Price difference between Name Brand Diesel fuels?

Alright, I'm starting to notice that in different parts of NY, you'll have a BP or Mobil selling diesel for $3.99 and then a Shell or even another Mobil selling Diesel for $4.40

Is it safe to use the fuel from major stations where the fuel is noticeably cheaper?

Are they not adding the additives and therefore using that to lower the price?

Are the expensive ones either the first or last stations leaving a populated area? I usually notice that those are more expensive by a significant amount.

I see swings of .40/gallon at the same brand stations. Cheapest is 3.419 and highest is 3.899 at BP/Shell/Mobil.

Usually depends. I can't tell if there's any method to the madness as in certain spots, there's a gas station every block essentially.

Just want to make sure I'm not getting junk fuel from a BP or Mobil.

Personally all low sulfur diesel fuel is the same. I've never had a fuel issue in 25 plus years of buying diesel weather it was my power strokes or tdi's, I believe if you keep up on your maintenance change your fuel filters at the proper intervals you'll be smiling for years to come.

bajan

Is it safe? Yes.
Additives? Who knows? So much misinformation out there that it seems impossible to tell whether anybody is putting in special additives or not. Unless you have a relationship with a particular station and know what they're putting in, you're pobably just as well off with the cheap station, and can put in your own additives if you're really concerned. Most drivers don't use additives and fill up at whatever station is convenient and have no problems.

Diesel is diesel, at least in San Diego. The cheaper stations usually have the freshest diesel, I use two that all the mid sized and some large truckers use. Those locations are always filling their storage tanks.
I'd be a little concerned using diesel from an expensive station just because you think it might be better. We have a huge fueling Depot here that all the diesel and gasoline is pumped to from LA/central CA, the stations add to the gasoline to raise the grades, and take the diesel straight.

SHELL is pretty well always more expensive. I see it here in the Border region in WA. I stop at CHEVRON to fill up b4 going back North (US$ 3.949 a Gallon). Good savings compared to Canada.

DieselBruce said:

Are the expensive ones either the first or last stations leaving a populated area? I usually notice that those are more expensive by a significant amount.

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I saw this blatant "loser" marketing at a Chevron station which was the last fuel station as you would enter the China Lake Navy Base in Kalifornia, every grade was over 30 cents per gallon higher than their other station 5 blocks down the road, and that station was one of the highest in town. One block back from the Cheating Chevron was a no name station, and the diesel, RUG etc was almost 75 cents cheaper. I asked the owner / manager how much he fills his tanks, as he's always busy and it was a couple times a week, I only saw "company" trucks at that Chevron, on rare occasions filling, certainly not buying on their own cards...

It isn't cheating and they aren't a loser. It is capitalism. They can charge what they want and you can shop where you want. No one is twisting your arm to go there. If enough people don't go there they will go under. Use some planning and stop a block early and fuel up.

EfinTDI said:

I saw this blatant "loser" marketing at a Chevron station which was the last fuel station as you would enter the China Lake Navy Base in Kalifornia, every grade was over 30 cents per gallon higher than their other station 5 blocks down the road, and that station was one of the highest in town. One block back from the Cheating Chevron was a no name station, and the diesel, RUG etc was almost 75 cents cheaper. I asked the owner / manager how much he fills his tanks, as he's always busy and it was a couple times a week, I only saw "company" trucks at that Chevron, on rare occasions filling, certainly not buying on their own cards...

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I've been at China Lake before for work. Cool area! Too hot for me though (I was there last year when they just missed the record for hottest temp, I think it was 116 one of the days?)

High volume is the key In my opinion. The more volume the better chance the fuel will be fresh in both gas and diesel. Some dealers use the lower price to get the volume to gert people to come in and buy dounuts, fuel. etc where the profit is much higher than fuel. Makes sense to me.

showdown 42 said:

High volume is the key In my opinion. The more volume the better chance the fuel will be fresh in both gas and diesel. Some dealers use the lower price to get the volume to gert people to come in and buy dounuts, fuel. etc where the profit is much higher than fuel. Makes sense to me.

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Are you sure that all it takes to get people to buy donuts ?

bajan

I see prices all over in Louisiana. Most of the Walmart, Racetrack, Sams, and unbranded stations are around 10 cents cheaper than the branded. I personally have a particular Exxon station I like to use that is maybe 1 cent cheaper than some others. Location has a lot to due with price as do the owners. I see some branded stations 10 cents higher than a branded station just down the street. The higher end side of town typically charges more as well.

Lightflyer1 said:

It isn't cheating and they aren't a loser. It is capitalism. They can charge what they want and you can shop where you want. No one is twisting your arm to go there. If enough people don't go there they will go under. Use some planning and stop a block early and fuel up.

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Sorry I didn't mean to rattle a Chevron employees feathers. Yes obviously it's capitalism, at its worst in my opinion, as was the other comment I made prior, my opinion. Just like it is "good" capitalism for the station a block away to be 75 cents cheaper. I also noted that few people filled there, the station was usually vacant. They point that was being questioned in the beginning/thread title, was should the individual pay the higher prices because it's better fuel, and the answer was no, it is not better, just a rip off, or in my opinion, "bad" capitalism.

And not all "brand" stations are gouging the user. In the same China Lake location I bought from Shell, one or the larger brands in SoCal, because 1. They were the same price as the other low unbranded, and they were the last station out of town, easy in easy out, + they didn't charge the additional "fee", 35-50 cents, some stations charge to use a debit card, Arco/BP is famous for this out here.

DieselBruce said:

I've been at China Lake before for work. Cool area! Too hot for me though (I was there last year when they just missed the record for hottest temp, I think it was 116 one of the days?)

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We had a 118+- day a few times when I was out there, and yes too hot, luckily not humid. Thankfully I'm back home working in San Diego now.