Does brand of gas matter?

No , but the up keep of the station does! Have a Shell close by and with the curent economy less buying premium. Problems with water in the gas.
Docf

 

I've used 92 from Esso and Ultra 94 from Sunoco, haven't had a problem with either

 

Always use a station with long lines and a quick turn over of the fuel in the underground tanks. Todays fuel seperates in a month is not sloshed around....alcohol and water to the bottom where the pick up is.

Fuel depots that supply the stations are also in question from my research regarding fuel hose. A lifetime ago I owned a Phillips 66 with a Mobil station across the street. All of our fuel came out of the same tanker truck back then.

 

I only use Top Tier fuel in cars that matter;

http://www.toptiergas.com/

One, QT, even offers a guaranty that if their fuel causes damage they will pay for any repairs.

It baffles me when an exotic car owner buys the cheapest fuel available. I DO NOT TRUST the mom and pop Quick-E-marts.

 

+1

Most of the stations in major metro areas get there fuel from the same tank farm. The only difference is the cleaning additives added when the tanker truck is filled up. I.E. fuel going to a shell station gets the V-Power additive, Chevron fuel gets Techron.

 

This is correct regarding the additives being place into the gas on the delivery truck. However, I am told by a gasoline broker that some of the "non-branded" stations will have the truck dump extra regular gas into the premium tank if they don't have room in the regular grade tank. They have to pay for the gas before it is delivered to the station. Usually small dilution factor here, so likely doesn't make a great difference with performance of a knock-sensored car, but might if your engine is dependent on raw octane to avoid from pre-detonation. I will check with him to see if any of his branded customers ask for the same delivery scenario.

 

I use Shell V-Power.

aehaas

 

I'm a 15+ yr Chevron user. I found they are generally the least expensive of the brand names and they were the first to be "Top Tier" mentioned by LightGuy in an earlier post. I believe that consistency is important within the brand, too; I almost always go to the same station so that if there is a "fuel related" issue there is no debate where it came from.

That said, I have bought Shell with the thought to support their support of Ferrari and to say "thanks" for the free stickers over the years . However, a nearby Shell is relatively pricey, e.g. $.10+ more a gallon than the Chevron I use. When I get an Fcar I'll likely run Shell, but stick with Chevron for the DD.

P.S.

The beer is cheaper at Chevron too!

 

Now thats a good enough reason alone to use Chevron

 

From what I understand, all fuel, regardless of brand, has to have some sort of fuel
additive or cleaner. The bigger brands just add a bit more. I don't really think you
can tell the difference between them,just more psychological. But I do agree with
going to a station that's always busy,

 

I caught one of the transport trucks recently & asked him who he delivers to and where he goes to get it.
He said Shell, Exxon, DisGas - it comes from the same tank farm. He swipes a card for what he's carrying that load & it mixes in different addititives (if any).

 

I try to often use Shell V-Power in my 360.

 

I only use Shell premium in my Maserati and 430. Gotta support the team... and the gas seems good too.

 

all gasoline is required to have deposit additives. big fines if not added. not all additives are the same with non-branded fuels using the cheapest stuff (in most cases but not all) and the majors such as Shell and Chevron (Chevron, Texaco and Caltex brands) spending more time, money and research on them.

Here is a consumer oriented (very basic) link on fuel additives and fuel quality. This is a Texaco site but suspect Shell has something similar.

http://www.texaco.com/yourcar/techronadvantage.asp

 

that is good advice

 

A good friend of mine used to work for an additives chemical company (before she became a neonatalogist so she can have a low stress job of saving really sick newborns each day.) She said that there is indeed quite a difference between fuels from the standpoint of additives. While brands like Texaco and Chevron had the highest levels of additives, discount brands had absolute minimum amounts, which were (and still are) inadequate in maintaining the health of engines, fuel systems -- as well as fuel sending units.

The worst fuel in terms of additive quality? Diamond Shamrock (now called Vallero, I believe.) My friend said "I would never use Diamond Shamrock gas" and she drove a Honda Accord at the time.

 

I highly agree that you want to purchase gas at a station that has a lot of business. I live across the river from Portland, Oregon (I live in Washington State) and I NEVER buy gas in Oregon unless I don't have a choice. The reason is due to the fact that Oregon rarely checks gas at Oregon stations to make sure the gas has the minimum octaine it is rated for. I notice the difference when I do use gas from Oregon. I often drive a Chrysler SRT6 which is supercharged so I'm sure the supercharger makes it a little more sensitive to octane.

So it depends on how strict your state is on quality of gas (California is very strict) and the length of time the gas sits in the tank. Frankly the difference of quality between the major brands is very negligable.

 

You've obviously never picked up a poor fuel load then. I fueled my Lotus at an independent near the track I was going to (didn't know where any other stations were) - premium of course - but still a BAD move - had a rubbish day with the car under performing, coughing and spluttering... never again!

 

I stay away from anything with ethanol with my vintage cars. They sit too long even trying to drive one each weekend. I had a Corvette in the 80's that rotted the rubber part of the fuel line 3 or 4 times due to the ethanol in what they called Gasahol then. I have been using Mobil premium from one station locally because they post a sign that says No ethanol. So far no problems with separation. Ethanol in gasoline was a bad idea then as now and getting it from corn is one of the least effient methods.

 

Its a bad idea that will not be going away any time soon. Minnesota is pumping 20% moonshine now with a promise thats all that will be pumped in the next few years.

My research showed that 13-15% was the breaking point where current hose and components will fail quickly with legislation being looked at to raise the levels nationally to 14-15%. The seperation I am concerned about is in the underground tanks.... that we have no control over and I suspect is what accounted for me measuring 16-17% on a few occations at local stations. I now look for the station with the longest lines at the pumps.

Lines at the stations with Ethanol Free fuel will soon look like what I remember waiting in back in the mid 70's I suspect. My research has been too focused on how to deal with and contain the alcohol, I need to look into how these stations are able to pump alcohol free fuel and see if that can be expanded on. I suspect there is far too much money invested at this point and legislation will make this here to stay. Now that we have figured out how to make hose and such to contain it, I am working on how to make the engine management systems tollerate it...that wasnt in the design parameters when these systems were made.

 

Hmmm.... So, I'm not exactly sure what the consensus is here - In short which of the following would "you" choose?

1. The local "quickie mart" - Always the cheapest with the longest lines and I know he has a delivery every day (from an unmarked tanker) - I use it all the time for the DD. [There's actually a slightly cheaper guy close by, but they only take ATM cards and their card readers seem to get hacked on a regular basis - I don't go there!]

2. The Shell down the road is ~30c/gallon more expensive and ergo is usually deserted - I have no idea how often they get "fresh" stuff....

"Fresh & cheap", or "expensive and good"?.......

Cheers,
Ian

 

100% true. In my earlier bike riding days I met up with a tanker driver. He made it very clear that tanks are filled at the same supplier, then additives are added to the tanker and “mixed” in route. Forgetting about the additives (which due make a difference), the biggest issue with no-name gas is the quality of their holding tanks.

 

Really? - Here in CA at least it *appears* that you better have really good quality holding tanks or you're going to be shut down - I'm sure we've all noticed stations being dug up and rebuilt in order to comply with the regulations (whatever they may be?) - Both the "quickie mart" and the Shell I referenced above have recently (<1 year) been there and done that.....

I certainly don't claim to know, just raising the Q....

Cheers,
Ian

 

I've consistently used XOM premium in both my Ferraris w/no probs. There's a Chevron station nearby, will check out next time I'm in the 308 and need gas...probably not much until late September, with the 100F weather