Gas Quality question

[JavaBrewer]

My go to fuel used to be Chevron - I too believed the marketing.

For the last 15 years I have bought gas from whoever is cheapest and convenient. That would be Costco, Vons, and a sampling of no-name stations in North county San Diego. Never had a problem with any of our vehicles. Have not noticed improved performance or MPG when using name brand stations on road trips. YMMV.

Oil changes are @ 5K miles too.

[sammyg2]

TOP TIER Gasoline Retailers:

USA
76 Stations
Aloha Petroleum
ARCO
Beacon
BP
Chevron
Conoco
Costco Wholesale
CountryMark
Diamond Shamrock
Entec Stations
Express Convenience Centers
Exxon Hawaii Fueling Network (HFN)
Holiday Stationstores
Kwik Trip / Kwik Star
MFA Oil Co.
Mobil
Ohana Fuels
Phillips 66
QuikTrip
Road Ranger
Shamrock
Shell
Sinclair
Suncor Energy Inc
SuperAmerica
Texaco
Tri-Par Oil Co.


There are lots of other retailers wjho sell top tier gas, but their name is not on the list because they haven't paid this company to test their gas and give then that certification yet.

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by JavaBrewer

My go to fuel used to be Chevron - I too believed the marketing.

For the last 15 years I have bought gas from whoever is cheapest and convenient. That would be Costco, Vons, and a sampling of no-name stations in North county San Diego. Never had a problem with any of our vehicles. Have not noticed improved performance or MPG when using name brand stations on road trips. YMMV.

Oil changes are @ 5K miles too.

I buy almost exclusively ARCO gas.

I like chevron gas too, but I don't pay for it.
I get a $4 bottle of techron from the local auto parts store and add a couple cap-fuls at almost every tankful.
The $4 bottle lasts a year and I save about $15 a week by NOT paying for chevron gas with Techron tm.

Does it make any difference? Not that I can tell, but getting techron gas for basically the same price as arco gas makes me FEEL good.

[kach22i]

Say what you want, I already have more miles on this tankful than normal, and there is still over a quarter tank to go.

More miles, more smiles.

Like I originally said, my friend was very specfic about which Shell station to go to.

Next thing you boys will be telling me is all Vodka is the same because it's just alcohol.

[M.D. Holloway]

We make a fine living testing fuels and oils...we also have amazing relationships with all the majors....gas is gas is gas. All from the same rack...

[SoCal911T]

Originally Posted by rusnak

But since their volume makes them an oil company, they must fire in the additives, at least in California. But, rather than buying it already mixed into the gas, they are mixing it on site at each Costco store.

I don't have an opinion either way on Costco gas, but the idea that they "are mixing it on site at each Costco store" is hysterical.

[Hugh R]

I know all gas sold in Las Vegas is delivered by the CalNEV pipeline in Colton, CA

[Mark Henry]

V-power may be a gimmick, but here it has no methanol. Regular is 10%
Costco premium also has no methanol, so it wouldn't surprise me if it's the same gas.

[Tervuren]

Originally Posted by kach22i

Say what you want, I already have more miles on this tankful than normal, and there is still over a quarter tank to go.

More miles, more smiles.

Like I originally said, my friend was very specfic about which Shell station to go to.

Next thing you boys will be telling me is all Vodka is the same because it's just alcohol.

Likely, it has to do with how clean and sealed their storage tanks are. Certain gas stations, I never revisit, too much water on a consistent basis.

The through put, especially with athanol, is important to. High volume stations, will turn over the content of the tanks faster.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

I buy almost exclusively ARCO gas.

I like chevron gas too, but I don't pay for it.
I get a $4 bottle of techron from the local auto parts store and add a couple cap-fuls at almost every tankful.
The $4 bottle lasts a year and I save about $15 a week by NOT paying for chevron gas with Techron tm.

Does it make any difference? Not that I can tell, but getting techron gas for basically the same price as arco gas makes me FEEL good.

Only a couple of cap full? Aren't you suppose to dump the whole bottle in the tank? I sometimes use the whole bottle at half tank thinking that is more concentrated for better cleaning.

[Arizona_928]

^^ I think that's the recipe for sea foam.

+1 to the high volume stations. Fresh fuel is better then all the gimmicks.

[manbridge 74]

Originally Posted by kach22i

Say what you want, I already have more miles on this tankful than normal, and there is still over a quarter tank to go.

More miles, more smiles.

Like I originally said, my friend was very specfic about which Shell station to go to.

Next thing you boys will be telling me is all Vodka is the same because it's just alcohol.

Another chapter in Gullible's Travels.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by manbridge 74

Another chapter in Gullible's Travels.

Not really, you just have a pre-formed opinion that no additives and or all additives are the same...............and I do not.

My opinion is based on my own first hand experience, not a pre-formed opinion provided by others.

The basic stock for fuel is typically the same for a region, no argument there.

And it all comes down the same pipelines from the refineries, no argument there.

At the tank farm before it goes into the tank trucks is where the additive packages are typically added for each brand of fuel, no argument there.

The only argument which exists here is that some of us have tried V-Power by Shell, and some of us haven't.

Please get back to me after you have done your own seat of the pants testing.

Think of it like vodka tasting, the small differences can be very telling, and the cheap stuff will make your head hurt after more than one drink.

An interesting thread on the topic:
Any Real Differences in Gas Quality by Brand? (auto, idle, fuel) - Automotive -Sports cars, sedans, coupes, SUVs, trucks, motorcycles, tickets, dealers, repairs, gasoline, drivers... - City-Data Forum

[widebody911]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

I buy almost exclusively ARCO gas.

