top tier has nothing to do with octane

[Roger7142]

Went to the dealership today to get my first oil change. I asked him if that I use Top Tier gas do I need to use a fuel injector cleaner also?
His reply to me: "Absolutely not. If you are running 93 octane you should be good to go, but if you use 87 the yes, you DEF. need the cleaner."

Why is it that so many people get these 2 things confused??

The first time I read about TT gas I understood what they were talking about. And this is SERVICE MANAGER telling me this! What gives?

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted by Roger7142
Why is it that so many people get these 2 things confused??
In this case, the person probably just did not know what Top Tier was.

But yeah, I guess you would expect a decent service manager to know what it was.

 

[bullwinkle]

Let's see:service manager, likely paid on commission, recommending an unnecessary service. In other news, water is wet!

 

[jhellwig]

Originally Posted by bullwinkle
Let's see:service manager, likely paid on commission, recommending an unnecessary service. In other news, water is wet!



Or just dumb as a stump. Both things are possible.

 

[demarpaint]

Many of the service writers I knew when I sold cars had a good line of B-S and very little to no mechanical skills, or basic automotive knowledge, just like in this example.

 

[csandste]

Just so they don't put in the wrong oil and then delete my entire customer file. That happened to me last year.

The ones that know anything are rare indeed.

 

[rshaw125]

In one way he is right. Shell has their full on cleaners in their 93 octane not their 87.

 

[Wolf359]

I've run 87 and 93 and have never bothered with any fuel injector cleaner. Never had a problem with fuel injectors either.

 

[JHZR2]

There is a common conception, may be true, maybe not, that 93 fuel has more cleaners in it. Perhaps the EPA doesnt mandate it, perhaps the dosing requirements for top tier dont delineate, but it is sold to the public that way. Look at Shell. You can get regular... Or you can get 93 V-power with wonderful glossy photos showing how it cleans injectors and valves.

Ill be the first to blame a "service manager" for lots of things... But this common misconception is not one of them.

And based upon my reading of the OP, its not clear that the service manager was selling a service or anything...

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted by rshaw125
In one way he is right. Shell has their full on cleaners in their 93 octane not their 87.


This was marketed by many brands over the last couple decades, so people would waste money on Premium for the detergents if not for the octane.

I think Irving did it too, and many others.

 

[stanlee]

Well why/how could it be about octane when octane is clearly marked the same on any tier gasoline. I'm of the belief all gas formulas have adequate detergents and if they don't nothing a $5 bottle of regane twice a year wont compensate for.

 

[FaronJ]

In my loaded 2015 3.6L V-6 Impala LTZ, I >> use Top-Tier NO-Ethanol Premium from Shell or Holiday stations. Once a month, I'll put a 1/3-bottle of Seafoam in our cars. My small-engine stuff never sees Ethanol either.....ALWAYS with a bit of SF in the same gas.

The Wife's 2014 Buick Regal (2.0L Turbo) Owner's-Manual "Strongly recommends" the use of TT-Fuels.

Faron

 

[E150GT]

I was buying eyeglasses and the guy I was working with was telling me about the anti glare coating on them. Said the glasses manufacturer worked with the headlight manufacturer of cars halogen to come up with a way to reduce glare. As in halogen was the manufacturer.

 

[Nyogtha]

Wow . . . just, wow to "halogen" being the manufacturer of anything. Sad society.

 

[Linctex]

Many years ago, only Premium fuel got "all the good additive packages"

I'm sure that's what he was thinking of

 

[ammolab]

Shell still claims more cleaners in V-power, maybe not an "Octane" thing. But for me an "overpriced" thing locally.

From Shell:
What makes Shell V-Power NiTRO+ Premium Gasoline different than other Shell grades?
Shell V-Power NiTRO+ contains the highest concentration of the Shell Nitrogen Enriched Cleaning System and cleans up faster than Shell regular. In fact, Shell V-Power contains seven times the amount of cleaning agents required by federal standards. The Shell V-Power NiTRO+ formulation was engineered with triple-action protection for optimal engine performance, delivering unsurpassed protection against gunk, unbeatable protection against corrosion, and our best protection against wear.

 

[FaronJ]

Holiday-Stations are a little different.
* All 3 Octane-levels are "Certified Top-Tier" cleaning fuels.
* Their marketing-graphics/Logo use the phrase "Blue-Planet".
* The 87 & 89 Octanes have Ethanol.
* At least here in Fargo ND, ONLY the Premium is Ethanol-Free.
* Their Premium (of course!) says it exceeds TT standards for cleaning....

Holidays TT info....

Faron

 

[anndel]

Top Tier standards apply to all grades, 87 too! If you use TT gas then no need to use injector cleaner. If it'll help you sleep better, a bottle once a year can't hurt.

 

[Garak]

Petro-Canada, too, specifically advertises more additives in their premium.

 

[Kira]

A small station near me is one of a dozen or so owned by a local fuel distributor in SpringValley, NY.

They just went "Top Tier" and they're not a name brand. Their regular is $2.139 / gallon

Another station near me is one of about 100 stations bearing the "Delta" name. Their regular is $2.059 / gallon.

Shell regular is $2.489 / gallon.