gasoline brand

[sonicbimmer19]

Hey all,

I've always been a believer in top tier gas and I always buy gas from same brand gas at same location. For the longest time, I bought Chevron at the same exact location but since I moved I've been buying gas from 76.

I've heard about bad experiences of Arco gas so I've never bought gas there, unless I absolutely was forced to, but talking to a friend, he brought up a point that I could not refute.

1. All gasoline is from the same local tank. Aka all are the same.
1. 87, 89, 91 ratings are the percentage of gas that are checked frequently by inspectors so all gases are really the same. Only difference is what the company adds which is additive, not the gas itself.

Can someone with knowledge of where companies actually get their gasoline and if you think all gas at different brands are the same?

[Zeros and ones]

Originally Posted by sonicbimmer19

1. All gasoline is from the same local tank. Aka all are the same.
1. 87, 89, 91 ratings are the percentage of gas that are checked frequently by inspectors so all gases are really the same. Only difference is what the company adds which is additive, not the gas itself.

Your friend is correct. All gas is the same and the only difference is what the company adds in additives that makes the different.

Don't not be fooled though... these extra additives is what makes the gas better for your car than another competitor.

A good example: I would usually pump Shell gas for my car... I would get about 24-25 MPG. Started to pump Chevron and I am now getting 26-27 MPG. My buddy with a e30 has also confirmed this type of jump in miles per gallon and another buddy of mine that has a M5.

I have an older buddy that is a BMW head. He bought a 745i back in the day and was being very cheap in putting the proper gas in his car. So he would go to Arco. It didn't take to long till he started to get engine knocks. He took it to the deal and they couldn't find anything wrong with it. We told him for about 3 weeks or so it was the gas. He did not want to listen. Finally after so many shops, he gave in and went with Chevron gas and the knocking within a day went away.

There are always surveys being done buy companies on which is the best tier gas. These three are always on top in the US

1) Chevron
2) 76
3) Shell

[sonicbimmer19]

Originally Posted by Zeros and ones

Your friend is correct. All gas is the same and the only difference is what the company adds in additives that makes the different.

Don't not be fooled though... these extra additives is what makes the gas better for your car than another competitor.

A good example: I would usually pump Shell gas for my car... I would get about 24-25 MPG. Started to pump Chevron and I am now getting 26-27 MPG. My buddy with a e30 has also confirmed this type of jump in miles per gallon and another buddy of mine that has a M5.

I have an older buddy that is a BMW head. He bought a 745i back in the day and was being very cheap in putting the proper gas in his car. So he would go to Arco. It didn't take to long till he started to get engine knocks. He took it to the deal and they couldn't find anything wrong with it. We told him for about 3 weeks or so it was the gas. He did not want to listen. Finally after so many shops, he gave in and went with Chevron gas and the knocking within a day went away.

There are always surveys being done buy companies on which is the best tier gas. These three are always on top in the US

1) Chevron
2) 76
3) Shell

Thanks for the insight. My dad had the same exact experience after getting gas at Arco about 10 years ago. He heard engine knocking and does not and have not gotten gas at Arco (maybe except emergency situations? who knows)
Glad to see 76 on top tier gas list!

But if people that insist additives are really only small percentage of gas, what's causing Arco gas to cause engine knocking?

[BruceWarne]

Originally Posted by sonicbimmer19

1. 87, 89, 91 ratings are the percentage of gas that are checked frequently by inspectors so all gases are really the same.

What do you mean by this ^^^ ?

Google RON and MON and then go tell your friend how this really works.

Also, for the love of all you hold dear, please seriously consider buying him a lifetime supply of contraceptives.

[Tom K.]

15 years of filling various Bimmers and Beemers with the cheapest 93 octane I can find have resulted in NO engine problems, but a significantly heavier wallet.

Tom

[Zeros and ones]

Originally Posted by Tom K.

15 years of filling various Bimmers and Beemers with the cheapest 93 octane I can find have resulted in NO engine problems, but a significantly heavier wallet.

Tom

you sir i can say are the lucky few... Every once in a while i do come across a person that has had your luck...

I can say I have seen cars as Toyota, Honda, Pontiac.... all experience engine issues after putting in crappy gas...

But I wonder how many times do you put your own additives in your gas and do you use engine cleaners?

My parents used to have a Pontiac at one point. They would put in crap gas like Arco or Thrifty and the such. When they start using better gas... knocking and hesitation on wot and such would go away.

[dtwyim]

So, what additives are the gas station putting in their underground tanks to make the octane difference?

I always thought the trucks bring in the highest and lowest octane and the mid grade is simply a mix of those two

[Tom K.]

Originally Posted by Zeros and ones

you sir i can say are the lucky few... Every once in a while i do come across a person that has had your luck...

I can say I have seen cars as Toyota, Honda, Pontiac.... all experience engine issues after putting in crappy gas...

But I wonder how many times do you put your own additives in your gas and do you use engine cleaners?

Why do you assume off brand gas is crap? The only differences I notice are lower prices, lack of advertising, often a cash only policy and fewer conveniences such as public rest rooms. And the better cut rate stations often move more product so the gas tends to be fresher.

And no, I do not use gas additives or engine cleaners - no need to.

Tom

[Zeros and ones]

Originally Posted by Tom K.

