Get Ready for $4 Gasoline!

[scooperhsd]

California gas is a special blend, designed to work with Calfornia gas vehicle emission equipment. California emission regulations have driven a couple of refiners to leave the state (and if you know what an investment a refinery is - they are walking away from some very large investments). I'm not sure if California can refine enough gas anymore (as well as some of their neighboring states that also use the same emission regulations / gas), hence the availaibilty is being squeezed and raising the prices.

"Play stupid games, win stupid prizes".

I'd like to see some posts from Alien and other California riders on the whole situation.

there are many states that have different fuel formulations know as "boutique fuels," to meet local air quality needs.
california is still using the lie about SMOG which a natural advent in parts of california. the Native Americas always referred to the LA valley as the Valley of Smoke. same reason on east coast we have the Smoking Mountains, smog is natural. then it blows east and some states use that to inflect emission crap laws on people.

You might be correct about the boutique fuels, but there are some states that follow CARB's standards as well on vehicle emissions.

[F6Dave]

The EPA mandates 'reformulated' gasoline in a few dozen areas around the country that have too much 'smog'. But California mandates an extra special blend of reformulated gas. While many states follow California's emission standards, I don't believe any require California's reformulated gasoline blend, which costs significantly more. That blend, along with the state's high taxes, are the reasons Californians pay more for gas than anywhere else in the US. Many CA locations now have gas well over $7.

The map below, which may be out of date, shows the areas with reformulated gasoline requirements.

Here's a very interesting note. CBOB (conventional) RBOB (reformulated) and CARBOB (California reformulated) gasolines all leave the refinery without ethanol, which gets added just before delivery. Why? Because ethanol would corrode the pipeline network. Yet the government requires us to put that junk in our vehicles!

[Knapdog]

Texaco, here in Wales, UK, has the diesel at £1.89 per litre which equates to $7.15 per US gallon

[scooperhsd]

Texaco, here in Wales, UK, has the diesel at £1.89 per litre which equates to $7.15 per US gallon

My diesel here in Kansas City is anywhere from $4.39 - $4.69 per gallon. It had been around $3.20- $3.40 per gallon before the hostilities with Iran began.

 I would be interested in how much it is between KC and Perryville MD, mostly along I-70 except in Pennsylvania.

[0leman]

Just went to look at gas/diesel prices.  Gas is between $4.64 and $4.75.  Diesel between $6.45 to $6.65

Everything comes to our town by trucks.   So, prices are going up. 

[old2soon]

     Yesterday 4-2-2026 87 octane most everywhere here bouts was $3.45 gal. Today at least where I live 87 octane is now $3.60 a gal. Diesel I noticed is $5.25 a gal here! And B T W I rounded UP that silly azzed 1/10 of a cent!  With ONLY 20% of the worlds oil going thru the strait of hormuz splain me WHY these fuel prics is going bonkers? conspiracy I tell ya conspiracy!  RIDE SAFE.

[f6john]

I don’t have all the facts but I’m sure many people are making big bucks with the cost of oil going up. I’m sure there are people who don’t own stocks or work in oil fields ect that work jobs, commute and the extra cost is cutting into their budget. I’m not enjoying the hike in prices, but I can stay home if need be and generally belt tighten where needed.

I have to look at it as investment in the future of my grandkids if, we hold the course and eliminate the threat that Iran has presented in the past 50 years, just over a theological ideology that they are right and everyone else is wrong and must submit or die.

I think we are on the right somewhat expensive path. We must break their back to the point it will be generations before they get back up.

[Jersey mike]

When a nation brags openly about over 400kg (1000lbs) of enriched uranium, lies about its so-called rocket program as a space program and is a government built on a crazy notion that all others but those who believe in their way of life must die, there is an inherent danger and problem.

Even IF we just go by the words of 2 recent former presidents that Iran should never possess nuclear weapons we should understand there really was a significant danger that was never really relayed to the people.

The danger and fear of a rogue nation with long range nuclear missiles seems to have been forgotten, ignored or is just something people do not consider to be anything of of a real importance, concern or danger anymore.

The Cold War, The Cuban Missile Crisis, people building bomb shelters, hiding under desks in school and even certain public buildings throughout towns and cities being marked for radiation safety seems to have just all faded away into history and nuclear threats are just a thing of the past.

I’m not thrilled about paying more at the pump, I understand what it’s doing to many people and the impact of business but the can could only be kicked so far down that road so here we are. Hiw this all plays out is always an uncertainty, there are no guarantees in military actions and specific timelines. When it’s over it’s over and hopefully it’s over within the timeframe that’s been discussed, another 2-3 weeks yet the President still had a total of 90 days if needed.

[Jess from VA]

I paid over 4$ a gallon at a Mobil station for a fill-up yesterday. ($85 24gal tank)

Good thing I only need to fill up about 4 times a year.  (except for my annual summer trip to MI)

I was waiting for it to go down, but it went up and I was too low to wait any more.   

[F6Dave]

I believe this war had to be fought eventually. Other presidents talked about it, but Trump did it. That's his style.

