Interesting info on Costco gas

[Rolla07]

Originally Posted By: HemiHawk
I love going to costco for gas. This just adds another reason. TopTier, cheaper than everyone else, clean stations. The other great thing is its a fueling station. So no one parks and leaves their car at the pump to get a pack of smokes or donut.


ROFL.. every time I am near a Costco the lineup is at least 30 minutes to get to the pump... to save 20-30 cents a gallon? Not worth the wait.. but I guess it is to others..

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted By: Donald
The states, maybe towns or counties are the ones who measure and certify the accuracy of the pumps.

It's done at the county level in California, specifically by the agricultural commission of each county. San Francisco has its own agricultural commission as the only combined city/county in California.

Still - I don't believe that they test that frequently. A gas station might check more frequently and independently of the legal requirements. Counties may also test for fuel quality, contamination, water content, octane rating, etc. If someone suspects that a fuel pump is incorrectly calculating fuel, the county can be contacted and they can check.

 

[Nyogtha]

H-E-B Supermakets here have some gas pumps where you can pay for additional additive to be metered in with a fuel purchase. I think there's 3 levels of additional additive that can be purchased, not sure as I rarely fill up at H-E-B (none of the supermarkets, Sam's Club, or Costco near me have gas pumps since we sit above the Edwards Aquifer). So the gasoline in the H-E-B station tanks isn't top tier but can be jazzed up as often as one wants without dumping in a bottle of additive.

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted By: Nyogtha
H-E-B Supermakets here have some gas pumps where you can pay for additional additive to be metered in with a fuel purchase. I think there's 3 levels of additional additive that can be purchased, not sure as I rarely fill up at H-E-B (none of the supermarkets, Sam's Club, or Costco near me have gas pumps since we sit above the Edwards Aquifer). So the gasoline in the H-E-B station tanks isn't top tier but can be jazzed up as often as one wants without dumping in a bottle of additive.

Top Tier of course isn't the be all and end all. Costco went from not to Top Tier overnight, simply when all of their stations were equipped with their additive metering system. They didn't really change a thing with any of their stations that did have the system. I remember when BMW was recommending BP fuel by name before they had the Top Tier certification.

 

[Nyogtha]

Yeah - good old brother-in-law type recommendations!

Winter grade diesel fuel in Germany requires a minimum dose of a wax antisettling additive (WASA) that at the time I was studying export diesel requirements 10 years ago, wasn't required anywhere else in the world. Probably still true. The minimum WASA concentration is independant of any test result.

Guess who made the WASA?

BASF

 

[blupupher]

That is some tight measures.
I know in Texas the allotted amount is 6 CI/5 gallons, and are supposed to be tested once every 4 years (or when a complaint is filed).

As for Costco fuel, never been there, don't have a membership.
Right now the Costco 3 miles from me (that I only drive by maybe once a month) is $1.87.
Walmart, Sunoco, Valero and Exxon that are less than a mile from me and I drive by almost daily are all $1.89, Kroger (I also drive by almost daily) is $1.91.
I get $0.03/gallon off at Walmart and Sunoco (using gift cards), and Kroger with fuel rewards is around $0.50-1.00 off/gallon, so they end up the same price or cheaper than Costco, as well as not out of the way.
No idea if there is a line at the Costco near me, I have never looked.

 

[badtlc]

Originally Posted By: Olas
What is Costco fuel like in regard to ethanol? And detergent pack?


Costco has way more additives than Top Tier fuels. The only ones with comparable additive levels is shell and BP premium fuels.

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted By: badtlc
Originally Posted By: Olas
What is Costco fuel like in regard to ethanol? And detergent pack?


Costco has way more additives than Top Tier fuels. The only ones with comparable additive levels is shell and BP premium fuels.

Depends on your location. Chevron is supposedly comparable. Chevron has really been the leader for years. They had their Techronline brand for years before Techron. They also develop it in house. I'm not sure about Shell. I can't find anything on the EPA website that indicates that Shell or its divisions (like the Infineum joint venture with EOM) has a bulk additive.

