10 Things Gas Stations Won't Tell You

[Rodger Tellefson]

Here's a very interesting read:

 

[Tom Schindler]

When it comes to gas prices, most stations are brandedmeaning the name of a major oil company hangs out frontand must buy gas from their proprietary company. They cant shop around. With a lock on sales, the oil companies charge each station a different price depending on various factors, such as the stations competition and its location. That means a station can pay as much as 46 cents a gallon more than one down the street, and that cost gets passed along to you.

I worked in a refinery in Canton, Ohio. The same trucks that filled up Marathon stations also filled up Sunoco. Those trucks ALL got their gas at the same place.





Tom

 

[Matt Stehle]

Interesting read.



I found it interesting when I moved to Jersey last year that there are many gas stations around me that still provide basic maintenance services (oil changes/alignments/wheel balancing/flat tire repairs/etc.), a big change from upstate NY where I hardly ever saw them.

 

[EddieS'04]

The only difference is the detergent additives between brands.

 

[Dave S 2]

Self service stations are banned in both NJ and Oregon.

 

[Robert Caffyn]

I have a good friend here in Forked River, NJ, that owns the local Shell station. His prices are 10 to 18 cents higher than anybody else in town. Its what he pays for that load of gas, plus 2-4 cents profit per gallon. He really doesn't make his money on the gas(over 35,000 gals per month) its made on the car repairs, carwash and minimart. Needless to say I go to the Sunoco in the next town, filled up today and saved 10 cents per gallon. Sorry Eddie!