Even though temperatures are chillier this week and school is now underway, not everyone is ready to think about “winter” in September – unless you enjoy paying even less at the gas pump.
“Beginning today, winter-blend gasoline is available at most gas pumps across the country and the savings refineries receive from producing it may help send already low gas prices below $2 a gallon,” says Tracy Noble, spokesperson for AAA Mid-Atlantic.
The difference between summer- and winter-blend gasoline has to do with Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP), a measure of how easily the fuel evaporates at a given temperature. The more volatile a gasoline (higher RVP), the easier it evaporates. Winter-blend fuel has a higher RVP because the fuel must be able to evaporate at low temperatures for the engine to operate properly, especially when the engine is cold. Winter-blend is also easier to produce and refineries often pass their production savings on to consumers. Summer-blend has a lower RVP to prevent excessive evaporation when outside temperatures rise, which decreases emissions that can contribute to unhealthy ozone levels.
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9/16/15
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Week Ago
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Year Ago
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National
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$2.31 | $2.38 |
$3.38
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New Jersey
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$2.06 |
$2.13
|
$3.24
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Trenton
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$2.11 |
$2.19
|
$3.27
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Cape May County
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$2.11 |
$2.18
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$3.23
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Burlington
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$1.99 |
$2.05
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$3.21
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Middlesex, Somerset, Hunterdon Counties
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$2.06 |
$2.13
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$3.24
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Monmouth, Ocean Counties
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$2.08 |
$2.15
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$3.24
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The switch between the two fuels happens twice a year, once in the fall (to winter-blend) and again in the spring (to summer-blend). The changeover requires significant work at refineries, so oil companies schedule their maintenance for those times when they will already be “down” for the blend switches.
You can find the lowest prices in your area on www.gasbuddy.com.
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$1.85 gallon at Costco and dropping every day
BJ’s in Howell is 1.85
And people are still going to shell and exon paying .30-.40 more.. Please explain
the quality of fuel that exxon and shell use is far superior (higher octane levels). much better for your cars engine and will give you more mileage . agreed that if you are leasing a car it doesnt make too much sense to spend the xtra cash for the upkeep of a car that you wont even have in in 3 years …. but to answer your question , there is good reason to prefer exxon and shell over pretty much anything else . the other companies are not way cheaper for no reason………
shell & exxon are only higher cause they are at the border of Lakewood & every person before heading to NY or work etc… wants to fill up so they can charge as high as they want & people will still use them. location location location
Why is Exxon in Sayreville 25 cents cheaper than. Exxon in Lakewood ?
@explanation do the math; u get about 5% better gas mileage with Exxon and it cost around 15% more. Then at 200,000 miles for the lifetime of the car and 35 miles a gallon which is the more then average on most cars ur using about 5,700 gallons of gas over the cars lifetime. Times that by 35 cents a gallon is $2,000 extra on gas for quality. How’s that worth it?