Marathon and Speedway

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So I have always avoided using Speedway/Super America gas because I have had this feeling it was low quality for some reason, and always preferring Shell or Marathon gas instead. Anyways, I recently heard that Speedway was the exact same gas blend as Marathon stations. I emailed Speedway just now and asked them about this, I will post when they reply.
 
Sometimes I'll check to see who honors their house credit card to try and tie together affiliations. If you check Speedway's CC it's also accepted at Marathon and Pilot truck centers.. Not definitive proof, but more likely they sell the same fuel.

http://www.superfleet.net/
 
Originally Posted By: zeke1985
So I have always avoided using Speedway/Super America gas because I have had this feeling it was low quality for some reason, and always preferring Shell or Marathon gas instead. Anyways, I recently heard that Speedway was the exact same gas blend as Marathon stations. I emailed Speedway just now and asked them about this, I will post when they reply.


Can't speak for gas quality, but I won't visit the Speedway by our house because it has the worst pumps and nozzles. Always sticking, malfunctioning, etc. My complaints to corporate don't help.

John
 
My hypothesis on the gas brand issue is this: I think that all the tankers that deliver fuel to the various branded stations all pull up under the same spout to receive their fuel load. The only difference is that companies A,B, and C market different additives that they all contain. I used to be the type that would only use a certain brand, but now I have found that my car runs just as well on the cheaper gas as it does on a name brand station.

I am more concerned about the ethanol that is being used more frequently.
 
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I still associate Speedway everytime I hear the name with the "Speedway 79" commercial jingle they ran in the 50s...it was a take on "this bone is connected to this bone..." tune.Its on You Tube if curious.
 
No comment on the quality of the gas.

I will note that all Superamerica gasoline in the Twin Cities came from the Marathon refinery in St. Paul Park, MN. We also have Marathon gasoline stations in this Market.

The refinery and gas stations were all sold in the last year, and Marathon no longer has any stake in this refinery or in the Supermerica gas stations.

The comment that all gas comes from the same place may have some merit in some markets. In others, there are distinct sources (like here). There are two refineries in the area, each with distinctive agreements with certain retail outlets and seperate fueling facilities.

Every area is different.
 
WAAAAY back when, Marathon was the cheapest and lowest quality gasoline around. It was affectionately known as 'panther pee'. John--Las Vegas
 
Marathon came to town here last year. I tried a few tanks of their gas, it did OK. Then one day I got a tank of gas that did not do so well, my truck did not run very well after that fill-up. I ran about half of it out and topped up with 7-11 gas and it did better, so I kept using 7-11 until now.

Just a couple weeks ago I decided to give Marathon another try and bought a tank of their gas. So far my truck is running great, seems to have a little more power and pep than it did on 7-11 brand gas, but that may be placebo effect. I do know the throttle responded very well the other day when I had to gun the engine to get away from another driver on the road that was too close for my comfort.

Marathon is an American company based in Findlay, Ohio. Last year they separated from Marathon Oil and became a stand-alone company. 70% of the oil they refine is from the USA, Canada or Mexico. Marathon Petroleum does not drill for oil, they only refine oil into gasoline. They employ about 1600 workers in Findlay plus they have workers at their refineries in several states here at home. Marathon does not post the obscene quarterly and yearly record profits that we see from the major oil companies. That is a good reason to buy Marathon gas. I would rather not add to the multiple billions of dollars of profits at Shell, Chevron, etc.

As long as I can get good performance from Marathon gas I will continue to buy it because I am happy to help keep American workers employed and help an American company turn a profit.

One thing I wonder about, is 7-11 and cheaper stations maybe get their gas from the cheapest supplier they can find. Marathon is in the business of refining and blending gas, and maybe their gas and add pack is better than 7-11 or the mom and pop stations? I don't know. Marathon touts their "STP Additives" but that is just a brand name they put on their add pack, it is not really made by STP and is not the same as the STP fuel add you can buy at Walmart.

I have also read that Speedway is the same as Marathon, I know Marathon owns Seedway but Speedway is always cheaper than Marathon. I have to wonder if Speedway has a lesser quality add pack, but we have no Speedways here so I really don't worry about it much. Marathon seems to be pretty good gas.
 
Originally Posted By: zeke1985
So I have always avoided using Speedway/Super America gas because I have had this feeling it was low quality for some reason, and always preferring Shell or Marathon gas instead. Anyways, I recently heard that Speedway was the exact same gas blend as Marathon stations. I emailed Speedway just now and asked them about this, I will post when they reply.


I used to think that the brand of station from which you bought fuel really mattered.
I now realize that it doesn't.
I prefer BP, for the rebates, but I know which stations in the areas I frequent are usually cheap on which days, so I buy fuel accordingly.
I don't think that any one brand station is any better than any other.
Ignore the "top-tier" marketing, and shop by price and convenience.
I filled one car this morning at a Speedway for $3.14/gal.
This afternoon, the same location was up to $3.45!
 
