# Do I get more gasoline in the winter? - density question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-get-more-gasoline-in-the-winter-density-question/487229>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 24, 2009, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-get-more-gasoline-in-the-winter-density-question/487229 "2009-02-24T17:38:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![solkoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@solkoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solkoe)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-get-more-gasoline-in-the-winter-density-question/487229/1 "2009-02-24T17:38:00Z")

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Since gasoline is more dense in the winter, I should be getter more mass per unit of volume. It makes sense that I would be getting more gas for the same price when its colder.  
How much different is the density of gasoline at 20C vs. - 10C? Is there a significant difference?  
How about day/night temperatures? Should I be buying gasoline at night when it is at its densest?

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**Author:** ![Hirka\_T\_Bawa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/db5fbb/32.png) [@Hirka\_T\_Bawa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hirka_T_Bawa)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-get-more-gasoline-in-the-winter-density-question/487229/2 "2009-02-24T17:47:39Z")

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Remember that gas stations keep the gas in a tank underground. The temperature underground where the gas is doesn’t change change enough to make a significant difference in the volume of gas.

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**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-get-more-gasoline-in-the-winter-density-question/487229/3 "2009-02-24T18:48:31Z")

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> **[Tips on Pumping Gas](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/tips-for-pumping-gas/)**
>
> Four refueling tips supposedly help consumers get the most from their gasoline dollars, but how useful are they?

Snopes goes into some detail about this.

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**Author:** ![Carson\_O\_Genic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cdc98d/32.png) [@Carson\_O\_Genic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carson_O_Genic)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-get-more-gasoline-in-the-winter-density-question/487229/4 "2009-02-24T19:57:09Z")

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The American Petroleum Institute uses 60F as standard for density correction. Many states oversee the validity of metering at the pump via bureaus of weights and measures-there’s usually a dated sticker on the pump.  
This works both ways, product can be returned to the wholesaler/refiner etc.  
No free lunch, though the “oil companies” usually pay for the water in the tank, too.