Best Way to Pay for Gas in NM, Co. Utah ?

With reguards to paying for fuel: We did a 50 day 7k trip this summer and all fuel was cash. When we run low a trip to a local bank and our debit card got us more without a problem.

About the same.

GoPackGo wrote:
I've never seen 85 octane in the Midwest, but I think the reason you might find lower octane out west (higher elevations) is because as you gain altitude you need less octane.

Tim

absolutely correct.

At higher altitudes octane requirements go down. so if you see 85, 87, 89 or whatever, the lowest octane meets requirements for vehicles that specify 87, and the highest octane meets requirements for vehicles that require "premium". this holds true with cars with turbochargers as well. Boost is relative to ambient air pressure (altitude)

Much of Montana, Idaho, colorado, utah, wyoming is high enough that octane requirements are adjusted for altitude.

air pressure at sea level is about 14.7psi, 12.2psi at 5,000 ft, about 10psi at 10,000ft. so there is a 20% drop in atmospheric pressure between sea level and 5,000 ft and a 30% drop by 10,000ft.

and yes, there are major roads in Mt and Colorado and utah above 10,000ft and the majority of many of these states is above 3500ft. Hence the reason for lower octane requirements.

the effect is along the lines of reducing compression ratio. The max compression in the cylinder is air pressure x compression ratio. so reducing the ambient air pressure reduces cylinder max pressure.

For example, assume a 10:1 compression ratio and 100% volumetric effiency. at sea level the max cylinder pressure is 10x14.1=141 psi (I'm neglecting the effects of Boyle's gas law which says temperature will rise as well)
At 5,000 ft, max pressure is now 120psi instead of 150psi.

GoPackGo wrote:
I've never seen 85 octane in the Midwest, but I think the reason you might find lower octane out west (higher elevations) is because as you gain altitude you need less octane.

Tim

Utah (in addition to a few other states) is the land of pickups. Those that are not diesel have no issues running on 85 octane. This is including my own truck-purchased in California prior to moving to Utah.

I've never seen 85 octane in the Midwest, but I think the reason you might find lower octane out west (higher elevations) is because as you gain altitude you need less octane.

Tim

The WORST PROBLEM with the gas prices mid-West and western states is often the lower price is for 85 octane and not 87 octane as is the minimum for many vehicles.

I go through NM. and go into Colorado. I do not find many stations with the cash option. Most just charge the same whether you use cash Drbit or credit. I wanted to get some DEF and pulled into a Love. The DEF was only in the truck area. Since I did not have a truck commercial card I would have to pay cash and just hope I got the right amount..It would be a guess so I just left. I usually don't go to a Love's. Usually dirty.

Places like Loves and Flying J don't charge extra for credit purchases made on the diesel pumps out front----just in the truck lanes.




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Trackrig wrote:

Road Runners wrote:
This happens all over the United States. It is a pain in the ass. And, some states, the stations will advertise a great diesel price and when you stop to fill up you find that, that price is for commercial trucks only.

We found this at Jubitz Truck Stop in Portland, OR. They have all of those billboards up advertising a very good diesel price. After you fill up and go inside to pay, you find out that they want to charge the trucking company for the fuel and then the company pays all of the road taxes.

There were other places to fuel up if you watch for them that were within two cents of Jubitz that included all of the taxes. Be aware of Jubitz - the billboards made no mention of the tax issue.

Usually the first place we'll look for diesel is to see if we can find a Sam's Club. Some of them are a little tight getting into with a 40'er, but I take care of getting it and Jeep fueled while she's in shopping so overall it saves time and money. Have only found two Costcos with diesel in (mid Arizona) but their stores are usually a lot busier than Sams, so it's harder to get a large MH into them.

Bill

Don't slam Jubitz for this practise as all the truck stops do the same thing. You have to figure that you're not a truck and you don't have a PUC account,so you have to pay the extra .24 cents a gallon as part of your per gallon amount.
I have the Flying J/GS card and even though their price may be a cent or two higher,it's sure nice to get the .08 discount and be able to pull around to the truck or rv pumps. I have used them a number of times now and it's great.Pull in,swipe your card at the pump,finish and pull up so the rig behind you can fuel and go in and get your receipt at the kiosk.

I've been to stations all over the NW and West where there is a "cash" and "credit" price on the board, and in EVERY case, when I inserted my Credit card to the pump, the price I paid was the "Cash" price. Not sure why two prices are advertized, maybe if you pay inside you pay the credit price.

In any case, I'd pay the difference anyway since I get 5% cash back every month as a credit using the pen fed card, so unless the difference is more than about $.20/gallon, I'd be ahead of the game paying by credit anyway.

Although be careful in oregon with diesel. Comercial trucks have the option of paying weight/mile rather than road tax, which most choose, so often they post two prices, differing by $.24/gallon.

So if it says $x.xx with PUC then you need to add $.24 for non comerical price, cus that's what you will pay at the pump.