 

[loneryder]

Originally Posted By: loneryder
From their recent magazine:
The U.S. standard for fuel pump
accuracy is a variance of no more than
3 cubic inches per 5 gallons dispensed.
A cubic inch is a bit less than a
tablespoon – a very precise standard.
Costco tests all its fuel meters twice
a year. Our certi ed testers adjust any
meters that are off by more than 1 cubic
inch per 5 gallons, which is less than
one-tenth of 1 percent. If a meter shows
a tendency to fall out of adjustment, we
promptly service or replace the meter.

I should add that the article went on to say that Costco contracts with the countries largest pump certification co. Their president stated that Costco has the highest standards in the nation for their pump accuracy. He also stated that automobile gas gauges are not very accurate.
I don't work for Costco but I buy a lot of stuff there.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Additional note. IIRC Costco in some places has their own tank farm and it's why they're less likely to run out of fuel when supply shortages occur (ie. Hurricanes, Pipeline disruptions).

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Originally Posted By: badtlc
Originally Posted By: Olas
What is Costco fuel like in regard to ethanol? And detergent pack?


Costco has way more additives than Top Tier fuels. The only ones with comparable additive levels is shell and BP premium fuels.


IIRC they have more additives (5x) than what's required for Top Tier certification. Some other "top tier" fuels have more additives than the min as well (ex. Shell V-Power Nitro is 7x?)

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted By: BMWTurboDzl
Originally Posted By: badtlc
Originally Posted By: Olas
What is Costco fuel like in regard to ethanol? And detergent pack?


Costco has way more additives than Top Tier fuels. The only ones with comparable additive levels is shell and BP premium fuels.


IIRC they have more additives (5x) than what's required for Top Tier certification. Some other "top tier" fuels have more additives than the min as well (ex. Shell V-Power Nitro is 7x?)

I thought that the claim was 5x that of EPA minimums. Most estimates are that Top Tier requires about a 2.5x the EPA minimum. However, it's supposed to be about efficacy, and different additives may work differently as the concentration is increased. I suppose there the possibility that given 1x as the baseline where an additive meets EPA minimum requirements, one could meet Top Tier at 2x while another needs 3x.

Of course it's somewhat meaningless to some degree. There's going to be diminishing returns the higher the concentration. I also remember some talk that at some point it could even result in higher wear or possibly cause issues with motor oil. Chevron used to recommend that Techron Concentrate only be used about once every oil change period, and preferably before an oil change. I guess it was to minimize the period where it was driven in that state before the motor oil additives were replenished.

 

[ledslinger]

Another thing I like about Costco gas is their pricing is less reactive than other stations in my area. When suddenly every station in town jumps 15 cents and every station is the same price, if Costco raises its price, it will be delayed.

 

[BearZDefect]

Yes, when the Speedway cartel raises prices by 30c or 35c a gallon, a few days later Costco raises their price by 3c to 10c a gallon. They eventually drift back down and before the cartel jacks it up again their price will be within 10c of Costco around here.

 

[badtlc]

Originally Posted By: y_p_w
Originally Posted By: badtlc
Originally Posted By: Olas
What is Costco fuel like in regard to ethanol? And detergent pack?


Costco has way more additives than Top Tier fuels. The only ones with comparable additive levels is shell and BP premium fuels.

Depends on your location. Chevron is supposedly comparable. Chevron has really been the leader for years. They had their Techronline brand for years before Techron. They also develop it in house. I'm not sure about Shell. I can't find anything on the EPA website that indicates that Shell or its divisions (like the Infineum joint venture with EOM) has a bulk additive.


Techron is a good additive but Chevron does not have the same additive levels as Costco (all grades) and Shell/BP premium.

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted By: badtlc
Originally Posted By: y_p_w
Originally Posted By: badtlc
Originally Posted By: Olas
What is Costco fuel like in regard to ethanol? And detergent pack?


Costco has way more additives than Top Tier fuels. The only ones with comparable additive levels is shell and BP premium fuels.

Depends on your location. Chevron is supposedly comparable. Chevron has really been the leader for years. They had their Techronline brand for years before Techron. They also develop it in house. I'm not sure about Shell. I can't find anything on the EPA website that indicates that Shell or its divisions (like the Infineum joint venture with EOM) has a bulk additive.


Techron is a good additive but Chevron does not have the same additive levels as Costco (all grades) and Shell/BP premium.


I've heard that Chevron is comparable - that their retail level of additive is about 5x the EPA minimum. Beside that, at a certain point you're really getting diminished returns as it's keeping the engine parts pretty clean.