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Car Guy
Avoiding the Corn Con
It is once again legal to purchase real gasoline! But is it cost-effective?
It all started back in the '80s.
If you’re of a certain vintage, you may remember. In winter, they began to “oxygenate” — that is, adulterate — gasoline with additives such as MTBE and ethanol, corn alcohol, in order (so they said) to lower tailpipe exhaust emissions. That excuse went away because older cars without computers could not adjust their air-fuel mixtures and so ran lean (and allegedly produced lower emissions when burning Not Quite Gas). So there arose a new excuse: “renewable energy.” Suddenly it was patriotic to burn corn instead of eating it — even if it took more energy to convert corn into alcohol and even if your car didn’t go as far on a tank anymore — because alcohol-laced fuel is less energy-dense than straight 100 proof gasoline.
The corn lobby (that is, the agro-business lobby) is quite powerful, firmly grasping Uncle Sam by the pockets, always applying just enough pressure to make sure he does what is required. The corn lobby wants for every American driver — hell, everyone who buys “gas” (in quotes in the interests of accuracy, since what we are putting in our tanks is no longer, properly speaking, gasoline) — to pay tribute each time he fills up. The total sum is incomprehensibly large but the average person sees the tab every time he’s at the pump.
And every time he drives.
The “gas” we put into our tanks now usually contains 10 percent corn alcohol — ethanol. As a result, our gas mileage goes down by a sizable amount. People usually don’t notice anymore because unlike Back in the Day, we no longer only get Not Quite Gas during the winter months, we get it all year ‘round. Like air travel before Gate Rape, real gas is something only people over 30 have any real memory of.
But, there is an out.
Because of problems that could not be hidden with Not Quite Gas — especially physical problems in older (pre-computer) cars, outdoor power equipment (two-stroke equipment such as chainsaws, especially) and marine engines as well as problems arising from water build-up in tanks and lines (ethanol absorbs water from atmospheric humidity, etc.) and a much shorter shelf life, which is an obvious concern for owners of antique vehicles, as well as boats and power equipment that may sit for weeks/months at a time — it is once again legal to sell real gas.
Here is a helpful website where you can find out about the availability of real gas in your area: http://pure-gas.org/
Turns out, there are almost 4,500 ethanol-free filling stations around the U.S. and Canada. If you live in Alaska (and Alberta, Canada) you’re really in luck because all stations dispense real gas instead of Not Quite Gas. I checked the site’s state-by-state listings and — happy day! — my own state of Virginia currently has 156 stations where you can buy real gas, including premium real gas. The site even includes a map to show where to find real fuel in your area.
So, any downsides?
Just the one: price. Real gas seems to run about 10 cents more per gallon for regular leaded. Premium, as you’d expect, costs more. But, the math may work out. If you factor in the better gas mileage you will get by using real gas, the higher at-the-pump cost may turn out to be negligible, or at least nominal. Plus, your machinery will last longer and run better.
And what could be better than dodging the Corn Con?
About the Author
Eric Peters is an automotive columnist and author of Automotive Atrocities: The Cars You Love to Hate (Motor Books International) and a new book, Road Hogs.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (48) | Leave a comment
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dlb| 11.16.11 @ 6:50AM
The heat of combustion of ethanol is about 25% less than that of gasoline. 10 cents more a gallon is still a good deal.
Lawrence Boccardi| 11.16.11 @ 6:58AM
But, what do we then do with the 535 ethanol plants that we've built? Each one owned by a brother-in-law or cousin of a Congressman or Senator. Only way to get the subsidy money back in the public "servant's" pocket. Six dollar a bushel corn, would again be $3.00. One more vehicle of Congressional corruption would be derailed. Oh, woe is me!
c. j. acworth| 11.16.11 @ 7:14AM
Why, thats an easy one Lawrence! We continue to subsidise the ethanol plants, but put the product to it's proper use, bourbon whiskey!
Drunken Sailor| 11.16.11 @ 11:12AM
Bless you my son!
Patrick| 11.16.11 @ 3:38PM
Ethanol belongs in a bottle or a glass, but never in a gas tank.
THKrupp| 11.16.11 @ 9:13PM
Ethanol plants do not get a subsidy at this point in time except for the ethanol mandate.
Old Soldier| 11.16.11 @ 10:47AM
Define "we".
