Not too long ago it was hard to imagine a day when motorists would study gasoline and its pros and cons much like they research products such as milk or skin care products.
But that day has come, and it has been here for quite a few months.
Aside from price shopping – four dollars-plus per gallon will do that – car owners want to know which gas or additive will make their car run better, and which types may be damaging to a vehicle or the environment.
Marketing for Gas?
Gas companies and refineries understand this well, and have even tied the value of their product into their marketing campaigns.
Some have had contests for no mortgage payments for a year; others have pitched contests for rooms full of Disney furniture.
For example, in family-heavy east Ventura County, the minivans heyday through the 1990s crowded roads with them in Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks and Moorpark.
The term crossover is being loosely applied to a variety of vehicles, a new marketing tool for car sellers. Consider it the corduroy shorts of the 
“I’ve learned one thing: It may be time to change my service planâ€, the same columnist wrote. “I’m making 90 percent fewer phone calls. I am, however, texting like a high school girl.â€
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