Buy Gas in Canada or US?

[Mortlives]

I'm hoping someone who routinely drives in both countries (Jersey Shark? You out there?) can let me know if we'd be better filling up on this side of the border, or waiting until we get to Buffalo. I know it used to be Buffalo, no question, but I haven't heard anything in a while.

TIA,
Mort.

 

[MikeJ]

Let's do the math. Gas prices in London this morning were hovering around $.80/litre. That works out to:

3.785 * $0.80 = Cdn$3.028/US Gallon

Now we have to convert that to US funds:

$3.028 * .74 = $2.24 /gallon (in US funds).

What's the going price for gas in Buffalo? Well, let's find out.

Short answer: buy it in Buffalo.

- Mike

 

[abbyndrewmom]

Do you have a site like that for Michigan. I wuold love to see what prices were like in Port Huron.

 

[MikeJ]

! found two without looking very hard. This one is for all Michigan with the search criteria set for Port Huron, and here's one specific to Speedway stations. It's amazing what you can find with Google.

- Mike

 

[Mortlives]

Thanks, Mike.

This also tells me that the Toronto low price (63.5 this morning = 1.82 at current exchange) is better than some of the Buffalo gas stations. However, 70 cents is $2.01, or more than Buffalo. So, it really depends on the price where you are.

Does anyone know if NY has a state gas tax? I know Georgia doesn't and we're supposed to fill up there, but I'm wondering what the status is of the other states along our route.

Kungaloosh,
Mort. - who still needs to do a ton of laundry and packing if only this last work day would ever end).

 

[pumpkinboy]

Most States have a state level gas tax, but this is included in the pump price. Gas taxes are most often earmarked for highway improvement and maintenence at the State level. I believe that the US Federal govt also levies a tax on gasoline, but not a big one given the oil industry's influence on the political system here.

Anyone hear the joke about how Republicans define "Diversity"? It's having a president and vice-president from different oil companies .

 

[SyracuseWolvrine]

Yes, NY has a gas tax. It's calculated into the price at the pump.

MI has one, but less than NY. Ohio's is even cheaper than Michigan's. I don't know about any of the other states that would be on your way from the Great White North to Orlando, I haven't driven through them recently enough.

 

[abbyndrewmom]

Thanks Mike

I appreciate your help. I can't wait to get to Georgia for the cheap gas. Wish I could store some to bring home.

 

[Yzma and Kronk]

For comparison purposes - gas just went to record levels here in Georgia. It's now anywhere from $1.52 to $1.60 today. (it was .74cents when we moved here in Nov01!)
Georgia has the lowest gas tax in the country therefore it should be one of the cheapest also.
Happy motoring!

 

[jersey shark]

Hello Mortlives,

Gosh, great to be called on like that! (in your original post).

I can't comment on this post much since I would never be bothered to do the calculation (whatever gas costs, it costs!).
It seems much higher in Canada to me (but so does everything)
and there's the exhange to factor in of course.

Having said this, my inclination is to fill up here before crossing into Canada because I never know if all the cool snacks that I like
and need on a long road trip are available in the GWNorth....Pepsi One, Snyder's Pretzel Pieces, Baby Ruths etc...

And, don't mean to be critical here, but I'm one to love to stir the pot occasionally, do you all find technology is slow to hit the Cdn gas stations....I don't think I've ever encountered in Canada an after-hours pump where they just leave the credit card swiper on for motorists to fill up on their own (almost ran out of gas down a lonely country road one night in Quebec); also do you think Canada could use more competition when it comes to gas...too many Petro-Canada stations with the funny logo!

Interested in your thoughts!

 

[Susan--Ontario]

Good Snowy Morning Everyone,

Jersey Shark, we do in fact have a Petro-Can with a card reader here in little ole London town. By law, our stations have to be manned when they are operating. We do have many 24 hour stations though.

We always fill up in the states. For some reason we get much better mileage on American gas than we do on Canadian gas. I'm sure it has something to do with the anti-pollutants we put in our gas. For example on a tank of American gas we can go 1000km on a tank. On a Canadian tank it's just over 850. I can't explain it. Other frequent travellers have told me they have found the same thing.

We always try and time it so that we are almost on empty when we hit just north of Dalton GA. That said, we always have a full tank when we leave home because I don't want to have to make a stop only a few hours into our trek.

Have a great day!!!

 

[Mortlives]

Gas was definitely cheaper south of the border.

I feel I must defend our fair country though. Most of the gas stations we stopped at in the States didn't have fluid in the windshield squeegee buckets. (Yes, that is the only thing I could find to complain about, but still... ) That said, we only filled up 3 times on the way down and three times on the way back. We filled up in West Virginia this morning, and didn't fill up again until almost New York.

As far as the Petro Can's go, if I'm not mistaken the reason you find them in highway service stations unchallenged is because they belong to the government, like the highway land they're on. So, yeah, they're in a monopoly position. But that's a whole can of worms on its own...

Kungaloosh!
Mort.

 

[minnie56]

At Sunoco opposite the Walden Galleria the day before yesterday and paid $1.85 per gallon...

I think our Gas stations are doing a greeat job here of brainwashing us to think that 69.9 is such a deal! Every Friday it's the highest and every Monday it's the cheapest.

Petro-Canada being Government owned..should be the FIRST in lowering the prices and lead the way for the others to follow!!