Is Marathon Gas Top Tier?

[ArcticDriver]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: ArcticDriver

I cannot comment on the $3/gallon price gouging but it sounds rather conspiratorial. Did you personally witness this? Any chance you have a fuel receipt to support it because it might just be someone was telling stories?



Oh I witnessed it, I walked past the pump, and heard people [censored] with my own ears. I was in need of gas and wasn't about to waste it driving around looking for it. In fact I know of three stations within a mile of each other playing the same game, Shell, Sunoco, and a no name. Shell stuck out because of the topic top tier. I also spoke with a guy who samples gas to see if stations are pumping what they say they're pumping, and if they're actually pumping a gallon of gas, accurately. I wasn't one bit surprised who was getting fined for pumping regular out of premium pumps, or mid grade pumps. They were pumping a gallon accurately. The fine is less than the additional $$ made screwing people. Does it happen all the time? NO!, but it happens. Eventually they'll get shut down, but some people are somewhat naive thinking everyone is honest, and these things don't happen. Just look at how people get screwed at quick lube places or dealerships, are gas stations are any better?

I guess living in NY has scared me, for the good. I'm not as trusting, as most, that's a good thing, it served me well.


Trusting & Naive ?

No, I am just skeptical of internet claims that sound over the top dramatic.

Do these things happen? Ofcourse, but honest retsil station owners keep an eye on one another because it is in their direct interest to do so.

If the station owner across the street is falsely advertising their product as Top Tier or 91 octane when it is not and getting customers then chances are that owner who is playing by the rules is going to speak up because the deceptive owner is taking greater profits. Besides, tanker truck operators are gabby just like everyone and will spill the beans. Plus the stations records, manifests, documents and purchase orders are going to clearly show inventory differences that are easily charted over time. The same kind of paper trail that would result in accountability or fines from the Hurricane Profiteers.

if you were also one of the evacuees and witnessed the price gouging first hand then I hope you reported the station after you were out of harms way.

 

[ArcticDriver]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Who polices top tier gas? We have a local no name station that has a little sticker on his pumps saying it's top tier gas, I have my doubts. We also have a Shell station that gets fuel drops from unmarked trucks, which drive a mile down the road and make a drop at a no name station. The Shell station had prices posted right after hurricane Sandy on a sign and a line a mile long. When people got to the pump they were paying $3/gallon more than the posted price, and they paid. The police were there directing traffic, people complained and all the police could do was keep order. Can you trust any of these gas sellers?


Someone had posted how Costco does their top tier gas and it turns out that they put the additive in after they get it off the tanker. So just because the tanker goes to multiple sites, it doesn't mean that it has the additive in the gas. Also the tankers have multiple compartments so it could be off loading different types of fuel.


Maybe. How about the guys pumping 87 octane as premium? If they get caught they get fined, if not they cash in. Unfortunately not everyone plays on the up and up. The gas station next to the paint store I deal with was shut down for doing just that, it was in the local newspaper about 5 years ago. According to the article he was fined several times over the years.


So the station owner cheated and is now out of business.

Sounds the regulatory and enforcement divisions are working as designed and cheaters might prosper in the short term but lose in the long.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: ArcticDriver
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Who polices top tier gas? We have a local no name station that has a little sticker on his pumps saying it's top tier gas, I have my doubts. We also have a Shell station that gets fuel drops from unmarked trucks, which drive a mile down the road and make a drop at a no name station. The Shell station had prices posted right after hurricane Sandy on a sign and a line a mile long. When people got to the pump they were paying $3/gallon more than the posted price, and they paid. The police were there directing traffic, people complained and all the police could do was keep order. Can you trust any of these gas sellers?


Someone had posted how Costco does their top tier gas and it turns out that they put the additive in after they get it off the tanker. So just because the tanker goes to multiple sites, it doesn't mean that it has the additive in the gas. Also the tankers have multiple compartments so it could be off loading different types of fuel.


