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The map below, which may be out of date, shows the areas with reformulated gasoline requirements.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

[F6Dave]

My cars use premium and it just jumped to over $5 around here. $4 now seems like a bargain.

[Challenger]

$4.80 a gallon here in the Republic of Pigster

[LadyDraco]

I paid $5.20 for 100% Friday...
This is truly hurting ..
As the farm runs on it as I have said before.

[0leman]

Our regular hit $5.09 a week ago.  Yesterday it was $4.99.  Maybe a good sign.

[ridingron]

Today I paid $4.599 a gal. for gas,the first time in my life that I paid more than $3.999 for gas.

Where is the public out cry??? If Sleepy Eyes was still in office you guys would be screaming bloody murder. Please don't try to blame it on the "war". That hasn't reached a scrimmage level. Unless something I don't know about happened today, the Iraqis are humiliating the US. We might be bombing the hell out of them but they still are controlling the Strait, one way or another.

[f6john]

Today I paid $4.599 a gal. for gas,the first time in my life that I paid more than $3.999 for gas.

Where is the public out cry??? If Sleepy Eyes was still in office you guys would be screaming bloody murder. Please don't try to blame it on the "war". That hasn't reached a scrimmage level. Unless something I don't know about happened today, the Iraqis are humiliating the US. We might be bombing the hell out of them but they still are controlling the Strait, one way or another.

One thing I take from your post, if not for the higher cost of fuel a large swath of the American public wouldn't even know that we are engaged in a conflict with Iran, and I might add that said conflict has nothing to do with oil supplies. You may feel humiliated by the (Iraqis) Iranians but not me. What is most different in this conflict is that we have no great insight into the effect we are have on the internal working of Iran and their current living conditions, which I bet are much worst than what we are experiencing.

When it comes to "Sleepy Eyes" this would have never happened under his watch, especially in an election year. They are the masters of kick the can down the road. Just my 2 cents.

[Serk]

I've found the wild swings from station to station interesting, even more so than usual... On my recent twice weekly commutes to/from the Renaissance Festival I drive about 100 miles round trip each day and notice we'll see a $3.61/gallon just a few miles from a $4.39/gallon (And in this case the $3.61 location is in a slightly nicer area, nicer facility, easier on/off than the $4.39/gallon)

BTW... GasBuddy is your friend if you're not using it already!

[F6Dave]

I paid $5 for premium in Wyoming last week. Here in Colorado it's a good bit higher.

Iran might not be winning the war, but as long as they control the Strait they're not losing either. It's been going on longer than I thought back in February. Maybe the flawless capture of Maduro in January made the US a bit overconfident.

Original predictions were that closing the Strait would shut off about 20 million barrels per day. I've read it's now closer to 13 million, maybe because some oil gets out through Saudi and UAE pipelines, and truck routes to Pakistan.  13 million is well over 10% of global supply, so when reserves start running out and serious shortages appear, $5 gas may seem like a bargain.

[Willow]

It has everything to do with the "war".  The strait is the passage for a large portion of the world's oil, not so much to us but to Europe and Asia.  They compete for the oil we buy and speculation of the amount to be available drives the price.

We (U.S.) sell most of if not all the oil we bring up and buy oil to refine.

It's still a lot less expensive that a nuclear attack would be.

[f6john]

Iran might not be winning the war, but as long as they control the Strait they're not losing either. It's been going on longer than I thought back in February. Maybe the flawless capture of Maduro in January made the US a bit overconfident.

Not wanting to be argumentative but I in no way see Iran controlling the Strait. If not for our presence in the area the oil would be gushing through the Strait along with $Billions in other trade for the area. Maybe Trump miscalculated how much the Iranian "leadership" would subject the citizens to in lost income, food and fuel shortages ect. And he may have miscalculated how brutal they would treat any citizens who would speak out against their regime. It's anybody's guess why we (Trump) allowed the so called negotiations to drag on this long. My thoughts are we will have to hit them hard again and not let up until we have a WW II style surrender. Besides military targets my guess is infrastructure will have to devastated. In my mind the oil they have would be better used to rebuild their country and to go into their terror programs. 

[Jersey mike]

As it was in the beginning it probably still is, transiting the Strait probably relies on whether or not insurance companies (who insure these ships)  are willing to agree it's safe to make the trip.

I do not know what happened to the USA providing or underwriting passage/travel insurance like it was said would happen, I guess that idea fell through.

