They’re not on the list:
www.toptiergas.com
Fuel Stations - TOP TIER™
TOP TIER™ Licensed Brands prominently display the TOP TIER™ logo on the pump, pump handle, canopy or in a station window.
www.toptiergas.com
BP no longer Top Tier?
- Thread starter Starman2112
- Start date
Amoco is no longer on the list either. BP kind of licenses Arco stations, but that's a weird arrangement where they bought regional rights back after selling the brand.
I wouldn't worry about it. They've made it clear that they use a special additive in high concentrations at least equivalent to meeting Top Tier testing requirements.
As far as I can tell, the "Invigorate" additive is a BP/Amoco exclusive made for them by BASF.
I wouldn't worry about it. They've made it clear that they use a special additive in high concentrations at least equivalent to meeting Top Tier testing requirements.
As far as I can tell, the "Invigorate" additive is a BP/Amoco exclusive made for them by BASF.
Additive Name | |
|---|---|
| |
FG00025M (National Generic Certification) | |
FG00040M (National Generic Certification) | |
FG00041A (National Generic Certification) | |
Invigorate 1 (National Generic Certification) | |
Invigorate 3.0 (National Generic Certification) |
Nothing has changed.
Good find... I'm kind of surprised to see this, considering the big deal they make about their Invigorate additive (they're not a brand that is silent about the detergents they use, like, say, Pilot or Casey's is).
I just checked their website and they make no mention of TT anywhere. BP was in my top couple gas choices previously, but with this data point, I'll favor Shell, Phillips 66, QT and Kwik Trip preferentially. I seem to fall in the TT camp 80-90% of the time. I have no issue burning the odd tank of non-TT, particularly if the price is right (Sam's Club, or HyVee fuel saver once in a while) or if the TT option is much lower-volume than the non-TT station.
Also, I used Wayback Machine (a site that has archives of many old websites - it's super cool and useful) to see the verbiage change, which is indeed there in the FAQs... the first one mentions the benefits of Top Tier gas (dated a year ago - Nov 2020) and the current page digs at Top Tier gas a bit, saying their product has more benefits. See screenshots below - first is their old website and the second is the current site.
I just checked their website and they make no mention of TT anywhere. BP was in my top couple gas choices previously, but with this data point, I'll favor Shell, Phillips 66, QT and Kwik Trip preferentially. I seem to fall in the TT camp 80-90% of the time. I have no issue burning the odd tank of non-TT, particularly if the price is right (Sam's Club, or HyVee fuel saver once in a while) or if the TT option is much lower-volume than the non-TT station.
Also, I used Wayback Machine (a site that has archives of many old websites - it's super cool and useful) to see the verbiage change, which is indeed there in the FAQs... the first one mentions the benefits of Top Tier gas (dated a year ago - Nov 2020) and the current page digs at Top Tier gas a bit, saying their product has more benefits. See screenshots below - first is their old website and the second is the current site.
Last edited:
We had a thread about Sunoco leaving the Top Tier list briefly, apparently over paying the TT licensing fees. Maybe BP is simply cutting that cost as well.
Most people are going to a station that's convenient for them or, when traveling, the nearest one when they need gas. They just aren't going to worry about TT.
Most people are going to a station that's convenient for them or, when traveling, the nearest one when they need gas. They just aren't going to worry about TT.
It's unlikely that BP/Amoco have changed anything about their detergent additive concentration. Most of the companies that participate in the Top Tier program do it for marketing reasons. I think Chevron or Shell could probably drop it at any time without worrying about it.
Tonight here in Paducah,KY Hucks gas was $3.199 and Sams was $2.919. Thats worth going there for gas and you get 5% off your puchase.
BP used to be my go to gas station for TT and maintaining the 5 cent discount by spending $100 a month… until all the BPs in my area gradually started disappearing one by one over the past year. Most changed to Circle K or Mapco brand. At least one changed to Exxon.