Why do you assume off brand gas is crap?
Tom

A family friend works at Arco and she is the one in charge to make sure that their mixture of gas is spot on. Arco makes sure they comply with the minimum requirements of purifying the gasoline before leaves to be delivered to the consumers to be used in our automobiles.

She even says that Arco has the most contaminants in its mixture that is not good for a engine that is being planned to be used in the long run. She herself only pumps chevron gas.

A buddy of mine has a USA Gasoline close to his home, about 3 miles or so. he bought a brand new Scion TC. Decided to start pumping gas at this station because it was that much cheaper... at the time, about 8 cents cheaper than everywhere else.

About ~450 miles in, his engine started stuttering and just stopped. He took it into the dealer and his injectors where clogged with a semi thick substance.

I am glad that you have had a different experience. it really does go to show that cheap gas doesn't always mean crappy gas but in my experience, I just tend to stay away from cheap gas.

[Southjersey128]

I work at a Shell gas station so I only use Shell gas. I can't really say anything about the additives cause that gets mixed at the refinery. I can say this, Shell reps come in once a month to test that the gas we sell does have the right mixture of additives. Also the county weights and measures always says we are 1-2 points higher than the octane stated in the pumps. The no name gas station across the street repeatedly gets fined for low octane in there 89 and 93. They pay their fine and continue to put 87 in all their pumps. The county won't shut them down cause they make money off of fining them. They won't stop using the wrong octane cause they make so much off of their 89 and 93 sales. The fines are worth it to them. I live in nj so it could be different in other places. But here it seams if the government is making money off of you they look the other way. So the 93 you think your paying for is 87. The computer compensates by retarding the timing and the customer know no better unless they check their mileage regularly.

[Qunadry]

Why is Mobil/Exxon not listed as a top tier fuel? I have been using Mobil for over 45 years in cars ranging from Porsche 911's to my first car a Chevy Corvair and now my 135i with excellent results.

[Colt]

I still can't find a station around me that doesn't have Ethanol added in and is just pure gasoline. I usually use Shell/Sunoco, or Sheetz/BP when I have too (93 octane always). Going to try Chevron this fill up.

Found this when searching more about top tier gas. Not sure if it's true or not but..


"Another Theory regarding the station itself

The best gasoline to put in your car is Shell. The reason: They usually own the land. And hence they control what goes into those tanks."

http://carwoo.com/blog/the-differenc...soline-brands/

[nnguyen04]

i always been using shell 93. but i notice whenever i pump chevron i get more gas mileage. dk why lol.

[Tom K.]

Originally Posted by Angerman

I still can't find a station around me that doesn't have Ethanol added in and is just pure gasoline.

Unfortunately, you'll have to travel to the eastern shore or PA.

http://pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=MD

Tom

[Colt]

Originally Posted by Tom K.

Unfortunately, you'll have to travel to the eastern shore or PA.

http://pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=MD

Tom

Damn. Man, British Colombia has Chevron 94 ethanol free!

[sonicbimmer19]

Originally Posted by Qunadry

Why is Mobil/Exxon not listed as a top tier fuel?

What source are you referring to? My understanding is Mobil, Shell, and Chevron are the top 3.
Seems almost like a common knowledge that those three are top and Arco is just the worst.

[Qunadry]

Two years ago when I checked the top tier fuel listings I did not find Mobil/Exxon. I just checked the list again and Mobil/Exxon was listed. My mistake for not checking first. As I stated, I've been using Mobil since I got my first car in 1967 and have used it since with excellent results.

[Section147]

Sunoco 93 or Costco Premium if I'm there and need it. I've had zero issues with either over the course of several vehicles.

[Dackelone]

I may be wrong... but it is my understanding, that most gasoline in the USA is shipped via underground pressurized pipeline. The fuel gets made at the refinery, but then gets shipped via the "pipeline" to the fuel depot. Then tanker trucks take the fuel to your local gas station.

All the fuel is basically the same quality at the refinery. The problem lines in the underground pipeline. I was told that the gas companies will "shoot" a batch of fuel in the pipeline - before the fuel and afterwards there is an "air bubble" to separate say two fuel types: Premium and Regular. Problem is the fuel that is trapped(or transported) in the pipeline closest to the "air bubble" will be a lower quality due to mixing with the batch of fuel in front or behind it in the pipeline. The depot will only sell the fuel in the middle of the "batch" as top tier. The fuel at the ends of the air bubble will be sold off to discounters.

Then when the fuel truck tanker comes to collect the fuel to make a delivery, they add an "additive package" which can ad a few points to the octane and adds detergents and color to the fuel load. By the time the tanker truck gets to your local gas station... the fuel has sloshed around so much that its fully mixed with the "additive package".

Not sure if this is 100% true... but I use to be friends with a well known chip tuning shop that was located right across the street from a major fuel depot where trucks would pick up fuel 24/7.

[Yablonski135]

I use whatever my local grocery store has so that I can get % off on food.

[Zeros and ones]

Originally Posted by Qunadry

Why is Mobil/Exxon not listed as a top tier fuel? I have been using Mobil for over 45 years in cars ranging from Porsche 911's to my first car a Chevy Corvair and now my 135i with excellent results.

Because Exxon/mobile former-ally known as Esso is part of Chevron now.