Not actually great news, as I usually buy more gas than I do diesel. My work vehicle is a Chevy 5.0 L.

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

If I go over to the "mainland" and to the "sad luck Chevron," Top Tier Gas (TTG) 91 AKI was $3.454/gallon on March 2nd. That's after blending 1/3 87 AKI and 2/3's 93 AKI to make "Auto's Custom Blend 91 AKI." 87 AKI was $2.929 gallon. 93 AKI was $3.729/gallon. Prices have gone up about $0.25/gallon since then.

It's the "sad luck" Chevron because:

1. It was wiped out by the 2018 CAT 5 hurricane.

2. It's a small station, with only four double gas pumps.

3. The convenience store is very small.

4. It has to compete with Sam's Club and a new generic, mega gas station nearby.

The sad luck Chevron is owned by a big chain. So, they can afford for that particular station to sell gas at a loss.

I suspect that California's emission requirements are causing less diesel to be used there, with most of that demand transferred to gasoline. So, supply and demand kicks in to increase gasoline prices and reduce diesel prices.

I can't find any fuels near those prices in So. Cal. .

Part of why I'm putting my 1959 VW Bug back on the road ~ it's a putt-putt yes but be it driven quickly or slowly (fast isn't an option) it still gets 30 + MPG and makes me smile the entire time I'm driving it .

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-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

This is complicated but I have seen it before in Texas. It has to do with the change over to summer gas blend and the drop off in diesel demand from farmers.

I doubt that it is a long term trend.

The delivery terminal might also have too much diesel in storage and needs to move it out to the stations. The same pipeline that bring gas to the terminals brings diesel. If the diesel tanks at the sales rack are full then the line is 'sewn up' and has to shut down. This means no delivery of gas until room is made in the diesel tanks.

The terrible weather out there might also be effecting the expected demand and throwing the inventories off.

I filled up the X3 again at the sad luck Chevron this morning. 93 AKI and diesel were both #3.999/gallon. By blending, 91 AKI was $3.732/gallon.

Thanks Brandon for your woke fuel pricing

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

At the local station I've been going to, cash price dropped to $4.89 gal. 200 yards closer to home on the other side of the freeway $5.39 gal. Station by the local Jr College a few mi. away, is $5.79 gal. ← always higher here tho, , ,

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"I applaud your elaborate system of denial"

There is an area in central Nebraska where price swing a bit due to local factors.

For the most part the current price is $3.24 for 89 Oct. But at the one station near the upscale hotel the price is ten cents higher. Down the road at the Flying J it is $3.15.

A big wheel at a major convince store operator told me that such pricing swings are due to the desired traffic inside the store. In other words if you want more traffic you drop the gas price. If you want less you raise it.

It's all about the customer experience.

He also told me, and this was probably twenty years ago, that 80% of the instore sales came from beer and smokes.

Cute try to make a dishonest political point .

here in So. Cal. I'm still paying over $5.40 / gallon for Diesel fuel .

My old truck's higher compression engine wants (not requires) premium fuels. I was well pleased to find it for $4.36 the other day when I filled it up .

I wish they'd made a larger fuel tank though .

The shop manual says 10 gallons although a few times when I nearly ran it out I put in 11 .

I put the larger, 22 gallon fuel tank into my '82 420D so I can go much further on a tank .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

A million years ago diesel was always cheaper that gasoline. I can remember when gas was twenty three cents a gallon that diesel was twelve. This would have been sometime in the late 50s.

This is why people bought diesel powered cars. And why big trucks were designed to run on diesel. Today big trucks used diesels because they last so long. Back in the thirties all engines wore out at about the same rate so the lower fuel cost tipped the scale to diesel.

Torque and grunt played a big role in why diesel was applied to certain applications. Not to mention the greater fuel ( energy density, BTU/gal) value per gallon.

Filled up yesterday, the deez here has dropped from $4.89 to $4.69, , ,

(post # 7)

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"I applaud your elaborate system of denial"

Central Nebraska diesel just dropped to a few cents below regular. I guess this is a part of a nationwide market adjustment. It will swing back once the summer hits.

I was in Nevada for a few days, way in the middle of nowhere RUG was cheaper than it is in Ca. by more than a dollar .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

RUG?

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K