Gas Prices

[Firebrand]

Originally Posted by flipper316

Went last nite to Blaine and 30$ US money pretty much filled up my little Hyundai Veloster. I was 90 km to empty. Here it would've been easy over 50$ maybe $60 Canadian. Nexus no line as always. You gotta be a sucker to get gas here.

What’s the fuel economy of your car? My mom drives a Nissan Murano, and her fuel economy is ~13L/100km. It’s been almost two years since the last time she crossed the border. She won’t buy a car that isn’t an SUV.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by flipper316

Went last nite to Blaine and 30$ US money pretty much filled up my little Hyundai Veloster. I was 90 km to empty. Here it would've been easy over 50$ maybe $60 Canadian. Nexus no line as always. You gotta be a sucker to get gas here.

Maybe if you live South of the Fraser. For those of us in Vancouver or the North Shore it's not really worth it. Maybe if you had a huge truck.

[Cypherus]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Maybe if you live South of the Fraser. For those of us in Vancouver or the North Shore it's not really worth it. Maybe if you had a huge truck.

Today, Gasbuddy.com US prices in Blaine: $3.09 US Gallon
3.78 Litres in US Gallon

Therefore, $3.09 US / 3.78 litres = .8174 US cents per litre

.8174 US cents per litre x 1.31 (Canadian exchange) = $1.07 Can$ per litre

Compared with $1.54 Can priced in North Vancouver today.

Even on a 30 litre fill up for a regular Toyota sedan, you would save $14.32 Canadian ($1.54 - 1.07 x 30 litres) assuming you filled up today. Not bad but I agree you'd have to make the trip more worth while as it would cost you gas to drive to border from North Van, wait at border, fill up, wait at border on return home, then drive home - probably at least $10-$15 in gas to do that.

[twoNeurons]

Originally Posted by Cypherus

Today, Gasbuddy.com US prices in Blaine: $3.09 US Gallon
3.78 Litres in US Gallon

Therefore, $3.09 US / 3.78 litres = .8174 US cents per litre

.8174 US cents per litre x 1.30 (Canadian exchange) = $1.06 Can$ per litre

Compared with $1.54 Can priced in North Vancouver today.

Even on a 30 litre fill up, you would save $14.32 Canadian ($1.54 - 1.06 x 30 litres) assuming you filled up today. Not bad but I agree you'd have to make the trip more worth while as it would cost you gas to drive to border, wait at border, then drive home - probably at least $10 in gas to do that.

40km to Point Roberts, WA ( $1 USD / L )
50km to Blaine, WA ( $0.82 USD / L )

An average SUV has a 70L tank... you'd probably put in 60L unless you were BONE dry.

So...
It's
60L @ 1.55 ( Vancouver )

70L @ 1.30 ( Point Roberts )
75L @ 1.00 ( Blaine, WA )

I'd say best case, you're still actually saving $20 or so... from Vancouver... but I don't think it's worth your time, unless you're going down for other things at the same time.

[Trainguy]

Originally Posted by twoNeurons

40km to Point Roberts, WA ( $1 USD / L )
50km to Blaine, WA ( $0.82 USD / L )

An average SUV has a 70L tank... you'd probably put in 60L unless you were BONE dry.

So...
It's
60L @ 1.55 ( Vancouver )

70L @ 1.30 ( Point Roberts )
75L @ 1.00 ( Blaine, WA )

I'd say best case, you're still actually saving $20 or so... from Vancouver... but I don't think it's worth your time, unless you're going down for other things at the same time.

We never just go for gas. We pick up our online US purchases from friends and do a grocery run as well. All combined, we save close to $100 or more every trip. It is worth it for us.

[Cypherus]

Originally Posted by Trainguy

We never just go for gas. We pick up our online US purchases from friends and do a grocery run as well. All combined, we save close to $100 or more every trip. It is worth it for us.

You can just use a receiving service like 5D Packages in Blaine. Amazon.com purchases get sent there, I pay $2.00 US for their service, and save a bundle.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Cypherus

Today, Gasbuddy.com US prices in Blaine: $3.09 US Gallon
3.78 Litres in US Gallon

Therefore, $3.09 US / 3.78 litres = .8174 US cents per litre

.8174 US cents per litre x 1.31 (Canadian exchange) = $1.07 Can$ per litre

Compared with $1.54 Can priced in North Vancouver today.

Even on a 30 litre fill up for a regular Toyota sedan, you would save $14.32 Canadian ($1.54 - 1.07 x 30 litres) assuming you filled up today. Not bad but I agree you'd have to make the trip more worth while as it would cost you gas to drive to border from North Van, wait at border, fill up, wait at border on return home, then drive home - probably at least $10-$15 in gas to do that.

