Are we being gouged? And lets not make this political...

[1BigDog]

This concerns gas prices and what I will call a subtle way to gouge gas prices. I wonder just how many of you have noticed this at your area gas stations. For years there has been 3 grades of gas at the pump. 87, 89 and 93 (or maybe 91) and the prices for these different grades have always been about ten cents difference per grade. Lets say for arguments sake, $3.00 for 87, $3.10 for 89 and $3.20 for 93. This has been the standard for many, many years. In the last maybe 6 years every time the price of gas shoots up to near or over four bucks a gallon the price between these grades also goes up and when the price of gas finally settles down to the low to mid 3 buck mark the price between grades do not go back down but stay inflated. I have watched these prices from lets say 2 sharp price hikes ago settle down to the 15 cent a difference price. Now since the gas has hit the 4 buck price and came back down the prices between the grades are now 20 to 25 cents a gallon difference between the grades. Most of us may not notice this because the majority of the population uses 87 octane. I use 93 in my Mustang and I notice it pretty much so. One BP station here fluctuates his between grade prices by as much as 50 cents from 87 to 89. Mainly see this at the larger stations like BP, Shell and most of the larger stations but also I have noticed similar actions by smaller operations, say 18 cents difference. I spoke to some fuel haulers that I know and they cant explain it other then the oil companies will try and get away with it. I tried contacting some local consumer news advocates that are on the local stations who tout how they look for fraud and to let them know of any but so far none have even responded to any emails. Since after looking up the states definition of price gouging my beef does not fall into this criteria. I would usually just stay away from such stations but it seems that this is the norm now. I just cant get a rational explanation for this huge difference in prices.

 

So, what are your thoughts on this?

[pmelah]

summer vacations big oil wants your money you saved they dont want you feeding your family i have noticed it as well since i have no income and really have to watch every penny i spend

[Brake Pad]

For Us in South Florida, It falls under City Taxes. The City of Weston, Major tax rates for the community, average 12K per homeowner.

Pembroke Pines: about 5500 a year

Miramar: 3k to 7K

Pompano beach: (Fort lauderdale areas) are lower because of tourism. its holds the majority of taxable income from visitors.

[Yammer Dan]

I think this one falls under hungry middle man taking after greedy oil parents!!

[Venturous Randy]

I have also noticed the larger difference between the grades of gas. I have also seen the old diehards that insist their vehicle needs the higher octane or even says the higher octane gas is better or cleaner gasoline. This is even on vehicles that call for 87 octane.

On most modern vehicles, knock sensors will retard the timing slightly whenever there is enough load that would cause pre-ignition. Given that most people rarely get into this load range, they really don't need or will see any loss of power by using the lower octane gas.

RandyA

[rickardracing]

Holidays and summertime= higher gas prices.

[CaptainJoe]

It's a political discussion....

 

 

Cause and effect.

EPA overreach combined with the majority of states realizing that fuel efficient cars result in loss of income so they just raise the taxes. Combine that with mandated ethanol usage.

 

Now the USs largest export is fuel.

 

The fuel companies want to liquify natural gas so they can export it.

 

Something i recently leared from my neighbor: ALL GAS STATIONS WITH BURIED FIBERGLASS GAS FUEL TANKS are going to have to dig the up and replace them. Most steel tanks were replaced with fiberglass as they were suppose to last 100 yrs or more. Thats before the gov. dictated the addition of ethanol which(you guessed it) dissolves the fiberglass tanks...

 

So we ain't seen nothing yet..

 

[sandman]

In michigan we lost funding for what used to be called gas cops that would test fuels at pumps. Mi stat university did a test and found 70% of pumps sold 87 in all octane levels and prices. So folks that think their scoot runs better on 91 well lol it is a placebo, sugar pill. also alcohol content was raised to 20%. It used to be law that pumps had to display percent of alcohol when 10% was max. now nothing.

[Kurt Behm]

I have to drive another 2 miles to my local Wawa, but that's fine with me !

 

:@)

 

KPB

[ragtop69gs]

It's a political discussion....

 

 

Cause and effect.

EPA overreach combined with the majority of states realizing that fuel efficient cars result in loss of income so they just raise the taxes. Combine that with mandated ethanol usage.

 

Now the USs largest export is fuel.

 

The fuel companies want to liquify natural gas so they can export it.

 

Something i recently leared from my neighbor: ALL GAS STATIONS WITH BURIED FIBERGLASS GAS FUEL TANKS are going to have to dig the up and replace them. Most steel tanks were replaced with fiberglass as they were suppose to last 100 yrs or more. Thats before the gov. dictated the addition of ethanol which(you guessed it) dissolves the fiberglass tanks...

 

So we ain't seen nothing yet..

 

 

 

You hit the nail on the head there.

[bongobobny]

It's Capitalism at it's finest combined with Government regulations...

[jakester]

It is my understanding that millions of gallons sit in tankers off the coast, yes so not to flood the market. per barrel price should put gas around $2.50, however last summer a .50 tax per gallon was snuck into the mix quietly. Also I was told last week that no more pure fuel is avalable, it is all an ethanol mix now. So .... reasonably speaking, i believe it is political as well as big oil. Otherwise we would have new state of the art refineries, yes we export our fuel for refinement and buy it back.

