biodev

I have a 2004 LS 430. I have been buying gasoline at the local COSTCO. Lately I notice their gas contains 10% ethanol. I'm not too keen on using this mix. Does anyone have an opinion or experience with this?

Ty419

All pumps have the sticker that says "may contain up to 10 percent ethanol." Some states require a certain amount, usually around 5 percent, but any pump can have up to 10 percent at any time. Over the summer, a bill in congress was considered that would have made it up to 15, but it didn't get through. I think gasoline without ethanol is getting pretty rare, and extremely difficult to hunt down, since the same refiner may alter the ethanol content as prices fluctuate.

jayclapp

The feds started to prohibit MTBE as the octane improving/oxidizer in gasoline several years ago when it found that MTBE was carcinogenic and rapidly moved thru the earth and contaminated water reservoirs. Ethanol was the chemical of choice to replace MTBE and Congress passed laws requiring the gradual transition. They have established the amount of ethanol that must be produced each year and subsidized the ethanol industry to the tune of $0.50 per gallon as it cost more to produce than gasoline costs. They also established the percent of ethanol to be included in the gasoline and auto manufacturers were forced to make their auto compatible.

By the way, ethanol is pure drinkable alcohol (generally corn alcohol) that has been poisoned. That is to prevent people from buying their drinking alcohol without paying the federal taxes on alcohol. In Brazil they didn't "convert" their alcohol and people were knows to siphon their gas tank and get drunk before they got to their destination!

GS4_Fiend

iTrader: (22)

All gas have Ethanol by 10%, for California at least. It's the requirement to pass the test to be sold as Top Tier gas. But I only use Chevron just because from experience it's better for me.

Dailow

This is something I've been thinking about too.

I was reading around, and from what I understand, ethanol does not produce as much energy as pure gasoline. For a normal gasoline engine, that means that your MPG goes down since you'll be consuming more fuel.

The interesting thing is that in Vancouver, we have 4 grades of gas - 87, 89, 91 and 94 octane. The lowest 3 grades all contain up to 10% ethanol, whereas 94 octane (according to Chevron at least) contains NO ethanol.

The difference between 91 and 94 octane gas is $0.03/L.
I haven't actually gotten around to doing any sort of mileage comparisons per tank, although I'm wondering if there's a discernible difference between the two grades.

warminwisc

I think you will find in some states in particular it is hard to get away from ethanol blends. In wisco alot of premium 91-93 octane does not have it. My understanding is in small amounts it is not horrible but MPG may gp down.

Bocatrip

I see the 10% ethanol at just about every station.

CG lover

my 05 LS has been running on Costco gas from day one as well as the wife's 03 Turbo Bug,, right at 56K on the Lexus meter and never an issue on either car,,


Derry

jayclapp

Ethanol only has 75% as much energy as gasoline, so yes the more ethanol in a gallon of gas the lower the gas mileage.

Jabberwock

I try to avoid brands being sold with higher ethanol content (if possible). I no longer buy gas from Costco because I read they buy lowest possible price gas with minimal additive package. I Dallas we buy gas form QT if at all possible. I read they sell only top tier gas (with good additive package). Of course this info is based only on what's published. With all the marketing hype its always been hard to get any verifiable objective facts about the relative quality of gas brands.

AznRacer

iTrader: (2)

I been seeing the same sticker at every gas stations in florida for years now and been pumping still no problem so you shouldnt be too concern with that.

Jabberwock

The ethanol gas is definitely becoming more predominant. We did a road trip from DFW area to Santa Fe, NM area last month and on that 1800 mile trip, I saw no gas stations (once we left DFW area) that sold higher than 91 octane gas. And all of it was the 10-15% ethanol variety.

Only back in DFW area could I find 93 octane non ethanol gas.

jayclapp

The requirement for the ethanol content is set by the EPA for specific areas that have seasonally high CO2. The gas stations don't have a choice. I live in the Phoenix area and we go thru this every winter because of thermal conversions that raise the smog levels in the winter.

beneteau

http://www.buyrealgas.com/

http://pure-gas.org/