I usually don't get gas from my local Shell station because my previous cars were older and I don't see the point in spending almost 70 cents extra. The premium gas price at Shell is $3.89. Sam's Club gas station a mile and half away is $3.19.
Since I got my new X1(U11) 8 months ago, I decided to use the "better" premium at Shell. The X1 gets 36mpg or better on average, so I figured the extra cost was offset by the fuel saving. My two other cars continued to be topped off at Sam's Club using their premium gas.
However, that all came to a screeching halt this afternoon. I was topping off the gas in my X1. After I was done, I got trapped. The gas tanker truck pulled in and the driver rolled out the giant hoses(tubes?) to unload the gasoline. I was about to back up to leave, but decided to just stand there and watch the driver empty his load into the underground gas tank.
I asked him why his tanker didn't have any markings. It was basically just a big shiny aluminum tube.
He said he fills the tank for a bunch of stations in my area..
INCLUDING THE SAM'S CLUB GAS STATION(!!!), which was his very next stop. I knew it was kind of stupid, but I asked him if the tank had two partitions for different brands of gas? He said "nope, only carrying premium gasoline for this haul, they all get the same gas..."
While I was driving home, I couldn't stop wondering "so what the heck have been paying the extra 70 cents per gallon for during the last 8 months, if they are all the exact same gas?"
In fact, I could tell that the driver knew exactly what I was asking earlier.