How important is using tier I gasoline?

[lairdwd]

Originally Posted By: Eddie
I think the Government mandates that ALL gasoline have a minimum of cleaner in it. However; many Top Tiers state they have 4 or 5 times more cleaning agents that the minimum requirement. About 1/2 my purchases are top tier.


I think there is a lot of confusion here. Maybe somebody in the know can clarify. Many of the "tier 1" stations are franchisees, and who knows where they get their gas from. When I was a kid, I used to pump gas at the citgo (shiitgo) and our gas was not citgo gas, but the cheapest stuff the parent company could get hold of.

I'm not convinced that tier 1 stations necessarily carry tier 1 product. Anybody?

 

[ffhdriver]

I only use Shell gas because I get a 5% discount when I use the Shell card which makes it almost or as cheap as no brand gas.

 

[AuthorEditor]

So why is it that Top Tier gas is almost unavailable in upstate NY (and a lot of New England too)? Around here I would guess 95% of the gas stations are Mobil, Sunoco, Hess, Gulf, and independent brands. Just about every Gulf is connected to a Cumberland Farms and not a traditional gas station. Off the top of my head I can't think of a single Shell, Chevron, or Texaco that I know of within a 30-mile radius. Does that mean that everyone here has more issues with fuel deposits?

Here's an interesting article on the subject, with lots of quotes going either way on the issue: Top Tier?

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: AuthorEditor
So why is it that Top Tier gas is almost unavailable in upstate NY (and a lot of New England too)? Around here I would guess 95% of the gas stations are Mobil, Sunoco, Hess, Gulf, and independent brands. Just about every Gulf is connected to a Cumberland Farms and not a traditional gas station. Off the top of my head I can't think of a single Shell, Chevron, or Texaco that I know of within a 30-mile radius. Does that mean that everyone here has more issues with fuel deposits?

Here's an interesting article on the subject, with lots of quotes going either way on the issue: Top Tier?


Mobil and Sunoco are both Top Tier.

 

[AuthorEditor]

Mobil is news to me, because they used to not be. I wonder when that changed? I think Sunoco is only top tier in Canada, not U.S. Sunoco for some reason.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: AuthorEditor
Mobil is news to me, because they used to not be. I wonder when that changed? I think Sunoco is only top tier in Canada, not U.S. Sunoco for some reason.


Esso used to not be either. I imagine they were added at the same time.

That would be odd if that is the case with Sunoco.

The list is actually decently long:

TOP TIER Gasoline Retailers:
76
Petro-Canada
Aloha Petroleum
Phillips 66
Chevron
QuikTrip
Chevron Canada
Rebel Oil
Conoco
Road Ranger
CountryMark
Severson Oil
Entec Stations
Shell
Esso
Shell Canada
Exxon
Sunoco Canada
Kwik Trip / Kwik Star
Texaco
MFA Oil Co.
The Somerset Refinery, Inc.
Mileage Stations
Tri-Par Oil Co.
Mobil
Turkey Hill Minit Markets
U.S. Oil

 

[AuthorEditor]

Thanks for the list. Lots of Mobil stations around here. I bet that must have changed within the last year because I think I checked the list not too long ago. It does say Sunoco Canada but not Sunoco U.S.

 

[CROWNVIC4LIFE]

Originally Posted By: AuthorEditor
Mobil is news to me, because they used to not be. I wonder when that changed? I think Sunoco is only top tier in Canada, not U.S. Sunoco for some reason.


I have been using Mobil for a million miles and my sister has been using Chevron for a million miles...There is zero difference in performance between the 2 Fords and all the other cars we had in the past...My friend uses 7-11 gas in his 98 GMQ all the time and has injector issues from time to time.

 

[AuthorEditor]

I think Mobil used to claim their gas was superior to Top Tier, but obviously they decided that the standard was worth joining for some reason.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: AuthorEditor
I think Mobil used to claim their gas was superior to Top Tier, but obviously they decided that the standard was worth joining for some reason.


IIRC, their Canadian arm, Esso, did the same.

Guess they finally decided to join the fray? LOL!

 

[rshunter]

Originally Posted By: AuthorEditor
It does say Sunoco Canada but not Sunoco U.S.

It's because the two Sunoco operations are completely independent companies. They severed the last of their ownership ties over 15 years ago.

You also notice all the Gulf stations, being tied to a Cumberland Farms convenience store, due to CF owning the Gulf brand-rights for fuels in the United States. They're also the majority shareholder of Gulf Oil.

 

[ARB1977]

Chevron or Shell is what I use....it makes me feel good.

 

[FZ1]

That's a good point. I have used Shell for years but noticed my mpg were down and switched to Quick Trip and now get better mpg. I think the "Shell" station was buying cheap gas.
Originally Posted By: lairdwd
Originally Posted By: Eddie
I think the Government mandates that ALL gasoline have a minimum of cleaner in it. However; many Top Tiers state they have 4 or 5 times more cleaning agents that the minimum requirement. About 1/2 my purchases are top tier.


I think there is a lot of confusion here. Maybe somebody in the know can clarify. Many of the "tier 1" stations are franchisees, and who knows where they get their gas from. When I was a kid, I used to pump gas at the citgo (shiitgo) and our gas was not citgo gas, but the cheapest stuff the parent company could get hold of.

I'm not convinced that tier 1 stations necessarily carry tier 1 product. Anybody?

 

[refaller]

Interestingly I noticed that my 96 Neon would vary gas mileage significantly if I bought certain brands. Always got 10-15% better on Shell, Texaco and Chevron. My CRV doesn't seem to care.

ref

 

[FZ1]

Exxon also returns good mpg in my Accord.

 

[PW01]

I always swore by Shell, but have gotten better mileage with Thornton's

 

[paulo57509]

Originally Posted By: lairdwd
Originally Posted By: Eddie
I think the Government mandates that ALL gasoline have a minimum of cleaner in it. However; many Top Tiers state they have 4 or 5 times more cleaning agents that the minimum requirement. About 1/2 my purchases are top tier.


I think there is a lot of confusion here. Maybe somebody in the know can clarify. Many of the "tier 1" stations are franchisees, and who knows where they get their gas from. When I was a kid, I used to pump gas at the citgo (shiitgo) and our gas was not citgo gas, but the cheapest stuff the parent company could get hold of.

I'm not convinced that tier 1 stations necessarily carry tier 1 product. Anybody?


I began to wonder about this myself.

Yesterday, I was in Mountain View, CA I was sitting at a red light at the intersection of Shoreline and Middlefield and I noticed a "no-name" tanker unloading gasoline at the Shell station. I found this a little odd because typically, I've only seen Shell tankers unloading at Shell stations.

 

[rshunter]

Originally Posted By: paulo57509
Yesterday, I was in Mountain View, CA I was sitting at a red light at the intersection of Shoreline and Middlefield and I noticed a "no-name" tanker unloading gasoline at the Shell station. I found this a little odd because typically, I've only seen Shell tankers unloading at Shell stations.

The use of independent transport companies is common.