Unfortunately I see no easy exit and no easy victory. The alternative, an extended war, is looking more likely.

These wars have never been won with airpower alone. Bombing their power plants would take a major humanitarian toll in a city of millions like Tehran. That may be why Trump only talks about that option. So victory likely requires ground troops, with huge operational and political risks.

But if we exit I can't imagine Iran giving up control of the Straits. It's their only leverage -- a weapon of mass DISRUPTION. To open the straits they'll surely demand major concessions.

I don't know how this will play out and making the decisions won't be easy.

[Jersey mike]

We need to secure the S. of Hormuz it’s that simple.

It needs to be considered a no go zone for a determined period of time, sink everything that doesn’t fly an American flag in the next 5 days and we need to bring in a flotilla of boats the size of our own Coast Guard cutters and drug enforcement go fast boats to secure the coastline and stop all traffic.

We need to treat the Strait like The Gulf of America and drug runners, sink anything and everything that moves. No more fishing vessels, no more personal watercraft, no more pleasure boats. Last week the news showed just these types of vessels were most likely to be used for “sailors”, divers and frogmen to deploy mines so eliminate them. Scour the shoreline for any place that looks like a dock, beach or launch area for watercraft being trailered to the waterline.

Iran cannot claim sovereignty over that Strait and the President is absolutely correct when he said European and Asian nations should be involved in the protection of shipping through the strait to prevent the disruption of international trade and the flow of oil to Europe and Asia.

[98valk]

I luv the people who complain about gasoline prices going up yet will pay $48 for a gallon of starbucks and even more with their fancy additives. and it causes extra transportation costs to the bathroom.

""A gallon is equivalent to approximately 16 Starbucks grande cups. If a grande coffee costs $3, then a gallon would theoretically cost around $48.""

https://cookwithrome.com/blog/how-much-is-a-gallon-of-starbucks-coffee/

[Jersey mike]

I luv the people who complain about gasoline prices going up yet will pay $48 for a gallon of starbucks and even more with their fancy additives. and it causes extra transportation costs to the bathroom.

""A gallon is equivalent to approximately 16 Starbucks grande cups. If a grande coffee costs $3, then a gallon would theoretically cost around $48.""

https://cookwithrome.com/blog/how-much-is-a-gallon-of-starbucks-coffee/

Priorities! 

[old2soon]

       Today I actually Needed to fill up. And B T W I ^round up^ that silly 1/10 of a cent. Most eberywhere here bouts at $3.80 a gal couple at $3.90 a gal I found a place at $3.70 a gal. Diesel Still Over $5.00 a gal. I'd Thought a barrel of oil had slipped under $100.00 a barrel. Sorta like the gubmint you owe us pay up NOW! "they" owe you we may or may not git round to it in a couple monyhs or so or NOT at all!   RIDE SAFE.

[Willow]

     ... I'd Thought a barrel of oil had slipped under $100.00 a barrel. ...

The oil at the lower price (or maybe even at the higher price) has not yet been refined to produce gasoline.  Prices were raised in anticipation but producers are quick to anticipate expected higher costs but always slower to react to expected lower costs.

[Jess from VA]

$4.75 a gallon for non-ethanol for the Valk today.   

Only 5 gallons.   

[Knapdog]

$4.75 a gallon for non-ethanol for the Valk today.   

Only 5 gallons.   

$7.87 for the equivalent of a US gallon here in UK.

[LadyDraco]

I paid $4.76 for 100% fuel for the farm 10 gals,, OUCH...

[0leman]

I was out and about yesterday; saw my favorite gas station was at $4.79 for regular corn gas.  Diesel was in the $6.50 range. 

[F6Dave]

Back in the 1980s I knew a couple who owned a little bar and restaurant that was well off the beaten path. I was in there for lunch and the owner was complaining how he just paid a dollar for a gallon of gas. I mentioned that he had just raised his beer price to a dollar a bottle. He agreed, but still thought he was getting cheated by someone in the oil business.

Over the years I noticed that his beer price tracked gas prices pretty closely. When gas hit $2 about 20 years ago, his beer price did too. He and his wife sold the place 5 years ago and I stopped going. Then last year I stopped by and beer was up to $6 a bottle! Even with the war, gas hasn't kept pace with beer.

That couple tried to sell the place for years, but always asked too much for an old building in a very small town. They were getting pretty burned keeping it running and one day his wife told me "I wish I'd win the lottery so I could give this place to someone I hate!" I'm sure many small business owners know that feeling.

[f6john]

I bought gas in Marion County Ky last week on my way back from checking in on my Mother. $3.75 felt like a bargain! The gas I put in my Wing today was $3.89 down from a high of $4.19. Just before Epic Fury I was finding gas under $3.00 in my area. I still support the move against Iran, painful as it may be.

[Jersey mike]

Here on the Jersey Shore Exxon, $3.99 regular at my normal station.

Plus and Super over $4.00.

There are independent stations and a Wawa coming in at less than that innthe immediate area.