any difference in quality amongst Top Tier brands

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Hi all: I did a forum and internet search but didn't turn up anything. I recently became aware of Top Tier gas brands and what that means, but I was wondering if there are any ratings within that list of brands, or if they are all considered equivalent. I know octane is octane, but what I'm wondering about is detergent level etc.
 
Hiya, the detergent levels do vary. I did see a graph and I'll see if I can post it later.
 
Yes. Just a few quick ones:
- Conoco/philips/76 are above TT standards by like 20% I think.
- BP and Costco are I think like 50% above TT requirements.
- Shell's premium is up there with BP and Costco.
 
Thanks: But does more detergent actually equate to better gas? I mean, can another brand achieve the same level of cleaning efficiency with a different detergent but at a lower level?

That's good new about Conoco as I've used them for years. We just joined Costco so maybe I should switch to them. I never would have thought to buy gas from Costco but I guess it's good quality. Are your ratings good USA wide?
 
Originally Posted By: badtlc
Yes. Just a few quick ones:
- Conoco/philips/76 are above TT standards by like 20% I think.
- BP and Costco are I think like 50% above TT requirements.
- Shell's premium is up there with BP and Costco.


How is Shell doing that?
Quote:
Is TT only for my premium gasoline?
No. TOP TIER fuel marketers use the same detergency treat rate for all octane grades of gasoline sold at their stations.

http://www.toptiergas.com/faqs/
 
You could look online I remember seeing some study's (granted they where a few years old) but Exxon & Mobil always ended up in the top 3 and we have one down the road that pretty much price matches Walmart so I tend to go there.

However any gas station can sell pretty much any brand of gas. Just because it's a "BP" "Exxon and Mobil" or a "Shell" doesn't really mean you are buying that brand of gas. Its pretty common for people to buy out a gas station and leave the signs up.

For a few years I went to a Shell and paid a pretty decent premium for it to later find out they did not sell Shell gas with Shell additives.
 
Originally Posted By: 3800Series
For a few years I went to a Shell and paid a pretty decent premium for it to later find out they did not sell Shell gas with Shell additives.


Yes, if it's a small mom and pop store they might not do it. If it's chain of stores hopefully they're more likely to do it like this one:

http://www.truenorth.org/us/

Especially if they have a Shell fuel truck doing the delivery. One time I noticed the same non-Shell labeled truck delivering fuel as the one that off loaded at Costco.
 
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Gasoline is a commodity, like wheat or corn. Refineries have tank farms located close to them and exchange product. For example, there is a refinery in Whiting, IN that fills the tank farm in Muskegon, MI. They may "exchange" fuel with Shell (for example) in another location to cut transport costs.

Additives are added at the rack. So yes, you may be getting gas refined by BP at a Shell station. But the additives are per Shell's spec.
 
Originally Posted By: SatinSilver
Originally Posted By: 3800Series
For a few years I went to a Shell and paid a pretty decent premium for it to later find out they did not sell Shell gas with Shell additives.


\

That is still FRAUD, if the store had the Shell branding they are REQUIRED to use fuel that contains the specific Shell detergent formula and required to meet top tier standards, you should have reported them to the FTC and state AG for prosecution.
 
Exactly right. My step father worked at the refinery in Yorktown and they made gas per specification for the other stations like Exxon etc. He laughed and told me one time that ALL of the gas stations on the eastern shore sold Amoco gas really at the end of the day no matter what the signs were our front. It was just that the Amoco refinery made them to the others specs.
 
Originally Posted By: GiveMeAVowel
That is still FRAUD, if the store had the Shell branding they are REQUIRED to use fuel that contains the specific Shell detergent formula and required to meet top tier standards, you should have reported them to the FTC and state AG for prosecution.


I contacted the head of TrueNorth Shell and he replied back that fuel was indeed Shell. It was Shell's formula and sometimes they contract with other carriers for delivery. I might still have the email. I just remember the driver of the non-Shell truck looking at me. While I'm thinking something shady is going on.
 
Originally Posted By: NissanMaxima
Hi all: I did a forum and internet search but didn't turn up anything. I recently became aware of Top Tier gas brands and what that means, but I was wondering if there are any ratings within that list of brands, or if they are all considered equivalent. I know octane is octane, but what I'm wondering about is detergent level etc.


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.
 
Get Costco gasoline and you won't have to worry about a fuel related issue.
I've noticed a significant increase in engine smoothness since switching to Costco.
 
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Originally Posted By: NissanMaxima
Hi all: I did a forum and internet search but didn't turn up anything. I recently became aware of Top Tier gas brands and what that means, but I was wondering if there are any ratings within that list of brands, or if they are all considered equivalent. I know octane is octane, but what I'm wondering about is detergent level etc.


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.


The fact is that many of those other manufacturers you mention use that same TopTier standard for what they encourage their customers to use in their vehicles.

TopTier is NOT some marketing stunt, but a genuine standard and requirement that must be met by fuel suppliers that wish to use the TopTier branding. Now the organization actually do random audits of stations to make sure that the standards of their members sell to consumers.
 
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.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Get Costco gasoline and you won't have to worry about a fuel related issue.
I've noticed a significant increase in engine smoothness since switching to Costco.


My Grand Marquis doesn't run as well on Costco gas. A couple of my friends said the same thing. The idle is not as smooth, and the power feels lower. The Impala on the other hand runs very well on Costco gasoline.

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.
 
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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".
 
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