TrueBlue| 11.16.11 @ 2:01PM
I hate subsidies. It's just a way for the government to choose winners and losers in private industry. Get rid of them, all of them, and the majority of regulations as well. If a business can't stand on its own, another business will take its place. That's how capitalism works. Someone finds a way to do something better and/or cheaper and people will buy it (and selling for less because the government is covering the rest of the cost is not REALLY cheaper, and costs every citizen in the end).
markenoff| 11.17.11 @ 9:45AM
My only issue with your comment is the old saw about government "choos(ing) winners and losers." The government never chooses winners, only losers. If they were winners they would attract private investment. Government chooses companies, industries and groups (GM, Chrysler, Solyndra, SunPower, sugar,ethanol, solar, wind power, unions) that are already losers in the marketplace and throws money at them for political purposes. They never choose winners (Walmart, Microsoft, Apple) because winners attract private capital and don't need to manipulate the political system to attract resources.
Jill James| 11.16.11 @ 3:36PM
As far as I'm concerned the owners of those plants knew they were taking a risk. Let them take the hit. It's ca;;ed capitalism, and I really doubt it will make much difference to a company like Valero or Exxon in the long run.
THKrupp| 11.16.11 @ 9:12PM
Well Valero wouldnt be very happy as they purchased 8 Verasun plants that went bankrupt in 2008. Most other oil companies dont really see the need to purchase plants as they can usually purchase ethanol as cheap as they could make it without the pain of running an ethanol plant.
markenoff| 11.17.11 @ 9:46AM
It's the politically powerful Conagra and ADM along with the organizastions of corn farmers that will scream and howl.
THKrupp| 11.16.11 @ 9:14PM
Theres only about 210 ethanol plants in this country not 535.
c. j. acworth| 11.16.11 @ 7:05AM
I understand that aviation gas is also corn-free, so if you live near a small airport, you may be able to get it there. As for small amounts of 100% gas (which would be 200 proof by the way, Mr. Peters, you obviously are not a whisky drinker!) you can remove the ethanol by a simple process known as phase separation. I've never done it myself, but it involves adding water to the fuel which binds with the alcohol and separates into two distinct layers in the container. Google "removing ethanol from gasoline" and see what you can come up with. For my own small engine needs, I just use premiu fuel. Even with the added corn it seems to work just fine.
John Navratil| 11.16.11 @ 8:40AM
c.j.acworth,
AvGas (aka 100LL - 100 LowLead) is alcohol free, based on the same motor fuel as 83 octane but is only called "low lead" by comparison to other aviation fuels.
It will, of course, kill any catalytic convertor and is a complete waste of money for engines which cannot benefit from the higher octane.
The cheapest price within 50 miles of Houston is $4.50 / gallon.
Intelligent Design| 11.16.11 @ 7:09AM
Congress should repeal the Corn Laws.
The Bruce| 11.16.11 @ 5:54PM
I wish they would repeal themselves, take their ball, and just go home.
SC Mike| 11.16.11 @ 7:09AM
It’s not a bad deal at the higher price, but it takes two full tanks to really see the difference. The other pain is that the stations in and around my home in Columbia, SC want cash, otherwise there’s another surcharge. And they apply the charge to debit cards too.
I can’t take full advantage of it because I alternate -- two or three weeks at a time -- between Columbia and Northern VA where there’s no ethanol-free gas. But I do use the ethanol-free stuff exclusively at home for my gas-powered tools (leaf-blower, lawn mower, chainsaw, and generator).
Sam Vaughn| 11.16.11 @ 7:32AM
Eric, thanks for this article. I live in a fishing community where livelihoods depend on it. Ethanol in the fuel is devastating to marine engines. So much so, that lives are imperiled. Coming across a sound my engines began to fowl, with swells breaking across the bow and washing over the pilot house we could have broached in seconds and no one would have found us till we washed up on shore. As it turns out the ethanol, as it starts to separate the separation picks up speed, and it absorbs water like a sponge. I nursed my engines barely with enough power to make head way. I had to empty both nearly full tanks completely and install extra in-line filters with water separators. Sheer lunacy, I almost died.
Dick Nome| 11.16.11 @ 8:19AM
Drop the ethanol/ corn subsidies, drill holes in the ground and build refineries and the price of real gas will fall to desired reasonable levels as the market kicks in. Oh, and drop the gas taxes a bit too. Gummint gets 35 to 60 cents a gallon for doing nothing while refiners and sellers of the product are relegated to 5-10 cents. SO who is gouging here (if you are of that opinion)??
Pecos Pete| 11.16.11 @ 8:23AM
Luckily, I live close to an ethanol-free gas station. And do pay more. My 2-stroke chainsaws start easy and run trouble free. The log splitter and snow blower run clean and also start easily. My pick-up, a 1998 Ford F-150 V8, averages about 22 mpg and is currently sitting on 325,000 miles. Knock on wood. Putting alcohol in an internal combustion engine harms all sorts of stuff.
I agree with c. j. acworth above, convert ethanol refineries to making whiskey.
