LS - 3rd Gen (2001-2006) Discussion topics related to the flagship Lexus LS430

Gas prices

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 01-17-16, 06:39 AM
  #16  
tradosauru
Advanced
 
tradosauru's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Texas
Posts: 675
Received 21 Likes on 19 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by lexman52
Trado i can' see that price. How much is it.
69.9 cents / gallon.
Brookshires grocery stores in East Texas gives discounts on their gas when you shop at the store. We had a $1.30 / gal discount for 30 gallons maximum.
My wife does a lot of grocery buying. lol
What we do is drive all three of our cars and then one of us pumps the gas so we can maximize the 30 gallons. I paid $21 for 30 gallons.
Old 01-17-16, 06:45 AM
  #17  
Joeb427
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (1)
 
Joeb427's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SC
Posts: 11,670
Received 17 Likes on 16 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by Boomer01
I read a while back that it had to do with supply and demand. Obviously the vast majority of vehicle use regular unleaded, therefore the refineries produce mostly 87 octane which ups the production cost on mid-grade and premium. Not sure why it has changed over the years though.

The same goes for 100% gas and 10% ethanol gas. The price of 100% gas used to be $0.10-0.20 more and now it's $0.50-0.75 more.
Gas companies should get rid of 89 and lower the cost of 93.
89 seems like a waste as the price is much more than regular and close to 93 in my state.
How many drivers actually use 89?
Old 01-17-16, 07:50 AM
  #18  
SW17LS
Lexus Fanatic
 
SW17LS's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Maryland
Posts: 56,975
Received 2,723 Likes on 1,950 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by Joeb427
Gas companies should get rid of 89 and lower the cost of 93.
89 seems like a waste as the price is much more than regular and close to 93 in my state.
How many drivers actually use 89?
My guess is 89 is sold to people who think they are giving their cars a "treat" with a higher octane gas, and its also sold to people with cars that specify high test who want to save money but don't go all the way to regular.

More 89 might be sold than you think...
Old 01-17-16, 08:26 AM
  #19  
BradTank
Racer
 
BradTank's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: AZ
Posts: 1,654
Received 176 Likes on 121 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by warminwisc
These cars where built when corn was a food. So I even see some Primo with ethanol.
Tell me about it, all because the state of Iowa "goes first" in the Presidential primary, we're forced to buy corn to burn in our gas tanks. Don't even get me started on what this does to 2 stroke engines or motorcycles that don't get used as much.

MPGs go down with Ethanol and it gums up everything.
Old 01-17-16, 10:36 AM
  #20  
Tom57
Pole Position
 
Tom57's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Illinois
Posts: 2,146
Received 67 Likes on 63 Posts
Default

I understand the topic of this thread is "gas prices" (not octane requirements), and there are many other threads about octane. I have driven LS's for over 20 years, nearly 500K miles on 87 octane without any: (1) knock issues (normal or WOT acceleration) or (2) noticeably reduced MPG. The only reason to choose higher octane in a non-turbo/super charged engine is if lower octane causes knock - pre-detonation of gas from cylinder compression before spark. See, e.g. http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles...ctane-gasoline

Some naive people think 89 octane is a "treat" for their engine, or that it will burn cleaner, etc. which is simply a myth. Octane ratings are a measure of the anti-knock properties of the gasoline. If the engine runs fine on 87 (no knock on acceleration), then you're good to go with 87. If it knocks on 87 octane, try a full tank of 89. If it knocks on 89, then go up to 91 octane.

Folks are passionate on this topic, and hold strong, opposing views. If you like your peace of mind and don't mind spending more for higher octane gasoline, then don't change to the lower octane.

