GAS?!?!?!?!?!

[THE STIG]

Just curious what does everybody use and why? Brand, octane, etc. Anything you avoid? Personally I tend use Speedway most often since it's right by my house and I have the rewards card, but there's a Shell on my way to work that I'll hit up when I need to, 87 Oct. in my   F-150 and Toyota, 93 in the Charger. I try to stay away from BP, all they're gas is 10% ethanol and I have reservations about that even in my "newer" vehicales.

[69bronzeT5]

I'm not sure what gas station companies us in Canada share with you U.S guys but I try to hit Chevrons, ESSOs and Petro-Canadas (I have a points card). My dad told me a long time ago to avoid Shell so I do

[green69rt]

Can you even get gas without ethanol now??  I thought all distributors are required to use it by law ( thank you to the corn lobby for making my gas more corrosive, have lower BTU/gal and attractive to water.)  As for what to use, it seems to be a crap shoot, you usually can depend on any major gas station to have clean gas of the right octane but can you be 100% certain, I think not.  You can even get decent gas at Walmart or Kroger but beats me who makes their gas so beware.

I try to stick with the major brands (in my case Shell and Exxon) and use stations that have a lot of traffic so the gas in the tanks turn over quickly.  Other than that I'd be interested to hear what others have to say.

[THE STIG]

I just mentioned BP as having 10% ethanol because they have stickers all over they're pumps that say so, I've never seen them at Speedway or the one Shell that I go to.

[elacruze]

There is no mandate to use ethanol, it is *allowed* to use up to 10%. Whether they do or not and how much, is strictly an economic decision-if they make deals with corn growers, local pricing/availability, seasonal fluctuations etc. We have one independent station locally that sells 'recreational 90' which is 90 octane zero-ethanol gas. I use it in my pickup when I can, because it helps noticeably the lean off-idle when weather is cool like now. My Tohatsu outboard motor won't make any more power above 3/4 throttle unless I use the REC 90. The price is usually about the same as 93 premium ethanol at the local stations. (currently about $3.13 in S. Fla.).

Oh, let me add a little about water/ethanol. Ethanol in gas is actually a good thing if you live in areas with large heat swings or own a car that returns hot fuel to the tank. Water in your tank is mostly a function of condensation/cooling and atmospheric humidity (this all still applies if the water comes out of the pump) so you will get the same amount of water in your tank whether you have alcohol in the gas or not. The difference is that if you have ethanol, it will absorb that water and run it through the engine harmlessly. Without it, the water collects on the bottom of the tank and eventually builds up to the point that it interferes with your carburetor or runs through hot injectors as pure water and can damage the tips. Or it lays in the bottom for years and rusts out your tank. Wintertime 'water removers' are actually just rubbing alcohol in a more expensive package.

[Ghoste]

That could be regional too.  I'm pretty sure in Canadakistan the ethanol part is law.  At least in Ontario (and I could be wrong).

[earthquake68]

I actually talked to a person that ordered gas for "Circle K". I asked who's gas they use. She told me who ever is cheapest the day they need it. Sometimes they use Exxon, sometimes they use Sunoco. Sometimes they get brand X, Y, or Z. When you stop at one of those stations, it's pot luck. I try to use Shell 93. It has no ethanol it in it. A friend with a Cavalier asked me why I put the "good stuff" in my old beat up truck and I told him it's better gas. The low and mid grades have ethanol in them. He said he got 3 mpg higher with the 93 over the cheaper stuff.

My Dad has a 1926 Buick in near mint original condition. He was using 87 octane in that. About a year later we were wondering why we had rebuilt the carburetor three times, valves and rocker shaft arms were seizing, and it was hard to start. Turns out those old antique engines need antique gas to run on. The ethanol was seizing every moving part the gas went through. Now he uses Coleman stove white gas and it runs like a champ. No more seizing parts and it's really easy to start now.

[Manfred318]

I dont think there is a place around here that doesnt have ethanol in the gas. I usually run BP gas mainly because its convient, and thats pretty much all we have around here. Anyways, I usually run a mix of BP 93 and CAM 2 in the Charger. In my old Toyota I usually just run 87. It runs better on 93 but its not enough of a difference to warrant spending that much on that old hunk of junk truck.

[chargerboy69]

I usually run BP in my trucks as there are two BP stations within a mile from my house.  I have not noticed any ethanol stickers on the pumps, may be a regional thing.

[68X426]

Myth or not, I understand that there are only 3 suppliers for all the pumps in the state. It's all the same stuff.

Biggest problem is that we only get 91 octane. I envy the rest of the states for the availability 93 to 100.

[chargd72]

I knew a guy that delivered gas to all the stations and each 'special formula' was equivalent to dumping a 20oz bottle into an entire tanker.  Not going to make any difference.  I think it's more of the storage containers and the time it sits that can have more effect on the quality.

