Gas- $3.99 a gallon

[EACarlson]

No prices will stay down as long as people drive less so there is more oil produced than consumed.

No, prices are artificially being depressed by the added supply from the SPR and the fuel tax suspensions many states are offering right now. @Meglen will see her gas go up $0.25/gallon on 12/1 when CT starts charging gas tax again. Folks in FL will see their gas prices drop by $0.25 for the month of October then go right back up Nov. 1. Add in the government requirements for winter fuel and the added stress of needing home heating oil for both the northern latitudes here and in Europe... Prices will go up just like they have every year since I've been driving.

 

[MillauFr]

No, prices are artificially being depressed by the added supply from the SPR and the fuel tax suspensions many states are offering right now. @Meglen will see her gas go up $0.25/gallon on 12/1 when CT starts charging gas tax again. Folks in FL will see their gas prices drop by $0.25 for the month of October then go right back up Nov. 1. Add in the government requirements for winter fuel and the added stress of needing home heating oil for both the northern latitudes here and in Europe... Prices will go up just like they have every year since I've been driving.

The tax suspension just boosted gas station owners profits. There was nothing requiring them to adjust prices accordingly.

 

[MillauFr]

The beauty of the free market, if you see two gas stations, one is charging $0.25/gal more, which are you going to go to?

If that was the case why wouldn't everyone just go to Costco and get gas?

 

[Moliphino]

If that was the case why wouldn't everyone just go to Costco and get gas?

You need a Costco membership to buy gas at Costco.

 

[EACarlson]

If that was the case why wouldn't everyone just go to Costco and get gas?

You need a Costco Membership to get gas there, there are not Costcos everywhere, some people prefer a higher quality of gas than what Costco offers, want to use something other than a Visa card. That's what I came up with after thinking about it for 30 seconds. If you see a Suncoast gas station charging $1.00/gallon more than the Wawa a half mile down the road, which are you going to?

 

[MillauFr]

You need a Costco Membership to get gas there, there are not Costcos everywhere, some people prefer a higher quality of gas than what Costco offers, want to use something other than a Visa card. That's what I came up with after thinking about it for 30 seconds. If you see a Suncoast gas station charging $1.00/gallon more than the Wawa a half mile down the road, which are you going to?

But Costco gas is the highest quality? Doesn't it all come out of the same refineries?

 

[Communicore1991]

Eventually they will run out of oil from the strategic reserve to dump on the market and have to start purchasing more to replenish what was used.

That's what I'm concerned with. Releasing barrels from the strategic reserve to artificially deflate prices is NOT what that reserve is for. It's for war time if/when oil deliveries from other countries aren't available. And that strategic reserve will need to be replenished by the government when they will be paying astronomical rates per barrel. In the end, it's going to come out of our pockets with our tax money :/

 

[mrodgers]

But Costco gas is the highest quality? Doesn't it all come out of the same refineries?

It's the additives the top tier companies add to the gas that makes one better than another.

 

[MillauFr]

That's what I'm concerned with. Releasing barrels from the strategic reserve to artificially deflate prices is NOT what that reserve is for. It's for war time if/when oil deliveries from other countries aren't available. And that strategic reserve will need to be replenished by the government when they will be paying astronomical rates per barrel. In the end, it's going to come out of our pockets with our tax money :/

Why would the government refill the reserve during a period of high gas prices which would make those prices even higher?

 

[Dan Murphy]

some people prefer a higher quality of gas than what Costco offers,

Quite difficult to buy higher quality gas than what Costco sells. They have built their reputation on quality.

But Costco gas is the highest quality?

It's the additives the top tier companies add to the gas that makes one better than another.

Yes, Costco sells Top Tier® gasoline.

 

[MillauFr]

It's the additives the top tier companies add to the gas that makes one better than another.

But like Dan said Costco told me they had the best gas? Not true? Are the companies lying to us?

 

[mom2rtk]

Why would the government refill the reserve during a period of high gas prices which would make those prices even higher?

Because the world is in turmoil and it's there in case something happens and we need it?

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

If you see two gas stations, one is charging $0.25/gal more, which are you going to go to?

Actually the gas stations charging .25 more are plenty busy enough. The companies have spent big money to convince people they have magical unicorn blood and phoenix tears in their gas additives.

Do you have any evidence of this? (edited)

Illinois had to require a sticker be placed on the pumps because stations weren't passing the gas tax freeze on to their customers. A suit was filed against the state but the court upheld the stickers and the fines for not displaying them. This is well known.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

It's the additives the top tier companies add to the gas that makes one better than another.

My new car specifically says to use Top Tier gas in the manual, and if we don't, then we need to add a cleaner every 8k miles or whatever. That could be a scam or something, but I'd rather not mess around.

 

[Dan Murphy]

My new car specifically says to use Top Tier gas in the manual, and if we don't, then we need to add a cleaner every 8k miles or whatever. That could be a scam or something, but I'd rather not mess around.

This is a quote from my Owner's Manual. I buy Costco gas almost 100% of the time.

Fuel

Top Tier Fuel

GM recommends the use of TOP
TIER Detergent Gasoline to keep
the engine clean, reduce engine
deposits, and maintain optimal
vehicle performance. Look for the
TOP TIER Logo or see
www.toptiergas.com for a list of TOP
TIER Detergent Gasoline marketers
and applicable countries.

Link here

 

[EACarlson]

But Costco gas is the highest quality? Doesn't it all come out of the same refineries?

There are many different formulations that come out of the refineries.

Why would the government refill the reserve during a period of high gas prices which would make those prices even higher?

Because they are going to have to. The entire point of the SPR was to insulate against the possibility of a foreign nation being able to cripple the US militarily by denying oil after the oil embargoes of the '70's. The SPR is at the lowest level since it's inception in '77. By international treaty the US has to have 90 days of imports in the reserve, that may force the government to purchase oil on the world market to maintain that level.

Yes, Costco sells Top Tier® gasoline.

I was not aware that Costco sold Top Tier gasoline. I've never shopped there.

But like Dan said Costco told me they had the best gas? Not true? Are the companies lying to us?

Every company lies to you to some degree.

Illinois had to require a sticker be placed on the pumps because stations weren't passing the gas tax freeze on to their customers. A suit was filed against the state but the court upheld the stickers and the fines for not displaying them. This is well known.

Illinois does not have a gas tax holiday. They put a 6 month delay on their gas tax increase from July 1 to January 1 but they have not suspended charging or collecting fuel tax.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I've never shopped there.

Not good to make assumptions then.

Every company lies to you to some degree.

Really? Every company?

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Illinois does not have a gas tax holiday. They put a 6 month delay on their gas tax increase from July 1 to January 1 but they have not suspended charging or collecting fuel tax.

I never said they had a gas tax holiday. I said they had a freeze. And Illinois did in fact require stickers because the stations weren't passing the savings of that freeze on. You asked someone for an example. I just gave you one. How bout some more? A Penn Wharton study found that in Georgia, consumers got 58-65% of the savings. The rest was pocketed by the industry. In Maryland, 72% of the savings was passed on. The rest was pocketed by the industry. In Connecticut, between 71-85% of the savings were passed on. In each case, less was passed on initially, and more later.

 

[MillauFr]

Because the world is in turmoil and it's there in case something happens and we need it?

But that would make no sense since that is the reason they are tapping the reserve now.

 

[MillauFr]

The State of Washington explored a gas tax suspension but then decided against it. Someone pointed out that the gas stations on tribal lands do not pay state gas taxes but actually charge more for gas than Costco does. Those stations just pocket the extra profits. They probably do give their players club a discount. But not the general public.