Diesel price differences

[McDave]

Since buying the F-250 diesel, I've noticed that diesel fuel prices seem to change a lot more than gasoline prices. For the same diesel #2 (not biodiesel) I've seen it sometimes priced below the lowest grade of gas and other times higher than premium gas. At the moment, I have a choice of buying diesel #2 at $2.99 at a Chevron station (higher than premium gasoline) and $2.39 at a Shell station (the same price as regular gasoline) within 10 miles of each other. I mention the names just because they are both national brands; I'm not comparing a national brand with some cut-rate station. The Chevron station has always been significantly higher than the Shell station, although never by $.60/gal, at least that I've noticed. And yet I see people still buying diesel there. Is there any reason why the Chevron diesel would be worth more than the Shell diesel, or are people just ignoring the price difference?


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[NoResults]

If you like paying more for the same product shop at Chevron. Same goes for gasoline. Chevron is no better than any other brand.

[Noggin]

The Chevron closest to me has Diesel for $2.15. Across the street Shell has it for $2.14.
Marathon on the other side of I-75 from those two has it for $2.12.
Other stations within 5 miles from me are as high as $2.39.

[khollister]

Just filled up at Racetrack around the corner - $2.09


Keith
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[Protagonist]

Diesel prices will vary widely by location. Price in Florida and prices in California, or anywhere in between, bear little relation to each other. This is due in part to state taxes that are included in the price of fuel, as well as distance from the refineries.

But getting back to the OP's question, as I remember from when my father owned a service station in Oklahoma— back when they really were service stations and not convenience stores— the state regulatory agencies imposed strict limits on how much markup from wholesale to retail that there could be on fuel, to prevent price gouging. If the price between Shell and Chevron in your area differs by 60¢ per gallon, it's because they come from different wholesalers that charge different prices. Both stations are making roughly the same amount of profit on each gallon.

Which leads to the question, why would one wholesaler charge more than another? Depends on how much volume they sell, whether they get their fuel from a closer source or deliver it to a closer destination, any number of factors.

Diesel fuel is not like gasoline. #2 B0 diesel is #2 B0 diesel, regardless of brand. No brand is really better than another, so go ahead and buy where it's cheaper. There's no need for "brand loyalty" with diesel.

[polarlyse]

Along with the former suggestions I strongly suggest that whenever possible try to get your diesel from a place that sells a large volume so they have a quick turnover and less chance of bad fuel from sitting in a tank. Look for a place that caters to a lot of truck traffic. Not necessarily a "truck stop" but a local dealer that sees a lot of truck usage. They will also add conditioner as the weather requires. These newer diesel engines are very sensitive to water in the fuel. You don't even want to go there.

[tvketchum]

In California this past fall, Chevron stations were the highest priced outlets, at over $3 a gallon for unleaded regular. Arco stations were the more reasonable at $2.49 or so. Beware though, of the Cash versus Credit prices. Credit could be as much as 20 to 30 cents a gallon higher. Many Arco stations did not take credit cards, only debit cards, and also , had a one time 25 cent fee in addition to the price per gallon. This insanity of California fuel pricing left me with a bad taste in my mouth that the best Napa Valley wine could not cure. May not go back for a long time


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Tom
TVKetchum

[jcl]

We get large seasonal swings in diesel prices due to it also being used as a heating fuel. Depends on weather and local heating practices, but the price swings can be different than with gasoline due to that influence.

[SeeMore]

Diesel prices in my neighborhood can vary as much as 30 cents a gallon. Stations closer to the interstate and rush hour arteries charge the least; those closer to the mega-mansions charge a premium. Costco usually has them all beat by 8-10 cents a gallon.

[reelfastgreg]

Originally Posted by SeeMore

Diesel prices in my neighborhood can vary as much as 30 cents a gallon. Stations closer to the interstate and rush hour arteries charge the least; those closer to the mega-mansions charge a premium. Costco usually has them all beat by 8-10 cents a gallon.

costco with diesel??? where in the world is this??

[slowmover]

Choose the local retailer with highest quality (for me, Shell or Exxon) and while on road I prefer same retailer based on ease of entry and exit: on same side of road as direction of travel (preferably closest to Interstate entry) and conveniences offered.

Flying J, most often.

I've found that any brand of diesel burns more completely with fuel additives. SCHAEFFERS is first, all others are second.

Price is irrelevant. A real time waster on vacation. Economy is about travel speed and a controlled number of stops. Never idle, don't change lanes, and remain lane-centered in all circumstances. (Yellow recommended maximum speed signs are to be obeyed).

