Top Tier gas....Do you use it?
- Thread starter coltle6920
- Start date
I've never heard of top tier gas. What is it?
The brand of trucks hauling the gas may have NOTHING to do with which brand being hauled.
A multi-compartment tanker truck can even haul multiple brands, depending on the order.
They go to the depot, fill up with the brand/type/octane for that particular order, and drop the load. Repeat.
Company-owned haulers don't do this, but I've never worked with them, only the independents. One day they drop a load of BP, next day Marathon, next day some unbranded stuff to the mom'n'pop place.
A multi-compartment tanker truck can even haul multiple brands, depending on the order.
They go to the depot, fill up with the brand/type/octane for that particular order, and drop the load. Repeat.
Company-owned haulers don't do this, but I've never worked with them, only the independents. One day they drop a load of BP, next day Marathon, next day some unbranded stuff to the mom'n'pop place.
Maddog 521
Member
My owners manual recommends BP gasoline. BP does not have any stations here so I must improvise. Sometimes "cheap" is not the best way.
Arik
Member
I've yet to get an answer except for that it doesn't relate to octane
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Arik
Member
So HOW DO I KNOW ITS TOP TIER?!?!
Is the a sign, sticker, emblem,....what?
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ChattanoogaPhil
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From my limited understanding....
Top Tier is a testing standard.
The standard is about detergent additives in gasoline and measured against the amount of fuel deposits left on valves, injectors and whatever else. There are also standards within the detergents as well as base fuels. The idea is that over time Top Tier gas will leave fewer fuel deposits and the engine will perform better.
Have never paid any attention to it. My testing standard is price per gallon.
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Old TexMex
Member
Top Tier, Kool-Aide, AquaVelva. Drink what you like.
I guess I've used it, since the ad says the brands I buy are required to meet the hoodoo standards. Does it lower my carbon footprint, save a whale, or provide for better understanding of the world marketplace? Does it, in the end, save me money to use it, and if so, how many gallons do I have to use in order to break even? Every salesman should be able to answer these questions.
I didn't see PEMEX on the list
I guess I've used it, since the ad says the brands I buy are required to meet the hoodoo standards. Does it lower my carbon footprint, save a whale, or provide for better understanding of the world marketplace? Does it, in the end, save me money to use it, and if so, how many gallons do I have to use in order to break even? Every salesman should be able to answer these questions.
I didn't see PEMEX on the list
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Jim1392
US Veteran
I drive a Honda Civic so regular is good enough for me. 
5Wire
Member
I'm totally amazed at the number of posts in this thread claiming (and demonstrating) ignorance of Top Tier™, what it is and what it is intended to do. It has NOTHING to do with octane ratings—regular to premium, nothing to do with cost per gallon (mostly, anyway), and no relation to any beverages, internal locks, MIM parts, or plastic frames.
There are at least three links in this thread that clearly direct to a primary source explaining what Top Tier™ gasolines are intended to assure: the adherence to standards that most facilitate clean burning of fuels and the minimization of deposits in critical areas, all yielding better performance, mileage, engine life.
Don't want those improvements? Don't use those gasolines.
There are at least three links in this thread that clearly direct to a primary source explaining what Top Tier™ gasolines are intended to assure: the adherence to standards that most facilitate clean burning of fuels and the minimization of deposits in critical areas, all yielding better performance, mileage, engine life.
Don't want those improvements? Don't use those gasolines.
According to my owner's manual, I'm only supposed to use diesel. 
Lee in Quartzsite
Member
I just bought a new 2017 vehicle and the Owner's manual states that Top Tier fuel is recommended, or to use an additive if it isn't available. I always use it in all my vehicles and have been doing so for years. It usually the same price or just slightly higher compared to stations selling no-name gas.
Frankly, I am a bit surprised so many responses to this question are about octane rather than quality. Seems a lot of people here know more about guns than fuel.
Frankly, I am a bit surprised so many responses to this question are about octane rather than quality. Seems a lot of people here know more about guns than fuel.
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If we have TTG here I have never seen a reference to it. Not saying they never have or had it just never noticed..but I use diesel as much as gasoline. Gonna change on that soon as I am putting the 2002 F-250 up for sale. Just don't use it that much. Do they have TT diesel? We have treated diesel here.... for cold weather that is
long----sorry!
As a long time gearhead and longtime member of a couple of Corvette forums, just let me say this subject comes up often for discussion. Think of it as the 9mm VS .45 of the car guys!
Granted Top Tear gas is supposed to have a superior additive package. Does it all time really depends on what happens at the terminal that dispenses gas to the tanker trucks. Funny things have been known to happen, as lots of money is involved use your common sense.
Where I now live we have off brands, getting what they call top tier means I fill up when 25 miles or farther from my house.