This would be a great subject for Mythbusters.
Old 01-17-16, 10:51 AM
  #21  
lexman52
Intermediate
Thread Starter
 
lexman52's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Florida
Posts: 379
Received 6 Likes on 6 Posts
Default

Have owned 2 - 400 4-430 and always used reg. and never had a problem. If people want to spend more money to fell good then thats up to them.
Old 01-17-16, 11:31 AM
  #22  
SW17LS
Lexus Fanatic
 
SW17LS's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Maryland
Posts: 56,975
Received 2,723 Likes on 1,950 Posts
Default

Lets not turn this into ANOTHER octane thread...
Old 01-17-16, 11:34 AM
  #23  
airchomper
Pole Position
 
airchomper's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 277
Likes: 0
Received 7 Likes on 7 Posts
Default

I think these cars run fine on 87 octane. Sometimes I put in 89 octane when the price differential isn't too bad. I do notice slightly better freeway mpg with the 91/93 octane gas. But not enough to make it cost effective. I might get it if I were on a road trip and would spend my whole time on the freeway. But my car warms up for ~15% of my commute and I can't justify high octane gas to warm up my engine block and coolant when 87 warms it up just as well and is substantially cheaper. The only thing I could justify is ethanol free gas but I live in corn country and the farmers whine to the gas station owners when they offer it (although every farmer's co op has ethonal free gas and farmers are the only people who use red diesel which is diesel without a fuel tax on it to power their tax write off diesel trucks).

I've noticed that the price difference between the grades of gas has increased a lot in the past decade. My theory is that we're seeing more and more cars that need high octane gas. Our cars are rated for high octane gas but run fine on regular gas. Lexus seems to rate their cars on high octane gas to get better milage / horsepower ratings than the comparable Toyotas. Look at the window sticker of an ES350 vs an Avalon V6.

Turbo cars generally need the high octane gas and high octane gas turns into a pay to play sort of thing.

Also, gas stations don't have a reservoir of mid-grade gasoline, and refiners don't refine mid-grade gasoline. The station has high grade and low grade gasoline and the pump mixes the two together to create mid-grade gasoline.
Old 01-17-16, 11:49 AM
  #24  
Tom57
Pole Position
 
Tom57's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Illinois
Posts: 2,146
Received 67 Likes on 63 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by SW15LS
Lets not turn this into ANOTHER octane thread...
I filled up yesterday for $1.679 per gallon (87 octane of course). Haven't seen that nominal price since 2003.
Old 01-17-16, 12:00 PM
  #25  
SW17LS
Lexus Fanatic
 
SW17LS's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Maryland
Posts: 56,975
Received 2,723 Likes on 1,950 Posts
Default

I really never thought I would see gas prices like that again in my lifetime...
Old 02-03-16, 04:49 PM
  #26  
fensterlip
Pole Position
 
fensterlip's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: CA
Posts: 227
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by lexman52
Trado i can' see that price. How much is it.
Click on the picture to blow it up. It's a joke at .69 cents....
Old 02-03-16, 05:34 PM
  #27  
ryanSC300lover
Lead Lap
iTrader: (1)
 
ryanSC300lover's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: CA
Posts: 3,750
Received 86 Likes on 66 Posts
Default

$2.92 gallon here
Old 02-03-16, 07:18 PM
  #28  
chuck1022
Driver
 
chuck1022's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: ca
Posts: 56
Likes: 0
Received 12 Likes on 5 Posts
Default

LOL....high test


Originally Posted by SW15LS
I was actually thinking about this today driving through a poorer area of town.

In the more expensive parts of town where I live and normally spend my time, gas is $2.15 for regular, about $2.65 for high test. Today I found where I was, gas was $1.89 for regular and I was thinking I should get gas while I'm there...then I looked at the high test price....$2.59.

I wonder if the difference is they sell more high test in the better parts of town, so they price it more aggressively. In the poorer areas they sell very little...
Old 02-03-16, 07:52 PM
  #29  
tradosauru
Advanced
 
tradosauru's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Texas
Posts: 675
Received 21 Likes on 19 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by fensterlip
Click on the picture to blow it up. It's a joke at .69 cents....
No, this is the actual price I paid. I get discount points at a certain grocery store.
Old 02-03-16, 08:14 PM
  #30  
isfdude
Lead Lap
iTrader: (11)
 
isfdude's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: new york
Posts: 546
Received 15 Likes on 9 Posts
Default

Gas prices are at a really low price now. I'm not complaining for now.


Quick Reply: Gas prices



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 03:36 PM.