I'm a patient person. We've dealt with Iran before. If anyone over the decades has followed the bouncing ball regarding negotiations with Iran everyone would understand their tactics. They love to delay, BS their way through, lie, cheat and reverse course at every opportunity. They depend on ambiguity, double talk and ridiculous behavior.

I'm so happy this is happening now and not during our skirmish in Germany and the Pacific. The people in this country right now would be beside themselves. We dropped bombs for 40 whole days...OMG and it's not over. I could not imagine today how people would feel if we had UBoats sinking freighters and tankers or that it's a better idea to allow Iran to have nuclear capabilities than to deal with some higher gas prices. The nonchalance of a terrorist regime who has sworn to destroy the United States holding nuclear weapons or nuclear capability is now better than and extra $2.00 a gallon.

[old2soon]

     I FINALLY checked out the MFA-Missouri Farmers Association-gas station here in Willow Springs and I iz so Happy I did!! $4.16 to $4.21 fer 87 octane here bouts these days!    MFA today and yesterday are at $4.08 a gal!    So .08 to .13 pennies a gal I'm all in! and NO/NADA/NONE/SANS membership fees! Got a credit card or a debit card good to go and ++++++ 24/7 fuel availability!      RIDE DSAFE.

[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.

And now on May 20, 2026 - Diesel has been over $5 / gallon for at least the last 3 weeks - keep in mind this is the same diesel that trucks use to deliver goods to the stores,....

[Jersey mike]

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.

And now on May 20, 2026 - Diesel has been over $5 / gallon for at least the last 3 weeks - keep in mind this is the same diesel that trucks use to deliver goods to the stores,....

So basically 21 or so days. Not 3 months or 3 years but 21 days.

Into each life a little rain must fall.

The volatility in the market is all over the place on oil and the market is just itching to move down on oil. Every time there's a positive announcement the price of oil drops and with any negative it spikes.

[F6Dave]

This war probably would have happened eventually. Trump doesn't put things off, so he fought it during an election year despite the political risk. He (and others) may have underestimated Iran's resolve. A culture that produces suicide bombers doesn't react to war like Western cultures.

The Strait gives Iran enormous leverage. By shutting off nearly all traffic they're massively damaging the global economy. It's their biggest bargaining chip. Why would they give it up without getting something in return?

If there was an easy way to reopen the Strait it would have been tried by now. The proposed military escorts never materialized. I read that 19 ships have made it through by travelling at night with transponders turned off. Obviously more needs to be done. No war like this has been won with air power alone, so ground troops may be the only solution. That would have a huge political cost, much more than high gas prices.

I admire Trump's courage in making such a difficult decision and staying the course. I have no idea how this will play out, but as time passes (and the election gets closer) it's looking more difficult.

[Jersey mike]

This war probably would have happened eventually. Trump doesn't put things off, so he fought it during an election year despite the political risk. He (and others) may have underestimated Iran's resolve. A culture that produces suicide bombers doesn't react to war like Western cultures.

The Strait gives Iran enormous leverage. By shutting off nearly all traffic they're massively damaging the global economy. It's their biggest bargaining chip. Why would they give it up without getting something in return?

If there was an easy way to reopen the Strait it would have been tried by now. The proposed military escorts never materialized. I read that 19 ships have made it through by travelling at night with transponders turned off. Obviously more needs to be done. No war like this has been won with air power alone, so ground troops may be the only solution. That would have a huge political cost, much more than high gas prices.

I admire Trump's courage in making such a difficult decision and staying the course. I have no idea how this will play out, but as time passes (and the election gets closer) it's looking more difficult.

I remain cautiously optimistic on the opening of the strait. I think we will get the job done when the time comes/is right.

I still believe the option/order to move these ships comes from the owners who get a go/no go from their insurance carrier...Lloyds of London for most I believe. Now just who is Lloyd of London, well they are the king in the insurance industry and as the name says London and England is not thrilled with our president so there is no way they are going to cooperate if they don't have to. I'm guessing *the word has gone out* to shippers saying if you move your ship we will drop your insurance and you'll never be able to get insurance with anyone again.

Now as far as Iran in all this, they're just itching for a fight. They want war with us because it's bad perception for the USA and they now know many citizens will cry, the media will crush Trump and the Iranian's don't care about anything outside their regime so war to them is justifiable just so they can save whatever their perceived reputation really is and they don't care if tat reputation is that they are certifiably nuts.