant it will be of ethanol mixed fuels.

doc

[compaqxp]

Gas goes up tonight, it'll be interesting to see how much it changes compared to the last set price.

[Jmartin]

Oh well hell Frank.  5-6 MPG?  Man, I bet I could get up there if I had regular gasoline.  I am obsessed with my MPG.  Well, fixated is probably a closer definition. 

I used to track the MPG on my Mustang when I had it. It was a 97 GT which was supposed to get 17 city 20 highway, but I always put the good stuff in. With smart driving I got 20-23 MPG every where except downtown. I have turned the timing of red lights into an art I may have too stop at 8/10.

[IassaFTots]

I used to track the MPG on my Mustang when I had it. It was a 97 GT which was supposed to get 17 city 20 highway, but I always put the good stuff in. With smart driving I got 20-23 MPG every where except downtown. I have turned the timing of red lights into an art I may have too stop at 8/10.

I average 29.4 currently.  I put mid-grade in the car, and drive roads that I can actually move on, instead of stop/starting.  Dang car has an average consumption read-out, and an instant.  I had to change from instant to average, because I was getting too much road rage when people's driving affected my speed, and my MPG. 

[Chris_]

I'm averaging about 20, but my car doesn't have a working speedometer or first gear.

[NHSparky]

Filled up for $3.17 yesterday, but noticed that it jumped to $3.32 here overnight.

Gasoline without ethanol is widely available here......Casey's is usually where I get it, and it is rated at 87 octane.......gas with 10% ethanol is sold at the same price (at Casey's), but is rated slightly higher at 89 octane, and my vehicle (which has a "Flex Fuel" engine) gets slightly better mileage with the 10% mix.

Pure ethanol is also available around here (usually at QuickTrip or MFA stations), and generally sells for about thirty cents per gallon less than gasoline.  I've used it a couple  of times, and found that my gas mileage drops 40% on pure ethanol, therefore the cost savings simply don't come close to offsetting the reduction in mileage.

Strange as it may seem, there IS an engineering advantage to using a fuel with a small amount of ethanol.  Basically, alcohol will absorb water, but pure gasoline won't.  Therefore using a mix will ensure that moisture and condesation that forms in your fuel tank in winter, doesn't become a contaminant.......it is absorbed by the ethanol, and burned with the reat of the fuel, keeping the system dry.

doc

Which may be part of the reason that pure gasoline in winter is nigh on impossible to come by. 

And for whatever reason, my gas mileage (same driving habits) is about 3-4 mpg LESS with the 10 percent ethanol blend than it is with the pure gas blend in the summer.  I get 17-18 during winter, and as much as 22 mpg during summer.

[zeitgeist]

Which may be part of the reason that pure gasoline in winter is nigh on impossible to come by. 

And for whatever reason, my gas mileage (same driving habits) is about 3-4 mpg LESS with the 10 percent ethanol blend than it is with the pure gas blend in the summer.  I get 17-18 during winter, and as much as 22 mpg during summer.

I haven't used "dry gas" in the winter in ages.  I will have to see if I still have a can in the shed.

I will have to go look right after I scrape ice off the front steps.

[Doc]

Which may be part of the reason that pure gasoline in winter is nigh on impossible to come by.  

And for whatever reason, my gas mileage (same driving habits) is about 3-4 mpg LESS with the 10 percent ethanol blend than it is with the pure gas blend in the summer.  I get 17-18 during winter, and as much as 22 mpg during summer.

Providing self-drying fuel is, perhaps, a small part of the decision mix.

However, there were a couple of "political" reasons for the 10 - 15% ethanol mixed fuels.

