Explain these Diesel Pricings

[Larry Mac01]

I have yet to own a diesel truck.
But today I noticed diesel pricing of $2.61 at Petrol and $2.57 at Pilot and others. Obviously I am talking the larger truck stop type of stations-- you guys know. Some signs would say diesel #2 at some places. My question is why is the diesel so much more expensive than diesel at regular gas stations? ( seems about 20-30 cents a gallon more.)
Is it a better grade diesel than what is at the local gas stations? And what does diesel #2 mean? ( is there a diesel #1 and if so is that more expensive?)
I mean they seem to highlight these prices on humongous signs you can see for a mile like its a great deal. Just sayin'

[Mr_D]

Sometimes the advertised price is for trucks with a PUC license. They pay an annual tax on fuel paid on the miles driven in each state. If you pull in with an RV you will be charged the higher cost car/light truck price that includes the full tax per gallon.

[drdarrin]

One reason is a captive audience. Where else is a semi going to go?

And I suggest downloading GasBuddy. It great for planning fuel stops along the way.

[fla tom]

I do not know exactly why but truck stop diesel fuel seems to cost more. I would guess it is due to access.i have also noted many truck stops have biodiesel (which I think is not as good)

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by Larry Mac01

I And what does diesel #2 mean? ( is there a diesel #1 and if so is that more expensive?)

Yes, there is diesel #2 and diesel #1.

Diesel #1 is thinner and more volatile than #2, and has significantly less BTU than #2. #1 is often called "Winter" diesel because the oil companies blend #1 and #2 to get "winter blend" diesel. Pure #1 is also called kerosene, but it's a slightly different formula than kerosene.

The advantage to #1 is it won't cloud up and turn into jello at the same temp that #2 will not flow. But you'll get significantly worse MPG on #1 than on #2

If you are interested in this subject, then you may want to spend time with the 100-page PDF file available at the link below. On pages 44 thru about 50 it gets into the main specs of diesel fuel #1, #2, #4 and biodiesel . It's put together by Chevron engineers, but with links to government and SAE sources.

https://www.chevron.com/-/media/chev...ech-review.pdf

[AKOne]

The Chevron White Paper is a great resource, thanks!

[1bigmess]

GasBuddy smartphone app has diesel prices, as does (your state here)gasprices.com

For example, washingtongasprices.com
Washington Gas Prices - Find Cheap Gas Prices in Washington

[Old-Biscuit]

WHY the higher pricing.........

Fuel at Interstate Exit stations is higher because they can.
Folks get off/get fuel/get back on
It's called CONVENIENCE

Same reason items inside those stations is higher priced
CONVENIENCE


Go a couple miles away and fuel will be lower priced.

Diesel at Interstate Exit near me is $2.89/gal
Diesel at station down the road in town is $2.29/gal

When we traveled FT we didn't use Pilot/Flying J or any other 'truck stop'
We traveled back roads and fueled up at regular stations. Semi with tanker got in to off load fuels ------I can get in and fuel up

Truck stops are overpriced, dirty, congested and not for me!

[Larry Mac01]

Thanks for the replies.i might be headed for a diesel in 5-6 months. I knew so little about diesel gas, that I actually wondered if the diesel at the places was higher quality sort of like 93 octane diesel

[1bigmess]

Higher prices or promises of high quality fuel are not guarantees of better fuel. Diesel #2 has to conform to certain quality minimums. There is no way to know if the fuel you get even meets those minimums. Luckily, diesel engines are a little more forgiving to fuel quality than gas engines are. These things will run on vegetable oil or processed fats and oils of different kinds!

The only way to get more power out of a fuel is to get a higher cetane number. But how do you know if that is what you are really getting from the retailpump? Well, you don't.

Stay away from a biodiesel blend higher than 20% unless your owner's manual says it's ok. I can run a higher than 20% bio-blend in my Dodge Ram, but not regularly, not often. I try to avoid it unless it's much cheaper than the lower blend fuels where I am, then I get it.

Just in case you do get some bad fuel, carry a spare fuel filter(s) and know how to change them on the side of the road. This one thing will save a trip pretty much more than any other thing you could do.

Other than that, don't be afraid to get any modern diesel that has a track record of reliability.

[Highway 4x4]

Blended diesel, that is diesel with bio diesel mixed in it will cost a little less. Biodiesel has less "power" in it than 100% petroleum diesel and possibly less MPG. Most regular stations sell blended diesel and it won't hurt your diesel. This info is from a friend that sells diesel wholesale. 76 and Chevron are good ones but I just go to ones that sell lots of diesel.

[wingnut60]

I have driven a diesel pickup since 2004--I bought the first one because my V10 would not pull hills well. At that time, diesel was cheaper than gas. Not much later, the price advantagage of diesel disappeared, and was consistently running higher. Why--don't know. But I always sought out Flying Js because they were cheaper than other stations, or so it seemed. But FJ went bankrupt (heard because they hedged wrongly on diesel prices...) and Pilot bought them. Almost immediately, I seemed to notice FJ/Pilot (same company) and also TA and others--diesel prices were higher than smaller stations. Enter WalMart/Sams to soften the blow...enter GasBuddy to help find the better prices...I now seek out the above stations as often as possible. I recently completed a 14000+ mile trip to AK--using my 60gal aux tank, and looking ahead for best prices, I was consistently able to save as much as 60cents/gal at times.
Larger truck stops no longer have the best diesel prices, and I seriously dislike going thru the big truck lanes, so I look for better deals from smaller outlets, or for Sams/WM and such.
Joe

[lynnmor]

Originally Posted by wingnut60

Not much later, the price advantagage of diesel disappeared, and was consistently running higher. Why--don't know.


Larger truck stops no longer have the best diesel prices, and I seriously dislike going thru the big truck lanes, so I look for better deals from smaller outlets, or for Sams/WM and such.
Joe

Fuel taxes are higher on diesel than gas and they vary state to state. Some states have scheduled tax increases every year for years to come.

I'm with you on the truck stops, I buy from any station that appears to sell enough fuel to keep it fresh.

[RayJr]

I'am with wingnut60 back a while Flying J got in trouble with the Feds for something and ever since then there prices were higher then the station down the road a piece. I was a faith full Flying J fuel user till that happened, now I'am a GasBuddy Guru.