E-Class (W212) 2010 - 2016: E 350, E 550

The premium for premium

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Old 03-11-2021, 11:07 PM
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Question The premium for premium

How much more is premium gas in your area? I remember a time about 10 years ago when premium was only 20-30 cents more per gallon. And just a few years ago, I could find premium at 40 cents more per gallon. Today, I can’t find a station where premium is less than 70 cents more, and there are several where premium is more than $1 above regular grade gasoline.

I live in Southeast Wisconsin, so we are in a “reformulated” area.

Just curious how prices are near you.

For those interested, here’s some data - https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/pet_pri_gnd_dcus_nus_w.htm




Old 03-11-2021, 11:09 PM
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I bet your gas is twice as expensive as it was when the differential was $0.30 ...

you want to save on gas, get a Prius.
Old 03-11-2021, 11:43 PM
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About $0.50 around me in CT between 87 and 91/93. Gas has been “cheap” as of late, so I haven’t really paid attention. I use the same top-tier station and just fill it up.

It’s on the rise now, ~$3.30 for premium.
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Old 03-12-2021, 02:27 AM
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Around 26 cents here. We have BJs and Costco for cheap gas, BJs is at $2.49 for regular and $2.65 for premium. It's 93 though and I suppose you could mix in 1/3 regular to get 91.
Old 03-12-2021, 03:08 AM
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ugh, I was on fumes and had to drive over the hill today to retrieve a credit card I'd left at a pizza place (which was also my Costco card), stopped at a CHevron, and got raked for $4.35/G for premium. #@$#@ $85 fillup.
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Old 03-12-2021, 06:33 AM
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I never pay attention; as I do not have many gas stations to choose from and if ya look at difference in price all it will do is make ya mad.

Now if I could find Ethanol free Premium that would be awesome but haven't yet.

Seems like more an more cars/trucks are going forced induction and require Premium.
Old 03-12-2021, 09:04 AM
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Here in North Oil Country, the difference is 45¢ or so. Although I usually get a $1.00 per gallon discount for shopping at Tom Thumb grocery stores.

I've seen the gas tanker with the "Top Tier" logo deliver the gas to the Tom Thumb station. So let's not resume the "top tier" vs "other" debate...
Old 03-12-2021, 09:06 AM
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40 cents in Vegas at most places. Same in SoCal, where I go frequently, if you shop. I usually buy ARCO top tier gas since it is usually the cheapest.
Old 03-12-2021, 09:19 AM
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I was buying gas at Marathon for 2.40 a gallon in December,with regular at 1.99, it is now 3.35 a gallon which is 45 cents more than regular, Thanks Joe. !
Old 03-12-2021, 09:32 AM
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I think we're seeing a spike in prices due to the deep freeze here in Texas last month. Refineries here had trouble keeping their internal pumps running, and once they froze, it took a couple days to defrost them. And the people who set the prices never miss a beat looking for any excuse...

It's just an early start to the annual price increase ritual leading up to Memorial Day. Nothing political about it.

Last edited by DFWdude; 03-12-2021 at 09:37 AM.
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Old 03-12-2021, 09:38 AM
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I’m from Massachusetts and fill up on 93 from Costco for about $2.70 a gallon. Any other pump is upwards of $3.00. I typically fill up once a week so I do save a considerable amount with Costco
Old 03-12-2021, 10:06 AM
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I filled up on Wednesday. Regular was $2.58 and I paid $3.18 for premium. 60-70c above 87 is the norm in GA.



Old 03-12-2021, 10:07 AM
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Originally Posted by DFWdude
I think we're seeing a spike in prices due to the deep freeze here in Texas last month. Refineries here had trouble keeping their internal pumps running, and once they froze, it took a couple days to defrost them. And the people who set the prices never miss a beat looking for any excuse...

It's just an early start to the annual price increase ritual leading up to Memorial Day. Nothing political about it.
LOL, I'm sure you're right...
Old 03-12-2021, 08:43 PM
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Nope, the news didn't tell me that. You may not be close to it because you don't live in Texas, but I do. The state basically shut down in mid February due to a lack of natural gas production due to refineries freezing in zero degree weather. This meant both a lack of natural gas production and a closure for days in the pipe delivery infrastructure to electrical power plants... and out of state.

