Originally Posted By: LS2JSTS
But I'm wondering, how is it possible that, one single Marathon out off all the Marathon stations around here, IT would have pure gas. But all the others dont?
In states and chains where Ethanol is not required it's up to the station owner. Michigan customers do not tolerate fuel price differences so gasoline is a cut throat business and when one station drops prices a few cents because of the Ethanol subsidies, there goes the neighborhood. The subsidy takes advantage of this customer behavior without the need for making E10 required by law and the extra money necessary for enforcement costs.
Large marinas ensure that E0 compatible stocks and additives come into the tank farms in volume and E0 is on the delivery trucks in the area. A station owner who knows how to bring in the small boat and OPE customers can sell plenty at the slightly higher prices but way less than what marinas get. The marinas have nothing to worry about. People filling large boats aren't going to waste time with 5 gallon cans and every fuel dock is the same price.
On the last week of my stay down south I found the e-free Pure station listed on pure-gas. I was only able to get one tank of E0 which wasn't enough to spirit away all the spirits. The owner of this Pure station posted a computer printed Circle-Slash No-Ethanol sign in the window. A quick chat made it clear he knew some of the controversy surrounding ethanol fuel and that he planned on staying e-free so long as it was legal to do so. The price was almost the same as E10 stations in the area. Other Pure stations in the area sold E10.
On a rumor that some Detroit stations were selling E0 to keep up with RVP requirements, fall 2009 I took a drive down US-12 from I-275 to where it crosses I-94 buying $0.04 of gas from each station, just enough to fill my ethanol test tube. Though I never got a a single drop of E0 I did learn some things. I can get a lot of free gas buying $0.04 at a time. Unfortunately it costs more fuel to obtain than I receive. The station owners I asked has no clue what they were selling being wrong more often than being right. Flipping a coin for E0 vs E10 would have been an improvement only being wrong half the time.
Talk to the station owner to see if he has a clue. He might own more than one e-free station or know of other stations that offer E0 which may be more convenient.
There are no e-free auto gas stations around me and what little we have for marinas all sell E10. Nothing but 100LL Double Lead at airports. I called around and I could get 150 or more gallons e-free fuel delivered at competitive prices but I don't have any way to store that much. Whether too little sales or too little smarts, there's not enough of something to justify even one e-free station.
Marina priced E0 costs too much and is too far away to be practical for auto consumption but OPE like my snow blower runs way better on E0. E0 keeps all summer without spoiling too.
