gas prices

[gmjunkie]

A 9 mpg drop doesn't make sense to me .Mine never dropped a bit .Both Junkie and I routinely hit high marks of 32-33 mpg highway with our C5's.Junkie runs 87 and I ran 89 octane .

Florida is famous for spiking gas with water since ethanol ,watch where you buy your gas .

Yeah,I run Regular 87 about 99+% of the time!! Always have,just turned 79,000 miles and never a problem with the way it runs,But I will be giving her first Tune Up at 100,000 miles!The car really,Really started running good around 44,000-46,000 miles!! Still Kick'en Donkey and Skin'en Mustangs every chance I get!~!!

 

[ernestD]

Vetteboy-you are right about florida gas!7-11 gas is horrible!My truck bucked,jumped missed you name it!sounds like water to me!Stopped using it truck was fine!rotten bas------!I never took the vette there.Anyway I think tim is right-I do a lot of city driving.Thanks for all your comments guys.

 

[vett boy]

Think about it Gas is $4 a gallon water is 0 .ethanol gas will displace some water .A high volume station spiked with 100 gallons of water per day is $2800 a week .

When I start fueling up in Florida I can see a big difference .

We might be neighbors soon

 

[billyz06-2003]

Gas milage

My problem is that the callaway really does require the best, which i have done. The 300hp pace car i have put half and half mid grade and regular and have not noticed any problems, hard take offs seem fine, so well probably keep doing the same thing. One thing i do is a little extra air in the tires, the callaway calls for 30 i put 32. pace car a little more, both cars seem to do well on the highway mpg. callaway 281/2, pace car just under 27..........................BILLY

 

[ernestD]

It's bad enought that we have to pay high gas prices,then they have to screw around with it!Florida gas is always higher than the national average.Whats up with that?ad

 

[timfitz63]

It's bad enought that we have to pay high gas prices,then they have to screw around with it!Florida gas is always higher than the national average.Whats up with that?ad

Well, at least as of January 2011, Florida state taxes on gasoline are among the 10 highest in the country (34.4 cents per gallon).

I'm also guessing there's a tendency by retailers in Florida to tack on a nickel or dime per gallon here and there to the basic price of the fuel itself, just because there are lots of tourists visiting that state...

May also explain why the contention of watered-down fuel is more widespread there (Florida retailers figure either you're filling a rental car, and no one is going to complain about weak fuel; or you're going back to your home state -- which is far enough away that they won't hear any complaints from you, even if you do figure out what they did)...?

 

[ernestD]

Tim-I think your right on that one.Reg. in Naples is 4.00 a gal. now how much higher can it go?I think the gas companys think everyone in Naples is rich.:ugh

 

[timfitz63]

Tim-I think your right on that one.Reg. in Naples is 4.00 a gal. now how much higher can it go?I think the gas companys think everyone in Naples is rich.:ugh

Well, if it's any consolation, regular is ~$3.89/gallon in Kentucky, where I get to spend most of my time right now; so not that far behind Florida. I'm headed back to San Antonio next week for about 5 days; hopefully it'll be lower there...

And I just think the reality of it is that oil companies have us over a barrel, so to speak. Whatever they charge (and they all basically charge the same), we'll have to pay... If that's not price fixing, I don't know what is... ad

 

[hotmtrsports]

I think alot of the price fixing is done at the local level. How often do we see stations next to each other match prices within a day of each other. There is a small local station that increased their regular gas to $4.14, then within a few days, went to $3.92 and they have a line of cars now!!! I think they found customers weren't stopping in anymore. The gas tax is .43 in Maine and I'll bet they'll find a way to increase that. I wish ALL gas pumps showed how much the state is getting in taxes for each gallon!

Everybody's finding a way to get into the game!

Chuck M

 

[timfitz63]

I think alot of the price fixing is done at the local level. How often do we see stations next to each other match prices within a day of each other. There is a small local station that increased their regular gas to $4.14, then within a few days, went to $3.92 and they have a line of cars now!!! I think they found customers weren't stopping in anymore...

You could be correct. I see the same kind of thing here in Kentucky; it's like they all pass around a 'memo' that says "on Tuesday, everyone raise the price $0.10/gallon," and lo and behold, that's what happens. Now I know they all didn't get a shipment of fuel on Tuesday ... but they all change their prices on Tuesday...

They're also fond of what I refer to as the "yo-yo" price game here in Lexington. Almost without fail, the price spikes up on the appointed day (by as much as $0.15-0.20/gallon), then hangs there for a few days before slowly creeping back down to the "outrageously inflated" level that's the "going rate." If you're running on fumes on the appointed day (or a few days afterwards), you're just SOL... Fortunately, they're also creatures of habit here in Kentucky, so it didn't take me too long to figure out the rhythm of their price "yo-yo," and adjust my refueling habits accordingly...

But realistically, I just think most people don't even pay attention to local variations; they just buy fuel wherever they are, whenever the needle points to "E." There are three Shell stations, all within a 3-mile radius of one another here in Lexington; they all have subtle variations in the "yo-yo" rhythm I described, but I frequent the station that consistently averages the lowest price. Oddly enough, the other two stations don't seem to hurt for business, though...

