Propane Prices - Part 2

[the_experience03]

I might point out that you were in two different states with two different tax codes and $.50 is not an outrageous price differential for two different states. Heck...just look at cigarettes. In Minnesota a pack might cost you $4 while in North Dakota, $2.50 will get you a pack.

Average propane prices for this heating year are supposed to be $1.85. Last year's average was $1.95. These are for volume purchases for heating a home and will of course cost less than what you are purchasing. The other thing that gets you is that propane prices are down this year, but many businesses stockpiled gas in anticipation of higher prices this year. You are still tapping into that higher priced stockpile. I know my heating bill is about double what it should be because the city thought they were doing us a favor by buying up all kinds of natural gas. It's too bad the bottom fell out of the market at the end of this summer and now we're stuck with the high priced stuff.

Propane used to be much cheaper than gasoline. I htink that is why so many buses out there have the systems in place. On top of that, it is higher octane and burns cleaner. I know it contains less BTU's per gallon than gasoline so you will see some drop in mileage, but chances are that higher compression and some advanced timing might make up for some of this by providing more power.

Either way you might be stuck at those higher prices. Rest assured that gas and diesel prices are bound to come back up as well. You could always convert back to gasoline, but I don't think the payoff will be there for you. Maybe you could get something for the parts you have on eBay....I'm not really sure.

In my experience, the propane retailer will be the best place to get fuel. Buying from a gas station or similar is just another middleman with yet another price mark up.

[Les Lampman]

I don't mean to highjack your thread! Just consider it a slight diversion!

I just had the propane truck stop by today and check our 300-gallon tank out behind the house. He said I was only down to 35% capacity and he was going to leave it alone. I told him I'd rather have more in the tank then that and he said "nope, no way" and said that they're rationing their propane because they can't get any at the moment and are almost out! This is Suburban Propane; not exactly a Mom & Pop operation!

I tell you, it's enough to drive a person nuts sometimes!

[captainkf]

Well, I paid 41.9 cents per litre in Canadian funds today at the pump for the bus in Calgary, Alberta. I am not sure what the conversion is off hand, but I hope that helps.

-Richard