How much more does fuel delivered cost?

[Gale Hawkins]

After we get back from a cross country I want to get the used 300 gallon tank filled with gas that we recently purchased. When I called yesterday the spread to get the gas to our place vs. one of the distributor's station in town was about 10-11 cents per gallon more.

Is that about normal?

Since I know the owner I will just give the office a call when I get ready and let them fill the tank in a passing trip since they service farms on either side of me.

I am looking forward to not making a trip each fall with the pick-up bed full of fuel containers to get generator gas any more. Since this gas will not have ethanol in it I will use it to fill the motorhome to keep it out kind of tight fueling conditions at the only NO ethanol station in town. The home generator burns nearly a gallon an hour so this will reduce my stress should we have a bad ice storm.

We can set it up out of sight and will lock it. Since it is on the ground it may be a little harder to steal. Maybe I should set the dog food bowl in front of it.

I try to keep the diesel tractor and backhoe filled and 15 gallons on hand but this will free up containers so I can store a little more if I want.

One concern since we live 20 miles from everything is should there a gas supply issue develop we would have fuel for a while to keep the cars and trucks going.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Its about the going rate. I have never been able to beat the in town price. I just try to buy when the price is low but that is a gamble also. I was once using 300 gallons of $4.25 diesel when it was $3.60 in town. Like going to Vegas I guess.

Chris

 

[crazyal]

I get a $.20 to $30 break on the price of off road diesel if I buy around 500 gallons (of heating oil and diesel combined) or if they are in the area doing other deliveries. The price of off road diesel at the pump is usually about another $.15 to $.20 higher so I save up to $.50 a gallon. I've never bought gas so it could be different.

 

[Bigfoot62]

It probably just depends on the distributor. The one that I buy from only charges extra for deliveries under 200 gallons. Also, they only bring it when they are going to be in my area. (like you, I live out in the sticks) Another factor might be if they are having to "meter" your fuel, instead of just filling the truck compartment by volume. The tank trucks have pre-measured "markers" in them. I always just tell them the maximum that I can hold in my tank, and they bring me the volume, according to the marker, nearest the amount my tank will hold. (hope that wasn't too confusing)

 

[Bigfoot62]

. . . I just try to buy when the price is low but that is a gamble also. I was once using 300 gallons of $4.25 diesel when it was $3.60 in town. Like going to Vegas I guess.

Chris

He's right. I have fuel in my tanks right now, that cost me about 10 cents more than I can currently buy it at the pump. I joke with my distributor all the time. I tell him that when I buy fuel, the price will be coming down.

 

[WM75Guy]

Murphy Oil at Walmart finally has diesel. I checked diesel prices the other day. The same price delivered as I could buy it at the pump in town. Farm diesel was 40 cents cheaper. Minimum quantity delivered was 250 gallons. That would last me all year and I worried about it sitting so long so I went with a 100 gallon tank and 12 volt pump mounted in a military surplus trailer.

 

[dmccarty]

A few years ago we got a 250ish gallon fuel tank for free. We checked the price for delivered ON road fuel and it was about ten cents cheaper than at the pump.

Never got around to cleaning out the tank, buying a pump, and power supply so there sits the tank.

Later,
Dan

 

[brucew44guns]

It probably just depends on the distributor. The one that I buy from only charges extra for deliveries under 200 gallons. Also, they only bring it when they are going to be in my area. (like you, I live out in the sticks) Another factor might be if they are having to "meter" your fuel, instead of just filling the truck compartment by volume. The tank trucks have pre-measured "markers" in them. I always just tell them the maximum that I can hold in my tank, and they bring me the volume, according to the marker, nearest the amount my tank will hold. (hope that wasn't too confusing)

The distributor loading rack likely loads by meter, if a guy wanted 400 gallons, they meter in 400. When I was young, transports loaded often by marker, but the loading point also weighed the truck before and after to check that out for accuracy.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Fifty years ago our Standard Oil distributor had a gallons meter on his truck pump.

Actually the tank we just picked up which is manual also has a digital gallons meter on it.

The $30 extra cost for a full tank delivered is OK and keeps me from having to go to town I when want alcohol free gas.

 

[Diamondpilot]

The $30 extra cost for a full tank delivered is OK and keeps me from having to go to town I when want alcohol free gas.

There you go. You will probably never save a dime in the cost of the fuel itself by the time you figure additives, the tank, hose, nozzle, ect. Its all about convenience and having a supply on hand for emergencies like this hurricane on its way.

Chris