The Most/Least Expensive Gas Station Chain In Your Area...

[02 Park Ave]

Here, in my area of southern NJ, Shell seems to be consistantly highest and CITGO lowest for regular grade gasoline.  Premium prices vary all over the place.

Although off-topic, diesel fuel prices seem consistant at most stations where available with the exception of few odd-balls.

Although off-topic, no stations sell e-85.

[PHLBOS]

For southern Delaware County, PA

Cheapest: East Coast, Wawa & the nearest Sunoco station where I live.

Most Expensive: Exxon, most Lukoil's and the Sunoco along PA 420 just north of I-95.

Premium prices vary all over the place.

I've noticed such as well.  One station might have the cheapest price for regular but its mid & premium grades (more newer vehicles actually require the higher grades due to their higher compression engines than the manufacturers let on but that's another story) are priced higher than those of a neighboring station that charges a little more for regular.  I saw such first hand with two stations along Germantown Pike in East Norriton Twp., Montgomery County, PA.

[jeffandnicole]

Most: Exxon
Least: Wawa (cash/credit usually same) or Gulf (cash cheaper)

Wawa is cheaper than Delta, or are you just not in their range?

To point out Wawa's not-really-the-lowest gas prices, use this for an example: http://www.newjerseygasprices.com/ .  You'll see (at least currently), that none of the lowest priced stations are Wawas.  And to the point made above, Delta appears a few times on this list.  Typing in any zip code generally yields the same results on a more local level.

In Wawa's favor though is that most of the lowest priced states have higher prices for Credit (Costco is the major exception there).  So those paying credit will find Wawa more competitive in many areas.

[1995hoo]

BTW, this is the (now former) Exxon station cpzilliacus mentioned near the Watergate in DC. This wasn't the most expensive I ever saw it–I recall they were up to $5.79 a gallon at one point, which is the most expensive I've ever seen in the United States. (I paid the equivalent of $7.25 a gallon for diesel in England in April 2007 when the exchange rate was $2 to £1.)

Now that this station is a Valero, it's more reasonable but it's still very expensive. They annoyingly do not display the prices for all three grades, but last week they were charging $3.39 for 87 octane, compared to the $2.30 range in Fairfax County.

[Takumi]

Most expensive: BP, most Shells (the one I frequent is an outlier and is usually the cheapest gas around and, FWIW, was a Texaco until that company left the Mid-Atlantic), anything close to I-95

Least expensive: Gulf, Pure, Wawa, Sheetz, Sam's Club.

There's a Liberty station in downtown Petersburg. Its prices are in the middle.

[Laura]

Here outside of Baltimore, the prices vary wildly between brands. The better indicator in the county is how close you are to I-95 or I-695. The further away, the better the price. The price difference can vary as widely as 30 cents.

The city is always consistently higher than the county. Royal Farms is typically the least expensive "name brand" gas. Here, the further away you are from an interstate, the more expensive gas is. It's reverse from the county.

[hbelkins]

Around here, everyone is the same price. In the town where I work, there are two Marathons and one each of BP, Shell, Valero and Liberty. Prices have been a steady $2.299 at all of them for the past three weeks, despite Kentucky's gas tax going down 4.3 cents on Jan. 1 and the price of oil continuing to decline.

In the town where I live, there is a Valero, Shell and Marathon. All are usually the same price or only a penny's difference.

Yet the politicians try to tell us there's no collusion in gas prices.

[roadman]

In Massachusetts, least expensive chains I've observed are BJ's Wholesale and Stop and Shop.  Most expensive I've observed are Shell and Hess.  I tend to gas up at Mobil most of the time, as their prices are pretty much middle of the road (sorry for the pun) and the stations are very convenient to where I normally drive anyway.

I've found that Sunoco gives me the best MPG of all the major gas brands, however, there aren't any Sunoco stations convenient to me.

[PHLBOS]

Jeff, my observations are based out of southern Delaware County, PA.  To my knowledge, there are no Delta stations in southeastern PA.

Additionally, most if not all stations in PA don't charge more if one uses a credit or debit card.  Although they do charge more for full-service (as high as $0.30/gallon more), if available.

[codyg1985]

Most: Shell and Texaco (where they are remaining)
Least: Wavaho (local chain), Raceway

[renegade]

Around these parts, Speedway seems to set the price, and all the others follow.  Sam's Club and Costco are at the low end of the scale.  Example:  This past Monday, Speedway reset its price to $2.099 for regular/$2.299 for premium at all its stations, and everyone except the warehouse stores followed suit. 

[golden eagle]

Here in north central Louisiana, Murphy USA (read Wal-Mart gas) and Raceway are usually the inexpensive brands.  However, in the last 6 months, I've noticed that the name-brand stations have actually been keeping up with Raceway's and Wal-Mart's prices.

Same here in Jackson. Pilot and Loves also tend to be lower.

[rawmustard]

Around here, price tends to be driven more by location than any particular brand. Lately the truck stops out on 11 Mile and I-94 (Exit 104) attempt to undercut one another, so that area tends to have the cheapest prices in the Battle Creek area. This tends to lead the truck stops at Exits 110 and 112 in Marshall to match in price.