[bull]

I think the "required" ethanol content is dictated by each state's legislature. Here in Oregon it's pretty much all 10% with a few exceptions. There are places that sell real gas here such as farm supply stores and marinas as well as a handful of gas stations but for the most part it's pretty hard to find.

[Silver R/T]

Every station here has 10% ethanol (WA) I use Costco gas in my daily driver as it's cheaper with card than other stations.

[Tilar]

I'll use pretty well anything with the exception of Exxon or Mobil.

[Ghoste]

What's your exception to them?

[Tilar]

If you remember when Katrina hit New Orleans and gas went way up, they held congressional hearings with CEO's of all the major oil companies to find out why. That egotistical hairlip bastard that was running Exxon said on national TV that they were charging what they felt the market could bear and if we didn't like the prices we could get gas from someone else... So I did and haven't been back. Someone else can pay for his million dollar pension.

[elacruze]

If you remember when Katrina hit New Orleans and gas went way up, they held congressional hearings with CEO's of all the major oil companies to find out why. That egotistical hairlip bastard that was running Exxon said on national TV that they were charging what they felt the market could bear and if we didn't like the prices we could get gas from someone else... So I did and haven't been back. Someone else can pay for his million dollar pension.

I give him bonus points for honesty. He could have blamed it on Chinese rush hour, but the facts would not have changed. His statement is true every day, and has been for every day of their existence.

Motor fuel is not a right, and it is not community property in the public domain.

[Tilar]

You are right, and I have the right to not buy from a company that thinks the consumer needs them more then they need the consumer.

[Ghoste]

I have to side with Tilar on that one.  I agree about free market and that fuel isn't a right but hiking up the price because of a natural disaster isn't free market.  If there was an actual fuel shortage caused by the hurricane and consumers freely bid the price up higher, that would be free market in my opinion.  But I have to concede points for his honesty too.  Although I wonder if it was so much honesty as it was a sense of imperious indignation?  Maybe thats why Congress was investigating them for price gouging.

[THE STIG]

If you remember when Katrina hit New Orleans and gas went way up, they held congressional hearings with CEO's of all the major oil companies to find out why. That egotistical hairlip bastard that was running Exxon said on national TV that they were charging what they felt the market could bear and if we didn't like the prices we could get gas from someone else... So I did and haven't been back. Someone else can pay for his million dollar pension.

I give him bonus points for honesty. He could have blamed it on Chinese rush hour, but the facts would not have changed. His statement is true every day, and has been for every day of their existence.

Motor fuel is not a right, and it is not community property in the public domain.

I agree it's none of the Gov.'s business what a business is charging for any given product whether it be gas, milk, jelly beans or anything else. If they can tell the oil companys what to charge for a gallon of gas they can tell you what to charge for goods of services in your business.

By the way I stoped at my local grocery store the other day because I needed gas in my truck really bad I gave dude $20 and my Kroger Plus card and it knocked .40 of the gallon it was marked at $2.78 I paid $2.38.

[twodko]

Man I'd love to pay $2.39 a gallon. Gas is always expensive in Calibrokeia and there is ethanol in it all. I buy mainly at Valero but with prices the way they are I look for the least expensive fuel I can find for my Chebby pickup and our Honda.The Charger seems happy with mid grade so that's its beverage of choice.

I clearly remember that Exxon asshole and only hope he suffers like Katrina victims did and still are. Prolly won't though, what goes around doesn't seem to come around for those who prey on the rest of us.

[Tilar]

Man I'd love to pay $2.39 a gallon. Gas is always expensive in Calibrokeia and there is ethanol in it all. I buy mainly at Valero....

FYI Valero is the old Citgo which is owned by Hugo Chavez.

[rollingthunder]

Man I'd love to pay $2.39 a gallon. Gas is always expensive in Calibrokeia and there is ethanol in it all. I buy mainly at Valero....

FYI Valero is the old Citgo which is owned by Hugo Chavez.

realy I didn't know that.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valero_Energy_Corporation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valero_Energy_Corporation#History

[moparstuart]

Man I'd love to pay $2.39 a gallon. Gas is always expensive in Calibrokeia and there is ethanol in it all. I buy mainly at Valero....

FYI Valero is the old Citgo which is owned by Hugo Chavez.

here valero took over the old vickers/ totals

[Darkman]

You wouldn't want to know what I pay for fuel where I live!!

Roughly converted it works out to just under $6 a gallon! 

[THE STIG]

Man I'd love to pay $2.39 a gallon. Gas is always expensive in Calibrokeia and there is ethanol in it all. I buy mainly at Valero....

FYI Valero is the old Citgo which is owned by Hugo Chavez.

I was wondering about that. I've been seeing Valeros pop up in the few places around me where there used to be Citgos. Well Ican avoid those just as much as I did the Citgos. I heard in Venezuala they're paying like $.25 a gallon while he sticks it to us.