Corona CA to Provo UT

[Larryect]

I finally took the plunge.

Left Corona with a mostly full tank.

Victorville "D" st station had great pressure I filled up with 3.97 gge for $10.09

Headed to Barstow and was getting about 35 mpg according to my scan guage. In Barstow I was a bit disappointed. The station was up. But, after driving from Victorville I was only able to get .067 gge for a whole $0.21. Their pressure only appeared to be about 3000 or so according to my gas guage fill marks.

My scan guage said I should make it. I have my AAA card upgraded to the 100 mile tow. So off I go to Vegas.

Well I averaged 34 mpg at 60 - 65 even including going up the Baker grade. So I made it to Vegas. I stopped at the Bonanza st station first because I just did not want to chance hitting a traffic jam going to the Ronemus station.

The Bonanza (Washington and "A") station had good 3000 pressure. Odd thing was no price posted anywhere and no final price readout on the pump. I was able to get 3.47 gge there.

Then I went to the Ronemus station to top up at 3600. I was able to get another 1.563 gge and the pump showed a final charge of $2.74. Calculating that out comes to $1.753 per gge. So this is what I reported for both stations I stopped at in Vegas. Not 100% sure, but fairly confident both stations would be the same price.

I then headed north and am currently in a motel in Mesquite NV. Will be on my way on up through UT in the morning.

So far a wopping $19.13 in fuel

Updates to follow...........

[ieko]

Re: Corona CA to Provo UT

Awesome! Have you been taking any pictures?

[Go CNG]

Re: Corona CA to Provo UT

Go Larry! That's pretty cool. Thanks for the current info. My niece is making that trip tomorrow so your information will prove really helpful.

So are driving a GX? How do you like that scan gauge? I was thinking about getting one. Is it worth the money?

[Larryect]

Re: Corona CA to Provo UT

I have not been taking pictures. Going to all the CNG stations and going 60 - 65 does make the drive longer. We figured it took us about 7 1/2 hours to get to Mesquite and then another 5 hours to get to Springville.

My car is a 2002 GX. The scan guage is pretty cool for showing MPG - instant, average etc. It really showed me going 60 - 65 would give me about 35 mpg and going 70 - 75 gives me about 30 mpg. I also learned that the temperature guage in quite a few cars lie. My guage in the Honda never moved of of it's normally cool normal position. The ScanGuage showed that my max temp actually hit about 238 (it was about 113 in Mesquite).

Continuing road trip report:

St George had great pressure in the morning - about 7:30 am. 3400 psi or so. I got 3.59 gge at $.859 for $3.09. One important point - there is a card reader next to the pump and it is working. But, it ONLY takes credit cards. It would not accept debit cards at all. I tried 2. I have never had that happen before. But, when I used a credit card it worked fine. I did not go inside, but I imagine you could go inside and have them authorize the pump.

Cedar City - station seemed pretty busy. A pick-up was filling when we pulled up and by the time I was done, a Cavalier was filling and a pick-up waiting for me to move. Unfortunatly the pressure was only about 2200 and I only got .264 gge for $0.23. I felt silly paying for my huge gas bill..

Fillmore - another good fill. About 3400 psi. I got 3.768 gge for $3.24

Springville - Very good fill. But, a very busy station selling Gasoline, and Diesel. I had to look to find the pump. I found one at the truck lanes. But, this was the only one in UT that I had to go inside the station to get the pump authorized. Don't make the mistake of going to the nearest card reader to authorize the CNG pump. It won't do it. It is for the Diesel pump in that truck lane. Don't ask how I know. We will just say the cashier said someone had done it the day before as well....


So far a total of 20.112 gge for $28.64. 684 miles 34 mpg $.042 / mile

[Larryect]

Re: Corona CA to Provo UT

Return trip went well too.

Filled at Springville the night before I left. Then hit Fillmoe for 3.34 gge and $2.87

Cedar city again had low pressure. I would say about 1500 psi. I was only able to get .72 gge for a wopping $0.62. Luckily St. George is only about 50 miles away.

St George had great pressure again. I got 3.58 gge for $3.08

Going into Vegas I hit the Bonanza station (Washington and "A" st.). I got 3.108 gge for unknown cost.

Then I stayed in Vegas at The Orleans. I really like the Gumbo at their buffet.

The next morning I headed to the Ronemus station to top up for the Barstow trip. I was able to get another 2.503 gge for $4.38. So calculated cost per gge is $1.749.

In Barstow I filled up with 3.594 gge for $11.50. Or an outrages $3.19/gge. Well at least there is a station....

I did try the magic "13" PIN number for one of my cards. It did not work. So, in my experience you will need a valid PIN number and the video does not always work

While I was filling an odd noise was coming from what seemed to be the breakaway fitting. Then a guy from Utah pulled in. I stayed around a bit (the bathroom code of 12345 does work ) and he had some trouble getting a card to work. His Discover card wouldn't work and then he tried a couple others. But, they may have been expired or something - I don't really know. He finally got a card to work and the video ran but did not show the video. It did give him a PIN at the conclusion.

I showed him how to use the valve. Then the dispenser started to fill his tank and quit almost right away - less then a gallon dispensed. The % fill meter started flashing 200 - HELP. I suggested he use the 3000 psi side. He was bi-fuel so I left at this point.

We called in the problem in to the 800 number in the CA glovebox guide. The people there asked if we wanted to wait for a technician. We did not need to wait, but thought it was pretty cool they offered what sounded like a quick response. This was during the week during business hours.

I did not stop in Victorville as my house is only about 90 miles away and I had plenty of gas to make it home. I still have about half a tank. SO if you figure that at about $6.00 my home trip was about $27.88

So, round trip about $56

That is SO MUCH better then the F350 diesel would have cost.....

[John Mitton]

Vegas pricing

Great trip report!
My Haycock Petroleum statement I got today shows CNG at $1.687 with taxes of 0.393. Total price is $2.08. The dispenser shows the price without tax as they are designed for county use (non taxable entity).

I have also had the Barstow pump stop after about one gge Thank goodness for the two Victorville stations! I love seeing the LNG pump at Barstow... talk about a massive refueling nozzle connector!

[Larryect]

Re: Corona CA to Provo UT

Makes sense. Thanks. Still cheaper then CNG in CA...