Do you guys think there is any practical difference between name brand and "genric" type gasolines ? By generic I mean gasoline sold by 7-11, Sams Club, joe's gas-n-groceries, etc. ? And is your answer based on facts, published chemical additive lists, or just personal experience with car performance etc. ?

None, in my experience.

I have chosen to only use Top Tier rated gasoline. Luckily Costco is Top Tier and usually cheaper. QT (Quik Trip) is big in Atlanta and I keep a Shell discount card too. So no more Race Trac, Murphy Oil, Kroger etc. But hey BP, Mobil, Chevron, Valero, and many others are Top Tier so I can always find what I want.

I never had any issues with Sam's Club gasoline. Since they closed the Sam's near me I joined Costco again, and have had no issues with their gasoline.
I truly believe that places such as Sam's and Costco feel the need to supply very good gasoline.

Besides, the current price of gasoline at Costco is .30 to .60 cents less than other vendors in my area...

I use the cheap shit and get to point B from A the same as the high price people do.
We burn a lot of gas.

In 99% of the cars, probably doesn't make a difference in the world. Top tier has a little more detergents in it. For a high performance car (Porsche, Ferrari, vette etc.)or a car that might sit for extended periods of time the top tier brands may make a slight difference.

quote:

Originally posted by detroit192:
I have chosen to only use Top Tier rated gasoline. Luckily Costco is Top Tier and usually cheaper. QT (Quik Trip) is big in Atlanta and I keep a Shell discount card too. So no more Race Trac, Murphy Oil, Kroger etc. But hey BP, Mobil, Chevron, Valero, and many others are Top Tier so I can always find what I want.

I’m a top-tier user also.

Gasoline as it leaves the refinery is fungible but at the distribution terminal’s loading rack is where it becones different. At the loading rack is where additive is injected as the tanker truck is filled with gasoline. Next to the loading rack are a group of tanks and every major and super-major has their own additive tank and there will also be a generic additive tank (usually largest). Generic additive meets government minimums but Top-tier additives exceed government minimums.

You can read more about top tier gasoline and diesel Here.

Some years back my best friend ran a test of various brands and decided that Shell gave the best mpg. So I've used Shell as my "go to" brand ever since. Once in a while I get something else (and I've even used generic gas a few times) and I confess I've not noticed any real difference. I'd love to be able to fill up with gas that had no ethanol in it, but the nearest place that has that is more than 50 miles away and I'd use up half a tank just getting there and back.

flashguy

As long as it’s rated top tier I say no difference. Same as Detroit192, I try to use Costco exclusive as it’s top tier, cheapest near me and cash or credit same price. I avoid Wawa gas as it’s not rated top tier but if pressed for time I will fill up there if I have to, it’s close to me.

Aside from that, I look at the station itself. I’ve been burned a few times buying gas at rickety old stations that had dirty tanks. Got a nice amount of water in the tank once which stalled the car out and enough sediment another time to clog the fuel filter. That’s even more important than the brand or top tier IMO.

[quI had a 94 Isuzu Trooper that I'd bought new. Fed it exclusively cheap gas from a local convenience store chain. At ~5 years, I had to put an injector in it. It would smoke when I started it up and they found the injector was leaking past when it was parked. I believe at fault was the cheap gas diet, and thus I try to go better brands now. I don't think octane matter above the required rating. I do think the quality matters.

I stick to name brands with Shell being my top choice.

I refuse to use BP.
I had a 92 Mustang and my mom had 93 Taraus Wagon. BP would make those two motors shutter substantially. Not sure why.
Since then have never filled up with BP.

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:

quote:

Originally posted by detroit192:
I have chosen to only use Top Tier rated gasoline. Luckily Costco is Top Tier and usually cheaper. QT (Quik Trip) is big in Atlanta and I keep a Shell discount card too. So no more Race Trac, Murphy Oil, Kroger etc. But hey BP, Mobil, Chevron, Valero, and many others are Top Tier so I can always find what I want.

I’m a top-tier user also.

Gasoline as it leaves the refinery is fungible but at the distribution terminal’s loading rack is where it becones different. At the loading rack is where additive is injected as the tanker truck is filled with gasoline. Next to the loading rack are a group of tanks and every major and super-major has their own additive tank and there will also be a generic additive tank (usually largest). Generic additive meets government minimums but Top-tier additives exceed government minimums.

You can read more about top tier gasoline and diesel Here.

I’m one of those people that add fuel additives (BG44K) to my autos so I doubt the top tier does much for me that I don’t get on my own. I doubt for most people it would matter either since most people trade cars every couple years. What I look for is a station that has a lot of turnover on the gas, I don’t trust some of the smaller stations. That being said I usually fill my wife’s new car at Mobil and mine at our grocery chain gas station.

I use Kroger and Costco regularly. I notice issues with Sunoco, especially as it gets colder. Years ago BP caused my vehicles to idle poorly - not sure about now.

Around here it all pretty much seems to come from the same two places in the same trucks.

I've seen the same truck deliver to the cheap gas and then go to the top tier station.

Looks to me it's the same stuff they are selling.

Bob

Me too-same truck, same day delivery, between stations. Another hustle, IMHO.

Only Top Tier for me also (Chevron, Quik Trip). My Lightning detonates on cheap Kroger gas.

quote:

Originally posted by cas:
Around here it all pretty much seems to come from the same two places in the same trucks.

That doesn’t matter.

I already described the place in last night’s post.

As far as the tanker trucks, they’re bottom loading and unloading so they drain completely. Additionally, there are multiple compartments so if BP needs 4000 gallons and Chevron across the street needs 4000 gallons the same truck could deliver without going back to the distribution terminal. Due to the multiple compartments, the BP additive would be in the BP gasoline and the Chevron additive would be in the Chevron gasoline.

quote:

Originally posted by rbert0005:
I've seen the same truck deliver to the cheap gas and then go to the top tier station.

Looks to me it's the same stuff they are selling.

Bob

quote:

Originally posted by Fredward:
Me too-same truck, same day delivery, between stations. Another hustle, IMHO.

You’re both incorrect. See my previous post.

Tater is correct,

here in RVA, gas is pumped to a holding company, (Kindermorgan) where it is stored,

all gas comes thru them or one other (IIRC Amoco has a terminal here)

the difference is the additives, added at the time the truck is filled,

so, whether it is a company branded truck, or a common carrier, that gas is all the same,

except the additives,

even Kroger fuel has some basic additive (managed several Kroger locations for years, each had a fuel center)


and yes, some high end car makers recommend top tier gas, had a couple of Mini's and they recommended top tier premium,

I burned whatever was cheapest, and added a can of seafoam every now and again with no issues,