Originally Posted By: Jimmy9190
Marathon came to town here last year. I tried a few tanks of their gas, it did OK. Then one day I got a tank of gas that did not do so well, my truck did not run very well after that fill-up. I ran about half of it out and topped up with 7-11 gas and it did better, so I kept using 7-11 until now.

Just a couple weeks ago I decided to give Marathon another try and bought a tank of their gas. So far my truck is running great, seems to have a little more power and pep than it did on 7-11 brand gas, but that may be placebo effect. I do know the throttle responded very well the other day when I had to gun the engine to get away from another driver on the road that was too close for my comfort.

Marathon is an American company based in Findlay, Ohio. Last year they separated from Marathon Oil and became a stand-alone company. 70% of the oil they refine is from the USA, Canada or Mexico. Marathon Petroleum does not drill for oil, they only refine oil into gasoline. They employ about 1600 workers in Findlay plus they have workers at their refineries in several states here at home. Marathon does not post the obscene quarterly and yearly record profits that we see from the major oil companies. That is a good reason to buy Marathon gas. I would rather not add to the multiple billions of dollars of profits at Shell, Chevron, etc.

As long as I can get good performance from Marathon gas I will continue to buy it because I am happy to help keep American workers employed and help an American company turn a profit.

One thing I wonder about, is 7-11 and cheaper stations maybe get their gas from the cheapest supplier they can find. Marathon is in the business of refining and blending gas, and maybe their gas and add pack is better than 7-11 or the mom and pop stations? I don't know. Marathon touts their "STP Additives" but that is just a brand name they put on their add pack, it is not really made by STP and is not the same as the STP fuel add you can buy at Walmart.

I have also read that Speedway is the same as Marathon, I know Marathon owns Seedway but Speedway is always cheaper than Marathon. I have to wonder if Speedway has a lesser quality add pack, but we have no Speedways here so I really don't worry about it much. Marathon seems to be pretty good gas.


The only difference between Marathon and Speedway is that Speedways are company owned stores and Marathon outlets are franchised and independently owned. Also another brand that they use for smaller stations is Rich. These too are independently owned. (I work 5 minutes away from the Speedway corporate offices and received this info from people who work there.)
 
Here is the reply received from Speedway..

Dear Zach,

This is an acknowledgement of your E-mail. Speedway is a Marathon
Branded station. Marathon distributes the fuel that Speedway receives.
However, the additives that are currently in Marathon's fuel is not
added in the fuel that Speedway currently receives.

For more information for the ingredients in Speedway fuel, please click
the following links.

1. http://www.speedway.com/AboutUs/ProductSafety/PDFs/0110SPE012.pdf
2. http://www.speedway.com/AboutUs/ProductSafety/PDFs/0111SPE012.pdf
3. http://www.speedway.com/AboutUs/ProductSafety/PDFs/0109SPE012.pdf

Thank you for taking the time to write us. We are always interested in
hearing from our customers whatever the reason.

Sincerely,
Emily
Speedway LLC Customer Service
 
+1 for being concerned about the ethanol. I interned in South Dakota in the summer of 2010 and pretty much all the gas I could get had ethanol in it. My gas mileage was horrible with it. I avoid it at all costs around here.
 
I live 8 miles from one of Marathon's refineries. They acquired it when they bought out Ashland oil in the late 90's.
The first thing I noticed when they took over was a 20oz. bottle of pop instantly went from 99 cents to $1.19 overnight at the gas staions they control. Other stores were still at .99 cents. Then they got ahold of gas prices and pushed them up in my area. Simultaneously they added 10% ethanol to all the gas they supply in my area. They also degraded the premium gasoline to 92 octane (from 93.) But the prices increased!
Then I found out that they degraded the additive package in the gas they sell at the stores they control. It has the bare minimum the way I understand (according to a chemist that works at the refinery.)
Just about anything associated with the Marathon Oil Company leaves a distaste in my mouth.
So, at all costs I avoid buying anything from Marathon, Speedway and Rich Oil stores.
A recent "gas war" in my area has brought to light just how much they have been ripping people off in my community.
I have nothing good to say about Marathon.
 
Wow, it is not like that here. Usually Marathon is right in line with all the other stations with their price on gas. I saw about half a dozen Marathon stations yesterday on a 120 mile round trip I took, they were all the same as everyone else, $3.49 a gallon for 87 unleaded. One Marathon was even cheaper at $3.42. I have no idea about the stuff they sell in the store, the only reason I go in the store is if the gas receipt does not print at the pump or maybe to use the bathroom.

I also have no idea on Marathon's 93 or 92 octane gas here, I don't use it. My truck does seem to run well on the Marathon gas. And around here at home anyway, Marathon is nearly always maybe only a nickel's difference one way or the other compared to the other stations, sometimes even cheaper than that.
 
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