THE Gas Station Thread (merged)

[Keith_McClary]

Do a comparison of the gasoline taxes on each side of those state lines.

Detroit has high gas taxes?

[TWilliam]

I think you will find the gas stations are all getting their product from the same (nearest) source at the same wholesale price,

That is, in fact, most often the case. 'Branding' is typically accomplished at a central distribution point, where 'generic' gasoline is blended with the various additives that comprise a particular company's unique formulation, usually directly in the truck. The 'cheap gas' stations sell 'generic' gasoline with little or no additives, which is why their prices are often significantly lower than the 'big name' brands.

And incidentally, talk to any (honest) station owner and they will tell you that at best the gasoline sales cover their overhead. It's strictly a traffic generator...

[Tanada]

Do a comparison of the gasoline taxes on each side of those state lines.

Detroit has high gas taxes?

In Michigan you have the fed gas tax everyone everywhere pays, a 19 cent flat fee state tax per gallon, a .5 cent remediation fund fee for cleanup of abandoned or contaminated sites and after you add all those to the gasoline you get to pay 6% on the total for sales tax. For a $3.00 gallon of gas you have about 45 cents straight taxes and fees plus 17 cents sales tax, about 62 cents.

The people who shold be Pissed Off are the ohio residents, they get fuel from the same Detroit refinery have a straight 28 cent state tax but still pay the same price at the pump we do. When I was young we always filled up on their side of the border if we happened to be down there for some reason, nowadays the prices are in lockstep.

[Plantagenet]

If you're looking for the cheapest gas stations, check this out

map of where the cheap gas is

Good luck!

Notice how the price differs over state boundaries - any "free market" bozos want to explain that?

Different states have different amounts of taxes on oil.

Only a bozo wouldn't know that.

[Plantagenet]

Here's info on current U.S. state tax levels.

2007 state gasoline taxes

The amount of state tax varies by over 20 cents per gallon across the U.S. The level of state taxes tends to be similar in different regions, to stop people from buying gas just across the border in a neighboring low gas tax state, as Tanada pointed out, but there are definite state-to-state differences. On a regional basis, gas taxes are lowest in the south (where gas prices tend to be the lowest in the U.S.) and gas taxes are highest in the west (where gas prices are highest in the U.S.).

[frankthetank]

I live near the borders of WI/MN/IA and i can drive 10 minutes and usually get gas 10cents cheaper a gallon (not really worth it, unless on empty). Iowa is usually cheaper then MN.

[Keith_McClary]

If you're looking for the cheapest gas stations, check this out

map of where the cheap gas is

Good luck!

Notice how the price differs over state boundaries - any "free market" bozos want to explain that?

Different states have different amounts of taxes on oil.

Only a bozo wouldn't know that.

I'm just surprised that Michigan, birthplace of the US car industry, would have high gasoline taxes. Do they still make cars there?

[Tanada]

If you're looking for the cheapest gas stations, check this out

map of where the cheap gas is

Good luck!

Notice how the price differs over state boundaries - any "free market" bozos want to explain that?

Different states have different amounts of taxes on oil.

Only a bozo wouldn't know that.

I'm just surprised that Michigan, birthplace of the US car industry, would have high gasoline taxes. Do they still make cars there?

With the huge corporate and individual tax burdens in this state industry has been seeking the exit for decades. The last 6 years under our Canadian governess have been particularly brutal.

[wxman]

There are also some state laws that prohibit undercutting (I know MN has one). The theory is that they don't want a big conglomerate to come in, like a Walmart (who can afford to sell at a loss), and put prices so low that they drive smaller places out of business. Then the bigger place would have a monopoly on the area and raise prices significantly.

[mattduke]

The cheapest gallon of gas in town is going for 25 cents — with a catch.

Gary Mallicoat, the owner of the Exit 14 Shell station off of Interstate 5, is offering one gallon of gas in exchange for quarters dated 1964 or before.

http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... /804050306

[steam_cannon]

Real money

[Dreamtwister]

That's pretty creative. It's legal tender, and it has actual value. I guess as long as he makes sure to pay his bills in modern "funny money", he can probably get away with it.