Maybe. How about the guys pumping 87 octane as premium? If they get caught they get fined, if not they cash in. Unfortunately not everyone plays on the up and up. The gas station next to the paint store I deal with was shut down for doing just that, it was in the local newspaper about 5 years ago. According to the article he was fined several times over the years.


So the station owner cheated and is now out of business.

Sounds the regulatory and enforcement divisions are working as designed and cheaters might prosper in the short term but lose in the long.


He got away with it for years according to the article. Smarter cheats are harder to catch.

The price gougers are still in business, the fines to them were a slap on the wrist. A lot was learned from Sandy, hopefully we never see it again. I wasn't in harms way, we were lucky. As far as reporting him, I didn't buy from him, and won't, and I have better things to do.....

The people he screwed took care of that, but he still came out ahead.

 

[LoneRanger]

County weights & measures dept should be checking pumps annually. If he was able to pump 87 out of his premium tanks for three yrs straight then your county weights and measures person was not doing their job.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: LoneRanger
County weights & measures dept should be checking pumps annually. If he was able to pump 87 out of his premium tanks for three yrs straight then your county weights and measures person was not doing their job.


Annual checks, if that, then he'd have to be doing it all the time. Smart cheats wouldn't be doing it all the time. I have a feeling that was the case. I'm not sure if they always check for the octane of the fuel and if the fuel is top tier or not, I thought they're more focused on pump accuracy. I'll have to ask a friend who owned a Mobil station next time I see him.

 

[Balrog006]

Originally Posted By: Vern_in_IL
I don't like Marathon because of the deception of "STP!!! ADDITIVES IN OUR GAS!!!"(TRADEMARK) B.S. when it turns out they are generic additives that have nothing to do with STP, mystery additives.

Source please?

 

[TinyVoices]

Originally Posted By: ArcticDriver
Marathon Oil is a decent product...but not my first choice.

The one that I won't use is Sinclair Gas.

But then I used to live in Rawlins and have been to Sinclair.

Sinclair is top tier. They are all over here in Colorado and I have used their fuel many times in many cars with no issue including their 91 in my 400whp mazdaspeed6 when I owned it.

I have gotten regular at premium pumps at various stations several times before though. Frustrating.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: TinyVoices
Originally Posted By: ArcticDriver
Marathon Oil is a decent product...but not my first choice.

The one that I won't use is Sinclair Gas.

But then I used to live in Rawlins and have been to Sinclair.

Sinclair is top tier. They are all over here in Colorado and I have used their fuel many times in many cars with no issue including their 91 in my 400whp mazdaspeed6 when I owned it.

I have gotten regular at premium pumps at various stations several times before though. Frustrating.


So they play games with the octane in your neck of the woods too..... I'm sure it happens all over the country, not just here.

Sinclair there's a blast from the past. I think I was a kid in Jr. HS when they left Long Island. I saw a Sinclair gas station for the first time in about 45 years 2 weeks ago when I was in California visiting my son. They used to give away green dinosaur bars of soap with a fill up.

 

[Garak]

I can't speak for down in the U.S., but up here, the parent companies watch very closely. If a station is buying more regular than they're selling and buying less premium than they're selling (or buying less fuel than they're selling, indicating they're not buying from the parent), there will be holy heck to pay. Of course, I avoid the non-branded stations we have. I don't need to save a dollar on a fillup that bad, and I had a couple nasty experiences with such stuff back in the cab days.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: Garak
I can't speak for down in the U.S., but up here, the parent companies watch very closely. If a station is buying more regular than they're selling and buying less premium than they're selling (or buying less fuel than they're selling, indicating they're not buying from the parent), there will be holy heck to pay. Of course, I avoid the non-branded stations we have. I don't need to save a dollar on a fillup that bad, and I had a couple nasty experiences with such stuff back in the cab days.


The no name stations unfortunately have no parent company, and sticking a top tier label on a pump isn't that hard to do, or misrepresenting the octane rating of the fuel. I don't think there's much policing of that going on, especially in a densely populated area like Long Island. For me the bottom line is this, using a FI cleaner as mentioned numerous times over the years is good PM, especially if you have any doubts about the quality of the fuel you're getting.