... The gas tax is .43 in Maine and I'll bet they'll find a way to increase that. I wish ALL gas pumps showed how much the state is getting in taxes for each gallon!

It may vary from state to state, but I know I've seen a placard on the pumps here in Kentucky itemizing the additional fuel taxes. Seems to me I've seen those kinds of placards elsewhere too.

 

[hotmtrsports]

Sometimes I'll put on 160 + miles on the days with one of the jobs I do and the gas prices are absolutely killing me! I'm an independent so it's all on me. I am forced to do as much as I can over the phone but I don't like doing that. I like face to face service and support and I can tell in my customers' voices when I try to help over the phone they're not use to me doing it that way.

It's easier with the Corvette Repair Shop I have. The cars come to me!

Chuck M

 

[TooFast]

I don't drive mine enough to make a difference.

 

[ernestD]

Well just filled up with regular-then found a nice road and NAILED it-never missed a beat!Just saw a story about gas prices comming down for the summer

 

[gmjunkie]

Well just filled up with regular-then found a nice road and NAILED it-never missed a beat!Just saw a story about gas prices comming down for the summer

You run a tank or two through it to give the ECM time to re-set things and you'll never feel the difference,except maybe on a drag strip!
And then maybe only a couple hundredths of a second!

 

[Roxies Lover]

I run 91 in my 03 Anniversary Edition Vert.

Personally, I would stay away from 89 since at least in the midwest 89 contains ethanol in 10 or 15 percent percentages.

On older cars, ethanol can raise havoc on rubber, seals, gaskets, plastics etc.

On the newer cars, 2008 and up they have added ethanol compatible gaskets and rubbers, etc. to eliminate any ethanol related problems.

As an owner of a company that manufactures original equipment parts for petroleum tank manufacturers and a supplier to over 90 after market dealers nation wide I can you to be careful if you use ethanol in an older vette.

I see problems that are ethanol elated on an almost weekly basis,
and can tell you ethanol will cause a magnitude of problems if not
properly replaced with compatible parts designed for ethanol.

 

[ernestD]

G.M.junkie-I could not beleive it! i did not notice a change.I;ll will most likely go back to 91 but its nice to know I can use lower grades if I have to.

 

[Bill Boyle]

Sticking with 93 octane for now

93 Mobil is what I routinely pump into the tank; never the lower grades...at least not yet.

Gasoline has been as high as $4.34 for premium and seems to be hovering around $4.20 right now in most stations I see in Broward County. Fortunately, gas consumption for my Corvette is low because I don't drive it everyday. When I do drive it, it's usually on the turnpike where I can run in 6th gear at 1500 rpm. Cruising along at this rpm (around 70-72 mph) I have gotten over 30 mpg.

When I've caravanned with my Corvette club to car events, mpg is much less, maybe 26 mpg on long road trips because most of these guys/gals can't resist pushing the pack well above the speed limit.

The ECM has the ability to adjust the LS 1 engine for variations in gasoline so there is no detonation issues. We are lucky to be able to rely on the computer. However, I'm reluctant to use 89 or 87 ...that's just me unless I have no choice.

If gas prices get much higher, the Corvette will see less use and possibly lower octane. :ugh

 

[ernestD]

Bll-the gas prices are the same around here in Naples,Fl.I don't drive my vette to much but i tried a lower grade to check it out.I didn't notice any change.I don't like doing that and will go back but if gas hits 5$ a gal I may use reg.who knows?

 

[hotmtrsports]

I have a 78 auto that gets around 18 MPG (3.08) and a 1979 4 speed that can get to 20 MPG (3.55) using the throttle sparingly, babying it to the point it's a contest with myself to best fuel economy. I would really like to put a 5 speed in that one but I can't afford it right now. The 02 6 speed I had got around 24 in town and 28 on the highway and I had 4.10's!

I had an 07 6 speed that did about 26 to 30 MPG.

I use my corvettes so I don't understand if you have a car that gets around 26 to 30 or 24 to 28 with regular gas why you would use it less? Have fun with it and save fuel, unless you have a Prius for your other transportation!

Also, isn't it funny how the general public is in the gutter always thinking our Corvettes get 10 MPG! A major newscast personality stated he could afford the car, but couldn't afford the gas it would use?

Chuck M

 

[Bill Boyle]

Yes the general public perceives us wrong

I know this is off topic but couldn't resist.

Traffic is very heavy in certain areas where I travel. Often there are dual left turn lanes that are hundreds of feet in length. At these large busy intersections there are "people" trying to sell papers or collect for some needy charity (or themselves). They are generally passive yet move about the stopped traffic with buckets to collect contributions. I find it absolutely amazing that most of these guys by pass the Lexus, Mercedes, Infiniti, Hummer and Escalades, and come to me for a donation. It's like a fly to a dead animal.

Many people think Corvette owners are well to do. Most don't realize we really car for our cars, despite their sporty look and power, and keep them for many years. Also they don't realize that many of us sell them in great shape to others and they look great for them and are sold again and again. Most people don't realize that my 2nd owner status purchase cost very little compared to that 60 K Escalade. While there are folks that buy new C6 Vettes, mine will most likely be 8 years old when I buy one.

Remember--all Corvette owners are rich. Yeah, right.