On my 7th Corvette and octane weather some people on here want to hear it or not is important for a lot of vehicles. Many high performance engines need it, most all supercharged engines need it (course a supercharged engine most times is a high performance)
Every Vette I ever owned and some of my daily drivers need it to run right. Thanks to all the computers in a modern vehicle a vehicle will run ok on low octane gas. The computer will lower timing to compensate (that protects the engine from spark knock AKA pinging) what else also happens is that timing drop also lowers you available HP and also gives you lower fuel economy. FWIW this same things happen when you put in ethanol gas, lower power and worse mileage. As a Vette driver I want every horse to pull its best and really do not give a fecal material about mileage.
As stated before there are additives that can be used for certain reasons. My biggest reason to use additives is putting a vehicle to bed for 6 months due to bad winters. Every few tankful’s I do use Techron as my Vette has a direct injected engine and that type of injection is well known to complain about fuel.I started using that in my 98 Vette due to well known problems that model had!
I also used it in my other Vettes and on occasion in my DD vehicles. Yes Techron is available in some gases but we do not have that gas up here, so I put it in myself. Most all big box stores sell it!
For winter hibernation of my Vette and in my 2 stroke mixtures and emergency stored gas I do put in a good stabilizer product to lengthen the storage time as modern gasses go bad much faster than 20 years ago, top tier or not!
As a long time gearhead and longtime member of a couple of Corvette forums, just let me say this subject comes up often for discussion. Think of it as the 9mm VS .45 of the car guys!
Granted Top Tear gas is supposed to have a superior additive package. Does it all time really depends on what happens at the terminal that dispenses gas to the tanker trucks. Funny things have been known to happen, as lots of money is involved use your common sense.
Where I now live we have off brands, getting what they call top tier means I fill up when 25 miles or farther from my house.
On my 7th Corvette and octane weather some people on here want to hear it or not is important for a lot of vehicles. Many high performance engines need it, most all supercharged engines need it (course a supercharged engine most times is a high performance)
Every Vette I ever owned and some of my daily drivers need it to run right. Thanks to all the computers in a modern vehicle a vehicle will run ok on low octane gas. The computer will lower timing to compensate (that protects the engine from spark knock AKA pinging) what else also happens is that timing drop also lowers you available HP and also gives you lower fuel economy. FWIW this same things happen when you put in ethanol gas, lower power and worse mileage. As a Vette driver I want every horse to pull its best and really do not give a fecal material about mileage.
As stated before there are additives that can be used for certain reasons. My biggest reason to use additives is putting a vehicle to bed for 6 months due to bad winters. Every few tankful’s I do use Techron as my Vette has a direct injected engine and that type of injection is well known to complain about fuel.I started using that in my 98 Vette due to well known problems that model had!
I also used it in my other Vettes and on occasion in my DD vehicles. Yes Techron is available in some gases but we do not have that gas up here, so I put it in myself. Most all big box stores sell it!
For winter hibernation of my Vette and in my 2 stroke mixtures and emergency stored gas I do put in a good stabilizer product to lengthen the storage time as modern gasses go bad much faster than 20 years ago, top tier or not!
Bozz10mm
US Veteran
If you mean Texaco, Shell, Exxon, etc. That's what I use. I shy away from Grocery store or Walmart (Murphy's) gas. Yes, HEB sells gas at some of it's grocery store locations in Texas.
My wife always filled up at the HEB grocery and the engine developed a rough idle. I convinced her to switch to Chevron and the idle smoothed out after a couple of tanks. I guess that Techron works.
Wait...is Top Tier a brand name? Or an adjective?
My wife always filled up at the HEB grocery and the engine developed a rough idle. I convinced her to switch to Chevron and the idle smoothed out after a couple of tanks. I guess that Techron works.
Wait...is Top Tier a brand name? Or an adjective?
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I use Exxon just to irritate the earth-shoe types around here that still hate them for the Exxon Valdez oil spill.
REM 3200
US Veteran
Eight of the world's top automakers; BMW, General Motors, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Honda, Toyota, Volkswagen,
Mercedes-Benz and Audi think "Top Tier Gas" is worth while in their products.
Mercedes-Benz and Audi think "Top Tier Gas" is worth while in their products.
Arik
Member
Never researched gasoline. Never had cars that required any special or specific gasoline. I also never researched the oil that goes in my car or a host of other things not car related. I put gas in and the car goes. Really is all I'm interested in. My last car had no problems going over 300k on whatever tier.
Around here we have a lot of Sunoco and Lukoil which dont seem to be on the list. Some Exon, only one Citgo that I can think of, a few Valero but no where near me and usually in the ghettos for some reason. I fill up at wherever and haven't had issues since 1997
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the ringo kid
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You and me both brother. Im thinking of using my new (2005) ride making some spare cash with one of the ride share services in my area. Getting everything switched to my name early monday-will be on the road to Houston that afternoon. Anyway, ive heard (but dont know if true or not?) that you can make money (legally under the table and not have to report it) but ill find out more soon.
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