IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!
You may not be aware that as of July 1, 2005 retailers are no longer required to label (as above) gasoline with 10% (or less) ethanol. In addition, our government is giving a 5.1 cent/gallon incentive to sell the ethanol-blended product. Nearly all auto manufacturers approve of ethanol (E-10), however some mechanics are still not convinced. The price difference may partially explain why unleaded today is 2.079 in Wichita, KS and 2.259 in Parsons, KS. Some of the larger retailers in metropolitan areas may have "switched" since July 1 to take advantage of the government incentive without telling us. How will we know? The octane does calculate to 89 rather than 87 as regular unleaded, so I suppose we could watch for that number in the little yellow box to change. But why the cover-up? Everyone knows ethanol is good for the corn farmers, we just don't know for certain if it's good for our cars. I would prefer that they just keep labeling it for what it is. What are YOU buying?
posted by Lynn Brennfoerder at 12:40 AM
2 Comments:
As you probably know, Lynn, E-10 is almost ALWAYS about a nickel cheaper up here in the corn belt.
-Donnie
The owner's manual for my motorcycle says that ethanol, while safe to run the engine, is harmful to rubber seals and hoses and therefore recommends that you not store your vehicle with ethanol in the system.
As for the secrecy do we really have to ask why a government run by oil and energy barons would make it easier for gas stations to make a higher margin on their product? As for the “incentives” i.e. subsidies (known as welfare in other parts of society) to add ethanol to gas; corn is an energy intensive crop to produce and maintain (lots of water, fertilizer, and farm machinery uses a lot of diesel) and Monsanto (producer of Round-up and a major player in genetically modified corn) has been exchanging top officers back and forth with government agencies ever since W took office.
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