How far would you go?

[Gofirstclass]

I'm a cheapskate. I admit it and wear the t-shirt proudly. One of my pet peeves is gas stations that charge way more than what other stations in the area charge. I avoid them like the plague.

I use an app called Gas Buddy to see who has the lowest price gas in our area. I'm fortunate that I live within a mile or so of a small, independently owned station that is almost always the lowest price and usually matches Costco on price.

I just looked at Gas Buddy and the lowest prices in our area are at that independent and at Costco at $2.42/gallon. Of the other 49 stations listed there is a fairly even distribution of prices all the way up to $2.75/gallon.

C'mon station owners, that's $.32/gallon spread from the lowest to the highest. What's up with that?

So my question to all of you is this: If you knew you could save a few bucks on a tank of gas, would you go out of your way to fill up at one of the lower price stations?

If gas was $.05 cheaper, how far might you drive to fill up?

How about at $.10 cheaper or $.20 cheaper?

What say you?

BTW, Gas Buddy is a great app when traveling across country. It finds stations in all areas and I've found that the stations along the freeways are often $.25/gallon higher than if I drove a mile or two? Is it worth it to you?

 

[wyrman]

I have to start the week with a full tank, and refill once during the week. The stations on my way home are some of the higher ones and I hate it but I don't normally drive out of the way at all to refill as I just am ready to get home after an hours drive each way and a 10 hour day.

 

[Boatingnut]

Do the math, the further you drive to buy cheaper gas, the more you have diminishing returns.

 

[Sous]

I agree with you on the spread, but like anything these guys have got it down to a science. You will typically see the highest prices where the alternatives are the least... last gas station before the highway on ramp (or ones right off the off ramp), in the city center, etc.

I'm lucky as well I have two/three stations that are pretty much on the cheapest end (I use gas buddy too). Not THE cheapest mind you, but the cost is my happy medium... one/two are on the way home from my office $1.99 (if I have to take surface roads due to non-HOV), or $2.05 (if I can HOV on the highway). Both of those are pretty low compared to my northern VA home (actually the $1.99 is the lowest right now with a high in that area of $2.35). The one on the way to the boat is $2.15 but it is literally right at my exit. The low in the general area is $2.03 with a high of $2.39. On this route the $0.12 a gallon (~$1.80 a tank) isn't worth going 15 minutes out of my way after working all day.

 

[JimG]

I drive ~5 miles into Virginia to pay $1.89/g. In my hometown in WV is't $2.15... well worth it I say!

 

[Bob & Sue]

I'm a cheapo also I'll drive at least 10 miles (closest station is 5 miles away) to the cheapest station if it saves me .20 a gallon otherwise it's not worth it for 14 gallons max. The problem is there are only 2 refineries filling these stations regardless of the brand 76, shell, standard their all filled by the same tanks just different additives. The corner store selling 76 is controlled pricing from corporate a-holes if they drop their price without approval their gas supply is shut off.

You can thank corporate america for price controls it's not capitalism.

 

[bahamabreisus]

I have realized that the discount gas is getting me 10% less mileage. I buy Exxon, its actually only a couple cents higher. Discount gas $2.07 / Exxon $2.09. I drive a Suburban, so every mpg counts.

 

[sbw1]

I never look at the price at the pump. When the computer says I have ten miles remaining in the tank I pull into a station. I will sometimes pay a little extra for no alcohol gas figuring mileage is improved, but this something I don't obsess over. It all evens out. Sometimes I pay too much. Other times I get a deal.

 

[Big Island Lifer]

I'll do what is convenient. My time is worth more than $.05 a gallon.


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[Woody]

I buy gas at the cheapest place I normally drive past. I don't go out of my way to get it.

 

[BillK2632]

I have a 5mi round trip to work each day, so I barely use a tank a week. Gas is cheaper in SC vs NC, so if I am down that way (Charlotte is only a few miles from SC) I will fill up in SC or when I go to Lake Norman gas up that way is usually .10 cheaper and I will fill up. So I will plan a fill up if I am going to the lake or SC, but don't really go out of my way.

