Don't waste gas looking for a station with lower prices

NEWARK n Exxon gasoline pours into the tank of Arnald Medina's gleaming white 2002 Honda Accord, even though he could save a dime a gallon by traveling 20 yards farther on McCarter Highway, to the ``no-name'' Delta station. ``I really can't afford to put cheap gas in my car, because I want to prolong the life of my car,'' said Medina, 24, of Newark, who spends up to $80 a week on fuel while commuting to his job as a security guard at a North Brunswick department store, and his classes at New Jersey City University. Over at the Delta station, that argument carries little weight with Robert Loughrey, who operates a three-car limousine service. ``I've been using no-frill gas for 25 years and had no problems,'' said Loughrey, 57, of Cedar Grove, as his 1995 Lincoln Town Car was filled with $49 of regular at $3.159 a gallon by Victor Guzman late last week. Despite the recent spike in prices following Hurricane Katrina, Loughrey said he doesn't go out of his way to look for bargains, but, ``I keep my eyes open when I'm driving around.'' That commonsense approach makes good economic sense to Rutgers University professor Joseph J. Seneca, who cautions drivers not to drive so far out of their way for cheaper gas that they burn up whatever savings they might find. How far is too far? That depends on what kind of mileage the vehicle gets, how much gas it needs, and the difference in prices. For instance, if the tank is only being topped off with a few gallons, any saving would evaporate by the time the vehicle returned to its regular route. However, ``there are circumstance where it will pay to search diligently for the lowest price,'' Seneca said. Even small savings add up for drivers who hit the pumps several times a week. For example, if a driver needs 20 gallons of gasoline for a vehicle that gets 25 mpg, and a nearby station is selling it for $3.25 a gallon, it would cost $65 for the fill up. But the driver knows of a station selling gas at $3 a gallon, which would provide a $5 saving on 20 gallons. Since this vehicle can go over 38 miles on $5 worth of gas from the nearby station, any trip of less than 38 miles would save some money. ``Not accounting for the value of your time and the frustration of driving around New Jersey,'' Seneca added. Meanwhile, AAA advises motorists they need not fear unbranded gasoline. ``There's no real difference in the quality of gasoline,'' AAA spokeswoman Michele Mount said. Unbranded is often cheaper because those stations are not tied to a specific refiner and can shop around, she said. But those stations can run short of product when supply is tight and then they only get the minimum under their contracts with refiners, Mount noted. That's what happened shortly after Katrina hit, when Delta ran dry for several days except for diesel, said Guzman, the station's morning manager. The sharp rise in gasoline prices, due in part to hurricane damage to refineries and pipelines along the Gulf Coast, has mitigated somewhat. On Friday, the national average for regular unleaded was $3.018, down 2 cents from Thursday and almost 4 cents less than Monday's record of $3.057, according to AAA. In New Jersey, Friday's average was $3.151, down 1.4 cents from Thursday, and down 2.7 cents from Wednesday's record of $3.178, AAA said. But many stations were selling for less on Friday. Over a dozen stations around the state that offered regular at less than $3 were found at www.newjerseygasprices.com. In addition to shopping around, experts note there are easy ways to save money on gasoline by improving the vehicle's mileage: •Keep tires inflated to the recommended pressure. •Only buy premium if required by the maker of the car. •Avoid sudden acceleration and stopping. •Turn off engine if idling for more than a minute. •Replace the air filter if it's dirty. •Get a tuneup (including replacing spark plugs). •Use less air conditioning; if at highway speeds try to keep windows closed to improve aerodynamics. •Drive the speed limit: vehicles use up to 10 percent more gasoline at 70 mph than at 60 mph, said Gregory W. Davis, director of the advanced engine research laboratory at Kettering University, in Flint, Mich. •Don't wait too long before shifting a manual transmission. ``A lot of people rev it up too high and shift way later than they need to,'' Davis said. After first gear, shift at progressively lower rpms, and try to get into overdrive as soon as possible, he said. •Use 5W-30 motor oil if specified by the maker. Davis said many motorists still use 10W-40, once the standard, which decreases mileage by 1 percent since it's thicker. •``Get rid of all the junk you have in the trunk,'' said Paul Tucker, associate professor of automotive technology at Brookdale Community College, in Middletown Township, noting that less weight equals better fuel economy. On the Net: Tips on dealing with gas prices: http://www.state.nj.us/lps/ca/gasprices.htm AAA: http://www.aaamidatlantic.com/Default.asp Price locator: http://www.newjerseygasprices.com