$1.72995 ??

[KennyKenCan]

What is it with gas stations.<br /><br />For years now, I have noticed that gas retailers sell their gas with deceving prices. <br /><br />The posted price of gas here is $1.72995/gal. <br /> <br />Why don't they just charge us $1.73/gal.? <br /><br />Who is saving or profiteering off of this pricing system? <br /><br />Kenny

 

[Homerr]

Re: $1.72995 ??

I've wondered that myself...<br /><br />Kinda like $ 19.99<br /><br />"Less than $20"..Buy it now!<br /><br />H.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: $1.72995 ??

Maybe has something to do with taxes some how.

 

[12Footer]

Re: $1.72995 ??

web page that might help -- Or confuse the hell outta you.<br />

 

[KennyKenCan]

Re: $1.72995 ??

Hey 12footer,<br /><br />That web site would confuse a the hell out of a rocket scientist !<br /><br />Kenny

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: $1.72995 ??

I think it was written by a rocket scientist with too much time on his hands. It all sort of boild down to this:<br /><br />

You pump 13.401 gals. of gasoline priced at $1.399 into your vehicle from the just-filled underground storage tank. The amount of your purchase is $18.75. Overlooking any dispenser inaccuracy, the gasoline you are about to purchase contains only 97.93% the energy content of the U.S. petroleum gallon of gasoline just delivered to the service station operator. Thus, the value of the 13.401 gallons of gasoline you pumped into your vehicle is $18.36, based on the uncorrected volume, $0.39 less than the amount you are being asked to pay. <br /><br /> Another way of looking at this transaction is that the gallon of gasoline priced at 1.399 pumped from the underground storage tank into your vehicle has become a different gallon of gasoline than that pumped from the tanker into the underground storage tank just minutes earlier. <br /><br /> Had your gasoline purchase been temperature-corrected you should have received the actual volume occupied by 13.401 gallons of gasoline at 95º F (13.401 x 235.9 in.3 = 3161.3 in.3/231 in.3 = 13.685 gallons) or you should have been charged the temperature-corrected price of $18.36 ($18.75 x 0.9793). Because your purchase was not temperature-corrected by either of these methods, it was shorted by the volume of gasoline shown in the picture at the left (1072.3 mL = 1.1 qt.). <br /><br /> The 0.001 gallon shown on the dispenser display is meaningless considering that the volume of gasoline in the measuring container is 283 times the 0.001 gallon of gasoline contained in the teaspoon in the foreground. The temperature-induced inaccuracy in this example exceeds by a factor of 4.5 the permissible dispenser inaccuracy ...<br /><br /> Mr. Harris' presentation followed that of Dr. George Mattimoe who had pointed out that the U.S. petroleum gallon is the international unit of measurement from the point when crude oil is extracted, as it is shipped and distributed, and as it is processed, then transported and wholesaled. Dr. Mattimoe also noted that the U.S. petroleum gallon was the unit of measurement when a petroleum product is prepackaged into quart containers, barreled into 55-gallon drums and used to fuel aircraft - only when it is pumped into an automobile is temperature ignored.

So he does have a point<br /><br />BOTTOM LINE: Buy gas on cold days. Don't buy gas on hot days Also, pick a pump where the previous guy pumped premium - you're getting about 1/2 gal of premium for regular price

 

[LadyFish]

Re: $1.72995 ??

I think the .995 represents the amount we pay for the gasoline left in the hose and nozzle.

 

[snapperbait]

Re: $1.72995 ??

Very interesting link 12Footer... Always wondered about that.... Thank you...

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: $1.72995 ??

That's got me really confused now. <br />I don't buy gas/diesel anymore anyway.<br />Have not for the past year or so.<br /><br />It's good to have friends that haul gas for a living?

 

[12Footer]

Re: $1.72995 ??

Well, see? I tried to warn y'all (I got to the part of the octane and temperature volume rap, before I got confused myself). But the explaination is in there somewhere. Suffice to say, they figured-out one more way of ripping off folks for one more penny per 10 gallons pumped. My mother told me it was "for the governor's grandson's gocart", and I believed her. Mom never lied to me before ('cept for that whole Sandy Claws thing).

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: $1.72995 ??

The reason (he says) for the 9/10th was that in the 20s 9/10ths made a difference (gas was 10 cents a gallon) and the pricing method stuck.He shows you do get screwed a little from the rounding up. But not a huge deal.<br /><br />What he shows though, which is interesting, is that you are being screwed at the pumps becuase they do not correct for temp.<br /><br />Pertrol is always sold with a defined amount of energy From oil well to gas station, except at the pump. So, everywhere along the line temp is taken into account except when you buy it retail.<br /><br />He shows that you get screwed because of that and that it is more of a factor than a out of cal pump.<br /><br />Hence, buy gas when it's cold. Buy gas when previous guy pumped premium.

