Is Marathon Gas Top Tier?

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Traveling through eastern TN last week a Marathon station had stickers on the pumps that said they were Top Tier. Can anyone confirm that they are?
 
Believe it's the additive pkg contents that drive whether a finished fuel can make the cut for Top Tier licensing. For instance, many convenience store generics likely are supplied from a regional Valero refinery but the finished fuel they buy has valero's baseline additive/detergency pkg that meets only the EPA min spec, whereas fuel sold at Valero branded stations has the Top Tier licensed add pack that valero puts into it's branded fuel.
 
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?
 
Originally Posted By: TTK
Originally Posted By: tc1446
Traveling through eastern TN last week a Marathon station had stickers on the pumps that said they were Top Tier. Can anyone confirm that they are?


According to this http://www.toptiergas.com/licensedbrands/
they are.

I did not know this. Thanks for the question and the update to TT site. Lots of Kangaroos are Marathon now around here, and there's many of them.
 
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?
In Florida we have a law against price gouging during hurricanes. It is enforced, after the fact. After every major storm somebody is prosecuted for gouging. You would think with all the transplanted New Yorkers down here they would have told those of you who stayed to pass a similar law
grin.gif
 
Originally Posted By: jhs914
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?
In Florida we have a law against price gouging during hurricanes. It is enforced, after the fact. After every major storm somebody is prosecuted for gouging. You would think with all the transplanted New Yorkers down here they would have told those of you who stayed to pass a similar law
grin.gif



I heard they fined this guy, after the fact. I also heard the fine was chump change in comparison to what he took in. I guess you could call the fine part of the cost of doing business. Sandy changed a lot of things, now gas stations have to have generators, to avoid some of the havoc of the power being down for so long, something that was optional prior to Sandy.
 
Top tiers is one of the best things ever for some sort of quality assurance. There was a time before top tier that companies (Mobil comes to mind) only put any substantial amount of additives in their premium fuel and very little in the reg grades basically forcing drivers into buying premium fuel that their car didn't need just to get the additive package. Talk about scumbags.
Now if a brand is top tier all grades must be top tier not just the premium.
 
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?


I would think that any retail station that spends the extra money to supply and sell actual "Top Tier" gas would have a direct interest in policing and reporting any competitor who was misrepresenting their low end product as "Top Tier".

"Unmarked" trucks? There is nothing suspicious about an unmarked fuel tanker truck...and these tankers have multiple tanks divided by bulkheads so they can carry more than one product with more than one fuel.

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?
 
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.
laugh.gif
 
Originally Posted By: ArcticDriver

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


They used to be good, decades ago - I haven't seen one open in years. The one on I-94 & Hwy 281 in Jamestown, ND had a huge green concrete dinosaur out front.
 
Having worked at a refinery lab doing gasoline and epa contaminate analysis I can say this .... One person may or will own many stations in several towns. They may own tanker trucks or contract delivered out to the lowest bidder. If the station has changed hands it may or may not have the signage and brand changed. It will be common to see a Valero station selling shell gasoline after a change of hands. Next, most delivery trucks fill up at the closest distribution center no matter the brand. Some stations will get the additives and some will not. A common cost saving method is to get no additives at the distribution center but sell it as the best quality.

I have seen gas that will not burn with an open flame and diesel that did not meet specs. These were passed along to the consumer after it was blended with a better quality fuel. If caught there is fines to accompany but the chance of being caught is very slim to none.

When I buy gasoline I try to purchase from new stores that have a national brand and lots of customers. This will help insure fresh gasoline and possibly better quality.
 
Originally Posted By: Linctex
Originally Posted By: ArcticDriver

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


They used to be good, decades ago - I haven't seen one open in years. The one on I-94 & Hwy 281 in Jamestown, ND had a huge green concrete dinosaur out front.


Oh yeah...as a kid from the 70's we all loved the big green dinosaur
laugh.gif
 
Originally Posted By: ArcticDriver
demarpaint said:
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.
 
Originally Posted By: TTK
Originally Posted By: tc1446
Traveling through eastern TN last week a Marathon station had stickers on the pumps that said they were Top Tier. Can anyone confirm that they are?


According to this http://www.toptiergas.com/licensedbrands/
they are.


Thanks TTK for the web page. Didn't know it existed...have now bookmarked it.
smile.gif
 
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.
frown.gif
 
Last edited:
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.
 
Originally Posted By: pburchett
Having worked at a refinery lab doing gasoline and epa contaminate analysis I can say this .... One person may or will own many stations in several towns. They may own tanker trucks or contract delivered out to the lowest bidder. If the station has changed hands it may or may not have the signage and brand changed. It will be common to see a Valero station selling shell gasoline after a change of hands. Next, most delivery trucks fill up at the closest distribution center no matter the brand. Some stations will get the additives and some will not. A common cost saving method is to get no additives at the distribution center but sell it as the best quality.

I have seen gas that will not burn with an open flame and diesel that did not meet specs. These were passed along to the consumer after it was blended with a better quality fuel. If caught there is fines to accompany but the chance of being caught is very slim to none.

When I buy gasoline I try to purchase from new stores that have a national brand and lots of customers. This will help insure fresh gasoline and possibly better quality.


Buy from a very busy gas station...
 
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.
 
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