Top Tier Gasoline?

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blackman777

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Originally Posted By: Hyde244
Licensing fees are a perfectly acceptable model of business - I don't see anyone complaining about the even more absurd fees BP, Shell, and Exxon pay to be marked as Top Tier Gasoline.

What is this? I've never seen it marked at any station I visited (or at least never noticed it).
 
Around here the price is the same, so while a non-top-tier seller may have the same amount of additives there's at least a guarantee if you choose a station that is on the list.

If it cost more I doubt I would be willing to pay.
 
Originally Posted By: blackman777
What is this? I've never seen it marked at any station I visited (or at least never noticed it).

I don't think it's marketed in a very visible fashion. Even up here, aside from the Top Tier site itself, finding any mention of Top Tier on any of the oil companies' Canadian web sites is not exactly easy, and I've never seen anything on the pumps.

But, I buy Top Tier, since it's priced the same as non-Top tier stuff here.
 
Originally Posted By: blackman777
Originally Posted By: Hyde244
Licensing fees are a perfectly acceptable model of business - I don't see anyone complaining about the even more absurd fees BP, Shell, and Exxon pay to be marked as Top Tier Gasoline.

What is this? I've never seen it marked at any station I visited (or at least never noticed it).

I've seen signs at Chevron stations making note of it, but I've never seen any gas station use the official "Top Tier" logo:

index_r3_c6.jpg


Even so, the gas marketers are required to pay a licensing fee to be listed. I've never actually heard of any nonparticipants who have claimed "meets Top Tier" standards like I've heard of for certain motor oil standards like DexOs. I think they're scared of their lawyers.

Quote:
http://www.toptiergas.com/faqs.html

TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline Program FAQ’s

Some of these were from new inquires and some were from current licensees and additive companies.

1. How do I become a TOP TIER (TT) gasoline marketer?

There are a few steps involved and they are outlined below. These can also be found at the website www.toptiergas.com.

Step 1: Contact your detergent additive supplier about becoming TOP TIER.

Step 2: Obtain the TOP TIER performance testing data from your detergent additive supplier.

Step 3: Submit the TOP TIER performance testing data to the TOP TIER sponsors for review.

Step 4: Sign the TOP TIER Attestation Form which claims your exact detergent type and treat rate for use at your service stations.

Step 5: Sign a TOP TIER license agreement.

Congratulations! You are in the TOP TIER program for 1 year and can renew as desired.


3. What does it cost to sign up for the TT program?

There is an annual fee based on the number of service stations owned by the fuel marketer.


There are signs and adds like this one:

hd_886850cb5ff8883dd90207d35c59b6e2.png


top_tier_image.png
 
Originally Posted By: blackman777
Originally Posted By: Hyde244
Licensing fees are a perfectly acceptable model of business - I don't see anyone complaining about the even more absurd fees BP, Shell, and Exxon pay to be marked as Top Tier Gasoline.

What is this? I've never seen it marked at any station I visited (or at least never noticed it).


blackman777,

If you go look at any Union 76 station they are actually putting the word "Top Tier" gas as part of their signage.

Durango
 
The testing fee itself isn't all that difficult to meet. The only requirement is submission from the additive supplier, which will have the tests done on their product.

Quote:
https://www.oronite.com/products/gas-additives.asp

OGA® Top Tier Additive Packages: formulated to meet or exceed Top Tier specifications set by BMW®, General Motors®, Honda®, and Toyota®.

OGA® Enhanced Additive Packages: formulated to provide higher levels of performance than compliance packages for customers to differentiate their products from compliance gasoline.


Quote:
http://www.aftonchemical.com/News/Pages/HiTEC6560.aspx

The auto manufacturers recognize that the current EPA minimum detergent requirements do not go far enough to ensure optimal engine performance. To be licensed by the automakers as providing TOP TIER™ Detergent Gasoline, gasoline retailers must meet the higher TOP TIER™ standards with all grades of gasoline. Afton Chemical’s HiTEC® 6560 family of fuel performance additives meets the tougher standards at the same competitive treat rate as the original certifications.

To do this, Afton Chemical began testing well in advance. David DiBerto, Global Business Manager for Gasoline Performance Additives at Afton Chemical said, “Due to our extensive experience in running fuel additive test programs, we were well prepared and aware of challenges of finding a test fuel to meet the TOP TIER™ performance standards and obtaining test availability at independent laboratories. And we are proud to have done this by the original TOP TIER™ deadline.”


Quote:
http://www2.basf.us/corporate/news_2009/news_release_2009_00538.htm

BASF Keropur® gasoline performance product range completes updated TOP TIER requirements

FLORHAM PARK, NJ, December 8, 2010 – BASF today confirmed that its range of Keropur® gasoline performance products meets the latest TOP TIER detergent gasoline requirements, including generating relevant performance data using independent ISO accredited laboratories.

TOP TIER detergent gasoline is the premier standard for gasoline performance in North America. Six of the world's top automakers, BMW, General Motors, Honda, Toyota, Volkswagen and Audi support the TOP TIER program to help drivers avoid lower quality gasoline. Fuels with lower-quality additive packages can build up deposits on fuel injectors and on intake valves, or can build up deposits in combustion chambers and may lead to intake valve sticking. These lower levels of additives can have negative impacts on engine performance and vehicle responsiveness.

