One of the ways I try to govern how economical driving is, is to calculate how much per mile or kilometer it actually costs me to drive. I’ve done this for many years and one very odd thing crops up every time with every car I have ever owned including my wonderful Prius. That is: I get way better gas milage running on US gas than Canadian gas. For example, on Canadian gas on Feb 9 2008 it cost 8.62 cents per kilometer to operate. On Feb 10, after we crossed the border on our way to Florida, it cost 4.64 cents per Km. The entire time we were in the US the cost per Km was significantly less that while driving in Canada. It doesn't matter if it is highway or city, like driving in the US cost less. This is factoring in all the exchange rates and volume conversions. Basically, with a conventional car I was consistently getting at least 100 Km per tank better mileage - with the Prius it's even more. And as the car ages it seems to get even better. Buck
Right now gas in Dryden Ontario cost $1.40/liter times 3.8 liters/US gal = $5.32/US Gal. Now in the US gas cost $4.06/US Gal. so gas in Canada cost $1.26 more/ Gal right?
double check the calculations - if they are correct then it is probably an additive issue.....even within the USA and between stations stations have different additives and states have different laws...for example in Iowa you'd be hard pressed to find any 89 octane gas that isn't 10% ethanol. This gas is also LESS expensive then 87 octane due to the ethanol subsidy.....and often times people do get worse mileage on the 10% ethanol 90% gas solution try and find out exactly what goes into your gas and how octane is calculated and all that good stuff
Your subject is misleading. Chuck has it right, you're not getting better gas mileage, by your given calculations, you're just paying less/mile. I'm consistantly getting 8c/mile but I was also getting 8c/mile 3 years ago in the Jaguar buying premium gas and getting half the MPG's.
I lived in Vancouver Canada for several years not far from the US border. I consistently got at least 100 Km more mileage out of a tank of gas regardless what I paid per gallon. I suspected it might be the additives but I don't have the equipment to do a forensic analysis. I'm too far from the border now to fill up there or I would still be doing it. Buck
I've never driven in Canada so I don't know but I suspect your fuel has a better octane rating than ours. In Ireland it's 98 only, no multigrade and the Yaris we rented, after the math and a couple asprin, was getting around 60mpg. Almost drove across country twice with 1 tank of gas, then again, we did get a bit lost in Dublin. Ummmm, I guess my point is that it shouldn't be an octane problem. Maybe you're filling up with Canadian gas up there and filling up with Arabian gas down here, their oil has been baking more than yours......
