any difference in quality amongst Top Tier brands

[SatinSilver]

Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
That chart confirms Shell is the best
I'm not paying Shell "premium" prices for gas for my 87 octane car. Neat trick, Shell, hiding the fact that only the top priced stuff is "top tier".


All Shell gas is top tier. The top price stuff just has more detergents in it.

 

[raytseng]

If you're searching for differences then you are to look more at the station then the fuel itself.
The state of the station ends up relativery trickling down a bit to the pumps and tanks. If a place can't keep its toilets clean no way is it keeping up to date on its tank maintenance.
I've noticed at least around me the chevron stations near me tend. to have a higher minimum standard for its stations. The other ones might also have good new stations but also there are some super run down ones too.

In general go to a place that looks like it's doing enough business to have fresh fuel and keeping up with things.

 

[dan_erickson]

I have a Mobil Station near my work that I have been using for the past few months because it is always busy and I seen a Mobil branded tanker filling the gas station that is bringing fuel from the Exxon Mobil plant in Illinois. Im okay with that.

Other wise it is all off branded gas stations or BP.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Then I'm sure that you're aware that TopTier is a certification program run by none other than the same GM that couldn't seem to figure out how to design an ignition switch.

GM has had garbage ignition switches for close to 50 years now. Why should things change?

This is a bit dated, since Fernando now uses Esso fuel, but the information is still there:

 

[GiveMeAVowel]

Originally Posted By: NissanMaxima
Thanks folks. A lot of good information here. SatinSilver...I looked at the table of detergent content in the thread you linked but does more detergent necessarily equate to a better gasoline? I imagine each manufacturer uses their own detergent package and I could imagine some detergents may be more effective even at lower levels, but I don't know.


A good point, some detergents are more effective or equally effective at reducing carbon deposits compared to others using a large amount of the detergent...

Years ago (mid 80s?) there was a SAE white paper that did a comparison of effectiveness of very common PBA detergent and newer PEA detergent developed by Chevron, the PEA was not only more effective at removing carbon deposits but just as importantly did NOT leave behind its own residue when cleaning! Something to think about.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: oldmaninsc
BUT (as I mentioned when you said this in a previous post) what about the people who do NOT have a Costco close to them? I have one a short distance away, but some people who live in the same city I do would have to drive 10 - 15 miles out of their way to get it. Some of my relatives live in the next city over from me, for them it would be 25 - 40 miles EACH way. I think most would say it's not worth it.


I have three Costcos all within 10 miles of me. I thought all cities were like that.

 

[oldmaninsc]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: oldmaninsc
BUT (as I mentioned when you said this in a previous post) what about the people who do NOT have a Costco close to them? I have one a short distance away, but some people who live in the same city I do would have to drive 10 - 15 miles out of their way to get it. Some of my relatives live in the next city over from me, for them it would be 25 - 40 miles EACH way. I think most would say it's not worth it.


I have three Costcos all within 10 miles of me. I thought all cities were like that.


Fortunately not all of us live in your area!

 

[rkpatt]

I wonder where QT / QuikTrip would be on the list ? I usually purchase fuel there because it is most conveniently located top tier station competively priced with some of the non-top tier fuel vendors.

 

[Bgallagher]

Originally Posted By: SatinSilver
Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
That chart confirms Shell is the best
I'm not paying Shell "premium" prices for gas for my 87 octane car. Neat trick, Shell, hiding the fact that only the top priced stuff is "top tier".


All Shell gas is top tier. The top price stuff just has more detergents in it.


+1 I have been using shell in the terrain. Trying to avoid any issues with the DI 4 cylinder. It cost about a dollar more versus the cheapo stations but I am drinking the top tier kool-aid

 

[badtlc]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27


Then I'm sure that you're aware that TopTier is a certification program run by none other than the same GM that couldn't seem to figure out how to design an ignition switch.
Top Tier is a deposit formation standard, not a detergent content one.
Most, maybe all, fuels that meet the federal EPA detergent requirements would probably qualify.
Gasbuddy establishes my personal top tier rankings and the least costly station on my typical travels is often a TopTier Valero, although I have no trouble buying twenty .109 after rewards gallons from a TopTier BP or using store rewards to get a buck off thirty five gallons from a non TopTier Kroger.
I've bought fuel based upon price for the past twenty years or so with never a problem in any vehicle.
You might just try the same and enjoy the same results.
Since GM established the TopTier criteria, maybe some GM engines had real deposit formation problems with certain fuels?
The Honda, Subaru, Ford, BMW, Tecumseh, VW and Mercedes engines we've had over the past couple of decades never did.


No, no and no. Federal additive requirements have been shown time and time again to be inadequate. This is exactly why Top Tier was created. BMW started the initiative and the whole point was that a gas had to prove it could keep components clean regardless of additive levels used. Once a certain amount of a specific additive meets the performance requirements, it can be rubber stamped from what it appears.

 

[badtlc]

Originally Posted By: rkpatt
I wonder where QT / QuikTrip would be on the list ? I usually purchase fuel there because it is most conveniently located top tier station competively priced with some of the non-top tier fuel vendors.


QuikTrip was the first TT station. Another retailer signed up at the same time but I can't remember the 2nd one.

 

[dave1251]

Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
That chart confirms Shell is the best
I'm not paying Shell "premium" prices for gas for my 87 octane car. Neat trick, Shell, hiding the fact that only the top priced stuff is "top tier".


All Shell grades are top tier. Premium is a grade that has 5 times the detergent requirements of top tier.

 

[dave1251]

Originally Posted By: badtlc
Originally Posted By: rkpatt
I wonder where QT / QuikTrip would be on the list ? I usually purchase fuel there because it is most conveniently located top tier station competively priced with some of the non-top tier fuel vendors.


QuikTrip was the first TT station. Another retailer signed up at the same time but I can't remember the 2nd one.


Chevron and QT were the first.

 

[TiredTrucker]

I just don't worry about it. I can't even recall since TT showed up that I ever filled with it. Out in my rural neck of the woods, I am not going to drive extra miles to track down some TT station that is going to sell gas higher than what I can get it for more closely. While some high performance engines might get some benefit, the average crowd is not really going to see any appreciable benefit. If it is close by, and prices similar, then yeah, buy it. But I wouldn't lose any sleep over it if that is not the case. Only one station out of the dozen circling the compass around me has TT, and it is 20 miles away and situated on the I-80 where they take advantage of the highway crowd and prices are higher. No thanks.