Gasoline Preference- How Do You Choose?

Who ever is cheapest.

 

The only difference in gasoline is the additive package and I wonder if the additives are always added correctly. Where I live all gasoline comes in single barges from the refinery. It is delivered to a CITGO Terminal and all of it is offloaded into the same tanks. CITGO then puts the additives into the gasoline as part of the process of loading the trucks. This is when it supposedly becomes Shell, BP, Chevron, etc.

So if you are getting better performance from a particular brand its either because of the additives specified by a brand or perhaps a placebo.

 

Exactly!

Which is why I shop for the cheapest.

 

Wow, there seems to be great differences in how gas is delivered throughout the country. We have five active refineries in Washington State:
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/swfa/industrial/oil1.html

This includes BP, ConocoPhillips, Tesoro and Shell.

 

there was a thread on this a while back and if i remember chevron was the winner. seems the additive techtron really helps to clean the fuel injectors.

 

I prefer Chevron because of the Techron...but don't go out of my way for it. I have also used their fuel additive for my 308. The Ferrari Dealer Technician recommended it to keep the fuel injectors clean.

I heard about this a while back too:
http://www.chevron.com/products/prodserv/fuels/techrongas/successbig3.shtml

 

My brand choice is based on octane rating. At this time I am using 110 octane gasoline. The brand at the pump is displayed as Chevron....which may or may not be accurate. I believe that the octane rating is the way to judge which fuel you decide to use, as well as finding and/or feeling a performance difference..............Kerry

P.S. Access to the pump is an important factor though...........speed bumps and steep inclines are a definite consideration............great fuel versus shredded front spoiler.......LOL

 

Used to be only Chevron, but now Texaco too, both with Techron.

 

Buying based only on the highest octane may mean you are spending more than you need for gasoline. You only need the octane recommended by the OE. If 93 is recommended, using a higher octane will have no affect on performance.

However, if you OE calls for regular 87, occasionally using premium will give you a higher additive treat rate. That is very similar to buying Techron gasoline additive and putting in you tank. If you are already using a major brand premium (Chevron, Texaco, BP, Shell, Mobil, Exxon) you do not need to also use a gasoline additive.

 

Chevron with Techron, allways.

Cheers!

DT

 

I have been putting mid-grade (89 pump octane) BP/Amoco in my 328 for nearly two years and have noticed no negative effects! (In fact, my 2000 Civic Si likes the mid-grade gas much less than the Ferrari!)

 

Midgrade product, as you would expect has an additive treat rate that is between regular and premium. Some years ago Amoco reduced the treat rate of the Regular product to just meet the minimum specs. Midgrade and Premium were higher than the minimums, and at a treat rate needed to achieve the marketing and quality claims.

 

I am a little anal, I stop at the same Shell station all the time. I know its stupid, but allow me this one little quirk!!!

Robert

 

Trust me...........there is a difference in engine "performance" between Sunoco 93 and Cheveron 110.....

And I am a cheap f**k, I take the extra roll of toilet paper in hotels for my home.........haven't bought T-paper in years! Let's me be able to afford the 110 fuel, very possible even the ability to own and maintain a TR.........LOL

 

Sure. You're a nice boy. If my mother were still alive, (God rest her bi-polar, drive me nuts soul) I'm sure she would allow you your little quirk. And, so do I, since this is my thread. Thanks for the input! Cheers.

 

Let's not get off-track. I wasn't talking about changing recommended octane ratings (although there ain't no way I'm putting 93 octane in an E320). I'm talking about how you make you buying decision after you determine what octane you need.

 

Of course mid grade would be in the middle between regular and premium, since there are only two tanks at the gas station....mid grade is simply a blend of regular and premium at the pump!

 

If that were the case, why isn't mid-grade gas 90 (pump) octane? Regular is 87 and premium is 93; average them out and you get 90. So why is mid-grade 89 octane instead??

 

Because they can control the mixture.

However it would probably be closer to 90 octane. The gas manufacture MUST meet the advertised octain rating. So, they cheat it a little high just to make sure they aren't under. When you go to fill up next time, have a look at the date in the inspection sticker on the pump. They inspect the pump quite often.


On a side note, the best time to fill up is early in the morning. The reason is because the gasoline has had a chance to cool. During the day the gas does expand with the heat build up in the ground, especially in the summer. So you don't get as much gas. It probably isn't that much, but if your filling up a RV, or a boat, you may get an extra few ounces of gas doing it after the night has cooled down the ground temperature.

 

Where do you get 93 octane??? I have only found 91 octane at local gas stations .

 

Nope, majors have three tanks, one for each grade. Sun was the only oil company that had blend pumps at retail, not very reliable.

 

Outside of California

 

I think I used to get 93 at Amoco in Virginia years ago.

 

Chevron would be my choice if it were readily available here in NJ, but it isn't.

That said, I did an impromptu test of various gasolines (3 consecutive fills and regular record keeping) and grades over the years on my 308 and found

about 1mpg more for hi-test. So I stick with regular (87 octane)
just under 1mpg more for using Hess as opposed to Exxon, Getty, Citgo, Mobile, generics so I try & use Hess

Here in NNJ, lots of traffic everywhere so "fresh" gas isn't too much of a problem anywhere.

I didn't notice any performance increase in any brand of gas.
Oh, and I toss a bottle of Techron into the tank every so often. Maybe every 3 months or so.