Top Tier gas unavailable at Kwik Trip - what additive to use instead?

[Rmay635703]

The joke around here is that there is a Kwik Trip on every block
Downtown there used to be a Kwik Trip on both sides of the same intersection

More prolific than any other store

 

[aquariuscsm]

Gas is gas.

 

[Sayjac]

"Gas is gas."

Apparently Triple A in a 2016 study* done by them, found otherwise. And from second link, "Car manufacturers who currently recommend the use of Top Tier Gasoline include BMW, General Motors, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Ford, Honda, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, Navistar, Volkswagen, and Detroit Diesel."

http://www.aaa.com/AAA/common/AAR/files/Fuel-Quality-Fact-Sheet.pdf

Top Tier Gas Recommended by AAA Automotive Experts for These Cars

Are you using the best gasoline possible to protect your car’s engine? Turn’s out that many car owners are not choosing the best gasoline for their engines according to a recent recommendation by AAA Automotive experts who say that manufacturers of specific makes recommended that car owners use...

www.torquenews.com

Way I look at it, if it's about the same cost and same availability, then no downside. Generally speaking, both variables apply in my locale.

 

[Hall]

Way I look at it, if it's about the same cost and same availability, then no downside. Generally speaking, both variables apply in my locale.

I don't think anyone will disagree with this, it's just that many people won't drive out of their way because they think they need TT fuel. Or in my case, I don't know where to get TT fuel. I know certain stations are supposed to sell it but they have ZERO indication that it is (no sticker or markings, for example, that it's TT fuel).

 

[y_p_w]

I don't think anyone will disagree with this, it's just that many people won't drive out of their way because they think they need TT fuel. Or in my case, I don't know where to get TT fuel. I know certain stations are supposed to sell it but they have ZERO indication that it is (no sticker or markings, for example, that it's TT fuel).

It's kind of hard to avoid it unless one doesn't go to a major brand. Nearly all the major brands participate now except for BP. There is the theoretically requirement that the Top Tier logo has to be "prominently displayed" but I don't necessarily see it. The biggest like Shell, Exxon/Mobil, and Chevron don't really do that. I'm more likely to see it at a lesser known brand that doesn't advertise as much and likely uses it to bring in customers.

 

[Hall]

The biggest like Shell, Exxon/Mobil, and Chevron

I'm in southwest Ohio and not in a middle-of-nowhere, podunk area and we have no Exxon/Mobil or Chevron stations. Going by the list here, we have Costco, Marathon (I seriously doubt that their stations, which are all franchises just using the name, use TT fuel - they certainly don't "prominently display" the required markings), Meijer, Shell, Sunoco, and Valero (same notes as Marathon apply).

 

[y_p_w]

I'm in southwest Ohio and not in a middle-of-nowhere, podunk area and we have no Exxon/Mobil or Chevron stations. Going by the list here, we have Costco, Marathon (I seriously doubt that their stations, which are all franchises just using the name, use TT fuel - they certainly don't "prominently display" the required markings), Meijer, Shell, Sunoco, and Valero (same notes as Marathon apply).

It's not actually that hard to do it. For the most part this is done automatically on behalf of franchise station owners.

The base fuel is a commodity and it would be difficult to mess that up. Anyone with a marketing agreement (i.e. the franchisees) has to purchase through their contract even though this is typically delivered at a fuel terminal operated by a pipeline company like Colonial or Kinder-Morgan. There are also terminals run by oil companies, but even they might be able to provide the services that a pipeline company does. The additive is stored at the fuel terminals and then dispensed into the fuel tankers when the fuel loaded into the tanks. You can ask some of the current or former fuel delivery drivers posting here like GoldDot40 or TiredTrucker. They say that as common carriers they absolutely can get in serious trouble if they help skirt the franchise agreements by loading something that doesn't meet the franchise specifications.

Here's a photo of a tanker loading at a fuel depot. I believe those tanking on the right are for additives, where they're usually at least one "generic" additive as well as multiple "proprietary" additives that are injected for specific end customers.

Costco does all of this themselves. They buy non detergent fuel and then have their own detergent additive dispensed when it's delivered. But they're unique.

 

[Sayjac]

When I said "no downside", should have followed with 'potentially significant upside'. While I don't go out of my way for TT, in my travels now I'm much more aware of brands/stations that are on the TT list, many easily found locally. As for whether the sticker is on the specific pump, don't concern myself with that. Control what I can control, that being knowing if brand is on the TT list.

Also, learned a lot from tanker driver member GoldDot40 thread. He answered my specific question about Speedway gas vs Marathon. Moot question now as Speedway no longer owned by Marathon

 

[y_p_w]

When I said "no downside", should have followed with 'potentially significant upside'. While I don't go out of my way for TT, in my travels now I'm much more aware of brands/stations that are on the TT list, many easily found locally. As for whether the sticker is on the specific pump, don't concern myself with that. Control what I can control, that being knowing if brand is on the TT list.

