non-Top Tier fuel + Techron every 5k miles vs. Top Tier all the time?

[hotpancakes]

I have a Murphy USA gas station right around the corner from me. I also have Costco Top Tier gas available, but it's about a 15 min drive. Out of pure convenience, I typically buy gas at Murphy USA. It's cheap and it works. Given that Murphy isn't top tier, would it suffice to use Techron Complete Fuel System Cleaner twice a year (approx. every 5k miles) instead of making the trip to purchase Top Tier gas for each fill-up? For reference, I have both a non-DI Subaru 6cyl and a turbocharged DI Audi 4cyl. Will my injectors and valves remain just as clean if I go the Murphy + Techron route vs. the Costco one? Thanks!

 

[BrendanC]

best to use top tier anytime you can.

 

[ammolab]

DI valves never see the fuel. Top tier fuel no help there.

 

[Revving2Redline]

It's more about what they allow in the non top tier fuel.

 

[Tdbo]

Go to the Murphy when it is convenient.
Fill up at the Costco when you are in the neighborhood.
Dump a bottle of Techron in at every OC.
Your car will be fine, and life will go on.
Life is too short for such drama.

 

[Reloader59]

Yep, Throw a bottle in every oil change and you'll be good to go for a long time.

 

[Hall]

You need neither Top Tier fuel nor Techron. If getting gas from Costco or adding a bottle of Techron makes you feel better, go for it. Your cars won't care....

 

[gfh77665]

Buy TT any and every time you can. Despite what some will try to tell you, it is worth it.
When you can't readily buy TT, buy the cheaper Murphy gas and don't stress.
Skip the additives.

 

[RazorsEdge]

Schaeffer neutra in the gas tank every oil change,no worries here.

 

[garageman402]

I have a Murphy USA gas station right around the corner from me. I also have Costco Top Tier gas available, but it's about a 15 min drive. Out of pure convenience, I typically buy gas at Murphy USA. It's cheap and it works. Given that Murphy isn't top tier, would it suffice to use Techron Complete Fuel System Cleaner twice a year (approx. every 5k miles) instead of making the trip to purchase Top Tier gas for each fill-up? For reference, I have both a non-DI Subaru 6cyl and a turbocharged DI Audi 4cyl. Will my injectors and valves remain just as clean if I go the Murphy + Techron route vs. the Costco one? Thanks!

There’s a formula to adding Techron to a non TT gasoline, I think it’s 1oz per 10 gallons to mimic actual Chevron gasoline, as opposed to 1oz per gallon for a “treatment”.

 

[zmelli]

Buy a Borescope, then you can verify if your system is working.

 

[ARB1977]

I’m top tier every time. I use redline SL1 every 5K in the Tundra. Wife’s Pilot sees top tier every once in a while. I use SL1 at 60% and 20% olm.

 

[CarlB]

DI valves never see the fuel. Top tier fuel no help there.

GenV smallblock valves see some fuel as the injector is angled to spray across the cylinder.

 

[k1xv]

Fuel marketers have to pay a small licensing fee to display the Top Tier label. Some have good additive packages, but don't want to pay. So they cannot advertise as TOP tier. One such brand is Irving, in New England. Irving is a private family owned company. They had a Top Tier designation, but dropped it.

If buying Non Top Tier fuel, just avoid the totally fly by night cheap brands and use the techron before each oil change. Otherwise, using Top Tier fuel, Techron is likely unnecessary, but not harmful if used before as oil change.

 

[Patman]

Fuel marketers have to pay a small licensing fee to display the Top Tier label. Some have good additive packages, but don't want to pay. So they cannot advertise as TOP tier. One such brand is Irving, in New England. Irving is a private family owned company. They had a Top Tier designation, but dropped it

Up here in Canada our Petro Canada stations used to be Top Tier for a while but they stopped paying for that designation.

 

[dbias]

I only use Sunoco gas in my GTI and Grand Cherokee. Within two miles of my house there is an Exxon, BP, Shell, Walmart, Speedway, GoMart, Marathon and the Sunoco I always use. The Sunoco price matches the Walmart as they are near each other and all the others are within five cents of the Walmart. Additionally I use the Sunoco app which when tied to my checking account gives me an additional ten cents off per gallon so to me it’s a no brainer. I pay literally thirty cents a gallon less than any other gas station in and around my city.

 

[thunderfog]

Is Speedway gas as bad as they say? (I don't know who "they" is, it's just what I've read/heard)

 

[Kira]

Fuel marketers have to pay a small licensing fee to display the Top Tier label.

Does anyone know how much the small licensing fee is?

 

[Eddie]

Our Government requires an "acceptable?" amount of cleaner in ALL fuel sold in the US. Some car manufactures want to have 3-5X more. That suggests that I don't need Top-Tier 100% of the time. I choose to insist top tier ~ 60% of the time and never a engine issue in 136,000 miles when vehicle was sold.

 

[k1xv]

Does anyone know how much the small licensing fee is?

TOP TIER does not disclose the exact formula. or price. From

https://www.toptiergas.com/commercial-faqs/ it says:

"What does it cost to sign up for the TOP TIER™ Program?

The TOP TIER™ Program strives to keep the annual operating costs and license fees to a minimum while focusing on consumer benefits, conformance to the Performance Standard requirements, and legal maintenance of the TOP TIER™ trademark. There is a minimal annual license fee based on the number of service stations owned/operated by each Fuel Marketer.


"