 

[Vern_in_IL]

Originally Posted By: Balrog006
Originally Posted By: Vern_in_IL
I don't like Marathon because of the deception of "STP!!! ADDITIVES IN OUR GAS!!!"(TRADEMARK) B.S. when it turns out they are generic additives that have nothing to do with STP, mystery additives.

Source please?



https://web.archive.org/web/20080908002041/http://www.aftonchemical.com/News/20060629.htm

Quote:
“The STP® brand name is one of the most recognized automotive additive brands in the world,” said Steven Silberblatt, Vice President of Business Development for The Clorox Company, the parent company of AASTP. “The STP® trademark has a strong association with products that work to improve vehicle performance. We are pleased to enter into an agreement with Afton Chemical to extend the STP® mark into high quality additives pre-blended in the gasoline,” he said.


Quote:
By showcasing the STP® brand as an integral part of their blends, those marketers can quickly communicate a compelling brand message. We believe this a significant opportunity for select marketers to increase consumer loyalty, gasoline sales, and convenience store sales.”

Marathon Petroleum Company LLC (MPC) will be the first gasoline marketer to participate in the program.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
The no name stations unfortunately have no parent company, and sticking a top tier label on a pump isn't that hard to do, or misrepresenting the octane rating of the fuel. I don't think there's much policing of that going on, especially in a densely populated area like Long Island. For me the bottom line is this, using a FI cleaner as mentioned numerous times over the years is good PM, especially if you have any doubts about the quality of the fuel you're getting.

Definitely. I tend to avoid the no name stations unless absolutely necessary, and that's almost a non-issue here. And, for Top Tier, I guess if one has a lot of brands available, one has to be sure they're really Top Tier certified, and not just slapping a fraudulent sticker on a pump. Here, we don't have nearly as many actual Top Tier brands as the U.S. does, but the Top Tier branded stations command a significant market share. Like I mentioned in another thread, the three closest gas stations to me are Top Tier. I actually have to make a bit of effort to get something that isn't Top Tier.

 

[SHOZ]

Originally Posted By: Vern_in_IL
Originally Posted By: Balrog006
Originally Posted By: Vern_in_IL
I don't like Marathon because of the deception of "STP!!! ADDITIVES IN OUR GAS!!!"(TRADEMARK) B.S. when it turns out they are generic additives that have nothing to do with STP, mystery additives.

Source please?



https://web.archive.org/web/20080908002041/http://www.aftonchemical.com/News/20060629.htm

Quote:
“The STP® brand name is one of the most recognized automotive additive brands in the world,” said Steven Silberblatt, Vice President of Business Development for The Clorox Company, the parent company of AASTP. “The STP® trademark has a strong association with products that work to improve vehicle performance. We are pleased to enter into an agreement with Afton Chemical to extend the STP® mark into high quality additives pre-blended in the gasoline,” he said.


Quote:
By showcasing the STP® brand as an integral part of their blends, those marketers can quickly communicate a compelling brand message. We believe this a significant opportunity for select marketers to increase consumer loyalty, gasoline sales, and convenience store sales.”

Marathon Petroleum Company LLC (MPC) will be the first gasoline marketer to participate in the program.



Andy Granatelli is rolling over in his grave....

but I like Marathon, until recently they were the only ones to offer 93 octane vs 92 for most others. Seems they have all gone to 93 octane this year though. Just filled up with Marathon 93 octane last night.

 

[LoneRanger]

As mentioned already, best bet is a busy station and then 87 is likely the freshest. mid grade 89, who even buys that? Stale. Premium 91-93, probably fresh at a busy place.

Before I destroyed my Ducati I thought I'd try some hard to find (but found...) E0 ethanol-free 91. Thing would barely start on it. Once running, not really any better than E10, maybe a little worse. Clearly stale. It was priced about 40 cents/gal higher than competing E10 91-93's in the area. God knows how stale it was, the Reid vapor pressure was probably way off.