Price of pure gas

[seajohn]

A couple of years ago, the story was that pure (non-ethanol) gas was higher than ethanol because the ethanol was receiving government subsidies. Then the subsidies supposedly expired.

Pure gas is still higher (30 cents more), and the delta seems to be even a little more than it was before the subsidy expiration.

Anybody know why?

[Plutonic Panda]

well I would guess people can make more money with enthanol since it's pretty much just diluted gas. 1 tank of pure is gas like 10 tanks of enthonal if I remember correctly. Ethanol has to be one of the biggest scams I've ever seen.

[Of Sound Mind]

well I would guess people can make more money with enthanol since it's pretty much just diluted gas. 1 tank of pure is gas like 10 tanks of enthonal if I remember correctly. Ethanol has to be one of the biggest scams I've ever seen.

Care to back those "facts" with any reputable sources?

[Plutonic Panda]

Well, besides the fact I have monitored my own gas and found my mileage is reduced when I used ethanol, yeah I'll find some you when I get a minute

[BrettM2]

Well, besides the fact I have monitored my own gas and found my mileage is reduced when I used ethanol, yeah I'll find some you when I get a minute

I never could tell a difference between the two though my parents swear by 100% gas. There's only ethanol where I live now so it isn't even an option.

[kevinpate]

Plutonic, if E gas is 10-15% ethanol, your 1 tank to 10 tank ratio is a wee bit skewed, and by wee bit I mean you seem to be whizzing bad memories all over your calculator

[Klop]

I was told from a reliable source, a manager at a gasoline wholesaler/distributor, that the stations are actually paying less now for 100% gas, but are still charging .10 cents/gallon more for it.

Why ? Because they can.

[venture]

I was told from a reliable source, a manager at a gasoline wholesaler/distributor, that the stations are actually paying less now for 100% gas, but are still charging .10 cents/gallon more for it.

Why ? Because they can.

People will pay more for what they consider a premium product. I find it somewhat entertaining how much of a mark up there is not only between 100% gas and that with ethanol, and also the between the different grades. Before it was a typical 10 cents between...now much higher.

[vaflyer]

The government requires refiners to mix a certain amount of ethanol into the gasoline supply. To encourage people to buy E10 or E15 to meet the government mandate, refiners raise the price on E0 (100% gas). If you eliminate the government mandate, then E0 prices will fall in line with their actual production costs.

[gjl]

With only 2/3 the energy of gasoline, ethanol costs more per mile

[catch22]

I drive an older vehicle which was not designed for ethanol, on top of the poor gas mileage it would offer me, it would also deteriorate my rubber seals and flexible hoses much faster than pure blend.

I'm thankful we have 100% in most gas stations.

Also, the advertised grade of gas really isn't that accurate. 87 is closer to 83 octane.

[ctchandler]

I know this thread is about the price of pure gas, but the price of ethanol for me was almost very expensive. My 2005 Gravely mower was a little over two years old when it began to die several times each time I mowed. I was ready to take it to the shop when I talked with them about the problem and one of the guys asked me if I was using ethanol. I told him I was and he said my manual said not to use it. He said drain both tanks and put fresh pure gas in it and it might be ok, if not, they would have to replace some seals and a few other things. It would have cost about $300, minimum. Turns out, after mowing one time with one occurrence of the problem, it hasn't happened again. To be fair though, the experts say if you use it in something like my Gravely, just be sure and run it dry at the end of the season and dispose of any ethanol left over in gas cans. The point of course was to purchase fresh gas/ethanol when the next mowing season came around. I was using Stabil and apparently, it didn't help with ethanol. I use ethanol in my Mercury and according to Ford, it's not a problem. I haven't had any problems and it's a low mileage 2006 Grand Marquis.
C. T.

[Mel]

Before I knew the difference, gasohol about ruined my '79 El Camino. In my '07 Ford Five Hundred I do get better mileage from real gas.

[rezman]

Corn ethanol fuel has not only been proven to be less efficient than regular unleaded fuel, it is more expensive to produce. The idea behind ethanol was to extend available fuel supplies, not to be an efficient alternative to regualr gas, which is what a lot of people have been fooled into believing. Studies have also shown that ethanol and it's production is actually worse on the environment than regular gas. Ethanol has been proven to be costly to consumers in the form of damage to their vehicles, and also in the related increase in cost for many other corn related products.

