Bullfrog

Ive seen a few topics regarding grades of gas but has anyone found that certain gas stations have "better" gas? I was over a friends house and we started to debate different gas stations gas and i would like to get everyones opinion.

Our debate ended like this

Shell
Exxon
Sheetz
Kwik Fill
Get Go (Giant Eagle Brand, may just be a Ohio Valley chain)

Anyone have a gas station they seem to get better gas at then others, with everyone now needed every MPG it would be nice to know where the most cost effective gas is.

majik

I don't know which gas stations (I've been told BP and Mapco at least) have started using up to 10% ethanol mixture with their gas. They get a 3% discount if they have the ethanol mix, but you certainly won't see that passed on to the consumer.

Using the ethanol mixture will cause worse gas mileage. But, it's better for the environment. Thanks Mr. Gore.

Ethanol burns faster and cleaner, so you will see less miles per fill up and fill up more often because of it. If you want a few extra miles on your tank, search for somewhere not mixing in ethanol. I've yet to find one near my house. Most pumps will have a sign that says "Contains up to 10% ethanol"

Shell was in trouble a few years ago because their refinery plant (or something like that) wasn't removing an important mineral/chemical/whatever and was determined to be the cause of several vehicle fuel gauges to stop working (don't know if it's full, empty, or half full). Supposedly they've cleaned up.

I'd look into which companies use which gas. I wouldn't be surprised if the same supplier went to 3 of the ones you listed. Exxon=Mobil , Texaco=Shell (and others)

Edit: A quick search found one article from 2004 about Shell: http://www.sptimes.com/2004/05/29/Tampabay...gums_up_f.shtml
My wife's grandfather ALWAYS goes to Shell (closest one to his house) and the fuel gauge on his truck stopped working almost a year before it was widely publicized. No telling how long it had been going on. It was a "sulfer" contaminant

Jason

I always figured the newer/more used gas stations were better because the tanks undergound were less likely to have dirt and crap in them.

But I usually go to any gas station thats closest to me when I need gas or decide to fill.

01silvtiby

i prefer Sunoco, i seem to get better gas mileage. And when with their gas I dont see the gas gauge go down if i slam on the gas

StrikeEagle

Definitely go with Texaco or Chevron, they add a fuel additive called Techron, which helps clean out your fuel system. If you look at some people's year maintenance schedule things on the site, a lot of people recommend running a bottle of Techron through the fuel to clean stuff out. Well Texaco and Chevron already do that for you! I always fill up at a Texaco, occasionally a Chevron but they're usually a lot more expensive.
Shell has something similar, called V-Power, but it's only in their Premium. Plus I could never top off my tank at Shell, so screw them.

There's an independent company called Top Tier that rates the fuel of gas stations. Basically they're like a BBB of fuel, so it's a really good gauge to see who has the best. Their top picks are:
QuikTrip
Chevron
Texaco
MFA Oil Co.
Conoco
Phillips 66
76
Entec Stations
Shell
The Somerset Refinery, Inc.
Kwik Trip / Kwik Star
Aloha Petroleum
Tri-Par Oil Co.
Turkey Hill Minit Markets
Mileage Stations
Chevron Canada
Shell Canada
Petro-Canada
Sunoco Canada

Top Tier Gasoline

supercow

here's the truth on gasoline. I've worked with/for marathon and talked with people in the field and had the same question.

sonoco, shell, etc. obviously don't have their own plant someplace they all get gas from the same place. So comparisons are usually pure crap. The only real difference is going to be storage and time from processing to purchase.

Example.
step 1: The marathon plant a few miles from me makes two types of gas (87 and 93) as well as kerosene and diesel.
step 2: It's then transported via a huge pipe to the truck filling station like 87, then 93, then keresene, and then diesel. Each put in their own tanks.
step 3: While in transport obviously the beginning and end of each type of fuel is mixed, this is transmix and is stored in a seperate container than the other fuels.
step 4: When a truck comes to pickup gas for chevron they hook up to three different pumps. One pulls 87 and a few percent transmix (yes diesel, kerosene etc.) Then the second hooks up and pulls 93 and 87 to get 89 and a few percent transmix (less transmix is allowed than 87). Then the third pulls pure 93. During this time techron is injected while pumping. For them to "brand" the gas only a few parts per million are required. Kinda like using 1/10 of that can of injector cleaner each time.
step 5: truck delivers gas to three storage tanks at chevron.

There you go! Gasoline purchasing demystified.

side note. Sonoco offers 94. I'm not sure where this is made but it requires a special shipment. There aren't that many places that make gasoline in the us. Look at this list and find the one closest to you. Thats where your gas is made!

99mini

i purchase my gasoline based on the masculinity of their corporate logo.

many years ago i used to buy Texaco gas cause i liked the bold star and red/black colors. when Texaco stopped doing business in canada about 20 years ago, i migrated to Esso/Exxon (red/white/blue).

i have a fond nostalgia for Shell cause i always use their road maps when touring the UK, cause their maps are very easy to read. but Shell's logo is a whoosy yellow clam, and i just can't bring myself to fill up at one of their stations.

daafisch

Im not sure which is better, normally just go to the closest and there is a mobile/exxon (just changed the signs last week from exxon to mobile) right at the entrance to my apartment complex.

Also that 10% ethanol stuff, here its required to be in all gas in CT and everywhere i fill in NY has it too....it sucks, as well as my gas mileage.

99mini

i usually run esso premium, but i've been thinking of switching to sunoco 94 which is 10% ethanol. i did some research a couple of years ago, and i recall it went something like this:

sunoco 94 has higher octane (good), but the ethanol mix runs lean (bad).

but if you have a standalone computer, you can enrich the fuel mixture to bring the air/fuel back into balance, in which case the higher octane lets you run slightly higher boost.

StrikeEagle

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (duncan @ Apr 25 2008, 10:27 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>i purchase my gasoline based on the masculinity of their corporate logo.</div>

So I guess you never go to "Love's" truck stops? LOL