Mobil gas quality vs Shell

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My 17' Tacoma (V6 2GR-FKS) calls for premium (91 octane minimum reccomended) and my OCD irks me to keep one brand of fuel in my vehicles. The 2 most high-flow fuel stations are a mobil and shell place. Price is never more than 2 cents difference. I BELIEVE that both shell and mobil gas are TTDG. the questionbi pose is between the 2, which would you consider as higher quality?
 
Shell v power
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Is that V power the same as sold in the states?
Originally Posted By: sir1900
If price is negligible, choose Shell. V-Power doesn't contain ethanol.
 
Originally Posted By: AirgunSavant

Is that V power the same as sold in the states?
Originally Posted By: sir1900
If price is negligible, choose Shell. V-Power doesn't contain ethanol.


I doubt it.

But it is one of the few ethanol free gas in Canada. Other one is Costco premium IIRC.
 
I do not have Shell unless I make a trip to Illinois. Mobil is probably the best gas in Indiana and I can only think of one left in my area. When I lived in Illinois I used nothing but Shell V-Power
 
Originally Posted By: sir1900
If price is negligible, choose Shell. V-Power doesn't contain ethanol.


That's not the case in the USA. All fuel now contains ethanol unless specified otherwise.

Also, I see a couple of y'all saying "Mobil is the best gas" or "Shell is the best gas".

What are you basing that on? Or, is that just your opinion, not based on any objective data?
 
Originally Posted By: john_pifer
Originally Posted By: sir1900
If price is negligible, choose Shell. V-Power doesn't contain ethanol.

That's not the case in the USA. All fuel now contains ethanol unless specified otherwise.

Yes, not all states require labeling for fuel containing ethanol, so it is possible that some E10 in some places will not be labeled. But for the most part in most states it is labeled.

And you are correct it is not brand nor grade specific. For example here in southeastern Wisconsin all fuel sold contains ethanol since we are in an EPA non-attainment area (even at the Milwaukee marina). Here, Shell V-Power has EtOH just like any other brand or grade but outside the five-county non-attainment area it may or may not contain alcohol.

To the OP's question however, how would one determine gasoline "quality" between different major brands?
 
Originally Posted By: NissanHauler
My 17' Tacoma (V6 2GR-FKS) calls for premium (91 octane minimum reccomended) and my OCD irks me to keep one brand of fuel in my vehicles. The 2 most high-flow fuel stations are a mobil and shell place. Price is never more than 2 cents difference. I BELIEVE that both shell and mobil gas are TTDG. the questionbi pose is between the 2, which would you consider as higher quality?


My 1GR-FE in my 2007 Taco doesn't require premium, but, according to Toyota, it is capable of benefiting from premium, in that it uses its knock sensors to advance or retard ignition timing based on whether any knock events are detected. That results in an increase of a quoted 3 HP and 12 lb/ft. The increase in the 2GR-FE (the updated model with VVT-i on the exhaust cam as well as the intake cam) is even more dramatic.

I am quite sure it's the same with your 3.5L 2GR-FKS.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_GR_engine#1GR-FE
 
Originally Posted By: kschachn
any other brand or grade but outside the five-county non-attainment area it may or may not contain alcohol.

To the OP's question however, how would one determine gasoline "quality" between different major brands?


That's an easy one - the only way you could do that would be to do combustion chamber and intake tract cleanliness tests to test detergent, and back-to-back dyno runs to test power output.
 
I can't begin to say which is a better gas because I have no proof to back either claim. However my 2012 V6 Tacoma gets the consistently best mpg's with Shell gas (87 for regular driving and 91 when I tow). I tract every fuelup with the Fuelly app (saves location and brand). Sunoco and Mobil seem to be the average and Lukoil gives me disastrous mpgs. But I attribute most of this to the vehicle and why I really can't tell you. ...so I prefer Shell and my Shell gas station is usually the cheapest outside of the no name places.
 
I usually buy premium gas from the local Circle K because they sell Mobil gas cheaper than Mobil/Exxon stations. Round about 10 cent cheaper. Otherwise, I buy it from Shell with the five cents off card.

Can't tell a difference between Mobil or Shell in my Lexus IS350 that requires premium gas. Just know that I have no pinging with either gas.
 
Go to the cheapest one.
They have both been blessed by the "Top Tier" gods.
Or , run one tank of each,and see what the truck runs the best on. Let the truck decide which is the highest quality.
 
Originally Posted By: kschachn
Originally Posted By: john_pifer
Originally Posted By: sir1900
If price is negligible, choose Shell. V-Power doesn't contain ethanol.

That's not the case in the USA. All fuel now contains ethanol unless specified otherwise.

Yes, not all states require labeling for fuel containing ethanol, so it is possible that some E10 in some places will not be labeled. But for the most part in most states it is labeled.

And you are correct it is not brand nor grade specific. For example here in southeastern Wisconsin all fuel sold contains ethanol since we are in an EPA non-attainment area (even at the Milwaukee marina). Here, Shell V-Power has EtOH just like any other brand or grade but outside the five-county non-attainment area it may or may not contain alcohol.

To the OP's question however, how would one determine gasoline "quality" between different major brands?


Speaking of WI, on a recent trip through the Northland we saw CENEX and KWIKMART stations offering the option of both 87-octane and 91-octane gasoline that contained NO ethanol.

What a pleasant surprise.
 
Originally Posted By: Vern_in_IL
Top Tier is marketing.


Top Tier is good gas.

Good gas makes me want to come back for more.
 
Originally Posted By: NissanHauler
My 17' Tacoma (V6 2GR-FKS) calls for premium (91 octane minimum reccomended) and my OCD irks me to keep one brand of fuel in my vehicles. The 2 most high-flow fuel stations are a mobil and shell place. Price is never more than 2 cents difference. I BELIEVE that both shell and mobil gas are TTDG. the questionbi pose is between the 2, which would you consider as higher quality?


Believe it or not, the gas at Mobil or Shell is the same. Comes from the same tank farm. For one particular region, all the gas comes from the same place. The only difference is the additive package. So if both are top tier, they have to meet the top tier specs for additives. It's the same. I put in what ever is cheaper in my Mercedes and the cheaper places are usually high volume places so I never worry about it.
 
Still the most relevant and comprehensive test of Top Tier vs, non-Top Tier fuel:

https://www.aaa.com/AAA/common/AAR/files/Fuel-Quality-Full-Report.pdf

The report never does identify the actual brads used, just that they were three samples from different Top Tier stations and three samples from different non-Top Tier stations. It does roundly show that Top Tier fuels are better than non-Top Tier fuels and deposit control.

That's not the interesting part though. The interesting part is that different Top Tier fuels perform differently, depending on the add pack used. For example, Fuel #6 in the test had the least intake valve deposits (by a HUGE margin), but the most piston deposits.

IMHO, purchasing a Top Tier fuel is the best strategy, regardless of brand, but there may be some merit to periodically changing brands as additive packs are different and perform differently.
 
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