GAS: Safeway versus Shell Fuel - cheaper is not cheaper

[LuxoM3]

Gentlemen:

I had an unusual observation this month...

(note pricing is an average as is gallons and mpg - rounded to the nearest whole number.)


OBSERVATION
- - -

Safeway fuel runs about $4.70/g and I fill up 12 gallons and get 22mpg
I've gotten this return for the past 6 months driving from San Ramon to SF.

But when summer started, I got really bad pinging, so I tried Shell at
$4.80/g and fil up 12 gallons and get 24mpg... and I have been using Shell for a month.

THE FACTS
- - -

Safeway $4.70 x 12gal (x 22mpg = 264 miles) = $56.40
Shell $4.80 x 12gal ( x 24mpg = 288 miles ) = $57.60

But NOTICE I get an additional 24 miles out of a tank of Shell. Or the equivalent of one more gallon worth of miles. Which means I SAVE ($4.80price/g - difference of $1.20 betwen tanks or) a net $3.60+ per fill-up using a more "expensive" fuel.

I'd suggest giving Shell a try over Safeway if you are using Safeway now. Again, I commute into work about 75 miles rounds trip in a 3.0 1995 M3 so if you do a lot of city driving, you may not see such a dramatic net.

[NegativeCamber]

which stations use safeway gas?

[Eddie916]

Safeway Stores usually have a filling station.

[e38audrey]

lol you use safeway gas. i work at safeway and i don't even use our gas.

[e38audrey]

oh, i mean...i always use our safeway gas - it's the best. yeah...always. O_O

[firefirefire90]

Gas is 3.80 a gallon up there?!?! WTF!?!


It's freakin a dollar more down here!!!

[LuxoM3]

Ha ha sorry my bad, corrected the $ amounts to 4.XX

[Amir@AvusAutosport]

I don't use anything but Chevron or Shell and I prefer Chevron. That safeway sh!t is bad for your car

[sirius600]

ARCO pride.

[myblackcar]

That is why Costco is so good: $4.67/gallon (as of Sat) for 91 and it does not cause knocking.

[rsy124]

ARCO pride.

Horrible gas..also gets bad mpg similar to "cheap" brands.


That is why Costco is so good: $4.67/gallon (as of Sat) for 91 and it does not cause knocking.

Same story as arco, safeway, etc.


Stick with Chevron or Shell (76 is 3rd best, but not as clean as Chevron and Shell, nor does it get as much mpg). They really do give better mpg overall which actually makes them cheaper than "cheap" gas as the OP says.
If you don't believe, go try and measure for yourself.

Currently I am trying to see if Shell or Chevron gives me better mpg.
In my last car, Shell was the one. However, all cars are different..(Sister's car gets the most out of Chevron)

[JETninja]

I do 70m a day, from South OC to Long Beach & back again, everyday. I have put over 50k on my M since getting it 3 yrs ago. I use Arco (mostly) and Shell. No matter the brand, I average 24mpg. I have 3 yrs of data. And my car doesn't ping with either. No idea about Costco, alway wondered if you have to be a member to use it?

[Eddie916]

^ You must be a member with Costco, you scan your card before you do the credit card.

Safeway gas is sooo much cheaper here (well, 12 cents)! And I see more city driving than highway, so it comes out to be about the same. I do use Chevron/Shell when I see a good deal though.

[NOCTURNAL]

The only safeway gas that i know of is in Tracy. I only gas up with arco bc everything else is too damn expensive for my pockets.

[happycamper]

i've used cosco gas

[Rakshas]

I get around 30hwy on no-name independent gas, no pinging, no knocking, no problems.

[phillipk]

Rsy124,

Maybe it was something in the last tank of gas I filled up at Costco, but I got the best MPG driving from San Jose to San Diego using Costco gas.

I've got a pretty heavy left foot when I make the drive, since I usually shoot for 6 hours or less one way. I always keep track of my MPG each tank, and the last time I drove down to San Diego, Costco had had the best MPG average I've seen in the M5.

It beat Chevron by almost 1 mpg. It was also around .20 - .25 cheaper, and since I've got the Costco Amex Business Card I got a 5% rebate on the gas purchase. Total net savings was somewhere around $7 - 8 plus the extra 17ish miles. Haven't been able to do another trip though to re-verify (see sig), but I'll be filling up Costco next year when I make the drive to check it out.