Fred Meyer (Kroger) Gas....top-tier ???

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I purchase just about all my gasoline at my Fred Meyer store (which is operated by Kroger. the grocery chain).

Does anyone know if the gas they supply is top-tier? I read, several years ago, that their gas is supplied by Shell.
 
http://www.toptiergas.com/licensedbrands/

Fred Meyer no.

Kroger no.

Kroger also sells lower-than-market octane "premium" here i.e. 92 rather than 93. I put their regular in my truck because of huge fuel points discounts from shopping there and have had no problems. The Camaro goes elsewhere (usually TT Costco) for high test.
 
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Not listed as TT.

Fun fact: Shell honors Kroger points and gives 10 cents per gallon.

We usually gas up at QT, which is TT. But, we save up our Kroger points and gas up there once a month. I figure it's not going to ruin the old Buick to use non-TT once every 5 or 6 fill-ups.
 
Just because a gasoline marketer isn't licensed as TT doesn't mean it doesn't meet the specs for it; it might mean that they just haven't went through the application process to be a licensee. I've never had a problem with the gas at my local Dillon's (Kroger) for the last 10 years (no pinging or other issues), so I say buy at Kroger and just add a bottle of Techron every 3k or so for 5 bucks, if you're concerned, and you're good to go.
 
If it doesn't say TT, it isn't. Same as oil certs. It shouldn't be up to the consumer to defend these corporation's decisions concerning what they do or don't qualify to put on their pumps or bottles, Sorry. That doesn't make it poor quality gas though. Every brand is supposed to meet govt standards. TT just goes significantly beyond that.
 
This has came up before. Someone emailed kroger and they are top tier quality but don't go for the certification. When asked why they put extra detergents in their gas they said it's just the right thing to do.

I admire that they provide quality gasoline without having to advertise it.
 
I usually mix my gas...I can pretty much walk to my local Kroger gas station! I do use it, but I also try to fix in other TT brands as well. Like to hit Shell and Sunoco here...

Though I tend to notice Meijer's has pretty good gas at their stations...
 
Sunoco is not TT certified - check the TT supplier data base...
Originally Posted By: daves87rs
I usually mix my gas...I can pretty much walk to my local Kroger gas station! I do use it, but I also try to fix in other TT brands as well. Like to hit Shell and Sunoco here...

Though I tend to notice Meijer's has pretty good gas at their stations...
 
Originally Posted By: ejes
Originally Posted By: wemay
If it doesn't say TT, it isn't.


Inaccurate. http://www.toptiergas.com/faqs/



Nope. Very accurate. Kroger is not on the list (see link below). Anyone can 'claim' to be anything.

http://www.toptiergas.com/licensedbrands/

All else is internet speculation. But as i said before, I dont have Kroger in my area but i hear good things about it's products. I'm sure this extends to the fuel as well. It's just not TT.
 
This may well be true.
Certainly Kroger branded products in general are top quality in my experience.
I will say for the record that I've never had any problems with nor seen any consistent differences in fuel economy with any brand of gas.
We'll use Kroger gas a time or two each month. If we have fuel points to burn, we'll take two vehicles to hit the thirty five gallon limit.
If Kroger fuel really would qualify as top tier if they cared to pay the licensing fees, then so much the better.
TT does apparently matter for at least a few GM cars, since this whole certification scheme was a GM creation.
 
Schaeffer Oil, the brand I use, sells the same Top Tier fuel additves that would get put into the fuel at the fuel terminal. If I wanted, I could have full Top Tier levels of components just like the Top Tier labeled stations. I don't do it, but anyone could and have Top Tier quality without going thru the Top Tier certification process. Frankly, I waste very little time even concerning myself with the top tier game. I put it right on the same level as my lack of concern that the oil I use for my GM vehicles is on the dexos approved list. I never have any fuel or oil related problems and haven't in 45 years. I only started using a Top Tier fuel because the local farmer's coop station I get my gas from for 5 cents a gallon cheaper than the prevailing price because i use their free fuel card went Cenex. So now I am using Top Tier. But it wasn't because I preferred to, it was strictly because of the same 5 cents a gallon off when using the Coop fuel card.
 
Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
This has came up before. Someone emailed kroger and they are top tier quality but don't go for the certification. When asked why they put extra detergents in their gas they said it's just the right thing to do.

I admire that they provide quality gasoline without having to advertise it.

Trust this is true....I've used Kroger (Fred Meyer store) for years now....with now ill effects, and will continue to do so because with the discounts....Its the cheapest gasoline here in Central Oregon.
 
Originally Posted By: dave1251
Whomever won the bid for the year is the supplier.

Who the supplier is is different from who the fuel maker is. The whole commodity fuel distribution system is convoluted. I think TiredTrucker can explain it better, but it's basically the wholesale seller guarantees delivery of generic fuel to the pipeline operator and the pipeline operator guarantees delivery of generic fuel at the fuel terminal. It's like depositing money in one bank branch, but the same equivalent money can be withdrawn at another branch. The whole pipeline system is run like ATMs.

I did read about some specific guaranteed delivery of "branded" fuel. My understanding is that it costs more, so there's little incentive to do it unless it's some sort of specialty fuel.
 
Originally Posted By: y_p_w
Originally Posted By: dave1251
Whomever won the bid for the year is the supplier.

Who the supplier is is different from who the fuel maker is. The whole commodity fuel distribution system is convoluted. I think TiredTrucker can explain it better, but it's basically the wholesale seller guarantees delivery of generic fuel to the pipeline operator and the pipeline operator guarantees delivery of generic fuel at the fuel terminal. It's like depositing money in one bank branch, but the same equivalent money can be withdrawn at another branch. The whole pipeline system is run like ATMs.

I did read about some specific guaranteed delivery of "branded" fuel. My understanding is that it costs more, so there's little incentive to do it unless it's some sort of specialty fuel.


Yes and no. Some product trading occurs but it is still made to the companies spec. A lot of different brands can travel down one pipe. The terminals may have several brands available. The off brands can be and mostly are the same as the name brands. There are generic addatives and name brand ones. It all varies from terminal to terminal what you can get. The amount of combinations are endless but there isn't a bad product comming out of any terminals. Every batch of fuel comming in is tested and if something is wrong it gets blended off in small quantities.

The pipeline I work for only has one brand going down it and the terminal where my office is only has one brand name top tier addative for gas. That same gas gets labeled with all sorts of off brands but it is still top tier.
 
You can take any fuel bought anywhere in the country, add a bottle of techron/gumout/redline etc and it will have even higher detergency than the TT classification requires.
In conclusion, don't worry about where you buy it, just add a shotthrow the bottle when you fill up
 
Originally Posted By: wemay
Originally Posted By: ejes
Originally Posted By: wemay
If it doesn't say TT, it isn't.


Inaccurate. http://www.toptiergas.com/faqs/



Nope. Very accurate. Kroger is not on the list (see link below). Anyone can 'claim' to be anything.

http://www.toptiergas.com/licensedbrands/

All else is internet speculation. But as i said before, I dont have Kroger in my area but i hear good things about it's products. I'm sure this extends to the fuel as well. It's just not TT.


Sigh...read and comprehend before posing.
 
I purchase just about all my gasoline at my Fred Meyer store (which is operated by Kroger. the grocery chain).

Does anyone know if the gas they supply is top-tier? I read, several years ago, that their gas is supplied by Shell.
I worked at Kroger for twenty years. I can tell you that we regularly had complaints about engine problems. Replacing plugs and cleaning fuel lines. After years of using this gas myself, I experienced the same issues. I would have replaced my gas tank, but I bought a new vehicle. Short term use of this gas is probably ok. In the long run, it is fouling up your fuel. I found out the hard way that the complaints were legitimate. My mechanic also confirmed.
 
I worked at Kroger for twenty years. I can tell you that we regularly had complaints about engine problems. Replacing plugs and cleaning fuel lines. After years of using this gas myself, I experienced the same issues. I would have replaced my gas tank, but I bought a new vehicle. Short term use of this gas is probably ok. In the long run, it is fouling up your fuel. I found out the hard way that the complaints were legitimate. My mechanic also confirmed.
I'd suggest you know nothing about fuels, "dirty tank."
 
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