Read in Car & Driver last month (the August 2005 issue) that certain gas companies manufacture "better" gasolines for your car (Larry Webster's article, p.30).

He said go to www.toptiergas.com to check out the different qualifying gas companies, and around here, we only have Union 76, Shell, and Chevron that are considered "good" gas companies on his list.

Any truth to the claims?

 

I'm sure there is some difference between qualities of gas but I wouldn't say it's going to be that big of a difference. I stay away from Swifty's and Flying J's and stick with the big names like Shell, BP, and Speedway (not sure which oil company owns these).

 

shell is local toptier for me...I like it...even my old jeep likes it

 

Car & Driver exists on advertising dollars include money from major oil refineries. Do you think that they might be a little...ummm...biased?

 

<--Fuels specialist (aviation), they are not created equal. This might be something to try.

 

I have heard claims of brand name gas with their crazy addiatives does lead to better gas mileage but I have never tested it myself. I still get gas from kroger...

 

I will have to admit I dont have but 3000 miles on mine but I use 93 octane Sams gas. The cheapest in town

 

Top tier requires all blends (regular, mid grade and premium) to meet their requirements. The premium gas most of us use in our cars would likely meet the top tier requirements, but the brand may not be considered top tier since the regular and mid grade may not their requirements.

 

always check the source of these so called studies.

 

Great advice. Thanks for the input, guys!

 

Say what? Top Tier Gas was a standard created by GM, Honda, Toyota, and BMW. In order for a gas company to get TTG recognition, the gas must meet or exceed that standard.

It's all in the website... just click and read...

Michael.

 

I learned about this study from the print version of C&D awhile ago myself.

Yes, I saw that part and I mentioned the site and study to one of my coworkers. His take on it (his dad worked for an oil company) was that the study is BS. His story was that a bunch of oil companies got together and set a standard for themselves that they already met and then got the car companies to go along with it and 'rubber stamp' it.

All I can say is, take either the study or the opinion w/a grain of a salt.

 

Thanks for the post. “Top Tier” does not tell you who “Top Tier” is, or who funds “Top Tier.” As mentioned, always consider the source, and when the source is not mentioned, ask why?

Its sort of like “Recommended by the American Dental Association.”

 

While all gasolines have to meet minimum EPA standards, most "discount" gasolines do NOT have enough detergent additives to keep an engine running clean. Not to sound like an apologist for the oil or car companies, but the automobile companies were doing a lot of warranty work for screwed-up engines that were just clogged. The "Top Tier" gasolines have enough detergent additives, in the opinion of the car companies, to keep the engines running clean.

Many of the discount brands actually DECREASED the amount of additives they had in their gasoline after the EPA put in minimum standards. And those standards were adopted in 1995, and we all know engine technology has changed a lot since then.

 

If that's the case, then it's misadvertisement:

(quote taken from here)

It states in plain english the standard was developed by those auto manufacturers. To say otherwise is a conspiracy theory.

Michael.

 

Ask and ye shall receive

Michael.

Time to line the ball cap with tin foil...