Quick gas question for our Canadian members - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

MikeTangas · #1 09-06-2004, 09:58 AM

I just finished almost 1K miles of driving in Canada over the last couple days. Naturally I had to buy some of yall's "Canadian" gas at prices ranging from .90/L on the high side and .79/L on the low side (London area "Flying J" for those shopping low price fuel - all prices posted are premium).

Any how, I have to ask if you have a better grade of premium than we get in the States? I ask because the .90/L fuel returned right at 20 mpg, running mostly 2 lane back roads, lots of small towns - what I would call "rural stop and go", probably averaging 120 km/h. I got much better mileage than I expected. My mileage might actually be higher because I'm not sure of my conversion formula from litres to gallons. I took 83.416 L, which I divided by 3.78 yielding 22.07 gallons. Seemed a little high on the gallons - I've never taken more than 21. The math should be close enough for Gov't work.

I did learn an important lesson about rural Canada travelling, and you should have warned us about this John (Blackmercedes)! IF YOU NEED FUEL IN THE EVENING FILL UP!

I got back to where I was staying, saw the fuel was low but didn't think anything about it because I was going to fill up in the morning. Whoooops! The next morning the low fuel light came on at start up, I drove into town for fuel, the filling station was closed (0530 hrs). Figured I move on to the next town, their filling station was closed (0550 hrs). I kept driving town to town finding the filling stations closed, the idiot light had been on so long I actually started driving well below the posted maximum limits trying to conserve while still making progress. Finally at 0700 hrs I found a freshly opened for business filling station. That was the fill up that took almost 83.5 litres. Lesson learned: there aren't many (if any) 24 hour filling stations in the rural regions and none of the stations have card readers at the pump (which would permit fuel purchases after hours). Be sure to fill up at the end of the day or you may be walking in the morning.

BauhnBuster · #2 09-06-2004, 07:39 PM

We have Chevron, Shell, Petro Canada, Mohawk, Husky, and SuperSave Gas (some others but these are the main ones). I am not sure if our gas is any different than down the States but there probably is (different laws and regulations). 94 Octane is quite common at most stations here but it is more than the cost of just premium which floats at the 91 - 92 level. Mohawk and Husky both have 94 Octane as the Supreme gas which was nice, especially when I was cruising in my Grand National (I needed that high Octane for 18lbs of boost). Quality of gas is good across the board. My 2 cents Mike but I don't think I answered your question though

Anyone else?

Cheers, Shaun

blackmercedes · #3 09-06-2004, 08:39 PM

It's Canadian roads! They're kinder and gentler...

Seriously though, I hadn't noticed any mileage difference in driving in the US vs. Canada.

And yes, Mike, we are pretty relaxed. Most major centers have 24hour stations, but not all are, and in rural areas, pretty much none are. Did you see any other people around at 0530? Probably not. We figure that anyone that needs gas that bad got it the night before...!

Yes, Mike your value of 3.78 is right on (actually 3.78541, but we'll let it go just this once...)

BTW, incase anyone is interested, the $.90 a litre equates to $3.40 a US gallon. Anyone still wondering why we don't buy nearly as many big SUV's here?

MikeTangas · #4 09-06-2004, 09:09 PM

Suprisingly John, I did see other folks on the road at that hour, most pulling boats. Probably something to do with the Labour Day Weekend and taking back roads to the cottage country. Those back roads sure beat taking the 401 and 400. Lightest morning traffic was Sunday - just me and a couple OPP patrols

.

The .90/L gas was at an Esso station and was 94 octane I think. That might explain, in part, the bump in mileage. I say in part because, honest truth, it was the first time I had been to a Full Service station. The more I think about it the more likely it is that the attendant tried to squeeze those extra few ml's in the tank to round up to the $75 mark

. I did my best not to flinch though, LOL.

BenzOnline · #5 09-06-2004, 09:14 PM

Mike,

Where were you heading to in Ontario?

MikeTangas · #6 09-06-2004, 09:20 PM

Mark,

I was commuting between Acton and Springwater Twp, just west of Barrie on 90.

sixto · #7 09-06-2004, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeTangas

... Probably something to do with the Labour Day Weekend ...

Mike, they got you saying 'eh' too? :p

I haven't been to Canada in 10 years. The problem then was finding dinner past 9pm. This was in North Vancouver. I hear Richmond has since solved that problem.

Sixto
95 S420
87 300SDL

wbain5280 · #8 09-07-2004, 02:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeTangas

The .90/L gas was at an Esso station and was 94 octane I think. That might explain, in part, the bump in mileage. I say in part because, honest truth, it was the first time I had been to a Full Service station. The more I think about it the more likely it is that the attendant tried to squeeze those extra few ml's in the tank to round up to the $75 mark

. I did my best not to flinch though, LOL.

Mike $75 CDN is about $2.98 US.

Oh now, just kidding. Closer to $50. I'm paying $30 to fill up the 300SE at Costco for around $1.90 per US gallon. Canada would use Imperial gallons that are slightly larger then US gallons. I've been averaging around 22 mpg.

BenzOnline · #9 09-07-2004, 11:19 PM

Yep I know where Springwater is and if you took the sideroads up to there you must have went through the Orangeville/Caledon area?

On Hwy 10 north of Orangville and w126 sits abandoned at some old gas station just in case u want to go see it

MikeTangas · #10 09-08-2004, 08:42 AM

Mark,

I ran from Acton to Ospringe, then cut over to Erin, then through Caledon...for the most part circumventing the town of Orangeville. Popped out on 9 somehwere on the east side of Orangeville, because the receipt from the Esso station has an Orangeville address.

Now Erin does have a 24 hour doughnut shop and a good cup of coffee. All they need is a 24 hour filling station.

BenzOnline · #11 09-08-2004, 12:53 PM

Its a nice area through there isnt it? Lots of hills.

mikemover · #12 09-08-2004, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeTangas

Now Erin does have a 24 hour doughnut shop and a good cup of coffee.

Workin' hard to keep that stereotype alive, are ya' Mike?!

Just kidding....I couldn't resist.

Mike

SHYNE · #13 09-08-2004, 06:59 PM

Very small world Mike,

The " Flying J " truckstop you referred to is in my town of London, Ontario. Very funny. It is too bad you passed through last week compared to this, I filled up at the new "Loblaws at the pumps" filling station, getting 91 octane for 76.4 cents/litre. If you had been around this week you would have saved around twelve canadian dollars on an 80 litre fill compared with some of the prices you saw. Those savings could have bought you two boxes of Tim Horton's donuts (which is about what the average Canadian would eat for breakfast in some communities)

Hell, you would have enough money left over for a couple of double-double coffees.

GO MUSTANGS GO !!! University of Western Ontario

MikeTangas · #14 09-08-2004, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikemover

Workin' hard to keep that stereotype alive, are ya' Mike?!

Just kidding....I couldn't resist.

Mike

Roger that Mike

Shyne, if my boss wouldn't have decided to take the long weekend I would have been there through Tuesday, might have even been able to take advantage of the "low" priced fuel.

Fortunately for me, on most trips to my sister's house, I can run round trip on a tank. It is good to know though that I can get reasonbly priced fuel in London if need be though.

Impala · #15 09-11-2004, 04:02 AM

I know

1 US gallon = 3.785 liters
1 Imperial gallon = 4.546 litres
1 mile = 1.609 km

but have been wondering whether the term 'MPG' means 'miles per US gallon' or 'miles per Imperial gallon'? Or it depends from country to country?