Crazy fuel pricing

[Tom]

What's wrong with this picture? (Actually, 2 pictures). They were both taken today while we were stopped at a light at Kramer Junction, CA at the intersection of Hwy 58 and Hwy 395. One is the fuel price billboard for a Pilot station and the other is for a 76 station station directly across the street. I did a double-take, then grabbed the camera. It doesn't appear that competitive pricing applies any more  ???

 

[Wendy]

Tom, you must have missed the variation in prices in Quartzsite. If I remember correctly, there was a 20-cent difference Love's and the Shell. At least you can't accuse the folks in Kramer Junction of price fixing.

 

[Tom]

Wendy, you're right, I did miss the fuel  pricing at QZ.

On our way to QZ we needed fuel and filled up at Needles. Paid  $3.20/gallon. Got to Lake Havasu and it was something like $2.45. That was a big ouch!

 

[Smoky]

Tom:

For 22 cents a gallon you get a pretty orange, and blue sign.

 

[Jim Dick]

Tom,

Prices vary the same here in FL. They also change on a daily basis. I noticed in CT a couple of new stations now are using electronic signs so they don't have to go out in bad weather and change the price!

 

[Tom]

I obviously don't pay enough attention to fuel stations when we're driving along.

 

[JohnSandyWhite]

I have to agree Tom. We found similar descrepancies on our Tour of the USA. from $1.79 to $2.89 for Regular Gas.  ??? Having said that. The same applies here in the UK only it cost MUCH more.  :

 

[Tom]

from $1.79 to $2.89 for Regular Gas

John, that's one heck of a range and, I suspect, was during a time of very unstable fuel prices. During such times we see quite a bit of gouging by some greedy fuel station owners. Such folks are often given some negative attention in the media. The case I ran into in Needles, CA was my own fault for not adequately researching prices and fuel locations before we ran low.

 

[Wendy]

I bet you could find a dollar difference in gas prices across the U.S. You're $3.20 a gallon fuel in California would probably have cost you $2.00 in Georgia.

Everyone should keep in mind to ALWAYS fill up the tank before entering California. We've never found anyone in the continental U.S. higher, even Oregon where the gas price includes the salary of the guy who has to pump your fuel.

 

[Jim Dick]

I bet you could find a dollar difference in gas prices across the U.S. You're $3.20 a gallon fuel in California would probably have cost you $2.00 in Georgia.

Everyone should keep in mind to ALWAYS fill up the tank before entering California. We've never found anyone in the continental U.S. higher, even Oregon where the gas price includes the salary of the guy who has to pump your fuel.

Wendy,

I always thought that was a true until we entered Oregon from California last spring. The price in OR was higher than CA!!! I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't lived it!

 

[Wendy]

Although on gasbuddy.com it's under $2 in Salem Oregon and $2.53 in Lakewood while Eureka, California is $2.79. I guess sooooo much depends on timing.

Actually, you have to watch out for Nevada, too, which seems to have a unilateral agreement with California to charge the same high gas prices !!

Either way, we, the consumer, are screwed.

 

[Jim Dick]

Hi Wendy,

You said it all.....as consumers, we are screwed!!!!

 

[Tom]

IIRC we paid $2.45 at our local Safeway store in N. CA before leaving for QZ.

 

[Smoky]

Tom:

I am finding Safeways to be a great place to buy diesel for the coach.  With our membership card, we get 3 cents off and 6 cents off if we buy at least $50 worth of groceries.  And the best thing is that the $50 purchases are CUMULATIVE.  We have about 7 purchases qued up now waiting for the 6 cent discount.  Don;t know how long this will last but we are taking great advantage of it.  Safeway is battling Fry's at the moment.  Our Safeway at El Mirage as HUGE bays for fueling.  18 wheelers pull in there all the time.

 

[Tom]

Yep, we like our 6 cents off an already good local price at Safeways. Nearest Flying J is 45 minutes away. But we only got 3 cents when we filled after getting home from our trip - we hadn't been shopping in Safeways while we were away.

No room for 18 wheelers are our local pumps, but the coach fits there just fine. I just avoid commute times because we take up two pumps lengthwise.

 

[Alaskansnowbirds]

Our Safeway at El Mirage as HUGE bays for fueling.  18 wheelers pull in there all the time.

Smoky,

If 18 wheelers are fueling there, are you getting 6 cents (after $50) off plus the 8 cent tax rebate? Or are the 18 wheelers fueling there illegally? In Arizona there is a 8 cent tax rebate for all vehicles under 26000 lbs and RVs. If 18 wheelers are fueling there then the pump price has to include the 8 cent tax.

 

[Terry A. Brewer]

Wendy

>>We've never found anyone in the continental U.S. higher, <<

Thats no entirely true...In So Cal, specifically Orange County gas runs the same price as AZ & always lower than Oregon.


I just checked Gasbuddy & parts of Oregon are much lower than OC...so?I retract my above statement.<BG>

 

[Smoky]

No special tax there.  I do not know the regs, but I do see an occasional 18 wheeler fueling up.  Lots of 18 wheelers spend the night at the far end of the lot also.

 

[Wendy]

Mind you, I'm excluding certain places like ski resorts (Aspen - Ouch!) and BFE locations (Fields, Oregon - have never paid more for gas than we did there 2 years ago).

 

[Tom]

Smoky,

Commercial trucks do pay an additional fuel tax in AZ. If you pull into a truck lane, as we did last year, you might be charged the tax. In our case the attendant suggested we move to the RV pumps and she wouldn't charge the additional tax.