What influences your gas purchase?

[zpiloto]

After looking at the preliminary results of the lawn mower fuel brand experiment it looks like the difference in gas performance is minimal between brands. It got me thinking about who is profiting from the gas. Would it effect where you would buy your petro looking at it from a political point of view? Where is the company headquartered or how much oil they import from Middle East. Would that affect your decision or is it just FE and price? I think that all companies import oil from the Middle East but some quite a bit more than other. The biggest importers would be the major oil companies. Shell, Chevron/Texaco, Exxon/Mobil, and Amoco. Then you have companies that are headquartering in Venezuela (Citgo) and Britain (BP Phillips). That leaves the US companies of Sunoco, Conoco, and Sinclair. I know that this is not all the oil companies and I know it a complex situation but where would you buy your gas?

[Matt Timion]

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. It appears to me that most gas is the same. in places like Vegas all gas is brought in on the same pipeline and then distributed to different retail locations. I'm convinced that additives do nothing significant except raise the price.

Here in utah you can get a discount on your gas if you buy your groceries at Smiths (grocery store) and then bring your receipt to the Smith's/Conoco gas station. I think I'll end up saving like 3 cents per gallon, which adds up over time.

The downside of this is that I have to drive an extra few miles to get to this gas station. There is a 7/11 right by my house and I usually always just get gas there.

I think convenience is usually key for gas stations, which is why they are everywhere.

I need to start using the gasbuddy website and finding o ut where the cheapest locations are in my area.

Would anyone like a feature on gassavers that updates once a day and lets you know where the 5 cheapest gas stations are in your zip code?

[krousdb]

Originally Posted by Matt Timion

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. It appears to me that most gas is the same. in places like Vegas all gas is brought in on the same pipeline and then distributed to different retail locations. I'm convinced that additives do nothing significant except raise the price.

Here in utah you can get a discount on your gas if you buy your groceries at Smiths (grocery store) and then bring your receipt to the Smith's/Conoco gas station. I think I'll end up saving like 3 cents per gallon, which adds up over time.

The downside of this is that I have to drive an extra few miles to get to this gas station. There is a 7/11 right by my house and I usually always just get gas there.

I think convenience is usually key for gas stations, which is why they are everywhere.

I need to start using the gasbuddy website and finding o ut where the cheapest locations are in my area.

Would anyone like a feature on gassavers that updates once a day and lets you know where the 5 cheapest gas stations are in your zip code?

Yes please!

[Matt Timion]

Originally Posted by krousdb

Yes please!

I'll add it to the list.

[Compaq888]

I just get my gas from the cheapest Shell or Chevron station. The are 2 Shell stations that are cheaper than most stations by my house. The drive there and back is 6 miles. They usually sell gas 8-10 cents cheaper per gallon. Plus the fact that I have a gas card cashback so everytime I refuel I get 5% back. So it all adds up to savings for me.

[GasSavers_DaX]

Originally Posted by Matt Timion

I think convenience is usually key for gas stations

You hit it - I stop to fill up at whatever gas station is closest when I am about to run out of fuel, regardless of price. Call it laziness, but in the end, even a 7 cent price difference (which comes to about 77 cents after a fillup) won't sway me to another station even slightly further down the road.

[kickflipjr]

I am with dax on this one. I just go where ever. I the price at one place is really high i will go to another gas station.

[basjoos]

All of the gas in this area comes from the Colonial Pipeline and the closer the gas station is to one of the pipeline's terminals, the lower the price is (on average). I get the cheapest gas along the routes that I normally drive, and since gas prices in SC are about 15 cents less per gallon than those in NC, I try to avoid ever having to gas up in NC. That's where the 500+ miles range of my car helps.

[Bunger]

If anyone ever has any gas questions, feel free to ask me. I work for an oil company.

The break down on gas is this:

It all comes from the same place, no matter if its Chevron or some mom and pop place. The only real difference is the additive. ALL gas has additive, its required by law, but there is a difference in the additives. Branded gas (chevron, shell, 76, etc) has a higher quality additive than non-branded so you are kinda getting what you pay for.

As for the best way to keep your engine the cleanest... If $$$ doesn't matter... use your favorite branded gas for 3-4 fillups, then switch to some other branded gas for one tank, and then back to your fav, the different additives will help clean up what the other one left behind.

As for whos making the most money? Any oil company that owns a refinery... its illegal to sell gas for less than you buy it for (safeway got in trouble for that), but if you sell the stuff to stations you own... it really doesn't matter where you make the money, no matter if its at the pump or at the rack.

[Compaq888]

Originally Posted by Bunger

If anyone ever has any gas questions, feel free to ask me. I work for an oil company.

Can you send me some gas?? i doubt they will notice a couple drums of gas