 

[roscoe]

Re: $1.72995 ??

I'm gonna invent an inline heater, to heat the gas coming out of the underground tanks. I will sell the heaters to all gas stations where their tank temps are 80 degrees or less, in states that do not use temp correction. The gas will be heated, expanded, and sold as more gallons, creating more revenue for the stations. We should be able to "create" 160 gallons of gas, per 8000 gallon tanker load. That would be approx $350 per day at the station down the road from my house.

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: $1.72995 ??

Brilliant! I'll invest! We can make a fortune! We just need to figure out how to stay under the public radar screen. I would't care too much if guys like the scientist knows becuase they can't communicate it anyway. We just have to avoid the popular press and alike.<br /><br />Brilliant! Now I know why you're an Admiral!

 

[sharkcat]

Re: $1.72995 ??

What are you guys on about down here we pay around $0.95AUS for a litre.Yours is still cheap.In Bali they pay about$0.15AUS for a litre.All weve got to do is figure out a cheap way to transport it & well all be rich

 

[Spidybot]

Re: $1.72995 ??

I know that our taxation is world-record-breaking.<br /><br />I just need to tell you, that a litre of normal gas here is $1,3256 (AU$ 1.8870).<br /><br />That is $ 5.0107 (AU$ 7.133) for a gallon.<br /><br />Think we are anxious about getting mpg (AUS: km/litre)? My diesel-4WD makes some 16 km/l (37.8 mpg) - a little better if I'm really careful with the pedal.<br /><br />Now you know why twin V8-boats are rare and pretty cheap to buy second hand?<br /><br />Those prices are self-service discount stations.<br /><br />Look if you dare: <br />Shell in Denmark

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: $1.72995 ??

sharkcat - at least in Bali they have a very nice climate. Heck, if I lived in Bali I wouldn't even own a car - I'd just live in grass hut on the beach <br /><br />I haven't done any research into why petrol is so much more expensive in countries like AU and most of Europe but I suspect it is taxation.<br /><br />Let me just say this about Europe. I've traveled throughout most of it on business. Europe is a very urban continent. Most people live in work within a short distance and public transaportation is excellent - safe, reliable, fast and clean.<br /><br />In the US we are very suburban. Few people live and work within a short distance. Public transportation, even in some major cities, is not safe, fast clean or reliable. We have almost no choice but to own cars and commute. If we had to pay $5 a gal the world economy would collapse.

 

[KennyKenCan]

Re: $1.72995 ??

Hey UU,<br /><br />What is the speed limit there?<br /><br />Sounds like you would have to crawl at under 30 MPH to attain that kind of fuel economy with a 4X4.<br /><br />Don't know of any 4X4 here that even comes close to getting that kind of fuel mileage.<br /><br />And if I had crawl at 30 MPH, I'd have to take 4 hours to commute, each way.<br /><br />So that would mean spending 16 hours a day at work.<br /><br />What kind of family life would there be?<br /><br />Not the kind of life I would want to lead!<br /><br />Kenny

 

[Spidybot]

Re: $1.72995 ??

Kenny,<br /><br />Ofcourse no single price on any item can be discussed without knowing the overall situation. We are, in all ways, heavily taxed. On the other hand we are covered in most thinkable ways with social security, education, health, pensions etc.<br /><br />Our car taxes are extreme. Both on car prices and on stuff affecting the running costs.<br /><br />My 4WD is a Suzuki Grand Vitara 2.0 HDi commonrail w/ turbo and intercooler (Engine by Peugeot, btw). 109hp and 250nm @ 1750 rpm along with the hi/lo range gearbox makes it cope well with trailering. Gross weight on this one is 2025kg (adjusted somewhat from factory specs to fit a certain taxation limit here). Max trailer with brakes is 1800kg.<br /><br />All in all our level of income has along the way been developed to relect the financial aspects of our community (earn more to afford the tax which will raise when you earn more to afford the tax - Catch 22, 'eh?). Even house prices and other living costs should be considered.<br /><br />The obvious difference seems to be how costs are distributed as some items carry a high tax in some countries and almost no tax in others.<br /><br />We do have a quite expensive public administration as we have the same number of public employees as countries with several times our citizens (Finland, Germany).