“BASF has been an active supporter of the TOP TIER program since its inception, and continues to deliver optimized high performing gasoline additives for our customers,” said Alfred Jung, Ph.D., BASF Technical Manager, North America for Fuels and Lubricants and current Chairman of the influential Detroit Advisory Panel (DAP).


Quote:
http://investor.lubrizol.com/phoenix.zht...&highlight=

CLEVELAND, January 13, 2011 - The Lubrizol Corporation (NYSE:LZ) today confirms that its portfolio of fuel additives meet the current TOP TIER™ detergent gasoline standard.

Established by six of the world's top automakers (BMW, General Motors, Honda, Toyota, Volkswagen and Audi), the current TOP TIER standard goes beyond EPA minimum detergent requirements. The automakers suggest the EPA minimum detergent level (set in 1995) may no longer ensure optimal engine performance for their increasingly sophisticated engines.

The TOP TIER standard, which originally went into effect in May 2004, was updated in May 2008 and required additive manufacturers to submit fuel performance data from independent, accredited laboratories by November 29, 2010. Today, to be licensed as providing TOP TIER gasoline, fuel retailers must meet the updated TOP TIER standards in all grades of gasoline. In addition, each fuel outlet carrying the brand of the approved retailer must meet the TOP TIER standards.
 
I stopped using google when I learned the NSA has a direct tap into Google's database. (In other words the NSA can see everything google.com sees: Searches, browsing history.)

I use startpage now. And yeah I guess I should have searched there first.
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted By: blackman777
I stopped using google when I learned the NSA has a direct tap into Google's database.

NSA can see the questions you post on BITOG, too.
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted By: blackman777
I stopped using google when I learned the NSA has a direct tap into Google's database. (In other words the NSA can see everything google.com sees: Searches, browsing history.)

I use startpage now. And yeah I guess I should have searched there first.
smile.gif



startpage is no more secure than Google, the only difference is startpage does't track the users like Google does other than that the NSA can access startpage just as well as Google and I bet they are less secure than Google.
 
I live in central Iowa, and am not going to drive 45 miles to Des Moines to make sure I only get some approved top tier gasoline. I am going to buy my gas in the town near me and not worry about it. A dose of Chevron Techron occasionally will fit the bill just fine.
 
Originally Posted By: blackman777
Originally Posted By: Hyde244
Licensing fees are a perfectly acceptable model of business - I don't see anyone complaining about the even more absurd fees BP, Shell, and Exxon pay to be marked as Top Tier Gasoline.

What is this? I've never seen it marked at any station I visited (or at least never noticed it).


IMHO, "top tier" is the same variety of nonsense as "Dexos 1".
You can use any gasoline from any station with decent volume and be just fine, just as you can use any OTS synthetic oil and get good results.
I've never had any problems with any fuel or oil in the forty years I've been driving.
That some make a fetish of either fuel or oil I find both curious and amusing.
There are no bad gas brands out there, just as there are no bad API licensed motor oils.
A bottle of fuel system cleaner maybe once a year might be a good idea, but I went for decades without using one.
 
Originally Posted By: zloveraz
startpage is no more secure than Google, the only difference is startpage does't track the users like Google does other than that the NSA can access startpage just as well as Google and I bet they are less secure than Google.

QUOTE: "Startpage does NOT collect or share ANY personal information!
"Nada. Zilch. Nothing.
"Since January 2009 we do not record our users' IP addresses anymore. We are the first and only search engine to do so. Our initiative is receiving an overwhelmingly positive response!" - It's also worth nothing startpage is outside the U.S. and therefore outside of the NSA's juris diction.
privacyscore_badge_100.png
 
Of course, NSA can reach right through your search engine of choice, just as they can intercept encripted cell phone calls from European heads of state.
 
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Originally Posted By: blackman777
Originally Posted By: Hyde244
Licensing fees are a perfectly acceptable model of business - I don't see anyone complaining about the even more absurd fees BP, Shell, and Exxon pay to be marked as Top Tier Gasoline.

What is this? I've never seen it marked at any station I visited (or at least never noticed it).


IMHO, "top tier" is the same variety of nonsense as "Dexos 1".
You can use any gasoline from any station with decent volume and be just fine, just as you can use any OTS synthetic oil and get good results.
I've never had any problems with any fuel or oil in the forty years I've been driving.
That some make a fetish of either fuel or oil I find both curious and amusing.
There are no bad gas brands out there, just as there are no bad API licensed motor oils.
A bottle of fuel system cleaner maybe once a year might be a good idea, but I went for decades without using one.

I wouldn't say it's nonsense, but it's certainly possible for a fuel to meet a certain cleanliness standard without the additive maker going through the testing/certification process and the marketer paying the per station licensing fee. Costco is going their own way.

Apparently the impetus was that some carmakers were recommending fuel brands by name because they were known by the manufacturer to contain high levels of detergents. Then apparently with the EPA required additive level some fuel marketers were cutting back to those EPA mandated levels. The carmakers were getting warranty claims that they could trace to deposits. I don't think the carmakers are getting any money directly from the license fees. If anything it's going back to the administration and marketing.

Now here's an interesting article on Pilot Flying J. They aren't a refiner and claimed they couldn't guarantee that a Top Tier additive would be used because they couldn't always control the additives. Now I don't suppose they could go the Costco route, which is to have untreated base fuel and an underground system meter the additive amount at the time of fuel delivery.

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/may/22/pilot-cant-control-detergent-levels/
 
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