It’s all in your head. Just like cold air intakes make your vehicle faster when they’re just noise makers.
I’ve done tons of miles in various parts of the Midwest (especially Nebraska, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa) and have thought about this some. I think it’s quite regional.I can't imagine being on a long trip in the USA and not encountering Exxon/Mobil, Shell, Chevron, Sunoco, Citgo, Phillips 66 and other Top Tier brands. And their are major brands that have ceased to pay the licensing fee with excellent fuel, such as BP.
Just look for one of these stations when your fuel gauge gets down to 1/3 or so, and you should be fine. Unless you are in the middle of nowhere and the only choice is Moe's Gas.
Direct injectors can clog and gum.up much easier than port injectors......My thoughts are it's ok to not use Top Tier, all that means is that the gasoline is unbranded. I use Costco, which is Top Tier, but because it's cheaper.
I also believe additives are not needed, especially with almost all cars today being direct injection. It's like burning $5 or $10 bills out the tailpipe....jmoymmv
To add to that, Top Tier doesn't certify the base gasoline, they certify the additive package. It's like they don't submit the hot dog for certification they submit the ketchup, and if the ketchup gets approved any hot dog you put that ketchup on is also certified. Does that analogy work? LolAn all beef hot dog can be certified as Kosher, but to have a Kosher approval on the label, the hot dogs must be submitted for certification. No submission, no Kosher label
Consider the "Top Tier" label in the same way. Lack of a label does not necessarily mean "inferior". It may only mean the marketer decided, for its own reasons, to not seek certification.
Oddly in the past year, many of the Shell stations in my part of central Florida have been replaced by Circle K stations that don't offer top tier fuel here. The lone Sunoco station has been replaced by a 7-11, and Wawa is building another large facility a few miles from here. Marathon: won't see them no more.There are SHELL stations everywhere.
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Not one in Montana, apparentlyThere are SHELL stations everywhere.
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