i used to drive the delivery truck, including loading at the terminal rack. I buy the cheap stuff

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Originally posted by tatortodd:

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Tatortodd, having been in the business, would you consider this top tier or just a feel good line that they tell their customers?

their name isn’t on the list so they’re not top-tier.

The last line about quality testing gasoline sounds good but the devil is in the details. They don’t list any and I have no additional knowledge. For example, is it a quality dept or store manager pulling samples from station’s tanks and testing, are they pulling samples on delivery trucks and testing, at what frequency is testing, and which ASTM tests are being run?

Not saying they’re good or bad just saying there aren’t details.

Thanks, I know you would be the one to have the answer.

As I was leaving Costco one day, their fuel truck pulled out ahead of me. We went to the same exit and he pulled into one of our local Wawa's. Having separate compartments, it could be a whole different group of additives.

We formulate and produce the fuel additives used by many brands. There are differences. Top Tier is real, not marketing.

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Originally posted by reloader-1:
Background: used to work downstream at a major (one mentioned in this thread).

I didn’t know that about you. I’m just finishing my 22nd year in the industry and have worked both Upstream and Downstream. Been back in Downstream 2.5 years. Early in my career, I was in the small engineering projects group and had a few projects in distribution terminals including designing and installing an upgrade to a loading rack and an additional additive tank. In the middle of my career, I was in the engineering risk assessment group and did RAs and HAZOPs including on several distribution terminals. A couple “kids” I used to mentor are now managing distribution terminals.

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Originally posted by reloader-1:
The tanker truck will fill up from the large tanks, and then proceed to smaller tanks where it will add the additive package.

That is a different design than ours. We had and still have additive injectors that continuously inject additive in proportion to volume of gasoline going through the meters. The truck doesn’t have to physically move or switch filling arms which is safer. Additionally, even if we lost power the tanker truck’s compartments were perfectly additized so didn’t have to offload to slop tank when power was restored.

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Originally posted by 4MUL8R:
We formulate and produce the fuel additives used by many brands. There are differences. Top Tier is real, not marketing.

Would you know - should I continue to prefer Chevron over Costco? Or is it okay for me to be more agnostic?

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Originally posted by 4MUL8R:
We formulate and produce the fuel additives used by many brands. There are differences. Top Tier is real, not marketing.

I didn’t know that about you. Interesting.

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Originally posted by Skins2881:

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Originally posted by egregore:
I can't tell the difference.

The top tier stuff has a sweeter taste, but simultaneously crisp finish. The generics have a more bitter/dry flavor with an oaky finish to it with a hint of nuttiness.

It easier to discern if you have a small palate cleanser between samples.

Funniest thing I’ve read today. Thanks.

I've driven many cars over 300K miles.
Not once have I had a fuel related failure from using bottom tier fuel.
I've lost an injector from just being plain worn out.

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:
That is a different design than ours. We had and still have additive injectors that continuously inject additive in proportion to volume of gasoline going through the meters. The truck doesn’t have to physically move or switch filling arms which is safer. Additionally, even if we lost power the tanker truck’s compartments were perfectly additized so didn’t have to offload to slop tank when power was restored.

tator, I’ll defer to you on this as you probably know way more about terminals than I ever could. My role involved working with jobbers and franchise customers in Sales & Marketing. The way I described a terminal is how an old Sohio hand explained it to me, but that was probably a simplified explanation for my pea brain.

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Originally posted by konata88:
How do I figure out if Costco gas will yield the same or better results as Chevron gas (which I currently use almost exclusively)?

One way might be to get keep track of average MPG on your usual stuff (couple of tanks worth, at least) and then after getting your tank almost completely empty, fill up with Costco and run only that for a couple of tanks, keeping track of MPG on each tankful.

That should give you a rough idea at least re: MPG. As to how the difference in engine internals....not sure there's a quick/easy way to do that.

You could have two IDENTICAL metallic mint green 1964 Buick Skylarks...

use different gas in each car for 2 years and then tear the engines down and observe the differences.

So glad the OP started this thread. Very interesting. I fill up 8-10 times per week and I always went for the cheapest gas. No more. Thank you.

Been a Shell customer for 35+ yrs. Switched to Phillips 66. Why, you ask? Because with no notice, all the Circle K stations outside the STL city limits have stopped selling it. Their prices dropped so I'm thinking they went from top to bottom tier. Shell customer service guys didn't have any answer, but apparently have been getting an ear-full from less than happy customers.

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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 also use Top Tier. In my area and with my discount cards, I usually pay less or at most, the same, as the cheap stuff.

From GM. And many of you know how critical I am of what they say and do:https://www.gmfleet.com/content/dam/gmfleet/global/master/nscwebsite/en/Home/Shared_Resources/PDFs/gmc1-12-03142-269-gasoline.pdf

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Originally posted by M-11:
Been a Shell customer for 35+ yrs. Switched to Phillips 66. Why, you ask? Because with no notice, all the Circle K stations outside the STL city limits have stopped selling it. Their prices dropped so I'm thinking they went from top to bottom tier. Shell customer service guys didn't have any answer, but apparently have been getting an ear-full from less than happy customers.

Phillips 66 is top tier (it's on the list).

P66 is #28 on the list of fortune 500 companies (also part of the S&P 500 index) and was created in 2012 when ConocoPhillips split into two separate companies (p66 downstream and CP upstream).

Also, 15 miles north of St. Louis P66 has a decent size refinery called Wood River.

As a supplier to many many fuel providers, I cannot compare one brand to another. We enjoy a good market presence, particularly with a couple of major global gasoline providers. I do shop at Costco, primarily because I know that Costco requires much from their suppliers.

Regarding a question posed about brand X vs. brand Y, and being able to detect the difference, I would suggest that it is nearly impossible for the average consumer so to do. Our lab tests are extraordinarily complex, detailed, and challenging to perform. The test data we provide to oil companies is reliable and first quality. Their decisions to source our additives speak of our chemistry and its effectiveness.

You do still get what you pay for.

Is there the same difference in quality between top tier and the other stations when you are talking about ethanol free gasoline? For instance, Maverik ethnaol free vs. Top Tier brand “X” ethanol free?

This is the first I've ever heard of the 'top tier' branding of fuel. A quick google reveals it's a license created by the auto manufacturers. Sounds like a good way for them to extract money from an area they don't get much control over.

I'm guess everyone in here who only uses 'top tier' branded gas, also drink expensive bottled water only that exceeds federal standards for tap water...

I buy whatever is convenient. I pay no attention to branding as long as it isn't a crap hole. I pay marginal amounts of attention to price since most places here are all withing 5 cents of each other and I'm not driving out of my way to save 45 cents...