It is not Ethanol it is Welfanol

There is a store no simple market,
between the Tech and the Subway,
and if you go no woman may follow,
Fleet Farm is meant for men alone!

Kidding aside, I have started going to Fleet Farm's gas station. At first, it was for the discount but very quickly I noticed something. Recently a buddy told me he goes to Fleet Farm for his fuel too, noting Fleet Farm's 87 octane fuel is ethanol-free! Now, he is a small engine freak and says even E10 is hard on small engines and their components.

My Suburban was getting roughly 15 mpg when it is rated at about 17 mpg. However, after switching to Fleet Farm gas I am now get close to 18 mpg! That is a 20% improvement for no extra cost. So, on a 25 gallon fill I can range about 450 instead of 375.

Sometime ago I did the numbers on E85 versus E10 and noticed a decrease in mileage that was not offset by the E85 prices. In fact, the cost is higher considering one needs to stop and fuel up more often. If I can get E0 for just as much as E10, guess which one wins? In fact, access to E0 and the 4 cent coupon are affecting my shopping patterns and this program is pulling some of my business from Menards!

I am interested in minimizing my cents per mile -- plain and simple. Any other result is a waste of money. The only possible benefit is ethanol increases the demand for corn which helps out my friends and neighbors. However ethanol, despite heavy governmental subsidies ethanol is too expensive. Even E85 is overpriced (it should be about 25% cheaper than E10) at most stations and only one station in my area approaches a reasonable price. The Kwik Trip off of College Avenue near HWY 41 practices thievery in its E85 prices.

Ethanol has a place in our energy supply but what we currently have is welfanol and I say just say no to welfanol.