But What About the Premium?

Gas Station Price Regular, 3/29 Price Premium, 3/29 Sunoco, Easton and Kenderton roads $3.54 $3.71/3.76 Liberty, Easton and Woodland roads 3.54 3.76 Gulf, Easton and Bradfield roads 3.59 3.79 BP, Wheatsheaf and Old York roads 3.59 3.85 LukOil, Easton and Susquehanna roads 3.58 3.85 LukOil, Old York and Moreland roads 3.57 3.85 Getty, Pennsylvania and Station avenues 3.35 3.85 LukOil, Old York Road and Highland Avenue 3.59 3.88 Shell, Jenkintown Road and Tyson Avenue 3.64 3.94 LukOil, Jenkintown and Baeder roads 3.61 4.01 Average $3.58 $3.85

When gas prices are high, the national media are quick to show file footage of people pumping their mundane vehicles full of dino-juice—they’re usually shot from the waist down, similar to when the media run stories about people being overweight.

While this file footage is rolling, the media outlet usually puts up a graphic with the national average of the cost of a gallon of gas; it usually cites AAA.

It’s a boring story, but it affects almost everyone—from the Honda CR-Z driver to the that’s-so-2000s Hummer H2 driver.

The graphic doesn’t usually apply to me.

It’s not that I don’t drive. I do. I love it, and all of my friends know that I would rather hunker down for a long car ride to say, Tampa, FL, than fly in a plane.

I put more mileage on my car than anyone I know. My last car had more than 180 large on the odometer before it was totaled; my car before that one had more than 200K on the odometer before it was (cough) totaled.

Both were not my fault, says State Farm.

The national gas price graphics don’t apply to me because I (and I’m assuming there are others) need to run premium gas in my car.

“Hey Mischa,” my dad says quite frequently “Gas is really cheap today at Wawa!”

“What kind of gas?”

“Oh, right.”

As of today, according to AAA’s Daily Fuel Gauge Report, the national average for the cost of a gallon of regular gas is $3.59; it’s $3.86 for a gallon of premium.

So how’s Abington doing?

I drove around Abington today, checking out the prices at ten different gas stations. (And it cost me $2.61.)

I’m happy to report that both the average cost of a gallon of regular fuel and a gallon of premium fuel are one penny under the national average in Abington.

For those of you who need to run “premium gas” in your vehicle, your best bet is to head to Sunoco in the corner of Easton and Kenderton roads. “Ultra” 93-octane gas there is $3.76.

But … Sunocos are different in that they carry more flavors of fuel than typical gas stations. Most “premium” gas sold in the area has an octane rating of 93. Sunoco offers 87-, 89- 91- and 93-octane gas.

Many vehicles that require “premium gas” only really need 91 octane—and Sunoco appears to be the only gas station that sells it. 

It goes for $3.71—15 cents under the national average. Buying gas there would save me $2.29 every time I fill up my 16.4-gallon tank compared to the Abington average.

Well, I suppose it’s not that much of a deal.

Check your owner’s manual to see what your car really needs. A car tuned for 91-octane gas won’t run any better if it’s given 93 octane. It’s just a waste.