Does Utah pay $.10 more per gallon?

[StrobeNGH]

Utah's regular unleaded is 85 octane.
The rest of the nation's (almost) regular unleaded is 87 octane.

In Utah, 87 octane is our mid-grade fuel . . . right?

Why then do we pay $.10 cents more for 87 octane than the rest of the nation?

Or is there a reasonable explanation for this?

Just wonderin'

 

[StrobeNGH]

And I know why Utah uses 85 octane (higher altitudes can get away with lower octanes).
But just because we don't need 87 octane doesn't mean we should have to pay more for it, right?

 

[Exalted 4x4]

There are a few places is southern utah where the 87 is the lowest octane. I always wondered that too.

 

[Caleb]

$.10 more??? Where are you getting that? We are the third highest (something like that) in the nation. We are way more than $.10 more...but I do see your point and have always asked the same question.

 

[ChestonScout]

just went to Evanston this weekend. Gas was 26 cents cheaper at the maverik there than at the one by my house. Im pretty sure it was 85 Octane but still........why so much cheaper an hour up the road?

 

[O'neal]

just went to Evanston this weekend. Gas was 26 cents cheaper at the maverik there than at the one by my house. Im pretty sure it was 85 Octane but still........why so much cheaper an hour up the road?

We have a small refinery right outside of town that feed's maverick,sinclair,flyn j.Not sure about pilot and def not chevron with crapron.

 

[StrobeNGH]

Well, they can't say supply because there are a number of refineries IN TOWN . . . and they seem to have struck oil in Sevier County . . .

So, I'm going to have to go with "price gouging."

 

[gijohn40]

Utards tax base is much higher then wyomings... last I saw we paid like 65 cents a gal in taxes... while in wyoming it was only 26 cents.... now this was a few years ago that I last looked at this so it might have changed (sure it has) for the worst...

 

[Caleb]

We have a small refinery right outside of town that feed's maverick,sinclair,flyn j.Not sure about pilot and def not chevron with crapron.

...and we have several LARGE refineries in town...try again

 

[Medsker]

I have heard that our prices reflect better what gas prices really are because we have so many refineries. No one notices when the rest of the nations gas prices goes up before ours does but everyone notices when the rest of the nations drops before ours does. I heard if you chart it over time we end up paying the same amount just at different times. I personally have never charted it though. Taxes make some difference state to state but only a few cents (Idaho and Utah are around 25 cents where Wyoming is around 14 cents)

Medsker

 

[StrobeNGH]

I have heard that our prices reflect better what gas prices really are because we have so many refineries. No one notices when the rest of the nations gas prices goes up before ours does but everyone notices when the rest of the nations drops before ours does. I heard if you chart it over time we end up paying the same amount just at different times. I personally have never charted it though. Taxes make some difference state to state but only a few cents (Idaho and Utah are around 25 cents where Wyoming is around 14 cents)

Medsker

True, but we're paying "the same" for crappier gas!

Pennsylvania, for example, pays $1.25 for regular unleaded (87 octane) (I can dream can't I?).
Utah, however, pays $1.25 for regular unleaded (85 octane), and Utah pays $1.35 for mid-grade unleaded (87 octane).

How is Utah not paying $0.10 more for gas than Pennsylvania in this example?

Regular unleaded for the rest of the country is 87 octane. Why should we pay the same for 85 octane . . . a cheaper gas!?

 

[Medsker]

True, but we're paying "the same" for crappier gas!

Pennsylvania, for example, pays $1.25 for regular unleaded (87 octane) (I can dream can't I?).
Utah, however, pays $1.25 for regular unleaded (85 octane), and Utah pays $1.35 for mid-grade unleaded (87 octane).

How is Utah not paying $0.10 more for gas than Pennsylvania in this example?

Regular unleaded for the rest of the country is 87 octane. Why should we pay the same for 85 octane . . . a cheaper gas!?

I haven't been out of Utah much so I don't know where this takes place but I would assume this has to do with altitude. At higher altitudes you can get away with lower octane without "pinging". 85 octane at 5000 feet would be about the same as running 87 octane at sea level.

Like I said I haven't been throughout the states so I don't know if the 85 octane is just in the "Rocky Mtn" region or not.

Medsker

 

[StrobeNGH]

I haven't been out of Utah much so I don't know where this takes place but I would assume this has to do with altitude. At higher altitudes you can get away with lower octane without "pinging". 85 octane at 5000 feet would be about the same as running 87 octane at sea level.

Like I said I haven't been throughout the states so I don't know if the 85 octane is just in the "Rocky Mtn" region or not.

Medsker

Again, completely correct . . . but just because we can get away with running cheaper gas (85 octane) at our altitude, to me, doesn't mean that I should pay $.10 more per gallon for my crappy gas that works that the rest of the nation pays.

That's what I'm trying to figure out.

Don't we have people who work for oil companies here?

If I'm missing something obvious (more than I usually do) I'd love to hear it.
Otherwise, I think we've been getting hosed/overcharged for many, many years.

 

[Medsker]

Again, completely correct . . . but just because we can get away with running cheaper gas (85 octane) at our altitude, to me, doesn't mean that I should pay $.10 more per gallon for my crappy gas that works that the rest of the nation pays.

That's what I'm trying to figure out.

Don't we have people who work for oil companies here?

If I'm missing something obvious (more than I usually do) I'd love to hear it.
Otherwise, I think we've been getting hosed/overcharged for many, many years.

Good point. Just because the can seems to be the answer but it definitely isn't right.

If anyone has some Uranium-235 lying around I'm thinking of designing a small nuclear powered Jeep...then the gas companies can take their gas and shove it...well anywhere they like . Just think a couple pounds would last you a few years and we already have a cooling system built in /

Medsker