What Brand Of Gas Do You Use

[NoHaveMSG]

My cousin used to be a buyer for a fuel distribution company in the NW, Marc Nelson Oil Products which was bought recently by Petrocard. It's more or less all the same stuff.

He used to also tell me they would buy based on "futures" a lot. Same with their customers with them. So sometimes they would promise to buy X amount of gallons over 6 months at X price and sometimes they would win, sometimes loose. A lot of fuel is bought this way and it artificially holds prices up higher then they should be more often than the other way around.

[H380]

Yes it is all the same. The only difference is the additive package. Unless you live close enough to a refinery so fuel can be trucked. It has to be pumped through a pipeline. 93, 91, 87, Jet Fuel, Diesel, and Heating Oil are all pumped through the same pipeline. At the terminal it then goes to a companies storage tanks. Then the additives package is added and it is trucked to the stations.

[Flarpswitch]

I only go to a station that has 'Top Tier' fuel and select Premium for my BRZ and Regular for my Ascent. Seems like most of the time I end up at Costco. Sometimes I wonder how much Regular octane fuel is left in the pump line from the previous customer pumping Regular gasoline. Hey, I want a discount for not getting 100% premium! I remember when I lived in New Mexico during the 1970s, we had issues with gasoline blended for seasonal use considering altitude (4,500' on up) and ambient temperatures that range cold or hot sometimes in the same 24 hour period. Many cars would have vaporlock problems especially when the winter blend stocks were not depleted and the temperatures went up unseasonably. I have no idea if this is a thing now, but I assume with the advent of wide spread fuel injection and computer controls, engines can better cope with environmental conditions and fuel quality.


Something I just thought of after posting was that I don't notice any variations in performance day to day on my Subaru cars, but I do notice performance issues on my RV which is on a MB Sprinter with a 3.0L V6 turbo. I avoid Bio-mass diesel like the plague, but on a recent 2,000 mile round trip from Oregon to California, I had to use Bio-Diesel of various blends and sometime unknown ratios. Keeping track and doing the math, I estimate a 12% hit on fuel economy and I suspect an increase in oil dilution. Adding to the evidence of my suspicions, the diesel generator on the RV for the first time would shut down due to overload with the A/C, DC power convertor, fridge and then the microwave doing baked potatoes. Once I was able to get a tank of #2 Diesel, the generator was full output again. This is similar to how a gas generator output is de-rated when it is switched to propane and then even less when using natural gas. Based on these observations, I would say any paranoia about the quality of gasoline is not without merit.

[OkieSnuffBox]

Originally Posted by Flarpswitch

I only go to a station that has 'Top Tier' fuel and select Premium for my BRZ and Regular for my Ascent. Seems like most of the time I end up at Costco. Sometimes I wonder how much Regular octane fuel is left in the pump line from the previous customer pumping Regular gasoline. Hey, I want a discount for not getting 100% premium! I remember when I lived in New Mexico during the 1970s, we had issues with gasoline blended for seasonal use considering altitude (4,500' on up) and ambient temperatures that range cold or hot sometimes in the same 24 hour period. Many cars would have vaporlock problems especially when the winter blend stocks were not depleted and the temperatures went up unseasonably. I have no idea if this is a thing now, but I assume with the advent of wide spread fuel injection and computer controls, engines can better cope with environmental conditions and fuel quality.


Something I just thought of after posting was that I don't notice any variations in performance day to day on my Subaru cars, but I do notice performance issues on my RV which is on a MB Sprinter with a 3.0L V6 turbo. I avoid Bio-mass diesel like the plague, but on a recent 2,000 mile round trip from Oregon to California, I had to use Bio-Diesel of various blends and sometime unknown ratios. Keeping track and doing the math, I estimate a 12% hit on fuel economy and I suspect an increase in oil dilution. Adding to the evidence of my suspicions, the diesel generator on the RV for the first time would shut down due to overload with the A/C, DC power convertor, fridge and then the microwave doing baked potatoes. Once I was able to get a tank of #2 Diesel, the generator was full output again. This is similar to how a gas generator output is de-rated when it is switched to propane and then even less when using natural gas. Based on these observations, I would say any paranoia about the quality of gasoline is not without merit.

Comparing "Top Tier" gasoline which is available in most of the country to "Top Tier" diesel which isn't, isn't a good comparison.

https://www.toptiergas.com/gasoline-brands/

https://www.toptiergas.com/diesel-brands/

[OkieSnuffBox]

Originally Posted by NoHaveMSG

My cousin used to be a buyer for a fuel distribution company in the NW, Marc Nelson Oil Products which was bought recently by Petrocard. It's more or less all the same stuff.

He used to also tell me they would buy based on "futures" a lot. Same with their customers with them. So sometimes they would promise to buy X amount of gallons over 6 months at X price and sometimes they would win, sometimes loose. A lot of fuel is bought this way and it artificially holds prices up higher then they should be more often than the other way around.

Yes, airlines and basically all other commercial entities buy on futures.

I thought stuff like this was common knowledge.

[Shub Deetle]

I use Esso 93 up here in the Great White. It’s hard to find unless you’re in a big city. Luckily I can get it in a small town about 5 miles from here. There’s a refinery nearby and rumour has it that the gas is devoid of ethanol.

[WNDSRFR]

Nothing wrong with a little alcohol every now and then.

[vindiesel]

93 from who cares… I also taste a touch of gas on my finger to taste test its chemical properties then I sniff my tailpipe. Who needs porn when you can read your black stone lab oil report? The analysis is erotic.

[x808drifter]

Wherever is cheapest which usually is Costco. Since ALL the gas on my rock comes from a single refinery.
The only difference is the special 11 herbs and spices put in by each company which hardly has an affect.

[OkieSnuffBox]

Originally Posted by Shub Deetle

I use Esso 93 up here in the Great White. It’s hard to find unless you’re in a big city. Luckily I can get it in a small town about 5 miles from here. There’s a refinery nearby and rumour has it that the gas is devoid of ethanol.

That's interesting. Here in Oklahoma they are required to tell us which ones are E0 and which ones are E10. And E85 is legally required to be at least 70% at the pump.

[Dadhawk]

About 90% of my fuel in the FRS comes from Racetrac (a US Southern region company if you aren't familar), just because its on my route and they are very consistent at the pumps and in the store.

Like most have said though, I get it from where ever I need. What I won't do if I can at all avoid it is go to a low traffic fueling station.

[NoHaveMSG]

Originally Posted by OkieSnuffBox

I thought stuff like this was common knowledge.

Most people I talk to don't know this. Like 99%.

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by NoHaveMSG

Most people I talk to don't know this. Like 99%.

Hey, That's me! I didn't know. Would be cool if I could buy milk futures.


Or pasts! Can we buy stuff for what it used to cost? I remember gas less than $0.40/gal

[OkieSnuffBox]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

Hey, That's me! I didn't know. Would be cool if I could buy milk futures.


Or pasts! Can we buy stuff for what it used to cost? I remember gas less than $0.40/gal

You can buy diary futures.