MIXXMAX

iTrader: (1)

I just heard on my local news last night that possibly in the next couple months or so, we may experience a shortage of premium gas because of these stupid wars going on in the world. Has anyone else heard this? With the drastic increases in fuel, we may be short of supply of the premium brand. If this would happen, what are we fellow Max owners going to do? We need this premium in our cars (as well as other cars who need it)! Hell if I am going to put a lower grade of gas in my car! I did this once for an amount of time in my '95 when I had it, and I ended up paying the consequences from it. It ran like ****. Since then, I learned my lesson and never attempted to put anything lower than 91 Octane in my car. Although, I have to continue to suffer and pay these rediculous gas prices, I also don't want to suffer without having premium gas! Anybody else feel my pain or have any thoughts on this?

laddy

If they can heighten the fear they can raise prices even more. Everyone is already getting used to the new gas prices so is time to up it a notch, just like last year.

If oil is at $76 a barrel today why do the prices go up right away. We are still using oil that they bought for several dollars less per barrell. That is where the windfall profits to the oil companies are coming from.

on a side note
Does elevation having any effect on which type of gas you need to use? I don't have a max yet? So I have been filling up on 85 in my last 5 vechiles and haven't notcied any ill effects.

scubasteve

iTrader: (6)

they do this every year

laddy

Every summer in time for the driving season prices go up.

The new norm will be $3 gallon, everyone is already getting used to it. This is not temporary.

GBAUER

iTrader: (2)

You mean that $3/gal isn't normal?

MIXXMAX

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the responses, but I'm actually looking for feedback on the shortage on premium gas (91 Octane or higher), not the so called increases in fuel. I know there's been plenty of discussion on rising fuel prices, but I was wondering if anyone heard of any possible shortage on "preimum" fuel? Thanks.

NmexMAX

iTrader: (22)

Too many vehicles require it, and it would encourage automakers incentives etc. for repairs related to the usage of fuel.

Get your panties out of a bundle..... as was stated earlier,,, raise the fear and become more rich.

southeast_first

iTrader: (3)

that doesn't make sense. whether gas is "regular" or "premium" depends on the refining and additives. it all comes from the same place below the ground. in fact, there would likely be a shortage of regular gas (because more is used) way before there would be a shortage of premium.

Kevlo911

iTrader: (36)

The gas we use is around 1-3years old

d00df00d

iTrader: (4)

Higher elevation => Lower octane needed.

Frank Fontaine

Hopefully the country will be smart enough to ration the stuff so there isn't chaos. If you have a German or Italian car, you get served. British except Mini, you get served next. Then everyone else and by # of cylinders--4 cyl., get out. V6, only if anything is left. I6, V8, 10+.

How do these alarmist threads get started?? You mean my $3.50 isn't good enough for 91 or higher octane? (I know it isn't in Cali....)

NmexMAX

iTrader: (22)

Well....I get 24 MPG...

Anyone else

MacGarnicle

iTrader: (1)

they're slowly starting to regulate prices in Canada.. thank god.. this means that the oil companies have to give a 2 week warning that prices are going up, and they can only raise by a certain amount.

I don't believe a word the oil companies say. The 4th quarter of 2005, one of the big oil producers, I think Mobil, made 90 billion in PROFIT. That's not revenue people. I think that's disgusting. That means some of these companies are making close to half a trillion bucks in a year.. and they have the nerve to tell us they make little money off oil prices.

If they're telling you premium is going to be in short supply, its just some story to somehow jack up the prices. There couldn't be a shortage of premium unless there was a shortage of oil.

Thank Bush in part of this bull****. Can you really trust him to be unbiased when his family makes billions off the oil industry? bah I get angry talking about this...

larsony

iTrader: (1)

It was actually closer to 10 or 11 billion, but still absolutely sickening. IIRC, it's the highest quarterly profit by any company EVER.

filtor1

iTrader: (7)

At the start of the Clinton administration, the US obtained approximately 65% of it's oil internally. After, we were obtaining almost the same 65% from outside sources. If your going to blame one president, atleast include all of the previous administrations that aided in putting us here. Not just the one you don't like. Our dependance upon foriegn oil has been building longer than I have been alive. Allowing the oil companies to continue overcharging is almost impossible due to our dependance.

I haven't heard of any kind of immediate 1-3yr shortage as of today. I am decently positive that your news channel is using fear to get you to watch and talk about what they said.

njmaxseltd

iTrader: (19)

Premium, mid grade or low octane fuel all comes from the same crude oil.
A shortage of premium has nothing to do with the war.
It's the oil companys that are refining it.

Persoanlly I call on this topic. There's plenty of fuel to go around, both high octane and regular.

Ask a gas attendant which grade of fuel they sell most. You might be very suprised at what the answer is.


