When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
So i know we are supposed to put 91 or above and I always fill my car with premium gas. but a friend of mine told me i should only be using top tier gas. anyone else do this as well? the difference between top tier and cheaper gas stations could be as much as 40 cents/gallon, from what I have seen around me.
Top Tier gas is a US and Canadian marketing ploy. All gas comes from the same refineries, then gets blended with branded additives depending on brand.
Stick to gas stations that have a good turnover every day (those that are busy), use the octane your owner's manual recommends (premium 91+) and your engine will be fine for hundreds of thousands of miles.
Top Tier gas doesn't exist in other parts of the world - makes you go "hmmm".
Last edited by CorradoJr; Jan 27, 2015 at 09:01 AM.
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
Absolute nonsense! ~ The difference is the detergent package and all are not equal. Chevron/Texaco/Caltex Techron & the similar BASF material are the only two approved by Benz.
Additised gas is available in most parts of the world today. I come from a global oil industry job!
All the US did was give the name "Top Tier" to a classification of gasolines containing adequate dosage of clean up/keep clean additives.
Agree on high turnover sites.
Never fill up while a tanker is discharging. They stir up all the filthy tank bottoms.
Thanks for the info guys... ya i fill at a HESS station(even tho its not listed as top tier) near me which is pretty busy, always see a lot of cars lined up.
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
If you want clean valves, combustion chambers, inlet systems, injectors etc. you should use top tier gas. US gasoline is not great. Similar to SA. Europe & UK, Aus. etc are way better.
The US wants cheap gas so no one wants to upgrade the refineries to Euro 5 or Euro 6 levels. If they did US fuel would have to be more expensive.
On Benz DI engines you cant have clean inlet manifolds because they have no secondary injection like VAG products now have.
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
Benz actually goes further & approves Techron Concentrate & the BASF material for addition to fuel for markets where additised fuels are not available.
I have always bought chevron 91 in all my cars. Maybe its marketing but it sure works on me, I think they provide the best gas to keep the engine clean
I think it was about 9 months ago that Costco started selling top tier gas. I recall reading their magazine that described how the attendant adds the detergent after a fuel delivery. Never could figure that out...what mixes the detergent into the gas if it's poured on top? I always buy Chevron.
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
Pete, you modified your post. If that video exists it's not accurate. Techron is blended in-line at tanker filling or tanker discharge. It costs Chevron a hell of a lot of money to add it & is supplied by their wholly owned subsidiary Oronite that developed Techron & maintains the formulation's market leading performance. BP's product is the closest in performance to Techron.
This is great info, you guys are all quite versed! I don't have access to these stations you mention. Every now and then I do see a BP, but mostly Hess.
Then should I be using an addidive? Mine's a '15 C400.
Once again, if you don't mind paying extra, then by all means use Top Tier gas. If you want a real technical education head over to BobistheOilGuy site and ask some of the experts there. We could have the same exact discussion about engine oil as well. Use the correct grade and follow the owners manual recommendations and you will be fine for a long time.
I'll add the some manufacturers such as BMW are part of the Top Tier consortium, and others such as Mercedes and Ford are not. There are also many quality fuels sold that are not part of Top Tier but are the same or even better additives.
Do some googling and you will see the pros and cons.
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
Please be careful of BobistheOilGuy. It is very difficult to sort the wheat from the chaff there. There are some very competent postings but some of it is utter BS. You have been warned.
In the industry we just smile at some of the nonsense on that site.
Pete, you modified your post. If that video exists it's not accurate. Techron is blended in-line at tanker filling or tanker discharge. It costs Chevron a hell of a lot of money to add it & is supplied by their wholly owned subsidiary Oronite that developed Techron & maintains the formulation's market leading performance. BP's product is the closest in performance to Techron.
Glyn, I didn't mean to imply that Chevron is sold at Costco. Wanted to say that even though Costco sells top tier gas, I buy my gas at Chevron.
I've been a Top Tier buyer for about the last 10 years. I would say that I purchase Shell about 90% of the time, other Top Tier brands another 8% of the time, with the balance filled by whatever is available at time of need. An article that I just read claims that each brand leaves its own distinctive deposits. The writer suggests that you vary brand usage every couple of thousand miles. The idea is to clean-up the deposits of the previous brand.
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
That article is misleading. A component is either clean or it is not. Good additives clean completely where they can get.
Here is an example of a Benz M271 inlet run on Techron. As you can see the valve tulip & manifold are spotless below the injector. Above the injector where the fuel can't get we have deposits.
Jun 29, 2015, 02:57 PM
Costco uses the Lubrizol fuel additive system.
