does anyone use Walmart gas

[steve smoot]

We always used BP gas for our autos, but decided to stop buying BP due the problems they are having in the Gulf.

I filled up at Walmart last Sunday morning. I have noticed that my Subaru Forester seems to be running on 2 or 3 cylinders...could it be water in the fuel...

has anyone out there had a similar experience?

Steve

[madjack]

...around here, Wal Mart gas is Murphy Oil Company, a small independent refiner...their gas contains 10-15% ethanol which will cause a 2+mile drop in mileage...that may be the problem...also, it seems they also buy gas on the "spot" market, which is cheap gas sold by many refiners to anyone...it is usually a cheaper blend without many of the additives found in "name" brand gas...on another note...why quit buying BP for their mess in the Gulf...they did nothing that virtually every other oil giant does and right now they need all the cash they can get to stay a viable company........................
madjack

[steve smoot]

You made a very good point, madjack. They really do need all the money they can raise to pay for this mess...

I plan to fill up at BP this week. My car does much better on BP.

Steve

[Shadow Catcher]

Subaru's seem to be very picky about what you feed them and all 13 we have had have been that way. BP and many others often will add alcohol not a big problem unless it is taking water with it. I have heard of places watering their gas.
Most gas comes from a more or less local refinery and the only difference between what you get is the dye packet they use to color it and they may add alcohol.
If you have problems complain to your state agency and to the store. You can find a gasoline test kit that will tell you about water contamination and alcohol content. www.fueltestkit.com
EAA also has a test kit www.eaa.org/autofuel/autogas/test_kit.asp you do not want fuel problems in an airplane.

[caseydog]

Here's another little secret from the son of a retired oil executive...

When you go to a Chevron station, the gas you buy may have been refined at a Chevron refinery, or an Exxon refinery. That Texaco gas station down the road may have gasoline from a Valero refinery. WalMart gas in Toledo may come from Chevron, while the WalMarts in Houston have some other gas entirely.

Gasoline is refined to API and NPRA standards, and nowadays, it's all the same, except for the additives, which are added at the fuel depot.

What gasoline is used where is all a matter of proximity to refineries and major petroleum pipelines.

Now, I don't buy WalMart/Sam's gasoline mainly because the station near me is a free-for-all. I was pumping my gas one day at WalMart, and a guy in a bigass Dodge pickup tried to squeeze in to a space big enough for a Honda Civic, and he backed into my car. Yes, there was drama.

CD

[caseydog]

I did a Google search, and found this excellent web page about how gasoline is distributed.

http://www.stopbuyingcrap.com/stop-buyi ... -gasoline/




CD

[asianflava]

Gasoline is refined to API and NPRA standards, and nowadays, it's all the same, except for the additives, which can be added at the fuel depot.

Yep, I used to drive past one of those depots on my way to work. You'll see all kinds of trucks lined up Texaco, Valero, Exxon, Costal, they are all getting it from the same spigot.

If you were using another brand gas, their addatives may give it different properties but not much. Water and ethanol make the biggest difference in gas. Either way, the car's ECU will eventually adapt to it.

BTW: I buy the cheapest gas I can find. I've had cars with 200K + (even 300K) and never had problems due to gas. The only time I had a problem due to gas was when it sat too long without being driven.

[caseydog]

Gasoline is refined to API and NPRA standards, and nowadays, it's all the same, except for the additives, which can be added at the fuel depot.

Yep, I used to drive past one of those depots on my way to work. You'll see all kinds of trucks lined up Texaco, Valero, Exxon, Costal, they are all getting it from the same spigot.

If you were using another brand gas, their addatives may give it different properties but not much. Water and ethanol make the biggest difference in gas. Either way, the car's ECU will eventually adapt to it.

Ethanol is added to gasoline in certain areas where air pollution exceeds EPA standards. The industry used to use MTBE as an oxygenator in gasoline to make gasoline burn more completely, but that turned out to be more dangerous than gasoline without MTBE, so now they use Ethanol as the oxygenator.

Ethanol CAN draw moisture, but modern underground tanks have to meet extremely strict EPA standards to prevent leaking, which also keeps ground water out. Also, if you buy from a station that turns over it's inventory pretty quickly -- busy stations -- you shouldn't have any issues with water.

CD

[goramsey]

No, but I give a lot of gas in the WalMart.

[Zollinger]

I don't know about other states, but in Wisconsin every time a load of gas is received there is a special load tax added that goes into a superfund used to pay for disasters like oil spills. BP has been adding that tax for years. A very small percentage of BP stations are owned by BP. Most are independent stations that have an agreement to franchise their gas. I am sick to death of hearing customers come in at work and make snide comment about the oil spill. Like I personally have something to do with it. Ok getting of my soap box now.

[queeniejeanne]

I've been making it a point to buy at Walmart or Sam's due to the 3 cent savings. After listening to all you all (which is plural for ya all) I will now buy from BP. I've been listening to the e-mails they sent back and forth and I sure agree with Jack.....everyone of those companies do it just alike, it's the American Way...until the horse is out of the barn, wang out of the shorts, boat has left the dock, well you get my drift....My milage has been lousy on the FJ too...maybe I can do better......see you around the BP/or any other high end station. Queenie Jeanne

[razorback]

Murphy oil was founded and is still head quartered in El Dorado, arkansas.
while many consider them to be a small independent refiner, Murphy Oil is one of the big boys as they control over 65% of the off shore drilling leases on both US coasts. they lease to Exxon, Shell, BP, valero,, etc. Up until about 15 years ago Murphy owned over 75% of all drilling rigs on both US coasts. Murphy had leased a rig to a major company in the North Sea that was capsized due to a violent storm. There was not a problem with the design or function of the rig but Murphy Oil was exposed to huge liabilities and then made a decision to get out of the oil rig leasing business. This company was called ODECO. (oil drilling and exploration company). The Murphy family also owns Deltic Farm and Timber Company which at one time either owned or leased a huge part of farmland in the State of Louisiana. In 96 Murphy spun off Deltic farm and timber company and named the new entity Deltic Timber corporation.
Murphy's gasoline is not cheap gas. They have several refineries and that produce gasoline sold by all major brands. Distance to pumps is why all gas brands use terminals closest to their retail outlets.
The main reason Murphy and Wal Mart sells lower is because they refuse to use distributors therefore eliminating distributor markups. Murphy and Wal Mart have been sued by distributors in 23 states and have won all law suits to date. Three years ago Murphy started an educational endowment to the tune of 50 million dollars that pays the college tuition of all students who graduate from El Dorado, High School. Murphy will pay to any El dorado graduate the same tuition as charged by the University of arkansas. The money can be used at any university but will be the same as charged by the Univ. of Ark.
sorry for the long post but I grew up with the Murphy kids and know they are quality people.
Larry

[caseydog]

Murphy is a company I have issues with. My grandfather worked for a small Northeastern gasoline retailer that was bought out by Murphy when he was seven years from retirement. Murphy said your tenure at Murphy starts today. When he retired at 65, his pension was next to nothing. Most of his retirement income was Social Security.

Quality people?

I boycott Murphy.

CD

[gregp136]

Seems like we are getting very close to the pluses and minuses of capitalism and, well.....

I best no say more.....

Except to say I avoid walmart because of my issues not having to do with the quality of their gas.

Greg(and Laurie)

[TPMcGinty]

The sad thing is 99% of the BP stations in the USA aren't owned by BP. When you boycott a BP station you won't really be hurting BP, just your neighbors that own or work in the station.