Top tier, brand name gas vs no name

[cmyx6go]

Let me start by saying I always use super. In my car I always go brand names; Shell, BP, Sunoco, Exxon. I had to fill up my loaner today before I returned it and I went to a no name station and filled up with super at $5.27/gal. I picked up my car and went to an Exxon station and paid $5.99/gal. Is there a difference? Over $0.70/gal is big! Thoughts?

[kscarrol]

I do the same but have used 93 from a large grocery store chain near with no issues. I suppose the argument is the top-tier has better detergents/additives that over the long term are better for the engine.

Edit: and besides, it’s a loaner, who cares! o

[UncleWede]

Originally Posted by kscarrol

Edit: and besides, it’s a loaner, who cares! o

I think she's considering filling up her lemon on the continuing basis with no-name

[No one]

When I had a loaner I filled it where I filled mine.

[Tyga11]

No it’s a myth. It’s like buying generic Clorox vs “Clorox” - you’re paying for the brand.

[Esteban]

How's your X6 doing now that you have it back? Running good?

[Clark_Kent]

It doesn't matter where you fill up. Premium is premium. So much has been made of this over the years and it's all hype and marketing. Tier One, special detergents, proprietary blends... it's all bullshit.

[MMnut]

Originally Posted by Clark_Kent

It doesn't matter where you fill up. Premium is premium. So much has been made of this over the years and it's all hype and marketing. Tier One, special detergents, proprietary blends... it's all bullshit.

Respectfully I'm kinda disagree here. The big names are less likely to stuff up their things and they got their reputation for that. We got an issue here a few years back when a not so big name station stuffed up fuel with gas and diesel (not sure internationally or accidentally) and diesel was very cheap back in the day. So there was a conspiracy that who know what could be in there ? a mix up between high and low grade gas to get more profit ? who knows.

Premium is premium : I tend to agree, but reality they may not be the same. My analogy may not be correct but brand name 4K TVs are way different from low brand 4K TVs, we all see that obviously, but they are all 4K TVs !

At the end of the day, its up to individual to fill up where they are confident and have a piece of mind. You have 100K car !

[Mosaud1998]

Originally Posted by cmyx6go

Let me start by saying I always use super. In my car I always go brand names; Shell, BP, Sunoco, Exxon. I had to fill up my loaner today before I returned it and I went to a no name station and filled up with super at $5.27/gal. I picked up my car and went to an Exxon station and paid $5.99/gal. Is there a difference? Over $0.70/gal is big! Thoughts?

Hell, I've put regular gas in Mercedes loaners when my mom's Mercedes was under warranty

[Tuxedo]

it's my understanding in many brands the gas comes from the same source, each brand uses the core fuel and adds it's spec of additives. once upon a time you had to be worried of many fuel stations that would have ground water seeping into their tanks and add ethyl alcohol.

[Tambohamilton]

Can't comment on gas, but my 330d always gets better mileage on branded diesel than unbranded,.. That is until I started using a cetane improver additive (like octane booster, but for diesel). It doesn't seem to make much difference in the fuesl mileage if I add it to branded diesel, but adding it to off-brand results in similar mileage to branded.

My take is that fuel specs are minimum, and off-brand will comply in the cheapest way possible - that's all we expect from them. However branded fuel is likely to exceed the basic spec because we expect it to be a premium product (and pay accordingly). So, I wouldn't be surprised if you could buy the cheapest gas and, if you're careful with choosing the correct additive(s), make it perform as well as branded super.

[JimmyJazz]

I have a friend who’s a petroleum engineer. He said the additive “package” that makes a gas “Top Tier” is only one quart of additive in a 7500 gallon tanker! That’s all. The problem isn’t with the gas when it’s loaded at the refinery, it’s what the vender does at the storage tank(s) at the store(s).

