US drivers avoid premium gasoline to cut costs (Reuters)

NEW YORK (Reuters) - As gasoline prices reach record highs, U.S. drivers are shunning premium grades when filling up their cars, unwilling to pay as much as 20 cents more per gallon for the higher octane. As the price of crude oil flirts with $80 a barrel, the price of gasoline is rising accordingly. For the week ended July 10, a gallon of conventional gasoline averaged $2.973 -- about 7 cents higher than last year. Conventional premium was $3.09 a gallon. "Sales of premium and mid-grade ...