the gasoline thread
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 94,328
Likes: 236
From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
Although oil companies can (and sometimes do) trumpet the fact that their gas is in the Top Tier, it is not simply a corporate marketing scheme in the usual sense of the word. The Top Tier level of fuels is a standard (overall fuel quality, octane-consistancy, quality of detergent/additive packages, etc...) that is primarily set by a panel of engineers from both the auto manufacturers (who, of course, design the engines), and the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers). Until recently, one of the highest standards under Tier One was found in Chevron's Techroline detergent additive......but Shell's "V-Power" additives also have ranked highly. Other companies (as outlined above) have also recently improved the quality of their fuels and are now themselves in Top Tier, too. But a Top-Tier rank is not just something that can be idly marketed or simply bought into by a company's PR people.....it has to be earned.
Last edited by mmarshall; Jul 5, 2013 at 11:56 AM.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,524
Likes: 265
From: Illinois
It certainly can't hurt to look for a tier one retailer. I've always felt the T1 is part marketing and part about the additives.
I see tankers from a nearby wholesaler/distributer making stops at all of the area stations. I'm sure they add their proprietary additives, but I question how much different they really are aside from the brand name.
I've been driving a long time and have never had a fuel related problem in personal cars, rental cars and company cars. Again it can't hurt, but I don't necessarily seek out Tier One retailers.
I see tankers from a nearby wholesaler/distributer making stops at all of the area stations. I'm sure they add their proprietary additives, but I question how much different they really are aside from the brand name.
I've been driving a long time and have never had a fuel related problem in personal cars, rental cars and company cars. Again it can't hurt, but I don't necessarily seek out Tier One retailers.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 94,328
Likes: 236
From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
Chances are, as you note, that you probably won't have any major problems, even if you don't consistantly use a T1 fuel, if you generally stay at major name-brand stations with a national reputation. What I don't recommend, though (and I've said this several times before, in other threads, too), is to consistantly try and penny-pitch by using Smiling Sam's El Cheapo gas down the street. Those cut-rate brands are cheaper for a reason. Though the gasoline itself is usually the same as in major brands, they often either use a crap detergent-additive or no additive at all....meaning that any money you save in the short run will probably have to be spent later on good-quality fuels or a fuel-system cleaning with BG-44K to get the carbon and gum out of the injectors.
Last edited by mmarshall; Jul 5, 2013 at 05:39 PM.
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Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 94,328
Likes: 236
From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
In my area, (not sure about other places), BP is a ripoff. They seem to be consistantly about 10-15 cents higher than even competing national name-brands....yet the quality of what they're selling isn't necessarily any better, especially compared to Shell or Chevron.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 94,328
Likes: 236
From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
Although it's true that the gas itself is pretty much the same by brand (though there may be some minor inconsistancy in the octane), you generally will get far better detergent and other additive-packages with a national name-brand (particularly Shell or Chevron) than you will at an El Cheapo cut-rate place. And the fuel injector-openings on modern cars are very small, to allow the engine computers to regulate very precise air/fuel mixtures.....it doen't take much carbon or gum from the gasoline to plug them up.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,939
Likes: 20
From: CALIFORNIA
So you can just switch it up to Shell and chevron occasionally to clean out the fuel system.
I use Arco gas, which is a subsidiary of BP, but I have no idea how good their detergent is. They claim the fuel cleans the system well. Arco is consistently 10-15 cents cheaper than Shell, but that's mainly because they don't take credit cards.
So I have to assume Arco gas is about as good as Shell's.
I use Arco gas, which is a subsidiary of BP, but I have no idea how good their detergent is. They claim the fuel cleans the system well. Arco is consistently 10-15 cents cheaper than Shell, but that's mainly because they don't take credit cards.
So I have to assume Arco gas is about as good as Shell's.