With the current weather forecast, I decided that this morning might be a good idea to go get some generator fuel. I run non-ethanol in all my small engines, so I gathered my gas cans and headed to the local pump in Holloway. If I don't have to start the generator, that's fine with me. I'll have plenty of fresh fuel to start the mowing season in another 60 days. Certainly by mid-March, we'll be cutting grass.
The price at the pump was $3.199. I probably could have saved a few dimes by going across town, but the truck burns fuel too. I consider it a wash, and I'm supporting a local family, not some national chain.
The only non ethanol fuel facility I am aware of in our area is Murphy's that are joined at the hip with Wal-Mart. Non ethanol (blue pump handle) price is about 80 cents a gallon higher than normal ethanol. But at least it is available, at least for now.
ReplyDeleteThere are a couple of websites where they keep track of non ethanol gas stations. It’s definitely more expensive but is also higher octane.
DeleteSomeone smart on small carb fed engines explained to me that they are really meant to run on leaded gas, an ethanol will just clog them.
I use non ethanol treated (PGRI or Stabil, they seem to be the same) gas in small engines and as long as I empty them before winter they sit fine (lawn mower). For the generator I start it and let it run every month or so.
Compare that to the SF Bay Area here in California.
ReplyDeleteCostco (usually the least expensive in the area) was $3.98 last night.
On the Central Coast (US 101 corridor between LA and the Bay Area) it seems to average 30-40 cents higher than that, even at the least expensive stations.