Ethanol Free Gas? (Bristol, Jonesborough, Gray: income, taxes, to live)

[mbmouse]

Actually I was in FL driving a 71 VW super beetle when the last gas station to carry leaded gas stopped carrying it, so yea, I did have an issue with that hahahahaha. Had to have the carb modified and until that happened, added lead.
Still sorry you are not understanding the issue here but I have a car that is a 2003 (not that old in my opinion.) That says right in the manual, "do not use gasoline with ethanol additive." and I have lost significant MPG. Why should I and others just be happy about it? Heck, if it were up to me they would make an affordable nuclear fuel cell car. Never have to fill it up with anything, but once every 50 years, buy a new cell. A lot better on the environment than gas, oil and ethanol in many many different ways. Unfortunately, everyone is afraid of the word "nuclear" and Saudi Arabia would go bankrupt, which I personally wouldn't feel one bit bad about.

[rccrain]

Originally Posted by marmac

mnmouse----------did you folks have a lot of trouble with your cars when catalytic converters came out and when unleaded gas came out also ?

We didn't.

If you won't take our word for it would you take Popular Mechanics?

Download our comparison chart and find out.
http://media.popularmechanics.com/documents/Fuel_of_the_Future-e852.pdf (broken link)

* Ethanol/E85
* Methanol/M85
* Compressed Natural Gas
* Biodiesel
* Electricity

-------------------------

How about consumer reports...
An October 2006 report from Consumer Reports studied the fuel economy of a 2007 Chevy Tahoe, a flex fuel vehicle that can operate on E85. The study found a decrease in fuel economy for all categories.

"Overall fuel economy on the Tahoe dropped from an already low 14 mpg overall to 10," the report read. "In highway driving, gas mileage decreased from 21 to 15 mpg; in city driving, it dropped from 9 mpg to 7."

The report also found that the fuel tank of a flex fuel Tahoe depletes sooner than that of a non-flex fuel Tahoe.

--------------------

How about someone from MN (apparently some in your neck of the woods does care and does notice)?

For the last few months, I've been conducting an unscientific experiment: filling up my car with regular gasoline and comparing the performance with the ethanol blends I'm required to use in Minnesota.

Although Wisconsin drivers get a choice, lawmakers are considering an ethanol mandate, which would require 10 percent of gasoline to be a blend of ethanol, rising to 25 percent by 2025. Here's a copy of the legislation. Minnesota, on the other hand, requires all gasoline sold to be at least 10 percent ethanol.

I snuck across the border several times to fill up the 2004 Chevy Cavalier (the official car of News Cut) with ethanol-free gasoline. The result? My car got about 32.6 miles per gallon. The Minnesota blend gave me almost 29 miles per gallon, a 12% drop in performance.

Calculating current prices (the average price of gasoline in Minnesota now is $3.235. In Wisconsin it's $3.40), driving 1000 miles on Minnesota gas costs $111.55 (11.2 cents per mile). On Wisconsin gas, 1,000 miles costs $104.29 (10.4 cents a mile), a $7.26 savings, even though the difference in the price of a gallon is almost 17 cents. The "ethanol tax" works out to 2.3 cents a gallon.

MPR: News Cut: The ethanol tax





Awaiting your response...

[marmac]

rccrain--------I have read many stories and chats in MN comparing the loss of mileage on regular gas sold in MN ( mandated 10% ethanol) vs E85 (85% ethanol)

Most people lose--15%--on their flex fuel vehicle's mileage when going from gas(10% mandated) to E85
The lower price of E-85 compensates for that in flex fuel vehicles, however.

Many people confuse E85 (which can only be used in flex fuel vehicles) with 10 % ethanol blend

apples to oranges

I have not heard a single family member ever complain about all the troubles with fuel as you folks do in TN
(YES, as I stated------------my fuel mileage on my 3400 mile trip a year ago and my 2900 mile trip last month did NOT show a difference regardless of whether I bough gas that stated "no ethanol" or a 10% ethanol blend.

I kept EXACT figures on every tank of gas.

[TN Tin Man]

Originally Posted by marmac

Some of the same fears people had regarding older cars were expressed when unleaded gas hit the market.

Do stations in TN still sell leaded gas ?

I think leaded gas is outlawed in all 50 states for resale too the public. I would guess early 80's,,,,,,

A number of links pages long say 1986 Clean Air Act. It also took lead out of paint.......

[Tennesseestorm]

Originally Posted by Tinman313

I think leaded gas is outlawed in all 50 states for resale too the public. I would guess early 80's,,,,,,

A number of links pages long say 1986 Clean Air Act. It also took lead out of paint.......

I remember back in the 80s, we had 70s cars that took regular gasoline. I remember it was mainly the "rich" people that always seemed to get unleaded gas.

[Tennesseestorm]

Since I have started getting gas without ethanol, my Lexus LS400 has went from 16.1 mpg, back up to 19.9 mpg. Not sure if its worth going the extra 8 miles (round trip) out of the way or the extra 3 cents per gallon to get it, but if its better for my engine in the long run, it probably is.

I got non-ethanol gas yesterday in my Mercedes for the first time since I have bought it. It already had 1/2 tank, so it will take awhile to "dilute" the ethanol gas out. I will check then to see if the mpgs increase on that car as well.

**Oh, I noticed last night that a gas station up at exit 7 I-81 in Bristol VA has ethanol free gas. Its the store that has the Wendys restaurant in the back. Strange, the store itself is rarely open, but the gas part of it is open, but you can only pay by credit/debit card only.

[dogsgofish]

There is a statrion in Mtn/ City With a large sign advetising ethanol free 100% gasoline It is in the short cut from 91 to ? 321 that goes to Boone

[billre]

What is the percentage of Ethanol in Exxon regular fuel?

[rccrain]

*** upto 10% ethanol per the stickers.

[dlamberg]

Yes it is true that some energy companies import more oil than others. As an employee of a refinery I can say however is that regardless of who you buy your gasoline from, Exxon, Mobil, BP, Shell, Chevron, Conoco, Phillips, CITGO, Sam's Club, Costo, etc. it is more than 90% the same. What everyone pays for is the brand name and that additive package that comes with the gasoline. Shell has their V-Power; BP their invigorate; Conoco, Phillips, and 76 the proclean formula and other smaller companies have additive packages that may or may not be better than the industry mandated minimum. Once the oil is refined and the gasoline shipped out into the pipeline system, custody has been transferred and it is combined will all other gasoline in the region. If the nearest refinery is operated by Exxon Mobil, it is a high probability that your gasoline is coming from Exxon Mobil even if you are buying from a Shell station.

Personally, I find that the Shell V-Power fuel works best for my car but that may not be true for everyone. I hope that this infroms those who believe that boycotting certain brands will do anything whatsoever. What we should be boycotting is the forced increases in ethanol content in our gasoline. This will do nothing but lower fuel economy and result in increased fuel demand nationwide. We do need biofuels but biofuels that are made at the lowest market price. That is not currently possible courtesy of our governments policy on ethanol imports.