Comments on: All Gasoline Brands Are The Same Old Dinosaur Bones http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/all-gasoline-brands-are-the-same-old-dinosaur-bones.html personal finance blog with anecdotes, advice and commentary. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 06:04:27 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Nobodyknowsnothing http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/all-gasoline-brands-are-the-same-old-dinosaur-bones.html/comment-page-1#comment-330867 Nobodyknowsnothing Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:03:19 +0000 http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/all-gasoline-brands-are-the-same-old-dinosaur-bones.html#comment-330867 These comments are so typical. Once again some say it does make a difference some say it doesn't. Proof positive that there is no right answer. Let your conscious be you guide. These comments are so typical. Once again some say it does make a difference some say it doesn’t. Proof positive that there is no right answer. Let your conscious be you guide.

]]> By: Foobarista http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/all-gasoline-brands-are-the-same-old-dinosaur-bones.html/comment-page-1#comment-44611 Foobarista Tue, 21 Nov 2006 20:38:31 +0000 http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/all-gasoline-brands-are-the-same-old-dinosaur-bones.html#comment-44611 Maybe I've been lucky, but I've driven four cars into the ground (at least 600K miles between them) and have never noticed a difference between gas venders. I pretty much always use the cheapest possible gas; I only buy other gas if there's no other choice. Maybe I’ve been lucky, but I’ve driven four cars into the ground (at least 600K miles between them) and have never noticed a difference between gas venders. I pretty much always use the cheapest possible gas; I only buy other gas if there’s no other choice.

]]> By: samerwriter http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/all-gasoline-brands-are-the-same-old-dinosaur-bones.html/comment-page-1#comment-44406 samerwriter Tue, 21 Nov 2006 01:52:20 +0000 http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/all-gasoline-brands-are-the-same-old-dinosaur-bones.html#comment-44406 My inner-cynic wants to believe that all gas is the same. But my inner-scientist wants experimental evidence. I have an Arco and a Chevron on my way to work. They are about 100 yards apart, and the Arco is consistently $.20 cheaper per gallon across all grades. I used to own a Jeep Cherokee. Reproducibly, if I bought 87 gas from this Arco station, the Jeep's engine knocked. If I bought 87 gas from Chevron, the engine did not knock. If I bought 89 gas from Arco the engine would not knock. Clearly there is a difference between the 87 octane offered from the local Arco and the 87 offered from the local Chevron. My inner-engineer wants to know what the difference is, but my inner-cheapskate won't splurge on chemical analysis, and my inner-self-preservationist doesn't want to play with gas anyway. My inner-cynic wants to believe that all gas is the same. But my inner-scientist wants experimental evidence.

I have an Arco and a Chevron on my way to work. They are about 100 yards apart, and the Arco is consistently $.20 cheaper per gallon across all grades. I used to own a Jeep Cherokee. Reproducibly, if I bought 87 gas from this Arco station, the Jeep’s engine knocked. If I bought 87 gas from Chevron, the engine did not knock. If I bought 89 gas from Arco the engine would not knock. Clearly there is a difference between the 87 octane offered from the local Arco and the 87 offered from the local Chevron.

My inner-engineer wants to know what the difference is, but my inner-cheapskate won’t splurge on chemical analysis, and my inner-self-preservationist doesn’t want to play with gas anyway.

]]> By: bala http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/all-gasoline-brands-are-the-same-old-dinosaur-bones.html/comment-page-1#comment-44357 bala Mon, 20 Nov 2006 21:24:19 +0000 http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/all-gasoline-brands-are-the-same-old-dinosaur-bones.html#comment-44357 I found that I got consistently less mileage (about 15 to 20) if I filled from Costco or Arco. instead of Chevron/Shell ( i use 87 only). Now with 5% cash back credit cards, I actually save or pay almost the same as Arco/Costco. I found that I got consistently less mileage (about 15 to 20) if I filled from Costco or Arco. instead of Chevron/Shell ( i use 87 only). Now with 5% cash back credit cards, I actually save or pay almost the same as Arco/Costco.

