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What brand of gas do you feed your Vanagon?
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?Waldo?
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 18, 2012 9:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

randywebb wrote:
unless you average a large number of fill ups together, then 10% does not sound like an unusual deviation based on how these things work


Like I said, that's exactly what I did and 10% is huge. I did several fill ups from each station and EVERY TIME I used one station I got 10% better and EVERY time I used the other I got 10% worse on the same driven route at the same speed. If I took the fill ups from the one station and averaged them and then took the fill ups from the other station and averaged them it would still equal the same 10% difference.
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morymob
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 4:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

My beater, a 3cyl-Geo, ihad used the pure gas when possible. Thru the winter and now that its pretty warm i think the pure-gas has been reformulated as i don't get better mi on it or my WBX either and i check mi at every fill up. Will try thru this mo and if same will just run whatever, eth or not.
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randywebb
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 1:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Andrew A. Libby wrote:
randywebb wrote:
unless you average a large number of fill ups together, then 10% does not sound like an unusual deviation based on how these things work


Like I said, that's exactly what I did and 10% is huge. I did several fill ups from each station and EVERY TIME I used one station I got 10% better and EVERY time I used the other I got 10% worse on the same driven route at the same speed. If I took the fill ups from the one station and averaged them and then took the fill ups from the other station and averaged them it would still equal the same 10% difference.


we'd need the sample sizes to see if it was statistically significant, but I'm glad to hear it was at least several samples
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udidwht
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 11:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Glenn wrote:
On Long Island, gasoline is distributed by a handful of "bulk carriers" and i've seen the same trucks making deliveries at different name brand stations.

In my daily driver, 2001 Civic, I put the cheapest gas in and never had a problem. In my Beetle, which has a high performance engine, I put 93 in and generally stick to the stations that are well maintained. I figure if the station looks nice then they probably have newer fiberglass tanks and not 30 year old metal tanks with tons of sediment and rust.

Also if you're not going to drive your car for a month, you should add some of the "blue" fuel stabilizer. It's specifically formulated for gas with ethanol. This gas can go bad in as little as 4 weeks and will attract water. You want the blue and not the red stabilizer.



I've not run across the issue with ethanol gas going bad in as little as 4 weeks. In fact, ethanol (alcohol) will/should absorb water. It does however burn leaner than standard fuel without the ethanol added. Most, if not all stations were mandated to have their under ground tanks replaced with newer ones.
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buildyourown
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 11:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think more than anything, you should buy gas from newer stations that move some product. You want fresh gas that been stored in newer tanks. The 40yo pumps in the middle of the desert are the scary ones. There is a lot of crap in those old steel tanks. Ever seen one get pulled?
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thisguyfel
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 5:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

thanks for these tips.
my van is going from daily driver, to purely recreational.
i won't be going through gas nearly as quick as i used to,
so i'm looking at ways to keep things in order.

Glenn wrote:


Also if you're not going to drive your car for a month, you should add some of the "blue" fuel stabilizer. It's specifically formulated for gas with ethanol. This gas can go bad in as little as 4 weeks and will attract water. You want the blue and not the red stabilizer.


reluctantartist wrote:
I used to be loyal to a brand until everything went to the gasohol fuels. Now if I happen to find a place on the map:

http://pure-gas.org/

If it is close to where I am going I will buy it there. I have noticed a difference in mpg with straight fuel verses the 10% alcohol fuels. For me all of the brands suck, but I will keep Glenn's advice in mind.

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seanjenn
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 6:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Usually mid grade, high grade if I'm cruising through the passes or loaded down. Not sure if it helps much, makes me feel better though.
About once a month I'll run some Marvel through the system.
I don't ever get gas at a station when the in-ground tanks are being refilled.
No brand loyalty really.
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t_man
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 01, 2012 6:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

seanjenn wrote:
Usually mid grade, high grade if I'm cruising through the passes or loaded down. Not sure if it helps much, makes me feel better though.
About once a month I'll run some Marvel through the system.
I don't ever get gas at a station when the in-ground tanks are being refilled.
No brand loyalty really.


I have to agree. I run 89 octane (Costco) and seem to handle the mountian passes more confidently. Now I use it all the time. Peace of mind!
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