Has Gas Prices Curtailed Your Driving?
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2024
Posts: 239
Likes: 140
From: Florida
Hmm, your facts are wrong!
- 1st, Costco has been selling Top Tier Certified gas for years.
- In SC like many paces in the USA, we don't have a oil refineries! All gas comes in a pipeline from Gulf Coast Refineries.
- All the gasoline companies fill up with the exact same gas they don't have trucks filled with gas coming from the Gulf Coast!
- Additives are put in the tank trucks WHEN they fill up with fuel from the Pipeline, two grads in our case 87 and 93 octane.
- Most (not all) mix at the pump to make ~89 Octane. Sam's Club in our town ONLY has 87 and 93 Octane. They pump a lot of 93 octane. Key reason I use.
- Many delivery trucks have multiple separate tanks and can deliver gas to different locations with different additive levels some Top Tier, some ONLY with the REQUIRED EPA minimum level additive.
- ALL gasoline is required by the EPA to have minimum level of cleaning additives.
- Top Tier IF the gas company is willing to pay and ongoing fee to maintain Certification has a specific level defined by a performance test.
- When DI became a primary fuel delivery used, some gas companies thought the main reason for having Top Tier Certification, "coking" was no longer an issue. They may still have the same additive levels over the EPA Minimum but have decided NOT to pay for Certification.
- I researched the level of cleaning additives that make Top Tier. It's about 1 to 1.5 oz/10 gallons, very little: See Side Bar.
On another part of your post (a nit), in the southeast the gas is actually piped in to the Norcross, Ga. Tank farms. (Huge, you can see it on google maps off I85). There it is mixed and loaded onto tanker trucks that cover the southeast.
Moderator
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 40,882
Likes: 4,333
From: Lakewood Ranch, FL
No. Sure, I'd like to see prices like when I got my first Corvette (<$0.50/gal), but it is what it is. Neither of my cars is known for stellar gas mileage, Wife's car does OK at around 25MPG avg.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 2,261
Likes: 1,981
From: MA/NH Seacoast
No
If fuel price fluctuations suddenly make you strapped for cash, the cost of fuel rising $1-2 per gallon isn't the issue.
I got stuff burning 93, 110 leaded, and Diesel. It's not gonna slow me down, or put a hinder on my driving.
If fuel price fluctuations suddenly make you strapped for cash, the cost of fuel rising $1-2 per gallon isn't the issue.
I got stuff burning 93, 110 leaded, and Diesel. It's not gonna slow me down, or put a hinder on my driving.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 8,294
Likes: 792
From: Naples Florida
My daily is a 26 Prius Prime and I have that charged up most of the time so I use zero gas in that. On Friday and the weekend I drive my ERay. When the gas gauge goes down to 3/4 empty I fill it back up. Hopefully these gas prices will change but its not looking too good in the foreseeable future.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2025
Posts: 787
Likes: 598
From: Bucks County, PA
Considering we still haven’t had a good string of weather and it’s already May, it hasn’t gotten a lot of drive time. Being my DD is a Tesla, the sting hasn’t kicked in yet, but at this point I’d welcome a fill up.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 11,231
Likes: 924
From: Carlsbad Ca
Not really. I saw this coming, so I fueled my fleet, 2 months ago. Corvette is now down to 1/4 tank, dog car is the same, Triumph is @ 7/8 tank (just refueled as I ride with a bunch of women.) Track bike gets Dayco, so it's not cheap anyway. But it doesn't get used like a daily, either.
E-Ray, 3LZ, ZER, LIFT
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 34,865
Likes: 12,296
From: NE South Carolina
Great post. Detergent additives % is the only difference. Age is huge and not tested. Here at my Sams, they get a new truck in twice a week. I add Techron once a year.
On another part of your post (a nit), in the southeast the gas is actually piped in to the Norcross, Ga. Tank farms. (Huge, you can see it on google maps off I85). There it is mixed and loaded onto tanker trucks that cover the southeast.
On another part of your post (a nit), in the southeast the gas is actually piped in to the Norcross, Ga. Tank farms. (Huge, you can see it on google maps off I85). There it is mixed and loaded onto tanker trucks that cover the southeast.
Caution:
A "bad tank" of gas is generally caused by fuel aging (oxidation) or contamination, typically from water, debris, or ethanol separation. Especially an issue when buying highest Octane gas, 91 or 93, from a gas station selling multiple grade and less use of gas from their storage tank with highest octane where many just use the lower ~87 octane. Water can enter through condensation in a partially filled tank or from contaminated service station fuel tanks.
BTW, Some companies have reduced promotion of "Top Tier" gasoline certification due to the high costs of licensing the trademark disputes over licensing fees. While some, like Sunoco, have dropped the certification, others may still use the standards without paying for the marketing logo. Top Tier is a voluntary, Paid Certification program where gas companies must pay to use the branding. Some companies may feel the marketing benefits do not justify the cost. While automakers like Audi and Toyota recommend it, some in the industry consider it a marketing gimmick, as all fuel must still meet EPA minimum standards.(Also a shift in marketing focus rather than detergent standards. IMO logical since with DI the main Top Tier advantage of helping with "COKING" NO LONGER EXISTS.)
Also the small amount of "cleaning additive," beit Top Tier Certified or minimum required EPA level is put in the tank truck at the fuel depot. The additives are designed to mix with the gasoline through the agitation of the truck's movement during transport and the high-speed pumping process into the station's underground tanks.
Last edited by JerryU; Today at 09:16 AM.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2022
Posts: 1,471
Likes: 1,576
From: Cincinnati, OH
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 1,867
Likes: 1,153
From: Keswick, Virginia
The V8-powered 2004 F-150 we have is in dry dock and so is our 2026 Mustang GT (which uses premium fuel). We are out of town traveling - vacation, if you want to call it that - and are staying in New Orleans until Friday. We brought my wife's adult daughter and her boyfriend with us - choosing to take our hybrid Toyota Camry. We drove down here, about 14 1/2 hours and parked the car underneath our hotel. We have not had any need to drive since we arrived last Friday. We drive back home this upcoming Friday. It gets good mileage.
Since we are both now retired, not having a commute anymore saves us a lot of gas money. Her hybrid four-cylinder Camry and my four-cylinder Mazda CX-30 are our daily drivers and are fairly economical. The F-150 and the Mustang are "part-time" vehicles that don't go out the garage very often.
I really feel for those who have a V6, V8 or diesel engine and still are driving to & from work every day. I know that my F-150 costs over $100 to fill it and many people in our area drive them as their only vehicle. All we can do is try to stretch the budget by cutting out something else and hope that the Strait of Hormuz situation is rectified soon. ( I won't get into it on this forum, but there will be some serious political consequences if it is not. ) I am pleased to know that most Corvette owners won't likely drive their cars less often because of the spike in fuel prices.
Since we are both now retired, not having a commute anymore saves us a lot of gas money. Her hybrid four-cylinder Camry and my four-cylinder Mazda CX-30 are our daily drivers and are fairly economical. The F-150 and the Mustang are "part-time" vehicles that don't go out the garage very often.
I really feel for those who have a V6, V8 or diesel engine and still are driving to & from work every day. I know that my F-150 costs over $100 to fill it and many people in our area drive them as their only vehicle. All we can do is try to stretch the budget by cutting out something else and hope that the Strait of Hormuz situation is rectified soon. ( I won't get into it on this forum, but there will be some serious political consequences if it is not. ) I am pleased to know that most Corvette owners won't likely drive their cars less often because of the spike in fuel prices.
