Finding cheap gas on the Web

Given still-stratospheric gas prices, I decided to test drive a few Web sites that promise to help you find the lowest gas prices in your area. Our colleagues in the Cars franchise listed several such sites a few months ago when regular unleaded cost "only" $3 per gallon.

Comparison shopping online is faster than cruising the neighborhood for a bargain, and you won't be burning any gas. But it's useful only if online prices are accurate and there are significant variations among local stations.

As a reality check, I drove around my north New Jersey neighborhood recently, jotting down credit card prices for regular unleaded at 15 stations. (Disclaimer: Approximately one gallon of regular unleaded gasoline was consumed in the production of this blog post.) The highest price I saw for regular was $4.06 and the lowest was $3.89 (for credit cards; cash prices were a bit lower at a few stations). If that seems like a bargain compared to your neck of the woods, it's because New Jersey has some of the lowest gas prices on either coast.

If you drive 12,000 miles a year (the national average) and get 24.3 mpg (the average we found in a random nationwide survey last month), buying the cheapest gas would save you about $84 a year—nothing to get excited about, though it's a psychological boost to pay even a little less for gas these days. And if you drive more than average or have a less fuel-efficient vehicle, your savings could be greater.

After my station tour, I went to four free Web sites to see whether their price listings were accurate: GasPriceWatch.com, MapQuest, MSN Autos, and NewJerseyGasPrices; (associated with the national site, GasBuddy). These sites display interactive maps that show the price at each station's geographical location, and they usually tell you how recently each price was updated. MapQuest and MSN get their price information from Oil Price Information Service (OPIS), which tracks more than 90,000 retail gasoline prices daily. GasPriceWatch and GasBuddy get them from volunteer “spotters.”

The results were mixed. Most of the prices I saw online differed from what I found, though each site got a few right. I also didn't find many of my local stations listed at all. On the other hand, the sites did point me towards a few neighborhood stations that seem consistently cheaper than others. I also realized that one station I use a lot, which is conveniently located on a major highway, was consistently the highest-priced around. I won't be going there again soon.

I found GasBuddy's gas temperature map fascinating. It shows variations across the country (there's a Canadian version, too) and lets you zoom in to the county and town level. Based on this look (click on image for a closer look) at northern New Jersey, I'd probably avoid buying gas in Summit.

Here are two tips based on my informal gas station tour:

• Ask if a lowball price is for cash only. Some stations make that obvious, but others don't. You don't want to find out that you’ll have to pay a higher price for using a credit card after you’ve gassed up.
• Look for discounts. Some gas stations offer "sale" prices on certain days of the week.

Obviously, you can also save money by reducing your fuel consumption. Our Guide to Driving Green lists the best cars for fuel economy and provides tips on how to drive efficiently. Also check our Cars blog for weekly updates on gas prices and related daily news from the automotive front.

—Jeff Fox

Comments

[Remi]

The energy executives' prediction about the future price for crude oil seems to have sound backing. Lehman Brothers (LEH) investment bank had said that this current oil pricing boom was quickly coming to an end.

[Paul R]

I don't typically advocate the use of credit cards, but some credit cards offer discounts for purchasing gas.

For example, I signed up for a Shell Mastercard and if I buy from my local Shell station (which happens to already be competitively priced), I get a 5% discount. That's 20 cents off of $4/gallon!

[everett whitney]

Cheap Gas Might Be TOO Cheap !

Beware of all E85 ..... it WILL do mechanical mischief to your vehicle (or snow blower, lawn equipment , outboard, etc..).

Unless the car / truck / SUV specifically states "FLEX FUEL" on the trunk lid, front fender, in the manual, etc., this is NOT suitable.

A very bad option to save 60 cents/gallon !

everett whitney