Where will it end?
Every day it seems somebody's giving us something new in the battle to combat the rising cost of gasoline in America.
The latest hot tip: buy your gas cold--as in early in the morning, before it has a chance to heat up during the day.
Why? Well, according to a recent story in North Carolina's News & Observer the colder the ground, the more dense the gasoline. When it gets warmer, gas apparently expands.
Translation: When it's hotter, your gallon of gas isn't really a gallon of gas.
Ok. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't gas tanks underground? And being underground means whatever is in that tank is going to be cooler anyway than it would be if it was above ground, right?
Regardless of what time of day it is, right? Are you following the logic trail here? I'm just saying that the more gas prices rise so it seems does the level of absurdities.
The reason we are told to insulate pipes in our house is to increase the efficiency of hot water as it runs through those pipes so it doesn't cool in the process. Even though the tanks that keep gas cool are underground, the hoses through which it runs before it gets to the car's gas tank are hotter in the summer sun, so I would suspect that the gas is heated as it runs through those hoses making sense to fill up in the cooler hours.
Posted by: Rebecca | May 21, 2008 at 10:51 AM
I researched this sometime ago when a friend sent me an email with this information. There were no definitive answers, but depending upon where you live, in warmer climates, the gas that's distributed to stations may be warmer than the 60 degree standard. According to some, it depends not on the time of day you buy it, but on its temperature at delivery to the station which will remain constant until it gets into your tank.
Posted by: Ivan | May 22, 2008 at 05:12 AM
Especially in really hot climates. As it travels through the hose it gets hotter, it's always been this way, it has nothing to do with rising gas prices.
Posted by: Sam | May 23, 2008 at 09:31 AM
It's amazing the lengths people will go to to try and squeeze a little more gas out of their purchase. i have an idea, and you can forget all these little tricks. Just carpool once a week.
Posted by: vivamurillo | May 28, 2008 at 11:27 PM
I heard this a long time ago. Every little bit helps. I don't feel silly trying it.
Posted by: lt221 | May 30, 2008 at 02:13 PM