Want to beat high gas prices?

[Oracle of Delphi]

For those living close to the U.S.-Mexico border, buying gas down south could prove a plausible way to beat the current fuel price hikes felt across the nation. With the national average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gas topping out at $4.08, the practice of travelling down south is quickly gaining popularity among drivers near the border.

By living near one of the largest border cities in the U.S., residents of San Diego are now willing to wait upward of three hours to cross in and out of Mexico to purchase their share of gasoline at significantly cheaper prices. Currently a gallon of regular unleaded in San Diego costs on average $4.61, while in Tijuana, Mexico, the same gas costs $2.54.

Generally speaking, an owner of a two-year-old Ford F-150 pickup with a 26-gallon tank could theoretically save upwards of $54 dollars by filling up in Baja California, Mexico.

Diesel, too, is cheaper down south compared with the U.S. A gallon of diesel from Mexico costs $2.20, while in San Diego it runs slightly over $5. Some Mexican gas stations even offer the gas cheaper if buyers purchase fuel using pesos.

Gas stations are able to sell fuel at much lower prices due to a federal subsidy provided to the government-owned Pemex stations -- the only gas stations allowed in Mexico. The government funding effectively keeps the prices in check during times of rapid fluctuation.

Though buying gas in Mexico seems like a bright idea, it does come with its fair share of disadvantages. At face value, consumers are in fact getting gas at a reduce cost, but according to some opponents to the idea, Mexican fuel is said to be less refined and inferior in overall quality. Higher amounts of sulfur within the gasoline could damage catalytic convertors with extended usage and can prevent the car from passing future smog checks in California.

There is also the hurdle of crossing the border back into the states once your tank is topped off. A regular-sized car is said to consume one gallon of fuel per hour at idle, while an average border crossing can take well over two hours during peak times, thus nixing some of the cost benefits.

Article: http://wot.motortrend.com/6256802/auto-new...xico/index.html

[pow]

I wonder if Canadians do the same in the US... perhaps as revenge for Americans who cross the border for healthcare.

[Sixty8panther]

Though buying gas in Mexico seems like a bright idea, it does come with its fair share of disadvantages. At face value, consumers are in fact getting gas at a reduce cost, but according to some opponents to the idea, Mexican fuel is said to be less refined and inferior in overall quality. Higher amounts of sulfur within the gasoline could damage catalytic convertors with extended usage and can prevent the car from passing future smog checks in California.

Back when XP715 owned the Banana he had true duals

installed... and he checked the box on the order sheet

for the "CATALITIC CONVERTER DELETE" option.

My '92 Roadmaster's catalitic converter will ALSO be

recycled soon, as I will have to do some exhaust work.

Edited June 17, 2008 by Sixty8panther

[balthazar]

>>"I wonder if Canadians do the same in the US... perhaps as revenge for Americans who cross the border for healthcare. "<<

I've heard many Canadians have been crossing into the U.S. for healthcare. Doesn't one of the current jokes regarding their system go something like : "Having your baby in Canada? There's good news and bad news; the good news is universal healthcare will take care of the delivery doctor. The bad news is the waiting time to see him is 9 months."

[Robert Hall]

Back when XP715 owned the Banana he had true duals

installed... and he checked the box on the order sheet

for the "CATALITIC CONVERTER DELETE" option.

My '92 Roadmaster's catalitic converter will ALSO be

recycled soon, as I will have to do some exhaust work.

No smog checks?

[saturnd00d]

Re: Buying gas in Mexico. To each their own but time is also money, and if your willing to waste 4 hours of your day to cross the border and back just to fill up, you are relatively desperate. And as stated above, the effect it has on your car idling for so long isn't going to be cost-effective.

Re: Canadians going to U.S. for healthcare: To an extent, true. I have no problem outside of slightly longer wait times when in the emergency, but I've had a few people close to me willing to retreat into the U.S. for tests and procedures to second-guess results found here, just because results take so long to get to us here. My uncle had an MRI done. It took 4 months to have this MRI, and another month and a half to get the results. Ridiculous.