First is government subsidies for the use of ethanol which the Fed pays to the refiners to continue the practice, this is tied to the farm and environmental ethanol lobby. (DUmmies call this "corporate welfare".....even though it is THEIR advocacy groups that create this)

Second, mixing 10 to 20% ethanol with gasoline reduces NOX and CO2 emissions produced by a vehicle by a slight amount, and these regulations typically come from state environmental agencies.  Unfortunately all of the various state (and even city) regulations result in twelve different "blends" of fuel (at last count) that refiners need to produce.  This complicates logistics, and results in wide price and availability variations from state to state on fuel.

No government official would ever propose this, but simply having the Feds adopt the most stringent fuel mix/emissions standards for the entire country would reduce the price of gasoline by 20%.......overnight.......and eliminate "spot shortages", and the resultant price swings.  This simple solution makes far too much sense, and it would have the further benefit of eliminating a plethora of state bureaucratic jobs.

doc

[zeitgeist]

I haven't used "dry gas" in the winter in ages.  I will have to see if I still have a can in the shed.

I will have to go look right after I scrape ice off the front steps.

Yup, there is a can of Christy Dry Gas (methenol) from @ 1997.  

ETA At least they are not putting MTBE in any more ( right??) 

[thundley4]

Went by a station today, $3.49 for ethanol blend and $3.59 for the non-blended.

[LC EFA]

I pay $5.20 per gal of diesel.

[NHSparky]

Another day, another 14 cents.  I wish I was kidding.  Cumby's by the house was $3.369 this morning, $3.509 this afternoon.

FML.

[compaqxp]

Gas went up anywhere between 5 and 10 cents tonight for the week. Our gas prices only change once a week, it was quite a rush at the gas station today.

[Jmartin]

I average 29.4 currently.  I put mid-grade in the car, and drive roads that I can actually move on, instead of stop/starting.  Dang car has an average consumption read-out, and an instant.  I had to change from instant to average, because I was getting too much road rage when people's driving affected my speed, and my MPG. 

I would get road rage regardless. If I am not stuck behind someone or have someone riding my ass I am dodging wrecks almost everyday. I swear the drivers out here get dumber everyday.

[Celtic Rose]

I average 27 mpg, driving mainly in stop and go traffic. 

[NHSparky]

Today's AAA average nationally for regular unleaded is $3.471, up from $3.427 yesterday (4.3 cents in a DAY, up 36.3 cents from last month.)

The one thing I really like about the AAA numbers is it gives an "equivalent" E85 price; meaning what price you're paying for the mileage or BTU's you'd normally get from a gallon of gas versus the cheaper E85 price, and it's quite revealing. 

And it's official--California now has the highest average regular unleaded fuel price at $3.845/gal.  Even more expensive than Hawaii and Alaska.
MT and WY are still cheapest at $3.141/$3.143, respectively, as if that's "cheap".  NH today at $3.386, but good luck anywhere around here finding it that cheap.  Most places have already jacked it up to the $3.50-3.55 range.

[IassaFTots]

3.39 here today.  At the store I am monitoring that is.

[Odin's Hand]

$3.37 here last night, but, I get discount coupons for the gas station owned by the supermarket I shop at. I paid only $2.87 per gal. instead.

[Celtic Rose]

Today's AAA average nationally for regular unleaded is $3.471, up from $3.427 yesterday (4.3 cents in a DAY, up 36.3 cents from last month.)

The one thing I really like about the AAA numbers is it gives an "equivalent" E85 price; meaning what price you're paying for the mileage or BTU's you'd normally get from a gallon of gas versus the cheaper E85 price, and it's quite revealing. 

And it's official--California now has the highest average regular unleaded fuel price at $3.845/gal.  Even more expensive than Hawaii and Alaska.
MT and WY are still cheapest at $3.141/$3.143, respectively, as if that's "cheap".  NH today at $3.386, but good luck anywhere around here finding it that cheap.  Most places have already jacked it up to the $3.50-3.55 range.

Yes, and I need to fill up today 

[NHSparky]

I topped off last night (less than 1/2 tank.)  $32.00

Gotta run down to Boston and pick up a CC'er tonight.