Not really true. I was in the business for years, both as a transporter for a major trucking firm and as an owner of several gas stations. First off as a transporter we hauled all grades of gasoline, so that means someone was selling them. I am from MN and they regularly go forth and test pumps for both volume dispensed, and grade. You don’t meet both, they bag your pump.(s).
As to the one hose. Your product selection opens a valve and turns on the tank pump for your product, and that’s what you get. Now if the person before you pumped E85, and you wanted E0, you would in fact get a "hose full" of E85. But that’s it.
Gas stations in MN and many states are required to meet octane MINIMUMS and not exceed posted ethanol maximums. For example, if a loading terminal does not carry 84 octane gas, and you have to blend 10% E with the available 87octane gas, you get 89 octane, which can be sold in both the 87 and 89 octane hoses. Remember you must meet a minimum octane level as posted.
To confuse the average motorist further, there is no set formula for reaching octane levels. Some blends for Oxy 92 can be include Oxy 84, 87, 92, and 10% E. Remember, 10% E raises octane about 2 1/2%, the bottom line, is in many situations how you get to your octane rating is simply a matter of what’s the cheapest way to get there.
Long story short. Almost all of the urban rumors one sees pertaining to gasoline content, and for that matter length of storage are just that. The only two I subscribe to are: no E in two cycle engines, especially those used intermittently, and the use of a stabilizer. Most of the rest I read on here is much concern about little.