[virtualbong]

Originally Posted by MMnut

Respectfully I'm kinda disagree here. The big names are less likely to stuff up their things and they got their reputation for that. We got an issue here a few years back when a not so big name station stuffed up fuel with gas and diesel (not sure internationally or accidentally) and diesel was very cheap back in the day. So there was a conspiracy that who know what could be in there ? a mix up between high and low grade gas to get more profit ? who knows.

Premium is premium : I tend to agree, but reality they may not be the same. My analogy may not be correct but brand name 4K TVs are way different from low brand 4K TVs, we all see that obviously, but they are all 4K TVs !

At the end of the day, its up to individual to fill up where they are confident and have a piece of mind. You have 100K car !

I cannot say for sure, but I would think that most places are regulated and can't get away with "mixing" their gas these days. To be on the safe side, I would say go to the gas stations that have high volume. You can feel confident that the gas station won't have to "mix" their gas because they are already getting a lot of traffic into their station so profit is good and they would not want to take the risk of "mixing" their gas and getting caught and fined...or even worse, shut down. So in summary, stay away from gas stations that are not high volume to be safe.

[swhat]

either way, you are just burning your money away.

[ezaircon4jc]

All I know is a friend fed a steady diet of premium from the "cheap" stations. In less than 100K he blew a hole in one of the pistons as the computer was trying to stop knock. I get a much smoother idle and around 75 more miles per tank with Top Tier. This is like saying there's no difference between a quality synthetic oil and Auto Zone's brand.

[Tambohamilton]

Originally Posted by J1960

the additive “package” that makes a gas “Top Tier” is only one quart of additive in a 7500 gallon tanker!

So? Just because there isn't much, doesn't mean it's ineffective. The cetane booster I use is added at around 1 in 1000 dilution, for example, and it certainly works. The real pull here is that if you figure out what to add, you don't need much and can generally save a small amount of money if you're so inclined.

Did your friend make any comment on what the additives are, how effective they are, etc?

[Germanauto]

I'm sure some brands have some special additives, but at the end of the day is it noticeable and does it matter? No and no. I have a buddy who thinks it matters, laughable watching him burn money thinking his Lexus dad car will perform better with Shell. Even if I owned a Ferrari I'd be filling it up at Costco.

Costco ftw, just have to go during off hours.

[Tambohamilton]

But it often does make a noticeable difference, and that matters to a lot of folk here. Like I said, my (diesel) car gets better fuel mileage on branded fuel (or unbranded with additive), and runs smoother too; both of those things matter to me. It doesn't magically turn into a rocket if I fill up with V-power, but I seriously doubt anyone here is expecting that.

[cmyx6go]

Originally Posted by Esteban

How's your X6 doing now that you have it back? Running good?

I picked it up yesterday afternoon. I made it home and back to work this morning without needing a flat bed so, so far so good.

[cmyx6go]

Originally Posted by UncleWede

I think she's considering filling up her lemon on the continuing basis with no-name

No, I just never realized the price difference was so big. I'll stick with BP, Shell, etc. I'm too old for change.

Originally Posted by No one

When I had a loaner I filled it where I filled mine.

I always do. I treat loaners the same way I treat my own vehicle. Hell, I even take them to the car wash. The only difference being I take the loaner through the automatic car wash and mine only gets hand washed. I hate dirty cars.

I got the call at work that I could pick mine up but there aren't any name brand stations between my office and the dealer. I wasn't going out of my way. There used to be a Sunoco station right before the dealer but the dealer moved. I did go out of my way to fill mine up though. And of course, when I gave the attendant my AMEX it didn't work because I had just used it at another station. I've had that happen before at said Sunoco next door to the dealer when trying to fill up my car after filling up loaner prior to return.

[cmyx6go]

Originally Posted by Mosaud1998

Hell, I've put regular gas in Mercedes loaners when my mom's Mercedes was under warranty

Don't you sell cars? LOL!

[cmyx6go]

Thanks for all the responses. I didn't realize this would be one of those great debate threads.