Sams Club gas

[Mad_Hatter]

Originally Posted by GMguy84
One of my old Oklahoma buddies dad delivered fuel for Shell and said Walmart/Sams Club,Circle K and 7-11 brand fuel are TRASH...

Circle k and 7-11 are brands of franchise convenience store and not a brand of gas, so the brand of fuel (or unbranded even) can vary from location to location. The Circle K and 7-11 near me both sell TT fuel w/the TT stickers displayed at the pump. The Circle K sells "76" branded gas, which is a ConocoPhillips product that uses a nitrogen based cleaner and the 7-11 sells Citgo which is also a TT fuel that uses a nitrogen based cleaner like a PEA.

*Both 76 and Citgo advertise on their respective websites the use of nitrogen based cleaners.

Originally Posted by JohnG
The base gas is all the same. The additives are all the same, just made by different companies. The only variable here is the quantity of additives injected. This is controlled at the loading terminal, by the PURCHASER, i.e. BP, Mobil, Chevron, etc.

That's not true. Some brands use a PIB/PIBA additive which is effective at controlling deposits when used in high enough concentrations. That said, some brands like ConocoPhillips/76, Chevron, ExxonMobil and Shell for example use nitrogen based detergents like a PEA. So the additives are most definitely NOT all the same.

As an aside, another Sinclair has opened up in my neck of the woods and I'm trying to figure out what kind of detergents they use. Sinclair is TT but apparently they mfg their own addys and supply Sinclair branded stations directly. They have their own trucking/tanker outfit coming out of several locations in the West that service Sinclair stations. I guess some franchisees can get permission to use unbranded TT fuel but it must meet Sinclair's specs and the franchisee has to get that permission from corporate first, so it seems it's tightly controlled.

 

[wdn]

I use Sams Club gas that is 25-30¢ cheaper on average. That saves $6.25 per tank. I supplement with Lucas Fuel Treatment UCL that has PIB and PIBA detergents. At one ounce per gallon the Lucas cost me 94¢ per tank so I am still ahead by $5.31 on every tank of gas. I also get the upper cylinder lubricant and my Tundra is noticeably smoother and quieter. I have been doing this for 70,000 miles.

 

[GoldDot40]

Originally Posted by GMguy84

One of my old Oklahoma buddies dad delivered fuel for Shell and said Walmart/Sams Club,Circle K and 7-11 brand fuel are TRASH and wouldn't even use it in his ex-wifes car

I drive a fuel tanker. 98% of everything I haul is to Circle K stores. What makes my loads trash?

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted by Mad_Hatter
Originally Posted by GMguy84
One of my old Oklahoma buddies dad delivered fuel for Shell and said Walmart/Sams Club,Circle K and 7-11 brand fuel are TRASH...

Circle k and 7-11 are brands of franchise convenience store and not a brand of gas, so the brand of fuel (or unbranded even) can vary from location to location. The Circle K and 7-11 near me both sell TT fuel w/the TT stickers displayed at the pump. The Circle K sells "76" branded gas, which is a ConocoPhillips product that uses a nitrogen based cleaner and the 7-11 sells Citgo which is also a TT fuel that uses a nitrogen based cleaner like a PEA.

*Both 76 and Citgo advertise on their respective websites the use of nitrogen based cleaners.

Originally Posted by JohnG
The base gas is all the same. The additives are all the same, just made by different companies. The only variable here is the quantity of additives injected. This is controlled at the loading terminal, by the PURCHASER, i.e. BP, Mobil, Chevron, etc.

That's not true. Some brands use a PIB/PIBA additive which is effective at controlling deposits when used in high enough concentrations. That said, some brands like ConocoPhillips/76, Chevron, ExxonMobil and Shell for example use nitrogen based detergents like a PEA. So the additives are most definitely NOT all the same.

As an aside, another Sinclair has opened up in my neck of the woods and I'm trying to figure out what kind of detergents they use. Sinclair is TT but apparently they mfg their own addys and supply Sinclair branded stations directly. They have their own trucking/tanker outfit coming out of several locations in the West that service Sinclair stations. I guess some franchisees can get permission to use unbranded TT fuel but it must meet Sinclair's specs and the franchisee has to get that permission from corporate first, so it seems it's tightly controlled.

I wouldn't say the fuel is the same. The fuel meets commodity specifications where it's not intentionally any better or worse than the specifications. That's the way fuel distribution works. Nobody is in the business to sabotage their competitors.

The additives are a little bit harder to figure out. The EPA has a list of all certified detergent additives used in pump fuel in the United States. Who uses what is proprietary except in few cases - like Chevron obviously uses Techron and Costco uses their own additives developed for them by Lubrizol. Other than that, there's nothing stopping Phillips 66 brands from buying an already developed additive from Afton or BASF. And there's the irony of Chevron selling detergent additives for other fuel marketers to use.

As far as Circle K and 7-Eleven go, I think it's a franchise decision. I used to drive by a Circle K/76 station. I remember a 7-Eleven/Citgo station years ago, but now pretty much all of them around my area are 7-Eleven only without any major fuel brand - essentially just independents. That 7-Eleven station is still there, but the Citgo signage went away a long time ago.