 

just sayen.

Bill:whistling:

[Flyinfool]

It is not based on a fixed price difference between grades.

 

Back when gas was $2.00 there was a $0.10 difference between grades. Now that gas is $4.00 there is a $.20 difference between grades. WAY back when gas was $1.00, there was a $.05 difference between grades. See the pattern yet? In all cases it is a 5% difference in price per grade. So as the price continues to rise the difference will continue to grow.

 

Now as to why the price of gas just jumped $0.25 overnight. Because they can, and since all brands jump the same amount at the same time proves that there is no price fixing. Cuz we all know that price fixing is illegal.

[Sailor]

Gas companies always raise their prices in the summer, people get out and drive more when the weather is good. There is little difference in the octane rating. Nearly all vehicles will run just fine on the lowest octane and in fact some vehicles get better mileage with it. The only vehicles that need high octane are real high performance ones with very high compression.

[rickardracing]

I have to drive another 2 miles to my local Wawa, but that's fine with me !

 

:@)

 

KPB

 

 

Most BP stations here in Michigan are more exspensive than other stations. Gotta pay for the spill somehow. Kind of like the gas station in Hamburg. He has had higher gas prices for years. He remodeled the inside 3 times in about the last 6 years at the expense of customers. Now Kroger put up a station and is putting a hurt on him.

[Guest]

I have also noticed the larger difference between the grades of gas. I have also seen the old diehards that insist their vehicle needs the higher octane or even says the higher octane gas is better or cleaner gasoline. This is even on vehicles that call for 87 octane.

On most modern vehicles, knock sensors will retard the timing slightly whenever there is enough load that would cause pre-ignition. Given that most people rarely get into this load range, they really don't need or will see any loss of power by using the lower octane gas.

RandyA

 

In my case my Mustang needs 93. It originally took 87 but with the engine mods and cold air intake I needed it bumped to 93 to take full advantage of the available HP. You wanna play you gotta pay.

But it still dont make any sense to me. Now what Jeff (flyinfool) says makes sense to a point but I have seen these stations manipulate these grade differences on a weekly basis, sometimes daily. And I used to complain when I had to pay 39 cents a gallon.....

[chabicheka]

I have to drive another 2 miles to my local Wawa, but that's fine with me !

 

:@)

 

KPB

 

[GeorgeS]

Wa. state is talking about adding another 10 Cents. per gallon for Road Construction.

 

Something like that. ??

[MasterGuns]

Last year to combat the high fuel prices, I replaced my 93 Octane required Maxima with a Toyota Prius. I am now getting twice the mileage and on regular 87 octane. If needed I still have my Toyota pickup. And if needed as well, I still have my old but very, very low mile motorhome; which I may use only once a year or so. Now to further combat the cost of fuel, my last day for a 55 mile one way commute to work will be 28 June; I resigned. I won't be driving anywhere except maybe to the local Home Depot or on short runs to go buy grub for the family. Lawnmower doesn't use a lot of fuel either. Ha Ha. To hell with em all.

 

And yes, we are all be gouged by the gas companies with the consent of our government. How do you not conclude that is political?

[reddevilmedic]

its no different than a drug dealer cuttin his cocaine! thieves!

[gscbertrand]

The part that bothers me is when the price of futures per barrel increases, the next morning all the gas stations have raised their price. The gas they are selling is in their pumps so how come?

[BoomerCPO]

I think its kinda ironic dat de Gubbermint beats up the car folks to build vehicles which get good mileage....gas consumption overall goes down....and de gas companies keep jacking up de price of gas while at de same time de politicians keep adding more taxes on every gallon of gas we buy.

Boomer....who sez if yer gonna screw me at least kiss me when yer done....

[AngryAmish]

I miss my $3.30/g in Florida ..... Paying $5.60/g here in Quebec !

[MiCarl]

I'd planned to refill the 5 gallon can for the lawn mower today. $4.39 for regular.

 

I passed on the refill. Gonna get me a sheep: Mow, fertilize, and eliminate the trip to town on Saturday night.

[SundayRider]

Just reading how everyone is blaming "big oil" tells me we are screwed. Your government has caused this but brainwashed all the sheep to point fingers and lay blame elsewhere. They stopped us drilling anywhere their may be oil in the gulf, invite Brazil to drill in the same places and tell them we will be their biggest customer. It's supply and demand. Yes we are producing more oil than last year but we are far behind where we should be. The price of gas directly correlates with the outrageous cost of oil which we are buying from our glorious leaders Muslim brothers. He is successfully draining our wallets and shipping our $$ overseas while convincing you it's the oil mans fault. There has been talk in Washington that if the price of gas drops they will levy a gas tax to bring it back up. What does that tell you about our leaders manipulation of us. Soon he will have us begging to take the oil industry over and we will be just like Venezuela's people who don't even have toilet paper to wipe their butts. WAKE up and quit buying the garbage from the state run media or we will all be slaves to our own government. Quit blaming the very people that gave us what we needed to become the greatest country that ever was.