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      04-05-2021, 10:40 PM   #1
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Gas Station Dinosaur

I was driving and decided to put gas because it was getting low. I usually use Shell 91 and the same 2 places. This time I used Sinclair Dinosaur Gas 91. I dont know the difference but the price was 30 cents cheaper than my usual shell. Why is Sinclair cheap and is it top tier or high quality?
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      04-06-2021, 06:16 AM   #2
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https://www.toptiergas.com/licensed-brands/

It appears that Sinclair is TopTier.
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      04-06-2021, 06:30 AM   #3
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I didn't know they had cheap gas in California.
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      04-06-2021, 08:47 AM   #4
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The difference is profit.

Also, oil companies practice zone pricing. High income zip codes have higher prices than low income zip codes.
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      04-06-2021, 08:55 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by marvinstockman View Post
The difference is profit.

Also, oil companies practice zone pricing. High income zip codes have higher prices than low income zip codes.
Could also be proximity to a high traffic area. The stations on my very busy highway exit are typically almost 20 cents higher than the one by my house, only 3 miles away.
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      04-06-2021, 11:06 AM   #6
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Yesterday Santa Cruz ca.
Costco premium 3.90/gal
Mobil or Chevron on the Main tourist drag
4.59/gal
Worse in places like San Francisco other major metro area's
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      04-06-2021, 11:42 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ryan stewart View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by marvinstockman View Post
The difference is profit.

Also, oil companies practice zone pricing. High income zip codes have higher prices than low income zip codes.
Could also be proximity to a high traffic area. The stations on my very busy highway exit are typically almost 20 cents higher than the one by my house, only 3 miles away.
This is exactly why i try my best not to fill up in overly nice neighborhoods or next to highways
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      04-06-2021, 12:03 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ky0u View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by ryan stewart View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by marvinstockman View Post
The difference is profit.

Also, oil companies practice zone pricing. High income zip codes have higher prices than low income zip codes.
Could also be proximity to a high traffic area. The stations on my very busy highway exit are typically almost 20 cents higher than the one by my house, only 3 miles away.
This is exactly why i try my best not to fill up in overly nice neighborhoods or next to highways
Yeah but does it make a difference? Shell and Sinclair? Is one or the other better?
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      04-06-2021, 01:06 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by marvinstockman View Post
The difference is profit.

Also, oil companies practice zone pricing. High income zip codes have higher prices than low income zip codes.
Noted. Going to the hood for gas next time.
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      04-06-2021, 01:44 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by 2one3E90 View Post
Yeah but does it make a difference? Shell and Sinclair? Is one or the other better?
The base gas is the same, the only difference is the detergents they put in the gas at the distribution center, if they are one that controls their supply chain.

The way fuel is sold is kind of LIFO; they dont control the pipelines but put their (again if they have supply chain) product in and take it out. But the way it works is you dont have to wait for "your" gas. You contribute 10,000 gallons to the supply and you can deduct 10,000 gallons at the end point, it just might be someone elses gas (actually it is).
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      04-06-2021, 02:13 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ctuna View Post
Yesterday Santa Cruz ca.
Costco premium 3.90/gal
Mobil or Chevron on the Main tourist drag
4.59/gal
Worse in places like San Francisco other major metro area's
I don't buy gas in Santa Cruz too often but I do find the Valero on 1 and Miramar to be generally reasonable, if I recall correctly. SF is often cheaper than Peninsula/SJ/East Bay--not sure why. That one station at the end of 280's 19th ave exit is one of the cheapest gas stations in the Bay.

I paid $5.11 for Chevron premium on Saturday off i5 cuz I needed gas and there are few stations. Haven't seen prices like that in the bay for like 8 years and I hope the upwards trend doesn't reach that height here again lol.
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      04-06-2021, 03:41 PM   #12
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Price zoning should be illegal. California oil industry is fok'd between that and the taxation. The high taxation which somehow doesn't seem to be represented in the crap quality roads and horrible public works/engineering programs that take 5+ years to compete.
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      04-06-2021, 03:46 PM   #13
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Oh, I generally only use Shell 91 unless I'm in a pinch. When I was up north I went to a Mobil or Chevron servo that had non-ethanol, 92 octane. When in California I have a few local Shell stations that have 91 V-Power without any dilution past regulatory standards in California.