HINT: It's not premium......

monty31

iTrader: (1)

Meh, just get METH (water/alcy) injection with a 5 gallon tank in the trunk then run all the 85 octane you want I'm being sarcastic but I have thought about it.

xoomer.com

iTrader: (19)

Like someone said already "too many vehicles require it" All of the new performance cars be it a sporty or performance sedan require premium gas. It says so in the manual. If somebody brought it up to the manufacturer they would say its not required but "recommended" and so the loop closes.

MacGarnicle

iTrader: (1)

yeah, my bad.

http://money.cnn.com/2006/01/30/news...s/exxon_earns/

still ridiculous though.

Maxim(a)SerjVQ

I want Massive E85 implimentation nationwide. we have ****LOADS of Corn exports and grain surplus. we could totally CUT OFF revenue to the middle east and let them turn back into a sandy ****-hole like they were 15years ago. meanwhile we can take the pressure off the oil supply we DO need (other than vehicle fuel) until we can either go 100% eth or move to some efficient hydrogen production methods.

frankd121

iTrader: (1)

I love how the media often takes rumors and blows them out of proportion.

Oil companies will supply enough premium fuel to gas stations to satisfy demand. Otherwise, premium gas prices would shoot up drastically compared to the other grades of gas. A sudden price increase in one grade of gas would cause a great deal of suspicion among consumers - and there are customer protection laws to prevent/stop such price gouging from happening. So this whole scare about a lack of premium grade fuel is complete BS.

jaguax

iTrader: (1)

Would it really make a huge difference to put plus(mid-grade) in your car instead of premium?

I thought that premium was only used to reduce pinging/premature detonation, assuming your car does that with lower grade fuel.

Also, just curious, how do you know that you are really getting premium when you pump your gas? Just because the sign says it? How do I know they are not ripping me off and putting regular in there and just labeling it premium? I guess you just gotta guess by the way the car runs?

chernmax

iTrader: (15)

There is NO shortage of gas, prices go up and down based on SPECULATION of world events, not based on how much gas are stored in tank facilities. In the 70's there was a gas shortage and you could only buy on odd or even days and their where limits.

Today, I can buy 50,000 gallons if I want just so long as I pay these ridiculously high prices, shortage, I think NOT!!!

This is nothing more than an a$$ raping of the American people...

The Arab world can't beat us on the battlefield, but they can hurt us at the gas pump, and our American oil company brothers are in for the big cash win as well. As long as the federal government gets there cut and they need it to finance the war, they will do little to nothing to stop it with the exception of political lip service to try and make us think they are actually going to do something about it!!! Yeah right...

infiniteecho

I know every one says there is no shortage of premium gas, I didn't even see this thread or that there was such a shortage on the news, but earlier today I went to 4 different gas stations that all had signs reading "No Premium or mid-grade gasoline, sorry." If there isn't a shortage, why are these stations playing into it then?

Not picking a side on this one, just asking a question.

RockfordMax

iTrader: (2)

logistics own your region? who knows...could just be playing on the hype so that when they decide they have premium, they can jack the price up a dollar over regular, sell it for 2 days, and be like "oh we're out again"

chernmax

iTrader: (15)

Well where I live there is not a gas station in sight that doesn't have premium available... $3.07 a gallon

Maxim(a)SerjVQ

to answer your first question; it doesnt make a HUGE difference, but it DOES make a difference, at least to us. the BBC's TopGear actually tested different octanes in various engines, and the fact is that in a modern high-performance engine such as the lovely VQ, the engine's management adjusts to the grade of fuel we use, and thus takes advantage of the additional perfomance offered in premium. I can also personally attest to the fact that more often than not, i see a noteworthy gain in fuel economy when using the premium in my area (93+ octane). Pinging is really not so much of an issue unless you live in the midwest and you pull up to the clark station in the ghetto with 30+yr old underground tanks and pump the 85oct cuz it's .03cents cheaper than the Shell station half a block away. I can sell you my urine after i've been drinking alot if you really like the cheap stuff.

To address your other inquiry about stations not pumping the specified grade, that would again fall into a consumer affairs issue that would necessitate proving, but it has to do with that guy that puts that signed seal from the state saying the pump is approved. All stations are technically required to keep that certification up to date and i believe can be fined heavily for being out of date. Bottom line is, if you're suspicious, change stations. If you still dont notice a change, go ahead and run a few tanks of regular through your system, then go back to 93. I'm positive that you will notice a difference. If you don't there's probably other factors affecting your fuel and engine performance.

nguyen925

im in the process of making a time machine so we can all get 1.50-1.70 per gallon of gas. whos with me?

chernmax

iTrader: (15)

You will only have to go back about 5 years...

irish44j

iTrader: (38)

You must be young....hell, when I was in college regular was going for about 89 cents/gallon around here...and that was less than 10 years ago.

After you go back and get your gas, let me borrow your time machine and I'll go back and buy an ownership share in Exxon/Mobil....

avocent

Prius's are starting to look Hot

FinalJenemba

NEVER! lol

chernmax

iTrader: (15)