Normally, I will frequent small shops, just to help out some small businesses, but NEVER buy gasoline from Mom & Pop roadside convenience stores, if I can help it. I've had two bad tanks over the years that made me skittish; once in the 1973 gas crisis (when stranded at a lake house in West Texas), and the last time, in 1990 after midnight, in the rain, in Seguin Texas, trying to get home in time for work in Dallas. Both stops were at Mom & Pop operations.

Because of those experiences, on most trips, back when I was drag racing out in the boonies, I'd carry at least 10 gallons extra of gas for the tow vehicle, as well as 10 more for the drag car. For our daily drivers, we never had a problem finding gas, but when I was racing, or my wife was using her truck & camper for her insurance business trips, we plotted our stops ahead of time, to be assured of "national brands" gas quality.

I haven't made any long trips in the X5, yet, but rest assured that I will have premium gas enough to handle it (and maybe some StaBil 360 ethanol treatment and fuel stabilizer, to add if the gas is of questionable quality).

__________________
01 BMW X5 E53,3.0i-5L40E, 7/13/01
topas-blau,Leder-grau,"resto-project car"

Here:
14 Lexus ES350,3.5L-U660E
09 HHR Panel,2.2L-4T45E
04 Chevy 2500HD,6.0L-4L80E
98 GMC Sierra 1500,5.7L-4L60E

Gone:
66 Chevelle Malibu 2dr ht.,327>441c.i.-TH350>PGlide/transbrake
08 Cobalt Coupe,2.2L-4T45E
69 & 75 C10s,350c.i.-TH350
86 S10,2.8L-700R4
73 Volvo 142,2.0L-MT4
72 & 73 VW SuperBeetles,1.6l-MT4
64 VW,1.2l-MT4
67 Dodge Monaco 500 2dr ht.,383c.i.-A727
56 Chevy 210 4dr,265c.i.-PGlide