I like chevron gas too, but I don't pay for it.
I get a $4 bottle of techron from the local auto parts store and add a couple cap-fuls at almost every tankful.
The $4 bottle lasts a year and I save about $15 a week by NOT paying for chevron gas with Techron tm.

Does it make any difference? Not that I can tell, but getting techron gas for basically the same price as arco gas makes me FEEL good.

In the olden days, I would add a splash xylene or toluene to the tank in my 911 and M3 - I would swear it make it run better. You can't get that stuff OTC any more

[kach22i]

A 2009 thread on the topic on marking and additives, not much has changed?


GIVE ME A BREAK, Shell V-power, Now it's Nitrogen enriched, Come on! - Page 3 - FerrariChat.com

Gerry328

I have always found it amusing how when an oil company differentiates and markets it products it nearly borders on criminal behavior. Marketing is marketing, be it ereal companies, hospitals, fast food restaurants, beer, or oil companies.

I spent nearly 20 years in the oil business and here are some facts. Untreated gasoline is the same. It travels in pipelines to terminals across the country and is often traded between oil companies to optimize logistics. Certain parts of the country have different EPA specs for the base gasoline. This different EPS spec is a huge logistically and storage issue.

The additives that oil companies put into the base grade of gasoline differ on composition and treat rate. Additives are injected into the gasoline at terminal loading racks. The majors use proprietary additive systems. So, retail gasoline is not all the same.

However, the products from the majors are very similar. You cannot go wrong with Exxon/Mobil, Shell, BP, Chevron/Texaco, and Conoco to name a few. Private label or non major retail gasoline additives may be very different formulations and have much lower treat rates.

Also different octane grades have different treat rates. With the majors, the higher octane gasoline has higher additive treat rates. So while there may be no benefit to the octane increase, there is a benefit to the higher additive treat rate.

These differences manifest themselves as carbon build-up on valves and fouled infectors. We often conducted chemical and operating test on competitive brand gasoline. We had fleets of cars that would only be filled at certain locations. Once the test was completed the engines were disassembled for inspection. The differences between the majors and some of the non-major brands were amazing.

Everyone makes more money selling premium products. Why not the oil companies? No consumer is being forced to buy anything (at least not yet).

Last edited by Gerry328; 07-10-2009 at 09:09 AM.

An article quote:


http://www.frugalfoo.com/2011/02/premium-unleaded-vs-unleaded.html

Anti Friction Additives

Special anti-friction lubricants are often reserved for the very top end of the premium unleaded petrol range, intended for high performance engines. For example according to Shell literature, the addition of what Shell call “Friction Modification Technology” is attributed only to the most expensive Shell V-Power product, which has an octane level far exceeding the needs of an average vehicle. Marketing petrol products in this way makes us feel as if we are missing out on something unless we buy the most expensive product. If your car engine is tuned for high performance and you drive to its very limits, then the anti friction additives are a handy feature of ultra premium unleaded petrol.

[Green6]

kach22i~ I'd be willing to bet you will find that you are getting LESS gas mileage than before. The fact you are enjoying the "extra" power means you are probably getting on the go pedal harder, thus using more fuel [nothing wrong with using more fuel, as long as you are enjoying it]. You may inadvertently have given your car an "italian tune-up", and are now driving it the way these cars are supposed to be driven [a bit on the hard side] and have actually done your engine good by cleaning out some crud. If you are driving these cars for the gas mileage, you are driving the wrong car.

BTW~ I use the Shell V-Power in my car, because that is the closest gas station to my house.

[island911]

My choice is not about the name brand; rather it's about the fill location. ARCOs around here are nasty. I hear they finally started accepting cards at the pumps, but haven't been to an ARCO for decades. _loath having to go into the store and wait for the cashier to get some losers in line some smokes and a couple lotto tickets, all so I can pre-pay for an unknown fill, only to have to go back and wait again for the cashier to get some losers smokes and a couple lotto tickets, just for the change.

Costco stations are clean and have easy pay, but the lines... and then their pumps run slowly, due to every pump in use; making the fill time take a while. Because of that, I tend to hit Costcos when few are at the pumps; or just make a quick stop at a Cheveron (Clean and fast)

When possible, the old 911 gets non-ethanol fuel from the farm supply store. -a bit of a PITA.

[KNS]

I, too, realize that gas is gas is gas. One of the things that I wonder about is the regularity of filter changes at a given station. When I was a young guy many moons ago I pumped Avgas at the local airport. Clean filters at the pumps was a critical (for obvious reasons). No way to really know what the filter is like at your gas station - however, somebody correct me if I'm wrong, I've heard that if the pump keeps clicking off, the filter may be filthy.

[Por_sha911]

In the old days:
Low cost gas was to be avoided because the cheaper stations didn't maintain their tanks. Dirt and water would screw up your car.

Now:
EPA regulations have forced stations to have seal storage tanks and all have filters to keep crud from getting into your car. All gas comes from the same major refineries. Yes, some put more additive in them than others but, the percentage of Techron in Chevron is so infinitesimal that its more marketing than science. Buy a bottle before each oil change and run a tank of gas after that one before changing oil. Everyone has their own blend of additives but they all have some kind in there.

Oh BTW, as far as Shell's nitrogen enriched gas... 78% of the air your car breathes is nitrogen.

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by SoCal911T

I don't have an opinion either way on Costco gas, but the idea that they "are mixing it on site at each Costco store" is hysterical.

Have you ever seen a tanker truck pull up to a rack, fill up with 8000 gals of gas, and then pump a few quarts of additive into the tank and mix it while driving to the station? it happens every single day, that's how it is done.

so what difference deos it make if they mix it in the truck or mix it in the tank?
The trucker delivers a thousand gallons or whatever is scheduled, gets out his little measurng thingy, and pours in the correct amount.
Pretty darn simple.

it same same same.