anyone ever heard of Tesoro?... how 'bout Conoco?... Valero?…

Do you guys realize the refineries that make the fuel you argue about have been bought and sold multiple times?... It's funny how everyone gets so bent on brands

I'm partial to certain fueling stations but its based on customer service and convenience… I work in the industry... there is no rhyme or reason to the particular brand....

And for those that want to rant about blends and additives... give me a break! Do you really think Exxon-Mobile has brilliant scientists that Conoco or Valero or Tesoro, etc. doesn't?...

it's all the same **** guys! It all comes from the same damn place - literally with less than a mile of each other.

The rest is marketing.

 

http://www.toptiergas.com/retailers.html

 

So based on your arguement it's safe to assume that you will stop at any gas station to fill up. If that's the case more power to you. I'm no expert in the feild but the bottom line is some gas just appears to be watered down, however they do that

 

the only point I was making is that it all comes from refineries pulling it from the same source... the process each uses is virtually identical.

 

I agree with you. The fuel stock is absolutely the same. I'm an environmental consultant and I assist the oil companies in achieving environmental compliance. I do work around their terminals and also along regional pipelines. The fuel stock is the same; however, like someone pointed out, the additives are company-specific.

Here in Kansas City, the major brands are Shell, Phillips 66, Conoco, Valero, BP, and Quik Trip. BP is the only one in that offers 92 and the other offer 91. I've tried Shell V-power twice and on both occasions, my car experienced very light detonation and felt a bit restrained in the upper rpms. With QT, Phillips, Conoco, and Valero fuels, the car runs fine, but with BP the car acheives the best MPGs. When I was in Atlanta, I could get 93 octane from BP and the car got even better MPGs. I think there is truth to the notion that you need to experiment with fuels to achieve best performance for your car. I have a few friends that have piggy-backs on their STIs and EVOs and they've logged all the fuels in KC and the Shell fuels experienced some of the worst detonation compared to the other 91s available. Obviously the BP was best for them because of the higher octane

 

Is 91 the highest octane that shell offers in your area? In TX here I use 93 and it just works for me. I recall in Newport News VA in 2000 when I had a Mazda 626 ES-V6 that req'd premium, I stopped at a place called Race Pace or something like that, and it was the first time I have problems with pinging with my vehicle. I am not argueing that that there are different gases, the all come in the same truck to fill up all three pumps at a service station, I am just stating that whatever Shell does, my car, and I love.

 

Interesting topic, seeing as how I recently had a revelation about gas in my FX35: I always have and always will use Chevron, mainly because I like their advertising campaign (lol, honestly because I've had good performance with their top-tier fuel). I usually go with midgrade (89) because I don't feel like spending the extra couple bucks on premium (91) for my 20 gal tank. Using 89 octane, the fuel economy display in the FX generally shows around 16.4 mpg for my normal driving routine (mixture of city and rural roads). It's been around that since I can remember. So the other day I decided to spring for the premium and filled up on that. I reset the fuel economy setting and started off. It takes a day or so for the fuel economy display to balance out, but ever since I filled up on premium (91) I've been getting around 18.3 mpg. Interesting? Yes. Good for me? Definately. Coincidence? I think not.

 

Thanks for the interesting link.

 

BP is the only place in Kansas City and in Kansas and most of all Missouri that I can get 92. I can't get 93 until I get to St. Louis. In Atlanta, 92/93 was the premium standard. I believe some of the reason the octanes are lower in the Midwest is because of the altitude which ranges in Kansas City from 1000'-1500' and western Kansas ranges from 2000'-3500'. The higher the altitude, typically the lower the octane standard. Since there is less available oxygen, there is less potential for detonation.

 

Hmmm jet fuel. at the dealer. hi yes sir, hmm we've found jet fuel in your tank, do u know anything about that. lol This might be the reason why your car goes from 0-120 in about 5 seconds =] lmfao hahaha great

 

When I was in college, I had an MG that pinged on every kind of gas except Phillips 66 Premium. I think it was 93 octane. Of the many cars I have owned, that was the only one that only "liked" one brand. (Chicks loved it, though!)

 

I use Shell in my car most of the time. It has proven to be one of the best.

As for the guys talking about aviation grade gas... don't ever run that in your car. Very bad.

 

I hope everyone was just joking about the JP8, I know I was. JP8 is just a high qual diesel.

 

Yea it can't be that much different from that 100 octane that is offered in FAR ROCKAWAY now, could it??

 

We have already stated time and time again that the base gas is the same. It either comes from the same source, some companies share refineries, etc. It is the additive that makes the difference. This is completely different for each brand. I have personally been testing it myself for a week now and I feel like Shell is giving me a edge over my normal Quiktrip fill up. I am going to start actually recording the numbers to see if it is true.