Three thoughts...
1) I don't have the facts on this, but I thought the fuel mixture requirements differed between Northern and Southern NH -- different mixes require different refining, thus different costs depending on the demand. We may be seeing on a State level, one of the challenges we experience on a National level when refining capacity is impacted and along with it the ability to produce the various region-mandated boutique fuels.
2) Higher Octane fuels are often recommended by manufacturers to achieve better performance. For example, Volkswagen and Audi require(d) higher Octane (or delayed ignition) fuels to better match their intended valve timings. Not a scientific study at all, but in my experience the lower octane/cost fuels diminished my mileage by 1.5 - 2 MPG. In the end, it was nearly a wash in terms of cost per mile, so I continued to run the recommended fuel.
3) It's Fall, getting into Winter and folks may not have as much to do, but this willingness/desire to crank on Cumby's for changing their gas price at opening seems a little mis-placed. They're a business, and should be free to change or charge whatever their hearts desire. But that desire is also tied to what the market will bear.
I guess I had four points...
4) Citgo is a subsidiary of Venezuela's state-owned oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. Where it's under the influence Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, I try to avoid purchasing Citgo gas whenever I can. And for those that don't like the profits of Exxon Mobil, we're a free country and we get to complain about such things. But rather than complain about a false problem such as a company being too profitable, I choose to buy their gas and the stock. Win-win.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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