ATLANTA — Channel 2 consumer investigator Jim Strickland found four locations where a major convenience store chain has ethanol-free gas but few takers.
The fuel is ethanol-free, devoid of the alcohol additive that lowers the price but in some cases can raise engine problems. Boats and yard equipment are especially vulnerable, as ethanol's ability to attract moisture can foul engine components.
Racetrac says customers requested an ethanol-free alternative.
"I rushed over here. I will be coming here every morning to fill up our equipment. It will save us money," said Pam Shook, owner of Pamscapes, a landscaping company.
"It costs us anywhere from $70 to $100 just to get the carburetors fixed from the other gas," she said after paying for repairs on several weed trimmers and leaf blowers.
It happened to Dan Scarborough's lawnmower.
"I found out that the culprit is the ethanol in this gas. And if it's going to do that to my lawn mower, it can't be very good for my car either," he said as he pumped E-Free into his Honda.
Scarborough was unsure whether he would continue to buy the fuel for his car, as it carries a price 60 cents per gallon higher than E-10 regular.
"I think they've really got to do something to keep the price down," he said.
"It's selling pretty well," said Racetrac chief supply officer Max McBrayer.
"It's not going to replace 87 octane gas in the near future, but the people who need this fuel based on the engines they're running are buying it," McBrayer said.
WSBTV