Also, learned a lot from tanker driver member GoldDot40 thread. He answered my specific question about Speedway gas vs Marathon. Moot question now as Speedway no longer owned by Marathon

If it was about whether or not a different brand by the same parent company is the same, I guess it would depend.

There are some weird ones too like Arco, which is actually split up between different parent companies through marketing agreements. While BP operates Arco stations in my region, Arco is still on the Top Tier list while BP no longer is. It must be interesting how the combined companies that market through the Arco came to an arrangement to ensure that they listed Arco as a whole as Top Tier.

 

[Sayjac]

If it was about whether or not a different brand by the same parent company is the same, I guess it would depend.......

Exact question with answer, scroll to post #77

Fuel Tanker Driver Here

Originally Posted by tahoe_hybrid Originally Posted by GoldDot40 Originally Posted by Mr Nice GoldDot40, How accurate is the octane the consumer gets at the pump ? Is there an acceptable + / - percentage of accuracy ? Welcome to BITOG. It's pretty accurate if you look at how it's broken...

bobistheoilguy.com

 

[csandste]

There was a posting here that QuikTrip was also dropping TT but when I checked the TT posting was on the pumps. I do hit KwikTrip when vacationing in Wisconsin because it's ubiquitous. As far as QuikTrip, it's an urban brand and there's usually a Costco nearby with better prices. I do buy enough so as to not feel guilty when snagging their free air.

 

[ATex7239]

All the folks I know who use Techron preventively do it once an OCI. Seems to work...That said, I use TT most of time and that seems works too... THAAAT said, I’ve used mostly non-TT and that worked too.

 

[hank2]

All the folks I know who use Techron preventively do it once an OCI. Seems to work...That said, I use TT most of time and that seems works too... THAAAT said, I’ve used mostly non-TT and that worked too.

I've also had great results with Techron for many years. My wife and I try to stick with TT brands as much as possible, but they are widely scattered in our area. So many crap supermarket brands, Speedway, Sheetz and Wawa. By using TT most of the time, a once-a-year dosing of Techron seems adequate. Even then, I can't believe the increase is throttle response and butt felt power for weeks after a dosing.

 

[tmorris1]

KwikTrip is still on the Top Tier fuel list from what I can see? I know a person that hauls fuel and he said that he has hauled to KwikTrip and Cenex and they both get the TopTier additives so not sure what everyone is talking about. KwikTrip and Cenex are both on the Top Tier list on the website. He said when he hauls to a lot of other places there are no additives that get added as far as he knows. They get the bulk 84 octane fuel that gets mixed with 10% ethanol to bring it up to 87 octane unless there is something in the base fuel already. With the Top TIer places there is a step in the load process where he can see it adding the additives.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

I emailed them and they replied back that they have not been able to source the additives needed to maintain TT certification, but still meet the EPA mandated minimums.

 

[tmorris1]

I emailed them and they replied back that they have not been able to source the additives needed to maintain TT certification, but still meet the EPA mandated minimums.

I talked to the fuel hauler last night and he said they are adding Top Tier additives, but maybe there is something missing in the additives? He said he can see the process happening and it tells them on the screen.

 

[csandste]

I think if KwikTrip can get some TT additives to some of its stations, but not all, then it doesn't qualify as TT. That might account for the disparities by location.

 

[Hall]

I think if KwikTrip can get some TT additives to some of its stations, but not all, then it doesn't qualify as TT. That might account for the disparities by location.

Correct - they may have one area/region where the additive availability is an issue but company-wide, they can't say their fuel is TT anymore until that's resolved.

 

[Slow Car Sport Mode]

Never understood the logic. Go to an off-brand station to save 10 cents a gallon, then end up buying an additive for 20 cents a gallon.

Add at proper interval and you come out ahead.

You spend more if you have the "false economy" of gas costs 10 cents less, but you have to drive across town. Even then, if you have the time, there is no way you used a whole gallon to go what, 5 extra miles, you may waste some time but you still come out ahead.

Buy a bottle of Redline SI-1 and put an ounce, yes, one ounce.. in your tank a month before you go to work whatever it's on. that stuff costs like $15 a bottle so call it $1 per ounce. Over a whole month. It cleans real well.

 

[y_p_w]

Add at proper interval and you come out ahead.

You spend more if you have the "false economy" of gas costs 10 cents less, but you have to drive across town. Even then, if you have the time, there is no way you used a whole gallon to go what, 5 extra miles, you may waste some time but you still come out ahead.

Buy a bottle of Redline SI-1 and put an ounce, yes, one ounce.. in your tank a month before you go to work whatever it's on. that stuff costs like $15 a bottle so call it $1 per ounce. Over a whole month. It cleans real well.

Depends. One rationale is that prevention is better than a cure. Is it better to allow it to get to a certain level of deposits and then rely on a concentrated additive to get it back to a lower deposit level. But for me, the absolutely cheapest fuel can be had at Arco and Costco, which both meet Top Tier certification.

And certainly SI-1 can be used as a preventative, but as someone who used small amount before, it's a huge pain to measure it out and properly mix it in the tank.