I think it's called "price-fixing."  How else can you explain the fact that,
as you drive through a town and see 10-15 gas stations of diverse brands,
they're all charging exactly the same amount (to the fraction of a cent) for
their gas?

Dave in KC
85 Westy
http://members.fortunecity.com/davebaker1

----- Original Message -----
From: mike miller <mwmiller@CWNET.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2001 2:49 PM
Subject: Re: Octane. NVC

> My 'expert' says the additional cost of high octane over regular is about
5
> cents a gallon.  Mid grade is 2/5 high  mixed with 3/5 regular so costs
> about 2 cents a gallon more.
>
> Gasoline pricing doesn't follow classic economic rules except those of a
> [mostly] monopolistic situation [ I forget the actual economic word
> descriptor]
>
> JMO
>
> Mike
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: John Brush <jbrush@AROS.NET>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2001 11:17 AM
> Subject: Octane. NVC
>
>
> > >
> > > I understand in theory why you need less octane in higher elevations,
> but
> > > why do they charge more for less octane.  I remember $1.50 /gal gas in
> the
> > > Vail area back in 1993.  Transportation costs can't be that much more?
> >
> > Tourist areas seem to always charge more for gas. Get close to a NP or
> > popular area, and the prices go up. Its wrong, but I think its pretty
> > normal.
> >
> > More intriguing in the price category is the question of why the
> > difference between grades is nearly always 10 cents?
> >
> > When it was about half a buck, prices were 45/55/65 (leaded stuff back
> > then)
> >
> > Made it around $1, so it was 95/105/1.15 per gal.
> >
> > Around $1.50, it was 1.45/1.55/1.65
> >
> > Now approaching $2, we see 1.95/2.05/2.15 per gal.
> >
> > This data teaches us that in five years, gas will be 5.50/5.60/5.70 per
> > gal
> >
> > Always ten cents between grades. Not a percentage, just ten cents.
> > (shrug) Very interesting.....
> >
> > John
> >