[steam_cannon]

The silver for gasoline comparison is classic, so a gas station taking
silver directly is kind of cool and something I think we'll see more of.

Why buy silver?

For example, in 2002, the average price of gasoline was about $1.28
per gallon and silver was trading at around $4.50 per ounce, which
means, that you could have gotten about 3.5 gallons of gas for 1 oz.
of silver. Today, gasoline is about $3.23 per gallon and silver this year
has averaged about $17.55 per ounce, which means, you could get
get 5.4 gallons of gas for 1 oz. of silver. As you can see, as the dollar
is losing value, silver has kept it's purchasing power in terms of gasoline.

http://tinyurl.com/6h8e2h

[mattduke]

That's pretty creative. It's legal tender, and it has actual value. I guess as long as he makes sure to pay his bills in modern "funny money", he can probably get away with it.

Now try to calculate what sales tax he should pay, and the entire fiat money scam unravels.

[steam_cannon]

Now try to calculate what sales tax he should pay...

I was thinking about this, but sales tax is probably automatically
calculated on the pumps as a US dollar transaction. So I'm sure
calculating taxes isn't a problem.

[mattduke]

Now try to calculate what sales tax he should pay...

I was thinking about this, but sales tax is probably automatically
calculated on the pumps as a US dollar transaction. So I'm sure
calculating taxes isn't a problem.

He paid 25 cents, legal tender.

[steam_cannon]

He paid 25 cents, legal tender.

It's legal tender but not a presently issued currency and the IRS will
treat this based as a commodity transaction. And the IRS would
request that taxes be calculated in federal reserve notes for
the reserve note value of gasoline traded.

Q Are bullion coins legal tender?

A Yes, if they are government issued bullion coins with a face
value. This nominal face value allows the coins to travel across
national borders without the taxation or fees otherwise imposed by
many countries on bullion itself.

http://www.nwtmintbullion.com/articles_faq.php

There are some loopholes like this, but as I said since gas pumps
are set-up to calculate taxes and this guy probably doesn't want
questions from the IRS regarding a promotion, he is probably
paying the state and government taxes.

This is what Feds do when people intentionally use silver to skirt taxes...

Feds Raid NORFED offices, Seize Ron Paul Coins
http://www.plunderbund.com/2007/11/17/f ... aul-coins/

Federal agents on Wednesday raided the Evansville, Indiana
headquarters of the National Organization for the Repeal of the
Federal Reserve and Internal Revenue Codes (NORFED), an
organization of “sound money” advocates that for the past decade
has been selling what it calls Liberty Dollars, a private currency it
says is backed by silver and gold stored in Idaho, with a total of
more than $20 million in circulation, according to the group.

[3aidlillahi]

When I read the title, I was thinking "All gas stations are like this - If you have a 90% quarter". I don't mean they'll take the coin, but you could sell it for roughly a gallon of gas.

[Pretorian]

Real money

that coin had lost minimum 0.5 grams of silver. not so real anymore.
However, next week i am going to farmers market loaded with silver us, canadian and mexican coinage. we'll see

[steam_cannon]

that coin had lost minimum 0.5 grams of silver. not so real anymore.

.5 / 6.25 = 0.08

8% of it's mass. I think that looks a little high, but maybe.

$3.25 * .08 = $0.26

$3.25 - $0.26 = $2.99 value in silver + collector value

CALCULATING TODAY'S MELT VALUE of Quarters
http://www.coinflation.com/coins/1932-1 ... Value.html

And here's a page that might be worth printing out:

United States Circulated Silver Coinage Intrinsic Value Table
http://www.coinflation.com/

However, next week i am going to farmers market loaded with
silver us, canadian and mexican coinage. we'll see

Have fun, bartering can work. I know I've traded ceramic dice /
buttons I've made for small things at flea markets. You have to
have the right people, environment. However without outright
currency collapse, you're going to have more luck cashing in some
silver for FRN's and using those to buy vegetables. But it depends
on the seller. I mentioned NORFED earlier, they were raided
because many businesses wanted to accept their silver backed currency.