I stay away from small places or independently owned servos that rely on just selling a lot of product because those tend to be the ones with shitty quality or use crappy octane boosters.
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      04-06-2021, 07:10 PM   #14
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I try to fill up at busy stations in nice neighborhoods. The pumps tend to be in good shape which suggests the possibility (no guarantee) of cleaner fuel and there's less of a chance of a crackhead walking up and asking for money or a ride.

Worth a few dollars extra a gallon to me.
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      04-06-2021, 07:51 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ryan stewart View Post
The base gas is the same, the only difference is the detergents they put in the gas at the distribution center, if they are one that controls their supply chain.

The way fuel is sold is kind of LIFO; they dont control the pipelines but put their (again if they have supply chain) product in and take it out. But the way it works is you dont have to wait for "your" gas. You contribute 10,000 gallons to the supply and you can deduct 10,000 gallons at the end point, it just might be someone elses gas (actually it is).
You are exactly right. Most fuel in a given area is refined by only a very few large name brand refiners, and sold on spot or futures market to others who doctor it up with their own additives. And the quality of that base fuel is federally mandated. So yes, you could theoretically have Exxon refining 93 octane fuel that is purchased in bulk by Shell, which Shell then plays with and markets it based on its additives as "V-Power" or something.

The difference between expensive 93 grade from Shell and less expensive 93 grade from Sunoco, Sinclair, etc, comes down to the detergent additives, and yes, marketing. While the detergents are probably good for your car over the long run, I generally by 93 from the cheaper brands (incl. Costco), and then occasionally run a couple bottles of nuclear fuel system cleaners through the tank. I tend to avoid weird mom n' pop fuel stops unaffiliated w/ a known brand (sorry mom, pop). More chance for poor quality control procedures and unfortunately, miscalibrated pumps or adulteration of fuel.
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      04-07-2021, 02:50 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by marvinstockman View Post
The difference is profit.

Also, oil companies practice zone pricing. High income zip codes have higher prices than low income zip codes.
Yep. I live within 5 miles of two different Costcos. The one in the hood is $0.10-0.15 cheaper. I last filled up there with 91 at $3.59.
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      04-07-2021, 11:29 AM   #17
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Quote:
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Quote:
Originally Posted by marvinstockman View Post
The difference is profit.

Also, oil companies practice zone pricing. High income zip codes have higher prices than low income zip codes.
Yep. I live within 5 miles of two different Costcos. The one in the hood is $0.10-0.15 cheaper. I last filled up there with 91 at $3.59.
is there a difference in performance than shell?
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      04-07-2021, 06:01 PM   #18
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Sounds like the consensus is to fuel up in the hood.

Sure, you might end up having to fix a bullet hole here or there, or pay for an AIDS test when you accidentally prick yourself with a dirty needle that got stuck in your tire, but when you amortize those costs over the life of your car, the per-gallon savings still make a lot of sense.
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      04-07-2021, 06:47 PM   #19
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Nothing wrong with Costco Gas it's top tier.
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      04-07-2021, 08:46 PM   #20
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Quote:
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Noted. Going to the hood for gas next time.
Be careful, lost my '81 320i that way, water was added to the tank.
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      04-07-2021, 10:33 PM   #21
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Noted. Going to the hood for gas next time.
Be careful, lost my '81 320i that way, water was added to the tank.
Sad howd u know?
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      04-08-2021, 05:49 AM   #22
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Sad howd u know?
This was almost 26 years ago but that's what my father was told by the owner at Rennsport Motorworks in NJ at the time. Just told us you got a bad tank of gas and the cost to fix all the issues it caused wasn't worth it.
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