carlosinseattle

Not sure if you guys care much about this part of maintenance or not, but I'd like to eek out every mile of life from my current car. I've been using Safeway gas over the last few years. I switched from Costco gas because one of my previous cars sems to have run better on Safeway gas versus Costco gas. And since I've always bought premium, I thought I was gettting top tier gas. I was wrong, I'm switching on my fill up to Costco, Checron, Shell or even...ARCO. I never thought I'd ever say Arco. The YT video is below and the fuel report is attached.

chassis

What is the message you want your readers to take away from the attachment and video?

SW20S

TopTier fuel really is beneficial...

wildta

Arco is part of Marathon Oil which also owns USA and Speedway branded stations.

Edit: I guess 7-11 recently purchased Speedway from Marathon in 2021.

Tom in Austin

This is interesting because in some markets - like where I live - all the gasoline comes from one refinery via a pipeline. The only difference is additives or anything that happens to it during delivery or storage at a station.

SW20S

TopTier fuel is all about the additive and detergent packages. Otherwise fuel is fuel.

carlosinseattle

I got into a conversation with a fuel delivery truck driver sometime back around 2010. He told me that the bottom 2 tiers of gas was all the same and that premium was the only different gas. I believed him, and operated under that assumption since that conversation. My routine has consisted of primarily Safeway or Fred Meyer gas, with a Shell or Chevron gas fill up every couple months, and Techron fuel additive a few times per year. I thought I was giving my car the best...Wrong

SW20S

Honestly if you are using the Techrom additive a few times a year, you are probably doing as well as you would be if you were using TopTier fuel

Streamliner

as.thompson

So Streamliner, do you use Top Tier electricity???

Streamliner

Not yet, but hopefully soon.

S_W222

Costco fuel and all should be good. That fuel is good enough, and reasonably priced

95Sinned420

https://www.toptiergas.com/?gad_sour...92pL7X-rX08-pR

Just run top tier gas and a bottle or two of Techron every oil change interval and you should be good.
I don’t understand why people rather save a few dollars for tank to pay hundreds of dollars for poor fuel related issues down the road, but to each their own.

dmatre

Since we're talking about fuel, found this quite interesting:

will_atl

Interestingly, I work for a convenience store chain, who isn’t on the Top Tier list, but we sell and deliver our gasoline to companies that are on that list 🤷🏻‍♂️

I’ve worked in/out and around the retail and logistics part of the oil industry for more than 20 years, and as @Tom in Austin said, it all gets pulled out of the same tanks, just different ‘jollup’ (additives) being added at the racks @SW20S . But, there are not as many additives available at the racks, as there are companies hauling fuel out of each terminal…

vincheung

Top Tier is just part of marketing, brands subscribe, submit their samples for testing, and get their fancy stickers to affix to each pump. There was a good explanation somewhere (I think bobistheoilguy) about a number of companies such as BP/Amoco that exceed Top Tier specs but aren't paying to be on the list. Essentially, I purchase from the big brands and don't worry about it.

Its just like toothpaste and toothbrushes that meet or exceed standards, write a fat check to the ADA to use their ADA accepted seal. If you don't then you cant use it.. and kevin mccalister steals it from the pharmacy.

badq45t

I only ruun Costco gas now as I don't drive much and it runs great. My old 300ZX, 05' Nissan Xterra and my 16' S550 all run equally great on this gas. I use additive occasionaly, I used to buy Techron when Costco sold the 6 pack but now will use a few different ones about ever other tank (including fuel stablizer in Z that I don't drive much)