Does someone have a good reason why Sam's is consistently the same price or more than Walmart's price on gas. Am I missing something. I thought you paid a membership fee for better prices on things. About the only reason we shop at Sam's anymore is for bulk frozen chicken breast, and diapers. (which thankfully our daughter is using less of, as she is potty training) I notice in other towns that Sam's is in fact less, but why not here? Just a thought.

Check the prices on the diapers....walmart might have them beat on those too. Walmart comp shops other stores and beats their prices....Sams doesn't have a direct competitor here.

I was told a while ago that the price for gas you see posted is not what you pay at the pump unless you go inside and buy something like a gas card. Look at your receipt next time you go and see what you actually paid.

Personally, I'd never buy gas at Walmart or Sams. The gas they sell only has the absolute minimum detergent package they can get away with.

I'll spend a little more and buy my gas at an Exxon or Shell to get the better detergent package.

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This. Boy I wish I had the crying/laughing emoticon when people make such horribly inaccurate statements.

Are you saying that they don't use a lower grade of detergent?

fcag, you've obviously never worked at a convenience store. Just because there's a Texaco sign doesn't mean it's gasoline refined and delivered by Texaco.

Footnote: When you think about it, Sam's doesn't really have any competition in the area. The closest Costco is probably in Houston. And your Sam's card carries no guarantee about having the lowest price in America, or even eastern College Station.

[This message has been edited by ro828 (edited 7/24/2009 5:40p).]

ro828, re-read my post. I'm not talking about the gasoline itself. You've obviously never worked in the fuel distribution business.

Gasoline itself is a fungible commodity and everyone pulls from the same tap. However, the different gas station chains (Exxon/Shell/Valero/etc) put an additive package in the fuel that gets distributed to their stations. Sams, Walmart, and stations like them use the bare minimum additive package required. The top tier companies like Exxon, Shell, and others use specialized, higher quality/cost additive packages to improve the stability and other properties of the fuel.

fcag, I stand corrected.

Fcag, I have no idea how the delivery of gasoline is done. I have noticed that just about all of the gasoline in this area is loaded onto trucks at the terminal in south Hearne, on Highway 6. You see trucks from different companies lined up, getting gasoline from the same hoses. It looks like a 24 hour a day operation.

Where do they add (or not add) all of the stuff you speak about?

bco, they do it at the terminal. You are correct that all the tanker trucks fill up at the same place. The difference is before they leave the terminal, they add an additive package to the tank that depends on where they are going to deliver the fuel. The big name stations use a top tier package, while most others only get the lowest additive concentration (LAC) package allowed by law (from the EPA's Clean Air Act of 1995).

Check out http://www.toptiergas.com/. They list the retailers that use top tier additive packages.

fcag is right in that different companies use different quality/amounts of detergent. But you're kidding yourself if you think the "top tier" stuff is really leaps and bounds better than the stuff at Wal-Mart/Sams/HEB.

FWIW, I've used Wal-Mart branded gasoline exclusively for the last 8 months and have noticed an actual improvement in MPG.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/2007-06-13-bad-gas-usat_N.htm

Fairly unbiased articles with facts in it about Top Tier Gasoline. Remember that "Top Tier" is a a self-made marketing term that is based on a composition standard. This is in no way or shape a performance or lack of engine build up gaurantee. In other words, if the fuel just has the right mix-- it is certified. It has nothing to do with the actual performance of the fuel to receive the designation. BP and Citgo do not have the designation.

It only costs about .01 more per gallon and zero additional effort.. yet we see a .20-.30 additional surcharge per gallon to reap questionable results. There is only one recourse as a consumer...

The funny thing about this thread is that they are the same company and people expect to get better prices at one location rather than the other.

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"Top Tier" is a a self-made marketing term

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This.

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Personally, I'd never buy gas at Walmart or Sams. The gas they sell only has the absolute minimum detergent package they can get away with.

I'll spend a little more and buy my gas at an Exxon or Shell to get the better detergent package.

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Fcag...
I used to work at Sam's in College Station and signed all the invoices when the gas was delivered. It's Exxon gas, no different.

When you say it is "Exxon" gasoline, there are a number of ways to interpret that. Is it from an Exxon refinery? Or is it from an Exxon terminal, in which case the gasoline could be from any refinery that ships on the same pipeline, as most gasoline is fungible.

Ultimately, the difference is in the additive packages. Gasoline delivered to Exxon gasoline stations will have a different detergent package than the gasoline delivered to Sam's or other non-branded outlets. Whether you believe the detergent packages make any difference in the real world is another matter. My wife works in the industry and believes it does.

[This message has been edited by fcag (edited 7/26/2009 3:56p).]

I am always astounded by the lines people wait in for gasoline at Sam's. Is a 15 minute wait to fill up REALLY worth a grand savings of $1.50 to $2.00 per fill up? Not to me.

Most of the cars I see there are usually late model and in great repair which tells me that most of the people filling up at Sam's have some sort of decent income. So why wait so long to save 7 to 10 cents per gallon?

A penny saved is a penny earned.

I drive between 300 and 500 miles a week. It adds up pretty fast.

Detergents, price comparisons, mileage, top tier, ...

I still just find the absolute most convenient place to stop. I don't even look at the price because I know that there is very little meaningful variance (to make it worth my while).

I also don't care about the detergents. Is there any confirmed proof re the payback for fuel mileage savings vs. cost? Regardless, I will sell or kill my car for reasons other than "gunk" buildup caused by fuel with less detergent.

I feel like a billionaire after reading this thread about the fueling decisions other people make and comparing to my own apathy or willful ignorance of prices, detergents, etc.

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I feel like a billionaire after reading this thread about the fueling decisions other people make and comparing to my own apathy or willful ignorance of prices, detergents, etc.

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You feel like a billionaire because you're not a critical consumer?

Well, I guess it's good that you feel like one, then. Because you certainly don't behave like one.

Bee: Real nice. You must hate life, and I'm sorry for that.

How do you know I'm not a critical consumer? Do you know me? Just because I don't price check gasoline doesn't mean I'm not a "critical consumer."

I guess you must know a lot of billionaires that compare gas prices at Walmart and Sam's club and discuss which fuel has the best detergents?

I once ask the Sam's attendant about this, and he told me it was "the same exact gas you get over at the Exxon station." He implied that the truck left the Exxon (across from the mall) and drove over to Sam's next. I definitely got the impression it was the SAME gas, same formula.

How many deliveries can one of those tanker trucks make in one load?

My dad lost two fuel pumps thanks to an unnamed refiner who went the cheap route on their chemicals and f'ed up quite a lot of product.

Getting back to the OP. Most of SAMS products are cheaper because you buy in bulk? How is SAMS filling their subsurface gasoline tanks any different than the grocery store filling theirs? Waaaay too many variables in pricing store to store.