Are all gas prices really the same?

vmhatup

Member
Aug 18, 2009
656
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I know they're supposed to be the same and I know that the prices are published in the papers, but are gas prices really the same at all stations?

I swear the other day I saw two different gas prices...

Thanks.
 

Mauricio

Gold
Nov 18, 2002
5,607
7
38
Yes they are the same, not all gas stations update their publication boards though.

It's a valid question, when I was just here back in 2001 I had a fight at a has station while the price on the board was lower than what they wanted to charge me. I didn't believe the guy telling me prices are all the same and what the board says doesn't count.
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
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South Coast
Not a ridiculous question. Until I joined DR1, I never knew all the gas stations charged the same price. I actually used to go out of my way to get gas at a place on the malecon just west of Churchill because the posted price was less. I never even looked at the price on the pump. Duh.

I was blonde back then, maybe that was it. Yeah, that was it.:laugh:
 
Sep 4, 2012
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Prices are well known to be the same by most people living or regular visitors to the DR, hence my surprise to the question posed. My apologies to the OP.
 

vmhatup

Member
Aug 18, 2009
656
10
18
Thanks for the posts.

I know they're all the same, but I would've sworn that I went to two different gas stations in Santiago, and they charged me a different price.

Anyways, it's good to know that it was just a figment of my imagination.
 

Mauricio

Gold
Nov 18, 2002
5,607
7
38
Not necessarily your imagination. Each Saturday a new week with new fixed prices start. If you put gas on Friday and Saturday there might be a difference.
 

drstock

Silver
Oct 29, 2010
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But why don't they free the market, as competition keeps prices down in other countries? Wait - I've answered my own question - the fuel company cartels have "friends" in the government!
 
Feb 7, 2007
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The competition does not keep prices down in fuel industry. The maximum difference you can see even in the States or Europe is couple of cents per gallon or liter. There is about 15 pesos margin per gallon for the pump. So...how much lower do you think they could offer you, per gallon? 2 or 3 pesos? Would you go out of your way to get 10 gallons of gas for 50 pesos total difference?
 

Conchman

Silver
Jul 3, 2002
4,586
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www.oceanworld.net
In a small market where gas is imported/refined by one entity, the gas stations could get together and set prices like a cartel, to take advantage of customers. Hence government price control.
 

Celt202

Gold
May 22, 2004
9,099
944
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Regular gasoline has been at 229.7 pesos per gallon for about a month and a half or so.

Another question is which gas stations rig their pumps to give you less than a gallon for every gallon shown on the pump.

This is the Dee Ah.

What can be rigged will be rigged.
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
see, i did not know that. i have been here 7 years, driving for about 4 or 5. of course i see notes about gas prices in newspapers but somehow my brain never managed to make a connection between that and the real world. part of it is that i have never put any gas in a car...
 

Castle

Silver
Sep 1, 2012
2,982
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Regular gasoline has been at 229.7 pesos per gallon for about a month and a half or so.

Another question is which gas stations rig their pumps to give you less than a gallon for every gallon shown on the pump.

This is the Dee Ah.

What can be rigged will be rigged.

That's one of the reasons I always fill up the tank to full, and do that when it reaches the same level every time. That way I know approximately how many gallons they have to pump until full. I also have an application installed on my cell phone to keep track of every time I fill up, and since I drive the same routine the whole week I can tell what gas station gives me more mpg. It works for me. So far Esso stations give me more mpg, but my credit card has been cloned twice at Esso stations, so I don't go there anymore. Next best is Shell, and so far no prob.
 

drstock

Silver
Oct 29, 2010
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The competition does not keep prices down in fuel industry. The maximum difference you can see even in the States or Europe is couple of cents per gallon or liter. There is about 15 pesos margin per gallon for the pump. So...how much lower do you think they could offer you, per gallon? 2 or 3 pesos? Would you go out of your way to get 10 gallons of gas for 50 pesos total difference?

In the UK, where I come from, there is quite a large difference in fuel prices between stations and people regularly go to the one that is cheapest. If, for example, a supermarket chain reduces its prices, all the other outlets nearby reduce theirs as near as possible because they will lose business if they don't. This is how price competition works for the benefit of the consumer, as long as cartels are not allowed.
 
Jan 9, 2004
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QUOTE=rubio_higuey;1266409]The competition does not keep prices down in fuel industry. The maximum difference you can see even in the States or Europe is couple of cents per gallon or liter.

You are part correct. Competition does not necessarily keep prices for gas down....but competition and an individual states' gas tax (at least here in the US) can make a huge difference.

Additionally, prices vary nationwide (US) by a lot larger margin than 2 cents per gallon.

USA National Gas Price Heat Map - GasBuddy.com

Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
 
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keepcoming

Moderator - Living & General Stuff
May 25, 2011
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In the US you can find the prices vary by a lot. Also I noticed on my last trip one station (I am sure others may do this) Texaco charged one price if you paid in cash and/or had their gas card versus paying with your own bank/credit card where the price would be 5-6 cents higher a gallon.
 

arturo

Bronze
Mar 14, 2002
1,336
97
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The prices are the same unless you don't watch the attendant. Some of them will not reset the pump to zero or use creative arithmetic when they give you your change.

It's true what some of the posters said about stations neglecting to update their signage. The pump price is what applies.

I know they're supposed to be the same and I know that the prices are published in the papers, but are gas prices really the same at all stations?

I swear the other day I saw two different gas prices...

Thanks.