Best Gasoline. where you buy?

[Blue99]

quote:

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All Kwik Trip gas in the US has at least 8% ethanol in it. 8% ethanol is required to be labeled "Top Tier Gasoline"

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I would be very surprised if this was indeed true.

In Wisconsin, the rules for pump labeling of ethanol are quite strict, as we have a portion of the state using the EPA mandated reformulated gas with ethanol, and the majority of the state is regular gasoline.

Both Shell & Kwik Trip are Top Tier gas and are supplied from the Conoco Phillips wood River refinery in southern Illinois. I do not see the ethanol label on pumps in the regular gas portion of the state.

As we have discussed in previous threads, a top tier gasoline must pass the detergent test with the worst case scenario, ie, a formulation with 8% ethanol.

If the detergent additive passes the test in an 8% ethanol blend, it will also pass with a regular gasoline formulation.

 

[Big O Dave]

My family only uses Chevron, Unocal or Shell.

Regular in the '95 Explorer, '83 F250 and '05 Focus. Premium in the '76 C20.

 

[q2bruiser]

Ramblin

quote:

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Tried to go cheap by using King Sooper's (major grocery chain store) gas - won't do that again.

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Did you have a bad experience?
JKH

 

[Pablo]

Safeway.

.06$ gallon discount on the lowest posted around.

Still WA state is the worst place for gas in the conti-states. Worst tax, fastest up movement, very slow down movement.

And all gas now is diluted urine, so just use the least expensive stuff that doesn't have chunks, doesn't ping, or overly compensate with lost power or MPG.

 

[Pbert25]

Well Shell,Diamond Shamrock/Valero/Shamrock,Exxon,Conoco/Phillips,H-E-B and Murphy is great. I use Diamond Shamrock/Valero/Shamrock mostly and thanks to the 5 cent discount I've been using some 93 in my 2004 Toyota Matrix. H-E-B smells a lot like shell, real strong smell. I don't smell this with Diamond Shamrock/Valero/Shamrock but sort of have smelled like that with Exxon.

 

[Sid]

Shell, BP and Mobil. I'll use any of these 3 gas stations. Whichever is cheapest. Usually Mobil is cheapest and my Pepboys credit card is now taken at all Exxon/Mobil gas stations so that is where I like to go nowadays. I use to be a big fan of BP or Amoco as it was called a while back.

 

[Jimbo]

All gasoline here is ethanol blended RFG-II, a Kalifornia spec, so it makes no difference. The following brands are common in So Cal. Independents are rare.

76
Arco
Chevron
Mobil
Shell
Valero

Each has its own refinery in the LA area. I usually buy Chevron. I own Chevron and BP stock, but hate Arco stations.

 

[vwoom]

The Chevron station very near east of me usually runs 1-2 cents more than the Costco station(opposite direction)..so either way, a pennies more Techron 91 gas or cheaper Costco 91 works for my Passat 1.8T.

 

[Racerjk]

I switched to Valero from Phillips 66 and performance and mileage have both improved!

Phillips used to be the best in this area, but it has really gone downhill lately.

 

[Master ACiD]

murphy gas from walmart.

 

[Woody]

Last time I filled up at my local Costco I asked the attendant what brand the gas was, and he said BP.

 

[AmericaWestCMH]

I usually stop at BP or Flying J. Flying J outside of Columbus has a sign saying up to 10% ethanol.

 

[Russ300H]

In northern New England and Maritime Canada the best gas is Irving. Years ago I had an '86 3/4 ton GMC made for regular. When regular became extinct, I was forced to use unleaded. Every brand I tried would cause poor performance and dieseling. Irving was the only gas that would make it feel like it was running on the old leaded. Plus they have the absolute cleanest rest rooms you will find anywhere

 

[BUBBA0420]

Marathon from an Independantly owned station
which does not contain any ethanol mixed with a
good dose of MMO for upper cylinder lubrication.
I will also use Shell V-Power but they must have
a winter blend that causes the mileage and
performance to really suck. BP is known for using
lots of ethanol here in Ohio since there is
no laws regulating our gas and has been known
to boost there ethanol content to 20%. I will
avoid ethanol fuel at all costs as it WILL
destroy your fuel injectors and fuel pumps

 

[Captain Howdy]

quote:

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Good question. I use BP 93 octane exclusively for my '02 Sentra Spec V.

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Having said that I really couldn't tell you why other than marketing hype and "because that what I use" type thinking.

Since then I've tried a couple of tank fulls of Shell V-Power and then just lately another tank full of BP. The Shell "seemed" to run better than the BP but there are so many variables involved I couldn't say for sure.

Next up, the 93 octane Mobil (Supreme?).

 

[Racerjk]

I filled my wife's car up with Valero again today, and it has never,ever run this good. I wish Valero was a Top Tier gas, but all I know is my cars run awesome on it. I don't know what has happened with Phillips 66 here lately.

 

[LarryL]

I have another take on all this. I use only Costco gas (Southern California). I trust them to buy good enough stuff. But here's the hook. The station is about twenty five plus cents cheaper and they tank three to five times a day. They have twice as many pumps as any other big station. This place sells a lot of gas and there is almost always a line. They get after the filters more than other stations and do a good job running the place. I've gassed all the family cars for the last five years and am happy with the quality and price. That and some FP.

 

[vwoom]

Just avoid filling up while them Costco tankers do their thing..so as to prevent pumping sedimentated gas into your ride.

 

[LarryL]

Thats the whole point. Tanking as many as five times a day keeps the bottoms of the tanks clean. A saw the sample a Costco employee pulled off the bottom and it was clear. They had an EPA inspection. The guy was looking for leaks and contamination. The EPA guy said a busy station is a clean one, and after seeing the sample, I believe him. But, yes, I try to avoid gasing up when the tanker is there, but it's impossible sometimes, they come so often.

 

[KW]

From a jetting point of veiw Citgo stinks and Shell, Valero, and Chevron are very tune able.

I had a mini van that liked the crappiest fuel you could put in it the best. A tank of Citgo ot Racetrack gas in the tank and it was in heaven.

I think some of the companys must put MTBE or other other oxidixers in the fuel for some reason. The mini van loved the stuff, but my Jeep, Shadow, VFR, GSF1200, 1965 C20 all sound like a sack of coins with the Citgo stuff.

My race bike demanded the best 89 octane fuel I could buy. ET slips and "feel" proves the point. After shaving the head, block and twisting the cams around, it needed high test and the Citgo stuff still did not cut it. Citgo is lean burning plug fauling junk. Now a 3.0 mini van just loves it.

Buy what works for you is about all it amounts to.