Arizona Dieselers "The Price is Right!" Or is it?
So you're making your first trip to the Grand Canyon state with your diesel RV. It's the land for seeing curiosities--and for using caution.
We took these two photos just minutes apart, of two popular fuel stops in Quarzsite. Which price is best? If you said, "Looks the same to me, I'll go wherever's easier," you may pay too much.
Posted diesel prices where the big trucks fill up are most often linked to the price the commercial truckers pay--that's 8 cents more than us little guys in pickups and motorhomes. Where only the "little guys" are filling, the prices generally reflect what you'll actually pay at the pump. In this case, Love's beats the Chevron hands down, since the latter here in Quartzsite doesn't fill big trucks. The "real" price for RVers at Loves is actually $2.399 a gallon--and that's a big difference if you're pumping a motorhome tankfull. Want to know what's even funnier? The very next day Love's posted "big truck" price went down to $2.439 (an actualy $2.359 for RVers) while the posted "real" price at Chevron climbed up to $2.499. Talk about volatile prices! Shop around and keep your fingers handy to count off those 8 big cents.
posted by Russ and Tiña De Maris at
1/26/2007 02:17:00 PM
11 Comments:
If anyone understands this, please explain it to me.
By
TomP, at 3:56 PM, February 03, 2007
I don't recall the station chain but it was one of the big trucking stations.... they charged MORE than posted price if your were not a trucker with a company card. Sorry I can't remember the station name.
By
Anonymous, at 1:56 PM, February 04, 2007
I have traveled back and forth across the States, and have pulled into many Love's stations only to find that diesel is much cheaper in the surrounding area's. Even after the discount with the Good Sam's Card.
When at all possible us the Flying J's stations, 99.9% of the time you can not beat ther prices. Sign up and use there RV discount program to save even more.
Also if there is an Indian Reservation in the area, check out there prices, you may be surprised by some of the price's you'll find. Yes it does pay to look around the area.
SHINN, MOSES LAKE
By
SHINN, at 5:51 PM, February 04, 2007
I am not very smart (I am a public school teacher), but I think this story has it backward. When I was passing through Oregon last summer, the Love's we stopped at charged a higher price than posted for us non-professionals drivers.
By
Anonymous, at 6:17 PM, February 04, 2007
In all my rv travels--from Fl to Ak annd Ca to Maine--I have never ran across this difference.
By
Anonymous, at 6:46 PM, February 04, 2007
In our travels, Love's usually has two prices. One for cash and another higher price for credit cards. Usually that is 8-10 cents more.I have never seen the pump price less than the sign out front.
By
Anonymous, at 8:55 AM, February 05, 2007
Ever travel across Indiana? If you can help it...don't! Diesel will be advertised at say $2.63 but when you go to pay they'll charge you $2.75! Unless you have a special truck number. This, of course, is unadvertised. You're always surprised when you pay that the advertised price and the price you pay is 10-15 cents difference. BEWARE OF BUYING DIESEL GAS IN INDIANA!
By
Jerry Bechtel, at 8:59 AM, February 05, 2007
OK, OK! Remember all, this post applies to Arizona. Other states have different ways of doing things (don't we all?).
As to Oregon, yep, us little guys DO pay more for diesel then the truckers do. Of course, they have to buy a PUC permit from the state to get that "discount," so in the end, it may not be much of a discount anyway.
By
Russ De Maris, at 10:11 AM, February 05, 2007
I used to drive commercially, and what you're probably encountering is the price private citizens pay for deisel is always going to be higher than what a commercial driver pays. This is because of fuel taxes. With a private citizen, all of the fuel tax is built into the price. With commercial diesel, some of the tax is paid seperately. There's no real discount for truckers. The additional tax is charged to that "special number" truckers have, which is basically just another tax id number for that trucker's company.
Completely seperate from this, many truck stops / fueling stations charge a higher price per gallon for credit cards to offset the fees they pay, which applies to truckers OR private citizens. The end price an RV'er pays may reflect both differences, or only the fuel tax.
Most major chains have some sort of discount program that gets you something back or some sort of discount. At least one chain has a program specifically for RV'ers, though I don't remember which one. Try company websites for info. Also, many chains have some sort of bonus hot dog and a soda, or a free use of the shower facility if you buy a certain minimum of fuel like 50 or 60 gallons. Indian reservations may be cheaper, as they usually don't have to pay all the taxes a regular station does. Sometimes they use that to lower their prices below what nearby stations can afford to match, and sometimes they just pocket the difference. If you can, try to plan your fuel stop near where you're staying for the night, then unhook your toad & explore a bit. For what you pay to fill a motorhome, it might be worth it, and exploring with a 30-40mpg toad is a lot more economical than a 4-8mpg rv. Alternatively, stop, find a phone book, and just call everything in there and ask.
By
Anonymous, at 12:50 AM, February 12, 2007
Who wants to buy gas at Chevron and support Chaves anyway??
By
Anonymous, at 5:43 AM, February 24, 2007
It isn't only diesel. On I15 at he Calico Goast Town exit in Yermo, on the north side of the freeway there is a Shell and a 76 station. On the south side there is a ARCO. North side gas is $3.09, south side gas $2.57 or so. Prices go up and down, but the ARCO is generaly $.40+ cheaper.
By
Anonymous, at 7:13 PM, March 03, 2007
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