The UNL88 is 15% ethanol as opposed to the E87 which is 10% ethanol. As such it gets a discount in the state gas tax to encourage it's use and also ethanol is cheaper than gasoline. UNL88 also reduces emissions over the E87, 10% ethanol mix. Generally, at Kwik Star the UNL88 has been $0.10-$0.30 per gallon cheaper than the E87 10% ethanol blend.Yea I got the UNL88 at the Ames station a few days ago. Couldn’t believe how much cheaper it was. Kwik Star has their own supplier/distributor for the 88, maybe Thompson supplies the other blends?
If you are now just making an observation like this, where have you been? This is pretty common and many areas are different. Mason City area always is cheaper than any part of the state. Not like it’s Ames but I guarantee it’s cheaper than anywhere else in the state. I just paid $3.39 on Dakota City and we are almost always higher than the DM Metro area. I always watch gas prices but never really care until they get high like they are now. I guess this just strengthens my thoughts as to how many people are the same. Figure in transportation from said pipeline aka Mason City has one and call the price increase a freight charge.I bought gas this morning in Slater for $3.39 per gallon, but when I got to Ames, everyone was selling for $3.89 per gallon. Why does it cost 50 cents more per gallon in Ames? And why does every gas station (except Sam's Club) sell for the same price. I don't think there is a monopoly, but maybe it is as simple as informal price-fixing. Is there someone in Ames who sets the price and others follow?
Didn't think about Hy-Vee gas, I mentioned Kwik Star and I wouldn't really consider Sam's to be a gas station since it requires a subscription. My point was that the gas market in Ames is largely held by just 2 companies so there isn't a ton of competition.What? We have Hyvee gas, Swift Stops, Sams and now Kwik Star.
Didn't think about Hy-Vee gas, I mentioned Kwik Star and I wouldn't really consider Sam's to be a gas station since it requires a subscription. My point was that the gas market in Ames is largely held by just 2 companies so there isn't a ton of competition.
You may want to check your math.Sams club fee pays for itself in 2 fillups. Thats legit gas station.
I mean, a country club is technically a golf course but your average person still can't play there.Sams club fee pays for itself in 2 fillups. Thats legit gas station.
It’s just higher demand lol. Higher demand leads to higher prices. It’s not some grand conspiracy lol
I mean, a country club is technically a golf course but your average person still can't play there.
This is an odd take, Sams club isnt some elitist place. Is Target elitist to Walmart? You made a bad comparison.
That may be true in macro terms, but items like gas or more regional, like the town they are in. For example, we have 3 stations to get gas here in town, a Casey's, a BP, and a local one. All prices are equal on a daily basis. Now if I drive the 17 miles to the bigger town, the gas drops 5 to 10 cents, and all the stations there are equal in price. Both the BP and Casey's stations are owned by the same company, that owns the two here in town.It’s just higher demand lol. Higher demand leads to higher prices. It’s not some grand conspiracy lol
I was up in the twin cities for a wedding...3.99 everywhereI don't know what petrol is here in Mpls area. Filled up the other day but didn't really look at the price but it was $3-something or another for the premium I put in the 20 year Boxster-mobile.
I think part of it is the rapid decline in gas prices in general...it's been dropping heavy lately but the smaller markets still need to sell off that astronomic gas they had. Marshalltown usually lags DM by .10-15 cents but it's been .60 lately. I figure they just want their money back on that expensive gas they paid for but it will catch the lag soon.I always remember it being a bit higher than des moines, but not the extreme differences we've seen lately.
RE: college town thing, prices were going down in Madison and as far as I could tell were cheaper here than when I was back in CR/Marion area just two weeks ago.
They magically went up again this past week as UW folks started moving back.
Just an FYI, the price of oil last Monday through Friday also increased as well. Looks like to start today, oil is trading at a price similar to last Monday.
I bought gas this morning in Slater for $3.39 per gallon, but when I got to Ames, everyone was selling for $3.89 per gallon. Why does it cost 50 cents more per gallon in Ames? And why does every gas station (except Sam's Club) sell for the same price. I don't think there is a monopoly, but maybe it is as simple as informal price-fixing. Is there someone in Ames who sets the price and others follow?
Interesting to see the country-wide, state gax tax.Bad news for you $3.39 is high by 21 cents. Plenty of places are $3.18.