[DeaconG]

In my area of the Space Coast:

Most: BP, Shell, Kangaroo
Least: Sunoco (although BP is starting to match them [good luck with that guys!])

[KEVIN_224]

Most expensive gas store chain in my area is easy: Shell. The cheapest? Maybe the stations with Citgo?

[Zmapper]

Shell stations tend to be the most expensive, Western the cheapest. Costco price-matches the cheapest within 5 (?) (ie. Western), which means they are also able to be the cheapest, but their stations of course require a membership card.

Are members-only stations like Costco and Sams Club prohibited from advertising their prices on the street? Costco lists their prices only at the pump, and two signs inside the store, one above the main entrance and the other above the food court.

[jeffandnicole]

Shell stations tend to be the most expensive, Western the cheapest. Costco price-matches the cheapest within 5 (?) (ie. Western), which means they are also able to be the cheapest, but their stations of course require a membership card.

Are members-only stations like Costco and Sams Club prohibited from advertising their prices on the street? Costco lists their prices only at the pump, and two signs inside the store, one above the main entrance and the other above the food court.

It would depend on state law.  In general, they're probably not prohibited, but since they're not generally open to the public maybe they don't feel the need to advertise the prices.  At least the stations I've seen though, they generally do have prices that can be viewed from the street. 

[cjk374]

Shell stations tend to be the most expensive, Western the cheapest. Costco price-matches the cheapest within 5 (?) (ie. Western), which means they are also able to be the cheapest, but their stations of course require a membership card.

Are members-only stations like Costco and Sams Club prohibited from advertising their prices on the street? Costco lists their prices only at the pump, and two signs inside the store, one above the main entrance and the other above the food court.

It would depend on state law.  In general, they're probably not prohibited, but since they're not generally open to the public maybe they don't feel the need to advertise the prices.  At least the stations I've seen though, they generally do have prices that can be viewed from the street. 

Murphy USA/Wal-Mart advertise that if you use a Wal-Mart card of any kind, you get a 3 cent/gal discount at the pumps (Wal-Mart only, not Sam's Club).  However, Alabama law prohibits this type of discount plan.  So I have noticed that Murphy USA/Wal-Mart's prices there are 3 cents/gal cheaper than most places around them.

[freebrickproductions]

Most: Shell and Texaco (where they are remaining)
Least: Wavaho (local chain), Raceway

Add Fuel City, Sunoco, and Costco to the "Least" list.

[Desert Man]

Least: A brand new Arco AM/PM in Indio $2.43 a gal (on New Years eve).
Most: My half-sister described an Arco AM/PM in Corona was $2.89 a gallon.

I've seen price differences among Shell, Exxon-Mobil, Valero and Chevron to be a little higher than Arco AM/PM.

It's about time gas prices are back to "cheap" range in this country, even though I'm in pricey southern CA.

[BloonsTDFan360]

Least: Costco, Fred Meyer (owned by Kroger), ARCO
Most: Shell, Chevron, 76

[DandyDan]

It's my personal belief here in Omaha, they all go up or down in unison.  Also, it's not the brand of gas they sell, but whoever owns the store who sells the gas.  As for what I do when I need gas, if I am not at home when I need to get it, I try to go to the Kwik Shop and use my Baker's card (both affiliated with Kroger) to get the cheaper price.  Once in a while, I'll go to a 66 or Shell station just to keep those credit cards in good standing.

[cl94]

Buffalo has notoriously expensive gas, but typically, Mobil is most expensive (even charging a credit card surcharge on top of their crazy prices), and either BJ's, Kwik Fill, or Delta Sonic have the lowest prices in an area.

If you want to travel, cheapest name brand gas is a Citgo in Springville. Indian gas on reservations is a good 50 cents cheaper than "regular" gas, but is known to wreak havoc with a lot of engines if you get it from the wrong place (all but a couple).

[Pete from Boston]

It's my personal belief here in Omaha, they all go up or down in unison.  Also, it's not the brand of gas they sell, but whoever owns the store who sells the gas.  As for what I do when I need gas, if I am not at home when I need to get it, I try to go to the Kwik Shop and use my Baker's card (both affiliated with Kroger) to get the cheaper price.  Once in a while, I'll go to a 66 or Shell station just to keep those credit cards in good standing.

The synchronized price changes surely have something to do with common distributors.

[cl94]

It's my personal belief here in Omaha, they all go up or down in unison.  Also, it's not the brand of gas they sell, but whoever owns the store who sells the gas.  As for what I do when I need gas, if I am not at home when I need to get it, I try to go to the Kwik Shop and use my Baker's card (both affiliated with Kroger) to get the cheaper price.  Once in a while, I'll go to a 66 or Shell station just to keep those credit cards in good standing.

The synchronized price changes surely have something to do with common distributors.

Or price fixing. That's a big issue in parts of New York and it wouldn't shock me if it happens elsewhere.