So You THINK You're Buying Premium Fuel?
11-18-09, 05:15 AM
#31
Pole Position
11-18-09, 06:12 AM
#33
Lexus Champion
There's a gasoline wholesaler in my area who also owns a retail chain of mini marts/gas stations called Gas City. They supply gas to a large number of the chain retailers (Shell, bp, etc.) too.
The major part of the various chains business is marketing and branding, the gas is the same except for each brands "special?" additives.
The major part of the various chains business is marketing and branding, the gas is the same except for each brands "special?" additives.
11-18-09, 01:55 PM
#34
Lead Lap
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You've always suspected it. You buy a tank of premium and your engine knocks. Why? Isn't this stuff supposed to be regulated? Evidently not, as a few of our local gas stations have been caught cutting their premium fuel with regular and selling the result at premium prices.
It's an almost perfect crime, made possible by ECU's that dial back your spark advance when sensors detect pre-ignition knock. You may not even know you've been ripped off, except that your car's performance is sluggish. You are paying a 20¢ premium for the good stuff, and somebody's "watering it down" with regular unleaded, making themselves a tidy profit in the bargain.
How did investigators detect this crime? Like Al Capone who was done in by his paper trail, it was fuel receipts that eventually exposed the thieves. Surprisingly, it wasn't just being done at the local station, but by the retail company. Here's the story of one local fuel transporter that got caught:
http://www.khou.com/news/Records-sho...-70233502.html
It's an almost perfect crime, made possible by ECU's that dial back your spark advance when sensors detect pre-ignition knock. You may not even know you've been ripped off, except that your car's performance is sluggish. You are paying a 20¢ premium for the good stuff, and somebody's "watering it down" with regular unleaded, making themselves a tidy profit in the bargain.
How did investigators detect this crime? Like Al Capone who was done in by his paper trail, it was fuel receipts that eventually exposed the thieves. Surprisingly, it wasn't just being done at the local station, but by the retail company. Here's the story of one local fuel transporter that got caught:
http://www.khou.com/news/Records-sho...-70233502.html
11-18-09, 06:05 PM
#35
Lexus Fanatic
Mobil was acquired by Exxon http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=xom. Brithish Petroleum (BP) acquired Amoco and ARCO (Atlantic Richfield Corporation). Shell and ExxonMobil are the biggest petroleum companies in the whole entire world...
I had already known that, but I just got the four of them mixed up in my memory as to who bought who (Mobil, Exxon, Amoco, BP) when I posted.
11-18-09, 06:10 PM
#36
Lexus Fanatic
Hey, I'm human. No one is perfect.
11-19-09, 07:50 AM
#38
Lexus Fanatic
Yes, I admit, that was a slight mix-up on my part (see my answer, above, to Trexus). I knew about both sales/buy-outs (I was actrually sorry, at the time, to see both of them sold), but had them mixed up as to who bought who. Just a slight partial memory lapse.
Hey, I'm human. No one is perfect.
Hey, I'm human. No one is perfect.
My response was to Trexus noting his factual update.
Last edited by IS-SV; 11-19-09 at 07:54 AM.
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