Top Tier gas....Do you use it?

[REM 3200]

Top Tier brands can be found here:
Licensed Brands | Top Tier Gas

 

[GKC]

Since we are now on a fixed income (which I don't understand why it's "fixed" since I'm always broke) price does make a difference. In the small town (population 487) where I live, there is only one station, and it's definitely not top tier. There are several bigger towns within a 20 mile radius, with several stations and convenience stores that offer a better choice...but only one of which is rated Top Tier. Since the price difference is significant in these other towns, at least 20 cents per gallon or more, it makes sense to drive there to fill up. My truck gets an average of 15 miles per gallon, so I can go fill up and come back home for about $3, and the savings is about $5 on a tank, so a net of $2. Not a lot, yes, but since I also go to the grocery store or other shops when I go get gas, it makes sense to do so...since I'd have to go to the other towns anyway.

I almost always go to Buc-ees, which is not only closer than any other station but also the cheapest (usually.) I use 87 octane, and my truck runs fine on it. It's a 2003 Expedition Eddie Bauer, and has 140K miles. We bought it new, and it's still in excellent condition.

 

[JK-linux]

BP 87 octane regular gas in my 2013 V6 Jeep. Runs fine. I buy their 91 octane nonoxygenated gas for my Honda inverter generator, snowblower, etc... I also buy the nonoxy stuff for my yearly long drive to visit family as well since I get quite a bit better gas mileage on that stuff, but only at highway speeds.

 

[Bkreutz]

I use the cheapest gas I can find. If I start having problems I'll buy another new car. Neither of my cars (both still under warranty) have specific fuel requirements.

 

[Steely85]

I use lots of Non-ethanol gasoline. The vehicles get it most of the time when I fill up around home.


Everything for home use (generator, UTV, mowers, chainsaw etc) is fed non-ethanol.

 

[woolieworm]

I use what the manual says to use. Higher priced gas is not needed,IMO.

 

[Steely85]

I wish to GOD that 'they' would stop putting food into gasoline. Ethanol has to be the biggest waste I know of.

 

[rick1085]

0nly use top tier Shell in my boat. Would pay much more for non ethonal but, it's not available where I live. Use 87 octane Volero in my road vehicles.
Premixed Husqvarna fuel in my leaf blower from Lowes by the quart. (The Husqvarna fuel is expensive but only use a quart per year )

 

[Baggy Wrinkle]

My 4-cylinder, 1.8 liter, turbo- charged Audi reguires high octane gas. If I could use 87 octane, I would. All the supposed super additives are marketing hype. I would also use non-ethanol gas if it were readily available. When I do, I get about 10 percent better mpg and slightly better acceleration.

 

[Steely85]

I can think of 8 stations within 15-20 miles of me that have non-ethanol

 

[5Wire]

My KIA Optima requires Top Tier or periodic additives to keep things clean for the Gasoline Direct Injection system (GDI). GDI is being used by a lot of manufacturers because it promotes "...more complete combustion and cooler cylinder temperatures that enable a higher compression ratio for greater efficiency and power. Engine technology supplier Bosch says that direct injection can return a 15 percent gain in fuel economy while boosting low-end torque as much as 50 percent."

Carbon and other fouling impedes GDI benefits. Top Tier reduces the fouling, simple as that. What surprised me was the 2.4 liter (146 cubic inches) Kia engine is rated at 194 horsepower. When I was coming up, one horsepower per cubic inch, carbureted, was good. One point three from the Kia is just fine and is currently averaging 29.9 miles per gallon. Top Tier and non Top Tier are about the same price around here.

Current Top Tier List updated 10/8
76
Aloha
Amoco Ultimate with Invigorate
ARCO
Beacon
BP Regular with Invigorate
BP Silver with Invigorate
Break Time
Cenex
Chevron
CITGO
Conoco
Co-op
Costco Gasoline
CountryMark
CountryMark Plus
Diamond Shamrock
Esso
Express
Exxon
Hele
Holiday
Kwik Star
Kwik Trip
Kwik Trip Express
Mahalo
MFA
Mobil
OAAI
Ohana Fuels
Petro-Canada
Phillips 66
PUMA Energy Caribe
QT
QuikTrip
Road Ranger
Shamrock
Shell
Shell (Puerto Rico)
Sinclair
Standard
SuperAmerica
SuperFuels
Tempo
Texaco
Tri-Par Qwik Stop
Valero


Consumer Reports on Top Tier

 

[rags]

One more for the list...

How many are using it and don't realize they are?

 

[DeathGrip]

Location Location Location

I can get Tier across town cheaper than my local station.

I don't go far usually but when I do I fill up with the good stuff.

My friend was a tanker driver and used to call the stuff you found at most discount stations "brand". Maybe I'm confused. I can't call him to ask, He passed about 4 years ago shortly after retirement.

 

[mtgianni]

All or the gas I see is run through Conoco's pipeline and trucked to distributors in Western MT. It doesn't matter the brand, it is all out of the same piep.

 

[pawngal]

One more for the list...

How many are using it and don't realize they are?

That be me. I knew I had seen signs but never paid attention. I looked at the list and 2 places I buy the most gas at are on it.
And they are the SAME price as the ones that aren't, plus I get double Cabela's bucks at Cenex

 

[5Wire]

One more for the list...

How many are using it and don't realize they are?

That's like making a list of things you don't know...

 

[CoMF]

Nope. Never have, to the best of my knowledge.

In fact, I've seen many of my local retailers (some of which are chains listed as "licensed brands" on the Top Tier website) getting their deliveries from the same generic truck as the "discount" stores.

Imagine that.

 

[kwselke]

One more for the list...

How many are using it and don't realize they are?

How many realize that all those brands represent a handful of large companies owning multiple brand names?

 

[rwsmith]

If I had an older vehicle.....

... I'd run a tank of good stuff every so often to clean up things a little. Also, the extra mileage was worth it in my cars for long trips. Now everything is computer controlled to burn on regular and that's what use. All my vehicles like it just fine.

 

[5Wire]

Nope. Never have, to the best of my knowledge.

In fact, I've seen many of my local retailers (some of which are chains listed as "licensed brands" on the Top Tier website) getting their deliveries from the same generic truck as the "discount" stores.

Imagine that.

...which itself does not imply the fuel is not Top Tier. Did you read the part that says:

In addition, all grades of gasoline sold under the licensed brands listed below ["above" in this thread] must meet the high standards of TOP TIER™ Detergent Gasoline