I also keep my receipts from the boat gas and apply to NC to get the road tax refund each year - usually around .27/gal.

 

[Warwgn]

My Suburban only get 10.5 MPG and has a 40 gallon tank so I watch prices and pay attention to where I get fuel. Usually put in around 32-34 gallons when I fill up so a .10 difference in price means about a $3 dollar difference in total cost, so for me I won’t go too far out of the way for $3 dollars. But gas in MS is currently at 1.98 a gallon. I ride my motorcycle most of the time and it only has a 3 gallon tank and I always use premium, so I just pull in to the most convenient place the total will always be less than a dollar different at only 2.5 gallons a fill up.

 

[Steve Craig]

Won't be going out of the way as I'm not driving a fuel mizer vehicle.
Gas is down to about $3.85 Cdn for 1 US gallon here, Enjoying the break in high fuel prices. Filled the truck yesterday with a 130 litre tank, about 33.7 US gallons. I was literally running on fumes as it took 128.9 litres. Slip was $ 127.00 or $128.00. At least once a week, sometimes twice.
When we go into the US we always fill up just before heading home. Even with the 35% exchange rate on the US/Cdn dollars, we're still ahead.
'13 F150 4X4 with a 5.0 litre V8, 3.55 rear ratio.
Slightly better city driving than any previous 5.4 litre, much better on the highway.

 

[bbwhitejr]

Diesel prices here do not fluctuate like gas. Seems a little cheaper in the summer. I am also very careful to buy it where I know there is a lot of turnover and never bought any bad. I am lucky that one of the cheapest stations and sells a lot of diesel is right on my way to work.

For my boat, it is more of finding a station I can get in and out of-whole rig is almost 55' long...

Bennett

 

[SloBurn]

Having been a gas dealer for a major brand, I can tell you that the corporations look at EVERYTHING when setting a price to the dealers. What are competitors prices, local area median income, traffic patterns, etc. They usually try to limit dealer profit to 15c per gallon, and if the dealer tries to charge more, they will raise their price to him.
Now a days, I drive ~ 1000 miles a week, so I watch and know prices on every major highway in the northeast, I usually don't go more than a 1-2 miles out of my way to get the cheap stuff, as my time is worth more. And usually the cheapest is right off of some exit ramp, due to higher volume and competition.
Prices here in northern NJ are dropping, local price is now $1.81 per gallon.

 

[Sous]

Having been a gas dealer for a major brand, I can tell you that the corporations look at EVERYTHING when setting a price to the dealers. What are competitors prices, local area median income, traffic patterns, etc. They usually try to limit dealer profit to 15c per gallon, and if the dealer tries to charge more, they will raise their price to him.
Now a days, I drive ~ 1000 miles a week, so I watch and know prices on every major highway in the northeast, I usually don't go more than a 1-2 miles out of my way to get the cheap stuff, as my time is worth more. And usually the cheapest is right off of some exit ramp, due to higher volume and competition.
Prices here in northern NJ are dropping, local price is now $1.81 per gallon.

Wow a buck eighty, that's pretty good... I though I was doing Ok with at 2 and some pennies. You still not able to pump your own in NJ?

 

[b_arrington]

Wow a buck eighty, that's pretty good... I though I was doing Ok with at 2 and some pennies. You still not able to pump your own in NJ?

Nope, still 100% full service by law.

 

[Warwgn]

Nope, still 100% full service by law.

what about motorcycles?

 

[Boater420]

Life's too short to worry about saving a few pennies on fuel.

 

[HUMPH]

It is about $2.65 or so here. I rarely buy gas as my plug-in hybrid gets 60mpg average and my SUV gets filled by the wife most of the time. She also takes them to be cleaned and washes the boat so we can just take off when I get to the marina : )