Does anyone know why gas prices are 25 cents more in Ames and Boone area compared to Slater and Madrid for the Super Unleaded? Not gonna lie but that is total ridiculous and price gauging at its finest as !
Gas Prices and big difference
- Thread starter cyclonefan1983
- Start date
No idea other than they know they can put those prices up and people will pay it. For as long as I can remember Ames has always been higher than most of the Des Moines area.
Because that’s what they have people who live in those areas trained to pay.
Watch it go up significantly over the next two weeks.
Watch it go up significantly over the next two weeks.
Isn't it Gary Thompson's company that delivers fuel to pretty much every gas station in town? The distributor sets the prices, don't they?
There’s a 25 cent different between Ankeny and the western suburbs. That makes even less sense. It’s like 10-15 even from Ankeny to Johnston/Grimes.
It can be a 7- to 10-cent difference even from the north to the south side of Ankeny alone.
Assuming all stations put the same markup on it. In my neck of the woods, I have 2 Circle K stations 3 miles away from my house in opposite directions. The one to the north is consistently a dime or more cheaper than the one to the south. The one to the south is on a major road. The one to the north is not.
I'm not sure that's been the case with the Ankeny store. It's usually the cheapest in town and perhaps it has put some downward pressure on nearby gas stations, but they don't even attempt to match it. FF is always 5-7 cents cheaper.
The East side of Des Moines has always been cheaper than the west side. I believe part of the answer is they have a terminal / pipeline on that side. But just learn where prices are lower and fill up there. Just dont go too far out of the way as it doesn't make a big difference.
I doubt if it is price gouging. There is too much competition in the area for that. My guess is that the price that they are paying to fill their underground barrels has plummeted recently and that some stores are trying to get what they can for the higher priced gas that remains in their barrels so they don't lose money.
Here is a map of the prices in the area. There really is an unusually large range of prices right now.
https://www.gasbuddy.com/home?search=50310&fuel=1
Edit: My map link didn't work. This link is to the gas buddy page and you can go to the map from there.
Here is a map of the prices in the area. There really is an unusually large range of prices right now.
https://www.gasbuddy.com/home?search=50310&fuel=1
Edit: My map link didn't work. This link is to the gas buddy page and you can go to the map from there.
As someone that just drove all over the state of Iowa during the labor day weekend most places are in the $2.38-$2.48 range for E-10. Ankeny, Altoona, and Clear Lake along the interstate are always low spots especially when prices are falling. I've heard its a combination of volume, competition and potentially being closer for the distribution tanker. It's crazy because once you go a few miles west of I80/I35 prices go back up and are often similar to those in Ames, Boone, Story City, Ellsworth, and many other areas. Difficult to understand gas prices, but they must be market driven and depend on different distributors. Sam's in Ames is usually about the same as the prices near the interstate in Ankeny.
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Traveling in our RV. Gas as low as 2.04 in Cape Girardeau, MO. We use an app called Gas Buddy where people input gas prices to share with others. Really helps us find the best price.