Ideal WDH settings, TT tires to sidewall maximum, and TV tires to scale readings with WD applied and individual readings taken. Optimizing rolling resistance thru 45-mph is crucial. Alignment and brake drag on both vehicles, plus bearing pre-set on trailer. All done before a trip.

Cutting acceleration and deceleration events is the key underneath these. Count them. They matter. Greatly.

Fuel prices, again, are irrelevant when the budget is at stake. Wasted time in crossing highway, bad access/egress, more accelerate/decelerate events, etc all kill what really matters:

Average mph (distance divided by engine run time) separates the men from the boys.

[FunyFarm]

Originally Posted by tvketchum

In California this past fall, Chevron stations were the highest priced outlets, at over $3 a gallon for unleaded regular. Arco stations were the more reasonable at $2.49 or so. Beware though, of the Cash versus Credit prices. Credit could be as much as 20 to 30 cents a gallon higher. Many Arco stations did not take credit cards, only debit cards, and also , had a one time 25 cent fee in addition to the price per gallon. This insanity of California fuel pricing left me with a bad taste in my mouth that the best Napa Valley wine could not cure. May not go back for a long time


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Tom
TVKetchum

One more reason to not visit tprca. ( The People's Republic of CAlifornia) To ad to my list.. Used to be nice place to visit ( but you wouldn't want to live there.) but now it full of Californians. Eco nazis and granola grazers. And trash at every turn out on the highway. Although a thriving Abalone resource keeps me coming back.

Alluminati. Not all conspiracies are theory

[SeeMore]

Originally Posted by gpt

costco with diesel??? where in the world is this??

Costco (with diesel pumps)
645 Ernst W Barrett Pkwy
Kennesaw, GA 30144

Swing on by for a fill-up, it is worth the detour

[switz]

Have not seen the diesel fuel option at a CostCo in Arizona. Their prices are typically close to the other gas stations in their neighborhood. Not everything sold at CostCo is the lowest price. It pays to comparison shop even with the CostCo cash back program.

[Wingeezer]

Originally Posted by polarlyse

Along with the former suggestions I strongly suggest that whenever possible try to get your diesel from a place that sells a large volume so they have a quick turnover and less chance of bad fuel from sitting in a tank. Look for a place that caters to a lot of truck traffic. Not necessarily a "truck stop" but a local dealer that sees a lot of truck usage. They will also add conditioner as the weather requires. These newer diesel engines are very sensitive to water in the fuel. You don't even want to go there.

Good point. I knew that, but on one trip, due to my bad planning, I had no choice but to fill up at a seedy-looking out of the way gas stop on a secondary road in the hills of Pennsylvania.

We made it onto the interstate and into NY state, when the truck suddenly went into "Limp" mode and I could barely make it into a small town that had a GM dealership,


The dash info system told me I had zero fuel filter life left - and it just happened I had checked it that morning and it was showing 55% left so I figured chances were pretty good I had picked up a load of and fuel (algae growing?).

I told the GM dealer that and asked if they would change the filter and if possible dump m the remaining fuel which was down to about a quarter tank - they were not sure if they had the ability to dump the fuel.

When we return to collect the truck in a couple of hours, they had changed teh filter and the truck was fine. they said they did not dump the remaining fuel as it looked ok (I don't know about that!)

In any event we had no further problem, so my money is still on bad fuel.

I now carry a spare diesel fuel filter with me as well as tools to change it (there re youtube instructional videos.) That probably guarantees I won't have the problem again and will never need my emergency filter! I also carry an OBD 2 scanner to read and cancel codes.

So now I am all the more careful to do my best to buy fuel from stations with high turnover!

Brian.

[switz]

When we converted the stock 26 gallon diesel tank to the Titan 56 gallon under bed tank, we added a Cummins branded water separator at the tank. From there, the fuel line went to the stock block mounted fuel filer/water separator and then thru a Cummins branded 2 micron fuel filter before going to the engine fuel rail.

A load of bad fuel can cost thousands if the injectors receive any of it.

[polarlyse]

Just the other day here in Sunny / cold New Jersey I saw diesel priced at $2.48 at the high end and $2.06 at the low all within 2 miles on Rt. 202 and Rt. 22. At the low end in my area I've seen $1.83 lately.

I always carry an extra fuel filter for that Just IN Case situation. Only needed it once and it didn't seem to help when I did. But maybe it did since things cleared up on their own later on in the day.