The only real requirement for TT is that a TT additive be used (in minimum concentrations) and registered with them. I'm not sure how it works with Arco, where they've gone into a complicated cross-licensing agreement (now with Marathon). Marathon is in some of the stations, but former owner BP licenses other stations. BP still owns the am/pm brand, so licensing that back to Marathon affiliated stations is part of the deal.

 

[Mad_Hatter]

BP only has the right to use "AmPm" at BP company owned stations, not franchises. Marathon actually owns both the "AmPm" and "Arco" brands and licenses it out. .. also, I didn't say that the fuel is the same. I said that the additives are different.

And I stand corrected on 7-11, they dropped Citgo several years back apparently. I guess now they get their fuel from Tower Energy Group, Sinclair and Frontier Oil Corp.

 

[wdn]

First of all there is no such thing as Walmart/Sam's Club gas. Walmart gas is Walmart gas, and Sam's Club gas is Sams's Club gas. It sells its own brand. It is a different corporation with its own suppliers. The merchandise sold inside the warehouse clubs is also different.

 

[Mad_Hatter]

Originally Posted by wdn
First of all there is no such thing as Walmart/Sam's Club gas. Walmart gas is Walmart gas, and Sam's Club gas is Sams's Club gas. It sells its own brand. It is a different corporation with its own suppliers. The merchandise sold inside the warehouse clubs is also different.

Sam's club is owned by Walmart Corp. Same HQ in Bentonville AR

 

[wdn]

Originally Posted by Mad_Hatter
Originally Posted by wdn
First of all there is no such thing as Walmart/Sam's Club gas. Walmart gas is Walmart gas, and Sam's Club gas is Sams's Club gas. It sells its own brand. It is a different corporation with its own suppliers. The merchandise sold inside the warehouse clubs is also different.

Sam's club is owned by Walmart Corp. Same HQ in Bentonville AR


That tidbit of corporate ownership has nothing to do it. Exxon is owned by Exxon Mobil corporation and Mobil is owned by Exxon Mobil corporation. Are you also claiming or inferring that Exxon brand gasoline is identical to Mobil gasoline? If not, why not. Come out and make a statement. No need to dance around the issue. Sam's Club does not disclose the supplier of its gasoline.

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted by wdn
First of all there is no such thing as Walmart/Sam's Club gas. Walmart gas is Walmart gas, and Sam's Club gas is Sams's Club gas. It sells its own brand. It is a different corporation with its own suppliers. The merchandise sold inside the warehouse clubs is also different.

They're pretty much an independent. Buy fuel on the spot market and then pay for whatever generic certified additive is available at the fuel rack. Costco used to do this until they set up their CleanPower/Kirkland Signature onsite system. I remember someone found out from Valero that they just specified whatever generic additive was available, even though (at the time) they had a vertically integrated setup with refineries, depots, and gas stations. Of course Valero is TT now so they have their own branded additive and they're separate from Valero Energy.

 

[Mad_Hatter]

Originally Posted by wdn
Originally Posted by Mad_Hatter
Originally Posted by wdn
First of all there is no such thing as Walmart/Sam's Club gas. Walmart gas is Walmart gas, and Sam's Club gas is Sams's Club gas. It sells its own brand. It is a different corporation with its own suppliers. The merchandise sold inside the warehouse clubs is also different.

Sam's club is owned by Walmart Corp. Same HQ in Bentonville AR


That tidbit of corporate ownership has nothing to do it. Exxon is owned by Exxon Mobil corporation and Mobil is owned by Exxon Mobil corporation. Are you also claiming or inferring that Exxon brand gasoline is identical to Mobil gasoline? If not, why not. Come out and make a statement. No need to dance around the issue. Sam's Club does not disclose the supplier of its gasoline.

Dude, did your meds wear off because I don't even know what you're saying; XOM this/that. All I said was, both Sam's and Wally's is owned by Wally's Corporate out of Arkansas.. which is true, you said they weren't so all I did was correct you... now you're coming unhinged about XOM and some supposed super secret agenda I have?.

 

[buddylpal]

Originally Posted by wdn
Originally Posted by Mad_Hatter
Originally Posted by wdn
First of all there is no such thing as Walmart/Sam's Club gas. Walmart gas is Walmart gas, and Sam's Club gas is Sams's Club gas. It sells its own brand. It is a different corporation with its own suppliers. The merchandise sold inside the warehouse clubs is also different.

Sam's club is owned by Walmart Corp. Same HQ in Bentonville AR


That tidbit of corporate ownership has nothing to do it. Exxon is owned by Exxon Mobil corporation and Mobil is owned by Exxon Mobil corporation. Are you also claiming or inferring that Exxon brand gasoline is identical to Mobil gasoline? If not, why not. Come out and make a statement. No need to dance around the issue. Sam's Club does not disclose the supplier of its gasoline.


wdn, your second response completely contradicts your first statement.

The Walmarts in my area have Murphy USA gas stations. The Sam's Clubs in my area just have Sam Club branded stations. Are they the same gas? Idk. Does it matter? I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted by buddylpal
The Walmarts in my area have Murphy USA gas stations. The Sam's Clubs in my area just have Sam Club branded stations. Are they the same gas? Idk. Does it matter? I wouldn't worry about it.

That was an arrangement that Walmart will no longer do in the future. Existing stations aren't going away though.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/mone...own-gas-stations-going-forward/79809480/