[catch22]

One of my largest beefs with ethanol is we are using our food to fuel our vehicles. People are starving in this world and even in this country, and we are effectively pouring corn into our cars. It's incredibly selfish and short-sighted. At least with pure gasoline, no one was going to be drinking the oil anyway.

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

I love me some E85 corngas! I get an extra 50 horsepower at the rear wheels with it (as long as I change my tune).

Forced induction FTW.


It's still a silly idea. Sugar cane would be better...But hey! CORN FARMERS!

[windowphobe]

The interaction of slightly higher octane and decidedly lower energy density suggests a reduction in fuel economy of about 4 percent when using E10 instead of E0. My own numbers for the last eight years fall in line with this figure.

The EPA currently advises that E15 or higher should not be used in cars older than 2001 unless they're certified flex-fuel, much to the annoyance of the Renewable Fuels Association.

Common ethanol fuel mixtures - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[bluedogok]

We don't have much of a choice here in Denver nor did we in Austin, E10 is all you can get at a gas station. The owners manuals for all of our cars no more than E10 is to be run in them, my motorcycle manual vehemently states this and so does the BMW car manual, the Toyota manual is less dire. I know my Honda mower, Echo trimmer and Homelite chainsaw don't like it even though the trimmer and chainsaw I have to mix with bean oil.

The EPA has been pushing for E15 to be the standard when very few vehicles are equipped to run it, mainly from the farm (ADM) lobbyists pushing congress.

[Urbanized]

I've got 4K on my Triumph, and so far I've managed to avoid corn gas on all but two tanks, both when I was way out in the hinterlands and lucky to find any gas at all. Once it was at the only gas station for many miles in any direction and I rolled up just as she was locking the door for the day, around 3 in the afternoon. Had to beg her to turn the pumps back on.

Lots of pucker factor when your fuel light comes late on a scorching Sunday afternoon, out of cell range, 100 miles from home in western Oklahoma where podunk towns (that only *might* have a gas station) are spaced 20 miles apart and the last time you saw a car was a half hour ago. In those cases, I'll take the corn gas without complaint, thanks.

[bluedogok]

I would get about 225 out of my Sprint, right now getting about 180 out of the Concours14. When we did the "sisters" ride out in the Hill Country (335, 336, 337) we had a regular fuel stop for those with smaller tanks to fill up before hitting them because the gas station in Leakey was open whenever they felt like it and that wasn't all that often on weekends when the heavy motorcycle traffic was riding out there.

[ctchandler]

I just discovered that a UTV (Masimo) that I am keeping for my son requires 93 octane unleaded gas. Does anyone know what octane pure gasoline is, or does it vary like ethanol?
C. T.

[gjl]

You can purchase 100% unleaded gas in 87, 89, 91, 93, and 100 octane in the OKC area. It doesn't have anything to do with the ethanol content.

[ctchandler]

Gjl,
Sorry, I didn't tell the whole story, I have 17.5 gallons of pure gasoline in cans in my garage (for my mower and atv) and wanted to use it in the Masimo utv but a sticker above the filler says that it requires 93 octane, that's why I wondered about the octane of pure gasoline. I never noticed that I could choose the octane like I could on the ethanol pumps. Thanks for the response,
C. T.

You can purchase 100% unleaded gas in 87, 89, 91, 93, and 100 octane in the OKC area. It doesn't have anything to do with the ethanol content.

[gjl]

Some stations only have 100% gas in 87. There is a Shell station by my house that has a 100% gas banner but only their 87 is 100%. If you buy their 91 octane, it is E10. All the On Cues I go to have 100% 87, 89, and 91 in addition to 87 E10. (might be 89) Most On Cues have quit selling E85. 100% 93, although not plentiful is available at a few select stations around. That station on Memorial and May, the Shell on Western and Avondale just N of 63rd used to have it and may still, a Sinclair on NE 23rd just E of Douglas, and the new VP Racing gas stations opening up have it. There is a new one of those on US 66 on the east side of Yukon I've seen.

[Plutonic Panda]

You can purchase 100% unleaded gas in 87, 89, 91, 93, and 100 octane in the OKC area. It doesn't have anything to do with the ethanol content.

I think in Nichols hills you can 105 octane rating.