JonsilvZ

I've been using BP 93 all the time. But I tried Exxon 93 and there was a huge difference! My bros GTO used the same gas. Guess what this time I walk my bros GTO! Got him by a car 0-100. Before his GTO gets me by almost a car.

cha shu bao

really? i'm surprised you would notice a change that drastically from bp to exxon w/o an octane change... all i know is that it cost me $47 to refill my car the other day?!?!?! WTF... i didn't buy an SUV. but then again i live in los angeles...

JonsilvZ

Yeah I was surprised and he was scratching his head. Its a good thing I don't drive my Z daily. Gas prices are crazy.

Amnbex

I like Shell V-Power. 93 Octane but its about 5 cents more expensive than 91 at a different local station.

Dropping $1 per tank for better gas doesn't sound too bad to me.

nbdyfcnsqnc

Guys, they all use the same gas from the same refineries. Maybe BP had a rusty tank or something.

aznmojo

my last fill was $51... anyway, what about Chevron vs. Shell? I mean don't they add their own crap to the oil even if the oil came out of the same refinery? Like Techron and V-power.

Faluzure

I used to use Shell exclusively in my 2000 Altima. However, I only go with Chevron in my Z because of their track record & friends' recommendations. Ever since that TopTier Gasoline website came out ( http://www.toptiergas.com ), other gas companies hopped on the bandwagon. Shell Gas is good, but the V-Power gas is a recent change for them. Chevron didn't have to change their gasoline formula when that website came out because it already met the TopTier Gas standards. In the event that a Chevron isn't around me, my 2nd choice is Shell V-Power.

SSZVirginia

iTrader: (1)

The only things they add are detergents. Gas is gas.......

JonsilvZ

Not all gas brands are the same. I've read a article about it.

sentry65

iTrader: (11)

i work with someone who used to live in texas and worked in the oil business

the raw oil is the same, i think it's then refined into a base gas, then the companies do their own thing to it - maybe i forgot what she said though...

BigMoeTaki42

I'm sure all gas brands are slightly different, but not enough to make you dust your brother's GTO when he walked you before. He probly had a bad run (or you had a good run).

JonsilvZ

We did a second time and the outcome was the same. I got him almost a car. Its definitely the gas!

Amnbex

Nope. Each gas company has their own "secret addons" to allow gas to burn either more cleanly, or with more force or what-have-you.

All gas is not created equal.

VeeTec

Yep, its the additives/treatment that makes the difference.

oscarmayer00

Gas is gas, it's all marketing. Take a class in Marketing 101, they got you hooked.

The name on the service station sign does not tell the whole story. The fact that you purchase gasoline from a given company does not necessarily mean that the gasoline was actually produced by that particular company's refineries. While gasoline is sold at about 176,000 retail outlets across the nation, about one-third of these stations are “unbranded” dealers that may sell gasoline of any brand. The remainder of the outlets are “branded” stations, but may not necessarily be selling gasoline produced at that company's refineries. This is because gasoline from different refineries is often combined for shipment by pipeline, and companies owning service stations in the same area may be purchasing gasoline at the same bulk terminal. In that case, the only difference between the gasoline at station X versus the gasoline at station Y may be the small amount of additives that those companies add to the gasoline before it gets to the pump.

Even if we knew at which company's refinery the gasoline was produced, the source of the crude oil used at that refinery may vary on a day-to-day basis. Most refiners use a mix of crude oils from various domestic and foreign sources. The mix of crude oils can change based on the relative cost and availability of crude oil from different sources.

n8vz

Exactly! If you live in San Diego. Check out the gasoline terminal by Qualcomm Stadium. You will see all brands of fuel delivery trucks filling up and distributing to various branded of gas station. The only difference would be the additives. Anyone know much additive (Techron, V-Power, ProClean) is added later?

zman1910

iTrader: (3)

It has to be that he had a bad run and you had a good run....

Changing your gas wont make that big a difference or any difference at all for that matter...

nbdyfcnsqnc

Of course it is! It's all just dead plants and animals pulled out of the ground as sludge and refined until it's some saleable octane fuel. Different amounts of detergent are added to different gasoline to break up the sludge that gets trapped in the car, which is another good reason to use 91-93 fuel. Of couse fuel companies spend millions to tell you why theirs is special.

Some places might be crooked and mix lower octanes in, sell stale gas, or stuff like that, though. I don't trust small independent run-down places or '76 stations at all.


So have I, and not are articles are the same. The author might not know, or he might work for some oil company. My brothers job used to be to test oil refineries for polution levels, and he said they just back up a Shell truck, pump gas, back up a Chevron truck, pump gas, back up a 76 truck, etc.