Small gas gas stations that nobody buys fuel at?

[The motor guy]

I always pick a large busy gas station to buy fuel from because I know it's fresh. There is a small station at the end of the street that actually has cheaper proces than any other station. It looks older than the big chain stations. I just rarely see anyone pumping fuel

 

[Zee09]

I always pick a large busy gas station to buy fuel from because I know it's fresh. There is a small station at the end of the street that actually has cheaper proces than any other station. It looks older than the big chain stations. I just rarely see anyone pumping fuel

Got one of them that sells 93 octane for about 70 cents less but the pumps are ancient and very few people buy gas there. I don't either.

 

[y_p_w]

Costco has the lowest prices anywhere around here and the highest turnover. I've heard that they literally turn over twice a day. Best of both worlds.

I kind of worried about their detergent dispensing system, but I've heard some claims that they meter it carefully to let it blend evenly even when actively being filled.

 

[y_p_w]

Got one of them that sells 93 octane for about 70 cents less but the pumps are ancient and very few people buy gas there. I don't either.

Can't get 93 per se around here (not with California RFG). The only way to get anything higher than 91 is to blend with 100+ octane street-legal racing unleaded. I know one independent that has it and they actually do large volume. Whenever they're out of race gas, all the higher octane stuff is blocked off.

 

[Zee09]

Can't get 93 per se around here (not with California RFG). The only way to get anything higher than 91 is to blend with 100+ octane street-legal racing unleaded. I know one independent that has it and they actually do large volume. Whenever they're out of race gas, all the higher octane stuff is blocked off.

I guess I took that for granted.
Every station has it here.

 

[nomas]

Around here the small stations are the most expensive . They just don't do the volume to get a good price from the wholesaler .

 

[Vern_in_IL]

Around here, THERE ARE NO SMALL STATIONS. They are all gone.

 

[OilUzer]

I try to avoid old gas stations and they are typically small also.

Not sure if their tanks seep water or what. There is an old Shell near me which I had issues with in the past year. My car didn't run well once and another time my lawnmower ran real bad to the point that i could not cut or finish the grass. I knew it couldn't be the lawnmower and emptied the tank and used a different gas and it ran perfect!

We get lots of rain here.
It could have been isolated or random cases but I now avoid old looking gas stations just in case. Maybe water seeps in the old and corroded tanks.

 

[JHZR2]

Around here, THERE ARE NO SMALL STATIONS. They are all gone.

I see that too. These convenience store gas stations are popping up on every dormer that doesn’t have a Walgreens or Dunkin’ Donuts, and putting the little guys out of business.

 

[y_p_w]

Around here the small stations are the most expensive . They just don't do the volume to get a good price from the wholesaler .

There was one guy selling gas at this small station in Sausalito, California. For some reason he started jacking up his prices and many tourist and some oddball locals still paid for it even though the Shell station a mile away was much cheaper. When he got complaints he raised the prices even higher. It was really weird.

Why Sausalito gas station charges nearly $8 a gallon

Why Sausalito gas station charges nearly $8 a gallon

www.sfgate.com

Other than that, I've seen some prices that were extremely high in remote locations. I was at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks where the Chevron stations that used to be public were converted for only use by Park Service and concession use. The only gas stations in the area were privately owned and on leased Forest Service land - the Hume Lake Christian Camp, Stoney Creek Lodge, and Kings Canyon Lodge. The last one was really different. They had a 5 gallon minimum and used an old fashioned gravity feed system. They were rusty when I saw them, but I saw that they had repainted them. And they had a county ag weights and measures sticker just like a modern gas pump. The price was maybe $2/gallon more than gas in Fresno.

 

[y_p_w]

I guess I took that for granted.
Every station has it here.

I'm wondering what people do now with cars that recommend 93. We used to have 92 as the standard premium at most gas stations.

 

[OilUzer]

They were rusty when I saw them, but I saw that they had repainted them.

I wonder about the unpainted rust inside the tanks.
They sell 93 octane plus some water inside the tank and you get 87.

 

[y_p_w]

I wonder about the unpainted rust inside the tanks.
They sell 93 octane plus some water inside the tank and you get 87.

They were old fashioned with glass vials and gradations. While it wasn't required to be vapor recovery as an antique, but the hoses and dispensing handle were clearly modern and in excellent condition.

But later they were repainted, although that was also after the Rough Fire destroyed Kings Canyon Lodge, but somehow spared the gas pumps. I don't think the lodge had been rebuilt and reopened yet (if ever). Definitely not operational in this photo.

 

[jake wells]

I buy my fuel from a small mom and pop operation they sell the fuels no one even carries around here. The Amish and Mennonite community frequents the store and they do a lot of business it is part farm, general, small grocery inside.

 

[billt460]

Here usually the cheapest stations also have the highest volume. Which dictates high turnover, which equals fresh gas. I stay away from low volume stations. They're usually too expensive anyway.

I think this is especially important if you drive a Diesel. Water in Diesel fuel can really cause problems. And NOTHING on a Diesel is cheap to fix. I have heard not to fill up if the tanker is there dumping a load, because it stirs up all the crap in the storage tanks. I don't know if that's true or not. It sounds like it could have some merit.

 

[Snagglefoot]

I buy all my fuel at my local yocal off brand gas station. I’ve spoken with the truck driver who delivers the fuel and he loads up at the Shell or Esso racks in Calgary. I’ve never had any performance issues ever, plus the owner runs his own reward points system which I use to buy beer because he has a liquor store inside. Life is good!

 

[atikovi]

I kind of worried about their detergent dispensing system, but I've heard some claims that they meter it carefully to let it blend evenly even when actively being filled.

What is this detergent dispensing system you speak off? I always assumed the gas goes from the tanker truck into the gas station tanks, then it gets pumped into your car. I never heard of any additives being added at the station level.

 

[Hall]

I've heard that they literally turn over twice a day. Best of both worlds.

I was shocked to hear how often some stations go through their supply. I honestly figured that delivery 1-2 a week was typical but the Speedway (the dominant regional chain around here) down the street from my work gets deliveries 2x a day. This is in a small city (just under 20k people) but is in the middle of the "traffic" (grocery, industry, retail, etc for this area).

I guess I took that for granted.
Every station has it here.

The vast majority of stations around here, whether it's a fuel company, convenience store, grocery store, etc offers 93 octane. There is a regional chain called Thornton's that oddly sells 91 octane (but their price is the same as others selling 93). Not sure what the "franchise" stores that sell more beer, cigarettes, and CBD offer in addition to gas though.

I’ve spoken with the truck driver who delivers the fuel and he loads up at the Shell or Esso racks in Calgary. I’ve never had any performance issues ever

Isn't the concern with older, low-volume stations is their storage tanks and dirt/residue ? Yes, I know there are filters in place that should help...

 

[Hall]

What is this detergent dispensing system you speak off? I always assumed the gas goes from the tanker truck into the gas station tanks, then it gets pumped into your car. I never heard of any additives being added at the station level.

Most stations do it the way you describe. Apparently Costco does the additives on-site.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Isn't the concern with older, low-volume stations is their storage tanks and dirt/residue ? Yes, I know there are filters in place that should help...

Could be for some old underground tanks. In this case the tanks are above ground with no chance of seepage. It’s a rural gas station with plenty of room for above ground tanks.