JimH| 11.16.11 @ 8:42AM
Until we have an economical battery or fuel cell of sufficient energy density cars will have to burn some type of fuel. I’m surprised the LNG has not caught on more. We have lots of it so we don’t have make nice to various dictators in order to get it. It burns clean, so it can reduce pollution. I think it would also allow us to dispense with a lot of expensive junk on our cars like the catalytic converters. I’ve seen the opinion expressed that in the long run oil is to valuable as a chemical feedstock to burn for fuel.
Cris| 11.16.11 @ 8:45AM
Ten cents more a gallon? NO WAY, if you remove the front, the processing and the back-end tax payer subsidy - gas is considerably cheaper than ethanol, even after it's taxed at an exorbitant rate
THKrupp| 11.16.11 @ 9:02PM
Actually the board of trade prices are roughly the same right now for ethanol and RBOB (unblended gasoline). Where the consumer takes it in the shorts is that the ethanol has about 75000 Btu's per gallon and gasoline has roughly 100,000. Many times ethanol is $0.50 to $1.00 cheaper than RBOB. The subsidy for ethanol is called the blenders credit. The ethanol companies do not get this subsidy. This money goes to the blender ie the oil refinery that blends it. Ethanol is highly profitable for the oil companies as they get a subsidy to blend it as well as selling a cheaper product for the same price as what the sell the more expensive gasoline. Here is what should make you really mad. The supplies of ethanol are starting to tighten as we are exporting more and more ethanol to places like Brazil and the EU. In effect the American taxpayer is subsidizing cheaper ethanol for foreign countries through higher food costs and agriculture subsidies. Fat cattle contracts are at the highest levels ever seen due to breeding herd destruction and the high price of corn. I come from a farm family and even though they have record profits this year they will still be getting $20,000 from the government. This isnt even a big subsidy. I can remember years when we got over $100,000, but that was when corn was less than $2.00 a bu. You will be paying more for meat because of ethanol. Where I come from ethanol has been in gasoline since the early 80s. There were some problems with engines at first but I havent heard of anyone having any problems burning it in their cars or trucks for sometime. On our farm we used ethanol blended fuels in everything from cars to tractors to lawn mowers. Never really noticed any issues. Boats I have no experience with so I cant speak to that. I do know that ethanol has done wonders for the Agriculture Community. It has been effective in drastically lowering the amount of subsidies that corn farmers get. I think the subsidies should be done away with but I can also remember some pretty tough times farming years ago.
NedB| 11.16.11 @ 8:49AM
I just checked the link provided. The nearest pure gas station to me is 100 miles from my home.
Basically I will burn almost a tank of gas to get there and back. :(
Kingfish | 11.16.11 @ 8:57AM
Woo-hoo. Found one only a few blocks away. Station I never use and never even thought of using.
Redstateboy| 11.16.11 @ 9:00AM
Archive TAS's "Corny Capitalism" article - it was an eye opener to the scam that is Ethanol.
Ethanol makes Solyndra look like a petty crime.
JimH| 11.16.11 @ 9:00AM
Until we have an economical battery or fuel cell of sufficient energy density cars will have to burn some type of fuel. I’m surprised the LNG has not caught on more. We have lots of it so we don’t have make nice to various dictators in order to get it. It burns clean, so it can reduce pollution. I think it would also allow us to dispense with a lot of expensive junk on our cars like the catalytic converters. I’ve seen the opinion expressed that in the long run oil is to valuable as a chemical feedstock to burn for fuel.
JimH| 11.16.11 @ 9:52AM
Sorry for the double post. Browser is acting up.
oldfart| 11.16.11 @ 9:12AM
A lot of people have bougth these 50cc scooters. If you cannot get 'real' gas you have to run 93 octane because the ethanol in the gas disolves the seals in the carb and they leak. very bad - gas on a hot engine.
Richard Baker| 11.16.11 @ 10:01AM
Ethanol/methanol is fine for race cars but a joke for other machinery. These programs are nothing but a way for the sainted farmers to pick our pockets. Get out of my wallet, farmers! Mr. Jefferson, who believed in the farmers as the core of America, would be appalled at the thievery and dishonesty in all this.
John McG| 11.16.11 @ 10:32AM
What a discouraging list for NC! I thought that all pumps providing corn gas had to be labeled as such. No? Few of the pumps in the greater Durham area (e.g., Citgo) say they contain ethanol, implying I'm getting pure gas. Am I being cornswoggled?