]]> By: Rob Carlson http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/all-gasoline-brands-are-the-same-old-dinosaur-bones.html/comment-page-1#comment-44354 Rob Carlson Mon, 20 Nov 2006 21:07:30 +0000 http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/all-gasoline-brands-are-the-same-old-dinosaur-bones.html#comment-44354 That's why I use baltimoregasprices.com every week. I vary my routes around the city enough that knowing where the best price is at any given time can save me a cup of coffee worth of overpayment for 2 minutes of web surfing and 3 minutes of driving. That’s why I use baltimoregasprices.com every week. I vary my routes around the city enough that knowing where the best price is at any given time can save me a cup of coffee worth of overpayment for 2 minutes of web surfing and 3 minutes of driving.

]]> By: wanzman http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/all-gasoline-brands-are-the-same-old-dinosaur-bones.html/comment-page-1#comment-44326 wanzman Mon, 20 Nov 2006 18:51:38 +0000 http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/all-gasoline-brands-are-the-same-old-dinosaur-bones.html#comment-44326 Especially the t-rex gas.... Especially the t-rex gas….

]]> By: CK http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/all-gasoline-brands-are-the-same-old-dinosaur-bones.html/comment-page-1#comment-44324 CK Mon, 20 Nov 2006 18:44:59 +0000 http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/all-gasoline-brands-are-the-same-old-dinosaur-bones.html#comment-44324 Actually Jim gasoline made from carnivore dinosaurs has been proven superior to gasoline made from herbivore dinosaurs. Actually Jim gasoline made from carnivore dinosaurs has been proven superior to gasoline made from herbivore dinosaurs.

]]> By: Robert http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/all-gasoline-brands-are-the-same-old-dinosaur-bones.html/comment-page-1#comment-44314 Robert Mon, 20 Nov 2006 17:39:44 +0000 http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/all-gasoline-brands-are-the-same-old-dinosaur-bones.html#comment-44314 It actually starts way before the tanker. Oil companies share the gas distribution network, and so they put in their gas at point A and can immediately take out gas at point B that matches what they put it. It doesn't matter who's gas it was originally. The pipelines do separate the gas by grades when it is traveling through the pipeline, but otherwise it doesn't really matter who's it was to begin with. The only real difference is where some states have to have special blends (like California), but again all the companies follow the same guidelines. It actually starts way before the tanker. Oil companies share the gas distribution network, and so they put in their gas at point A and can immediately take out gas at point B that matches what they put it. It doesn’t matter who’s gas it was originally. The pipelines do separate the gas by grades when it is traveling through the pipeline, but otherwise it doesn’t really matter who’s it was to begin with.

The only real difference is where some states have to have special blends (like California), but again all the companies follow the same guidelines.

]]> By: andy http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/all-gasoline-brands-are-the-same-old-dinosaur-bones.html/comment-page-1#comment-44289 andy Mon, 20 Nov 2006 15:46:10 +0000 http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/all-gasoline-brands-are-the-same-old-dinosaur-bones.html#comment-44289 But it's those additives that can make a big difference in the quality of the gas. Chevron/Texaco put the same ingredients into their gas which go into their Techron fuel system cleaner. Result: you don't get tempted to pay for that $120 fuel system cleaning ripoff at the dealership. BJ's Wholesale Club and Sunoco (at least in my area) uses 10% ethanol year-round, whereas Hess, ExxonMobil, etc. do not. Result? I get 15% less mileage with BJ's/Sunoco gas than I do the other brands. The major-brand stations are also more careful to provide you with a cleaner product. How often do you get a bad tank of gas (sediment, water, etc.) from an off-brand vs. a name-brand? I noticed a marked improvement in mileage and performance (I log every tank of gas I buy) with one truck when I stopped using any gas I could find and changed over exclusively to ExxonMobil a few years ago. But it’s those additives that can make a big difference in the quality of the gas.

Chevron/Texaco put the same ingredients into their gas which go into their Techron fuel system cleaner. Result: you don’t get tempted to pay for that $120 fuel system cleaning ripoff at the dealership.

BJ’s Wholesale Club and Sunoco (at least in my area) uses 10% ethanol year-round, whereas Hess, ExxonMobil, etc. do not. Result? I get 15% less mileage with BJ’s/Sunoco gas than I do the other brands.

The major-brand stations are also more careful to provide you with a cleaner product. How often do you get a bad tank of gas (sediment, water, etc.) from an off-brand vs. a name-brand?

I noticed a marked improvement in mileage and performance (I log every tank of gas I buy) with one truck when I stopped using any gas I could find and changed over exclusively to ExxonMobil a few years ago.

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