There's also the cost of one's time, which nobody ever assigns a dollar value to (look at all those who sat in traffic at the Patullo to avoid paying PMB tolls).

[osirisboy]

With being in white rock (with nexus) I always go to wa to fill up. I will sometimes go to north of ferndale. The arco off grandview exit is usually 40 cents cheaper than Blaine.

Here's a good link to calculate the savings, I usually save 25%-30% but I've saved as much as 50% before

https://www.crossbordershopping.ca/us-gas-savings-calculator

[flipper316]

Originally Posted by Firebrand

What’s the fuel economy of your car? My mom drives a Nissan Murano, and her fuel economy is ~13L/100km. It’s been almost two years since the last time she crossed the border. She won’t buy a car that isn’t an SUV.

Mine's 7 to 8 litres/100km. Sometimes 9. Mine's the manual so it's worse on gas. The dual clutch is slightly better. CVT tranny equipped cars are just as good if not better.

[flipper316]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Maybe if you live South of the Fraser. For those of us in Vancouver or the North Shore it's not really worth it. Maybe if you had a huge truck.

It's worth it if you bring 2-3 20 litres jerry cans with you and fill up 2-3 times a month. The border guards don't give two shits that you have jerry cans as long as you're honest.

[SFUVancouver]

Originally Posted by Firebrand

What’s the fuel economy of your car? My mom drives a Nissan Murano, and her fuel economy is ~13L/100km. It’s been almost two years since the last time she crossed the border. She won’t buy a car that isn’t an SUV.

When she's ready to look for something new, she might want to consider the Subaru Forester. I've got a '16 Forester and have a lifetime odometer mileage of 8.1L/100km on ~58k. However, that's with a lot of highway driving and in the city I usually get 9-10 L/100km. It's a pretty great SUV: tonnes of room, unbelievable all-around visibility, great handling in all conditions and the tightest turning radius of any vehicle I've ever driven, pretty quiet, reliable, and (I think) pretty good looking.

[DKaz]

In my last year in Vancouver, I rode a Yamaha BWS 49cc scooter all the way from Surrey to Vancouver, every single day that averaged about 3.6 L/100km, later on a small but freeway capable Honda CBR 125R motorcycle that averaged 2.9 L/100km. At the time, I felt betrayed by the constant Skytrain breakdowns in mid 2014 but I couldn't afford to drive to work. My 125 with gas, insurance, Port Mann Bridge tolls, and parking downtown was only a little more expensive than a 3 zone transit pass. Small motorcycles and scooters are the way to go for commuting in Vancouver.

[twoNeurons]

Originally Posted by flipper316

It's worth it if you bring 2-3 20 litres jerry cans with you and fill up 2-3 times a month. The border guards don't give two shits that you have jerry cans as long as you're honest.

I believe carrying anything over 2 Jerry cans is illegal in BC... but I can't remember where i saw that.

[moosejaw]

Originally Posted by twoNeurons

I believe carrying anything over 2 Jerry cans is illegal in BC... but I can't remember where i saw that.

Note what flies with border guards in any country changes on a daily basis
they make the rules.....................correction make up the rules

[Firebrand]

Welp, if I want to fill gas as soon as I get to drive a car, I’m gonna have to apply for Nexus ‘cause the gas station near my house is +$1.60/L.

[jollyburger]

Kathleen and her husband drive across the border frequently to get cheap gas in Washington State. They often fill their tank and bring a jerry can filled with fuel back in their trunk. They were recently charged $5 to bring back the extra gas and Kathleen was wondering if this is a new policy. We reached out to the Canadian Border Services Agency and it told us that it’s not a new policy. There’s no duty or taxes on gas for your vehicle but carrying a gas can is considered importing and you have to pay for that.

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/carrying-extra-gas-across-the-border-will-cost-you-1.2793344

[mcminsen]

I'm glad I'm no longer driving a car.



Marine Drive, North Vancouver, April 29 '18, my pic

[SpongeG]

4 different stations tonight along Lougheed from willingdon to north road as witnessed from riding the skytrain

Petro-Can 160.9L
Chevron 155.9L
Esso 150.9L
Esso 157.9L

what happenned to the days of every station costing the same?

[MIPS]

You no longer have a kid who needs to walk outside and change the numbers.

[osirisboy]

Originally Posted by MIPS

You no longer have a kid who needs to walk outside and change the numbers.

Yeah you do, a lot of gas stations aren't digital