9thID| 11.16.11 @ 10:33AM
Being from the Cornhusker state, I have learned a few things about ethanol corruption over the years. One is that the longest running "Cornhusker Kickback" is not the one Ben Nelson wanted under ObamaCare, but instead the welfare subsidies traded to rich farmers in return for votes and campaign payola. We Nebraskans have the Triad of ethanol corruption via Sen. Ben Nelson, Sen. Mike Johanns, and Rep. Adrian Smith. As usual, Ben Nelson is the ringleader.
The subsidy corruption is bad enough, but I also realized that America is burning 40% of its corn-food supplies as fuel, which is driving the cost of many foods higher. Our cattle feeders are none too happy with what ethanol has done to feed grain prices either. Since ethanol corruption has now been institutionalized in my state, getting our pols to back off isn't easy.
Once I found out about all the dirty deals going on with ethanol I switched backed to "regular" gasoline for my vehicles. Amazingly, our stations here carry 10% ethanol blend, regular, and premium year round. Although my city is not listed as having "pure gas" I have always assumed that our "regular" is just that. I will have to look closer at the pump information now..
Fairbanks99| 11.16.11 @ 11:34AM
Unless your station advertises "ethanol free", it contains ethanol. Just because there is not an E10 sticker on the pump doesn't mean it isn't there.
Timothy L. Pennell| 11.16.11 @ 10:46AM
You wanna get rid of this whole CORN nonsense? Put Iowa's stupid caucus LAST on the list. By then it will be even more meaningless than it is, now (if that's possible) and these politicians won't have to walk around the State Fair, with their pants down, looking for a good spot to Bend Over, whenever the subject of Ethanol Subsidies arises. Hell. They won't have to go to Iowa at all.
Dr. Dave| 11.16.11 @ 11:14AM
You know, we could eliminate the ethanol subsidies (which are paid to Ethanol producers and blenders (not directly to farmers) and it wouldn't make a damn bit of difference. In order to kill ethanol we must eliminate its mandated use. Without the government mandate the ethanol industry would collapse overnight.
David Mears| 11.16.11 @ 11:21AM
Well, I was going to mention the proof thing. Although I don't think it technically applies to gasoline, 200 proof is 100%. Also, leaded fuels should not be used with a catalytic converter. Finally, in regards to JimH fuel cells and batteries.. both solutions are power grid based, excepting certain fuel cells that burn natural gas or the like.
Fairbanks99| 11.16.11 @ 11:40AM
I am fortunate to live near an ethanol free station, and I pay more than 10 cents a gallon difference to use it. It's still worth it to me. My 2001 Mercedes ML does not like ethanol at all. Since I've switched to real gas my mileage is up, no rough idle and no more moisture in my engine.
For those of you just starting out on the pure gas road, or for those of you who do not have access to the real thing, there is a product called Startron which can be purchased at Wal Mart in their marine section, and at many marine supply stores. It is an enzyme that dissolves water in the fuel completely so that once that tank is ran through, the water is gone. I bought an '84 Chevy truck that had not been driven in six years, and as a result, there was a LOT of water in the fuel. Startron fixed the problem. This is a product that actually does what it says.
Crawler| 11.16.11 @ 11:40AM
Dr. Dave is absolutely correct.
Thanks for website, Mr. Peters. I know my chainsaw, weed-eater and outboard motor will greatly appreciate real gasoline...
PattyMor| 11.16.11 @ 12:29PM
Sarah Palin had it right: Eliminate the federal income tax on corporations. The corporations could then bring home any amount of money made in foreign subsidiaries at will. It would also level the playing field for all industries; no more special breaks and carves outs for the well heeled lobbies.
And get rid of the ethanol mandates.
Jill James| 11.16.11 @ 3:39PM
Lots of ethanol-free gas in lots of places -- bit none in San Antonio, and none on the I-35 corridor from Dallas to San Antonio.
2Anglico| 11.16.11 @ 5:14PM
Near-Gas ruined my low hours 1994 Evinrude outboard. The ethanol attracted moisture from the Florida air and caused the engine to die out while boating. After that all the seals were ruined. I wonder what the government health care rules will do to pacemakers?
u asked 4 it| 11.16.11 @ 6:37PM
"...100 proof gasoline..."
That's only HALF gas; what's the other half???
Great link, tho, thanks for the article.
Richard Baker| 11.16.11 @ 9:28PM
Ethanol subsidies. Welfare for farmers. So now farmers and ghetto dwellers DO have something in common.
Bob| 11.17.11 @ 2:47PM
There is no "regular leaded" anymore.
Marc Jeric| 11.17.11 @ 4:32PM
Of course; what is not mentioned is the fact that ethanol production causes more imports of petroleum. You know - diesel machines for tilling, planting, harvesting, transporting; petroleum-derived fertilizers and pesticides; electric power for heating and pumping ethanol; more diesel engines to pump and transport and distribute and mix ethanotl.