But in the real world, used in our trucks, and proven by several members in this forum….
Wrong about what?
Wrong about It being usable?
Our trucks have been greenlit for E15 since 2015(ish). It's plenty usable, just like a Flex-Fuel vehicle can take E85.
Just like E85, most Flex-Fuel owners wont put E85 in their tank because the math puts E85 at a disadvantage (Usually...different parts of the country have different prices).
Wrong about mileage/power?
I'm sure your butt-dyno is calibrated like a piano's tuner at Carnegie Hall, and besides, my own range varies more than 10% from week-to-week, depending on traffic and my mood. I'm sure you have absolutely no idea how much power/range you're gaining/losing between E10 and E15. I'm reiterating, it's pretty small, but still large enough that most people in most areas of the country wouldn't justify putting it in their tanks, myself included.
If you can't take my word for it, go to a Dyno, or track each fuel type for a year and see how it averages out. I'm not going to debate physics and how much chemical energy it takes to do a specific amount of work.
Looking below, it seems that Unleaded 88 is a good deal at your particular station. Perhaps it's worth it, perhaps I would use it if I were in your town. It's all about (sacrifices : gains) and if you're gaining 7% in cost savings for 2.5% range loss over 87, you're still coming out ahead.....For most people in most parts of the country E15 isn't going to work out that way.
Just 1 or 2 extra trips out to the gas station every year is exhausting. I try to get gas at 6am on my way to work, but it doesn't always work out. I have 1 gas station that's perfectly aligned with my 20-minute work route: Sam's. Well, yesterday, my timing didn't work out. I was at 0mi range, so I ended up in a 30-minute wait for gas....mostly behind people who NEEDED to top off an extra 3-gallons in their Kias, for a grand total of 33c saved and 30-min spent. In other words, FU^K GOING TO THE GAS STATION MORE THAN I HAVE TO!!!
It’s half that around here, only $0.05/gal
View attachment 126934
This is a good example. For this situation, that's 0.5% savings for a 2.5% loss.
In my area,
E0 is ~$4.30 (rough guess based on the Gasbuddy figure at Sunoco)
E10 is $3.84
E15 is $3.89 (only 2 stations in 10 miles)
E85 is $3.74 (only 1 station in 25 miles, Thorntons)
For now, E10 is the best deal.
E0 isn't worth a 11% cost for a 5% mileage gain.
E15 is actually backwards expensive, at the moment.
E85 isn't worth a 2% savings for a 20% mileage loss.
Non-ethanol fuel is pretty easy to find around me. About half the gas stations carry either 87 or 91 non-ethanol. You pay a little more for them because they don't get the same subsidies as ethanol blends.
I'm in the Tampa area, so I'm right near the water and near a major port. Overall, gas is cheaper in my area and E0 is pretty easy to find near all the marinas....but you mentioned something I completely forgot: subsidies. E0 is prohibitively expensive, unless you absolutely need to use it.
That’s crazy your normal fuel prices are that low especially diesel. It’s still close to $6 a gal here.
But since your supposed to really run 89 that’s the price I’d compare it too.
89 currently $4.56, 88 currently $3.86. That’s $16 less a fill up in my 23gal tank. Even if it did hurt mpg (which it doesn’t) it would have to hurt it pretty damn bad to change that cost to mpg ratio.
Or if you’re of the mindset you want to run 87. 87 is $4.16 putting it at $7 less a fill up.
$7 can buy me a some red bulls or a could pounders!
As above, your station seems to work out. Unl88 seems significantly cheaper than the alternatives.
I'd probably consider it if I was in your shoes. Of course, since gas prices are pretty volatile, that could change day-to-day.
