'Pure' gas worth it?

[MillCreek]

A gas station reasonably near to me (11 miles away) has recently started carrying gasoline with no ethanol in it.  I am thinking of driving up there to check out the price differential.  In a 2016 Toyota Tacoma, I wonder if I would see better MPG that would offset the increased price.

[bedlamite]

I get about 5% better mileage with pure gas. Cost is usually about 20% more, so I only use it for small engines; generator, lawn mower, etc.

[Kingcreek]

I use non ethanol fuel in small engines. Newer automotive engines are designed to run the 87 octane blended fuel and you won’t see much difference. Here the non ethanol is 91 octane

[slingshot]

I doubt that the slightly improved gasoline mileage offsets the additional cost for routine driving.  I prefer to use non-ethanol for small engines such as a generator, boats, and lawn mowers.  But frankly, I often use ethanol laced gasoline for both unless it is a specific purchase for this use.

[MillCreek]

I am thinking that when lawn mowing season resumes, I should go fill my 2.5 gallon gas can for the mower, and perhaps try the gas in my 2012 Suzuki DL650, to see if that makes any difference.

[MechAg94]

Like others said, I get it when I refill my 5 gallon can for the lawn mower and other small stuff. 

The newer Buc-ee's stations around here all have it as an additional option at each pump. 

[brimic]

Its mainly for 2 stroke stuff and boats.
The closest place I can buy the stuff is 50 miles away because of the mothereffing EPA.

[Brad Johnson]

Echoing what others said... if it's right around the corner, sure. The difference in overall economy is negligible enough that it won't money out unless it's really, really close. If not, don't bother except for lawn/power equipment.

Brad

[RoadKingLarry]

I use it for outdoor power equipment, mowers, weed trimmers, wood splitter, chainsaws and I also use it for the ancient venerable Atomic-4 engine in my little sailboat along with some Stabil and Marvel Mystery Oil.
I will also use it in my M715along with some Stabil and Marvel Mystery Oil.

[charby]

I get about 5% better mileage with pure gas. Cost is usually about 20% more, so I only use it for small engines; generator, lawn mower, etc.

The last time I actually noticed a difference between 10% E and non E was with my 98 GMC with a 4.3 Vortec, and it is was about a 2 mpg difference on the highway, same in town for either.

My vehicles now, none or no real difference between E10, E15 or No E. Actually my supercharged Nissan Frontier gets the best MPG with 20% E, but blender pumps are hard to find.

I buy No E only for my lawn tractor, push mower, sailboat 2 stroke outboard and my 2 stroke dirt bikes. Chainsaw I buy the gas mix in a can.

If I can't get No E anymore, I'll probably sell my 2 stroke outboard and dirtbikes and buy 4 stroke replacements.

[Brad Johnson]

I'm running corn squeezin's through the truck right now (E85). I do that a couple times a year to de-carbon the combustion chambers. Truck runs really well on it but economy suffers a bit (11-13 mpg in town versus 14-15 mpg on dino juice).

Brad

[Northwoods]

My '97 Camry gets about 10% better mileage with Chevron/Shell/76 brand gas vs Arco.  The '08 Sienna gets better milage but as much.  In both cases it's "up to 10% ethanol" gas.  Have not experimented with sober gas in quite a while.  Should try a tank when I get a chance.  It's a 20-30% premium over E10 as I recall, so I doubt it'll pencil out for typical driving.

[Hawkmoon]

The only "pure" gas available around here is sold by hardware stores in 5-gallon cans. The cost works out to about $6 per gallon.

Thanks, but no thanks. I can make my own for less than that. Water is free (almost -- I need electricity to run the well pump).

[Andiron]

What the rest said. 

I'm happy with how my chainsaw runs without ethanol eating all the gaskets in the off season.  Worth whatever the price difference is.

[grampster]

So, why should pure gas cost more than gas with ethanol added?  Gas is cheaper to produce sans adding corn.  Plus, maybe none of you are old enough to remember a couple things.  When they started to add corn to the gas, that gas was more expensive because the ethanol had a cost.  So now if it isn't added, why is gas more? 

Also, there was a time we had leaded gas.  Lead was an additive, thus an extra cost.  When lead was outlawed in gas, guess what?  Unleaded gas was more expensive?  The question most of us asked at that time was why would gas be more without adding the lead, which had a cost?

The Overlords think we are stupid, and for the most part, they are right.

[charby]

So, why should pure gas cost more than gas with ethanol added?  Gas is cheaper to produce sans adding corn.  Plus, maybe none of you are old enough to remember a couple things.  When they started to add corn to the gas, that gas was more expensive because the ethanol had a cost.  So now if it isn't added, why is gas more?  

Also, there was a time we had leaded gas.  Lead was an additive, thus an extra cost.  When lead was outlawed in gas, guess what?  Unleaded gas was more expensive?  The question most of us asked at that time was why would gas be more without adding the lead, which had a cost?

The Overlords think we are stupid, and for the most part, they are right.

Ethanol is cheaper per gallon than unleaded gasoline

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/prices.php

Corn is really cheap right now, ethanol production is way more efficient than the 70s and we are exporting ethanol. Also the subsidy is gone for ethanol, but it is a little misleading because there is other subsidies that indirectly affect ethanol production. Also there is a market for almost every byproduct of ethanol production.