The result was a suspension of electrical power, affecting millions of Texans for two weeks and longer. Prices for all things petroleum jumped immediately throughout Texas. When that happens, prices spike elsewhere as well.

In my 22-years living in Texas, I've seen it happen time and again... anytime the oil drilling or refinery situation in Texas sneezes, the rest of the country catches a cold.

As I understand it, Biden halted the issuance of NEW oil and gas leasing and drilling permits on public lands and waters for 60 days as part a review of programs at the U.S. Department of Interior. "The order did not limit operations under valid leases, meaning existing oil and gas activity is unaffected."

You're welcome to read the truth from an unbiased source... https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politic...ds-for-60-days

You can impune the motives for this all you want... just take it to the Off Topic "Politics" forum, where it belongs. It really is a shame that one can't make observations here without some newbie trolling with a stupid political stance.

Last edited by Wolfman; 03-13-2021 at 06:38 PM.
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Old 03-12-2021, 08:53 PM
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Originally Posted by ygmn
Now if I could find Ethanol free Premium that would be awesome but haven't yet.

I can get ethanol free premium nearby. The county north, which is only 2 miles away, has stations that sell ethanol free premium. It's still 70+ cents more than regular.
Old 03-12-2021, 09:30 PM
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Originally Posted by Senecan
Let me guess, the news told you that?

I'm sure has absolutely nothing to do with Biden immediately ordering all domestic production to a complete halt and sending our petro demand back overseas to his middle-eastern sheik buddies.
let me guess, the news told you that?
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Old 03-12-2021, 10:32 PM
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Originally Posted by Left Coast Geek
let me guess, the news told you that?
let me guess, the news told you that?
Old 03-12-2021, 10:44 PM
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I did find it interesting that Mazda's 'SkyActiv' motor in most of their newer cars IS meant for regular and the owners manual specifically says there's no reason to use premium at all. It has a lot of the same (high compression, direct injection multi-shot, multi-spark) technologies that are in the M276. The 2.5L I4 N/A engine US version is 13.0:1 compression, 187 hp @ 6,000 rpm and 186 lb⋅ft @ 4,000 rpm, which are pretty impressive numbers for a non-turbo. It pulls a CX-5 along quite strongly.
Old 03-12-2021, 11:11 PM
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oh yeah, GAS prices.

here on the Mid Left Coast, in the Peoples Republic of Santa Cruz, our local Costco has regular for $3.49/gallon and premium for $3.75. diesel is $3.75, also. This is Top Tier gas, comes from the same truck as Chevron. AS I already posted, I got nailed for $4.35/g for premium at a Chevron maybe 6-7 miles from said Costco when I needed to go that way yesterday

Greater SF Bay Area gas prices have /always/ been high. high average income levels, and high environmental standards requiring cleaner burning fuels. its the price of living here.

nearly all 'our' gas in this region comes from a handful of big refineries in the 'east bay'... I remember there used to be two biggies that supplied almost everything, Chevron (255000 bbl/day) and Tosca (166000 bbl/day), but Tosca>Tesoro>Marathon had a big fire and was shut down by its latest owners after decades of worst-in-business incidents, and when I googled, I gave up trying to make sense of a bunny trail of other refineries... Shell (156000 bbl/day) in Martinez is now PBF. Benicia (145000 bbl/day) was Humble, then Exxon, and now Valero. Phillips66 has a pair of refineries good for 120000 bbl/d combined, one is a fair bit south of here next to a bunch of oil fields.

