[sammyg2]

Think you're missing the best part:
Selling gasoline and snickers bars and gatoraide are things you do to pay the bills, until the real estate price goes up enough to sell and get the heck out at a profit.

I've known three friends with gas stations. it is a very tough business to be in.
I watch the wholesale marketsc closely and unless you have a very, very lucrative and stable supply contract you will struggle to make it two years.
The wholesale and retail markets DO NOT always follow each other.

One month the retail price will be high and the wholesale price will fall out, and you'll make a killing.
Then the retail price will fall too far and have to eventually correct two weeks late, and you'll lose most of what you made the week before.
Then the wholesale price will start climbing but you won't be able to raise your retail price and still move the volume you're committed to, and you'll take it in the shorts and lose a grand a day.

It's all in the franchise commitment or wholesale supplier commitment if you're independant.
And the people who write these contracts are better at it than you are, be careful and get a really good contract lawyer.