Jackson_Slugger
$50 Site Donor 2022
The brand is owned by Marathon, but the rights to license the brand to franchisees is convoluted. BP kept the ampm brand but re-licensed the ARCO brand in parts of California. The way it works for Top Tier certification must be convoluted. It just has to meet the standard, so they could just provide their own or just use whatever Marathon uses.
California | Where we operate | Home
bp’s retail stations in California serve more than 640,000 customers per day, and bp is the largest supplier of renewable natural gas (RNG) to the California transportation sector
www.bp.com
Through its gas stations and convenience stores, bp serves hundreds of California communities with a retail footprint that includes about 300 ARCO-licensed and -branded stations
BP will sell the ARCO retail brand rights and exclusively license those rights from Tesoro for Northern California, Oregon and Washington and continue to produce transportation fuels at its Cherry Point, Washington refinery. BP will also retain ownership of the ampm convenience store brand and franchise it to Tesoro for use in the Southwest.
BP left my part of California years ago. It was really weird too as I had a BP credit card and tons of points. Usually I could just use my credit card and the discount was applied, but for some reason they sent me a $20 prepaid card once and deducted that from my gas credit balance. And that was about the time that BP stations started going away. I mailed the card to a relative in Southern California who I figured could use it.
Jackson_Slugger
$50 Site Donor 2022
ARCO just starting moving into the WNY area and indeed Marathon is a big player here, even after spinning off their Speedway stores and they own a large storage facility here that used to be NOCO. ARCO's so far seems to be taking over CITGO's but there are still plenty of those around too. It is nice to have Top Tier choices. I might fill up on some Shell in PA today, which has never been here.
BP had a few stations come and go as did Philips 66 and 76, but basically Exxon-Mobil and Sunoco have owned this area since the 70's. I really miss Chevron...
BP had a few stations come and go as did Philips 66 and 76, but basically Exxon-Mobil and Sunoco have owned this area since the 70's. I really miss Chevron...
The current Top Tier list has a comment that some TT companies are currently sometimes unable to get enough of the proper additives to meet the specs but it sounds like they are not disclosing that info at the pumps. Will be that way until about the end of the year. There is a thread in the C7 section of Corvette Forum about this.
OTOH, a retired oil company exec says that the only reason BP would drop TT certification would be that they are now using a cheaper additive package that doesn't work as well.
OTOH, a retired oil company exec says that the only reason BP would drop TT certification would be that they are now using a cheaper additive package that doesn't work as well.
Noticed a sticker on the pump at Citgo yesterday where I often fill up that the top tier additives may not be included due to supply shortages.
Are any of the bottled treatments as good or similar to top-tier?
Are any of the bottled treatments as good or similar to top-tier?
There aren't really any that can guarantee anything. Most don't necessarily have anything like a "maintenance dose" that would be equivalent to Top Tier, and Top Tier doesn't work with aftermarket additive makers. They only certify pump additives. That being said, many still use Redline SI-1 at their previous maintenance dose of 1.5 oz per 10 gallons. They used to have lines on their label to mark each 10 gallon dose, but that was removed a while ago.
Another thing is that you'd be adding whatever aftermarket detergents to whatever detergents are already in the fuel, as (supply shortages or not) they still are required to meet the EPA minimum. Whether or not they work together is unpredictable.
BP & Texaco both left South Central Pennsylvania several years ago, Hess was replaced by Speedway, we had one Valero station that closed 2 years ago. Locally, the majority of gas sales seems to be large grocery stores with a points system like Giant & Weis, convenience stores like Sheetz and Rutters, only Rutters advertises Toptier. A Speedway recently converted to Exxon. My fallback is a Shell station or Sunoco. Costco is a 35 mile round trip and usually has long waiting lines, my Shell and Sunoco cards give me 5 cents off, Exxon 6 cents. Strangely, 40 miles to the south in Maryland, many BP and Shell stations are doing business. Gasoline marketing is seriously frustrating. Most local dealers of all brands are either $3.55.9 or $3.59.9 for 87, almost no competition.