Last edited by Left Coast Geek; 03-12-2021 at 11:22 PM.
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Old 03-12-2021, 11:21 PM
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I put gas on my cars until they fill up.....the end.
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Old 03-13-2021, 07:23 AM
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Originally Posted by Left Coast Geek
I did find it interesting that Mazda's 'SkyActiv' motor in most of their newer cars IS meant for regular and the owners manual specifically says there's no reason to use premium at all. It has a lot of the same (high compression, direct injection multi-shot, multi-spark) technologies that are in the M276. The 2.5L I4 N/A engine US version is 13.0:1 compression, 187 hp @ 6,000 rpm and 186 lb⋅ft @ 4,000 rpm, which are pretty impressive numbers for a non-turbo. It pulls a CX-5 along quite strongly.
Having owned a few SkyActiv powertrains, yes.. 87 only. The Miata actually "recommended" premium but multiple tests and we could never tell any difference at all.
Old 03-13-2021, 08:47 AM
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Originally Posted by Left Coast Geek
oh yeah, GAS prices.

nearly all 'our' gas in this region comes from a handful of big refineries in the 'east bay'... I remember there used to be two biggies that supplied almost everything, Chevron (255000 bbl/day) and Tosca (166000 bbl/day), but Tosca>Tesoro>Marathon had a big fire and was shut down by its latest owners after decades of worst-in-business incidents, and when I googled, I gave up trying to make sense of a bunny trail of other refineries... Shell (156000 bbl/day) in Martinez is now PBF. Benicia (145000 bbl/day) was Humble, then Exxon, and now Valero. Phillips66 has a pair of refineries good for 120000 bbl/d combined, one is a fair bit south of here next to a bunch of oil fields.
Yes, CA produces its own gasoline. BUT it also supplies gasoline to Arizona, which also gets gasoline piped from TX. When the supply from TX is curtailed, or interrupted, CA diverts more of its output to AZ to compensate, which raises gasoline prices in CA. All of these pipelines are interconnected, feed from each other with prices adjusted accordingly...

This story from Bloomberg Financial details the exact situation in CA resulting from the Texas freeze... https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...-refiners-shut

To be clear, I'm not arguing with you LCG. Just providing information on how TX petroleum affects other parts of the country. I wish it were not so, but it is. I'm not a Texan... I just live here.

Last edited by DFWdude; 03-13-2021 at 08:52 AM.
Old 03-13-2021, 08:53 AM
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Originally Posted by DFWdude
Nope, the news didn't tell me that. You may not be close to it because you don't live in Texas, but I do. The state basically shut down in mid February due to a lack of natural gas production due to refineries freezing in zero degree weather. This meant both a lack of natural gas production and a closure for days in the pipe delivery infrastructure to electrical power plants... and out of state.

The result was a suspension of electrical power, affecting millions of Texans for two weeks and longer. Prices for all things petroleum jumped immediately throughout Texas. When that happens, prices spike elsewhere as well.

In my 22-years living in Texas, I've seen it happen time and again... anytime the oil drilling or refinery situation in Texas sneezes, the rest of the country catches a cold.

As I understand it, Biden halted the issuance of NEW oil and gas leasing and drilling permits on public lands and waters for 60 days as part a review of programs at the U.S. Department of Interior. "The order did not limit operations under valid leases, meaning existing oil and gas activity is unaffected."

You're welcome to read the truth from an unbiased source... https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politic...ds-for-60-days

You can impune the motives for this all you want... just take it to the Off Topic "Politics" forum, where it belongs. It really is a shame that one can't make observations here without some newbie trolling with a stupid political stance.
PBS, LOL
Old 03-13-2021, 09:05 AM
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My understanding is that CA law requires all gas sold in the state to be "Top Tier"

"here on the Mid Left Coast, in the Peoples Republic of Santa Cruz, our local Costco has regular for $3.49/gallon and premium for $3.75. diesel is $3.75, also. This is Top Tier gas, comes from the same truck as Chevron. AS I already posted, I got nailed for $4.35/g for premium at a Chevron maybe 6-7 miles from said Costco when I needed to go that way yesterday"

It's part of their emissions regulations. Specifically, the law references a BMW fuel detergent spec that meets or exceeds Top Tier. So you are right, it's all the same in CA. That's not true for all "store brand gas" in the rest of the country but Costco, for one, is Top Tier nationwide.
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Old 03-13-2021, 09:08 AM
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Originally Posted by DFWdude
It really is a shame that one can't make observations here without some newbie trolling with a stupid political stance.


And don't try to back anything up with sources. You have a large segment of the population these days that rejects anything from any source that doesn't fit their personal beliefs.

It. Is. Exhausting.


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