Do you think that the brand of gasoline that you buy makes any difference?

Question

I have friends who insist that buying Chevron gasoline which is the most expensive gasoline there is makes a lot of difference in terms of engine longevity and mileage. I have found this not to be the case at all. Gasoline is gasoline if the octane rating is appropriate to the engine itself. I think if you buy expensive gasoline like Chevron you are simply bowing to the manufacturer's advertising campaign.

lightbulb27 · Accepted Answer

Who really knows... my engines go 200k+ and I use the octane suggested or what the car's known to handle. I use the cheap fuel. if no knocking, the octane level is fine.

I've heard there are other additives and maybe those keep fuel injectors clean. how many of us check the inside of the engine for sludge and keep the throttle bodies, fuel injectors clean? does it matter? I've never had a problem with fuel injectors.

I know for sure there's a lot of soot in our Honda (200k miles) as I looked down the spark plug hole. How many of us clean the top ends of the cars? That carbon causes pre-ignition. Word on the street is running higher octane or other fuel would avoid that. It means we are wasting some energy. I could get a cleaner which is $80 or so or take to a shop, $200... or take it apart and clean it.

The Honda burns oil... polluting the atmosphere and causing global warming. Multiple that X number of Hondas as most of them do at a point. Lower quality fuel I suspect (and or oil) causes sticky piston rings and possibly valves (so I hear). It is possible that the "lower quality" fuel is causing these issues feeding pollution.

Given many cars are made to fall apart depending upon brand, probably not worth it.

not to mention ethanol junk in there... which does destroy small engine carbs.

Lastly... I'll add the spate of cat converter theft... results in some people removing the converter and running a straight pipe to keep the car going. That's going to feed smog in big cities. Not fuel related, but may see that as issue.

KrakenAttackin · Accepted Answer

Actually there is a difference. I work with petroleum and here is the scoop. At the terminal (where the big tanker trucks draw fuel to deliver to gas stations), the stored fuel in the massive tanks is all the same. When the tanker driver pulls into the "rack" (fuel terminal), he enters the company info (I. e Chevron) and selects the various grades for each of his four or five tanks on his truck. Once he enters the company info the system will add detergents and any other special additives the company has requested. So, yes, gasoline is gasoline, but the detergents are very different.

whirled_up_girl · Accepted Answer

I guess never really thought about it, I always thought it was more about whether it was unleaded, premium etc. a lot of stations around here now only offer the flex fuel with the 10 percent ethanol which I'm not sure if that's a good thing either, luckily my car takes that kind of fuel.

TrueConfection · Accepted Answer

I had a car that hated Chevron. I had another car that didn't like Exxon/Esso.

chocolatesinpockets · Answer

Sometimes I just like to experience the different brand store, not so much for the brand of gasoline or Petroleum or diesel, but sometimes I just want to go to a different brand, depends on my mood, price and location of where I'm travelling to.

Sometimes some brands just are cooler because there's fewer of them. E. g. how many 7 Eleven gas stations compared to how many Other brand gas stations. Sometimes it's a novelty thing or a brand choice, each to their own.

I tend to fill-up at different brands, or the same brand, depends where im driving and why and price. Ha.

Chazmatazz269 · Answer

It matters, but not as much as some might suggest. The industry is pretty strictly regulated in the US, and that’s where the minimum standards come from. The ways and extent to which certain companies exceed standards can definitely improve performance and longevity of your internal combustion engines. Naturally those companies are charging more. Also naturally, some companies are doing the bare minimum and charging the same knowing most customers are too dumb and lazy to do a little research. Ell oh ell!

HighValue · Answer

When I had GM brand vehicles, Chevron gas DID get me a couple more miles per gallon. When I had my Nissan it didn't do anything different for that car.

The octane rating DOES make a difference regardless of which brand of station you go to. Usually about 4 miles per gallon more for 91 octane compared to 87 octane.

The only way it is actually cheaper to use 87 octane instead of 91 is if gas costed less than $1 per gallon, otherwise you always save money by getting the high octane gas when calculated in dollars per mile.

You can figure it out yourself. Fill up your gas tank completely after running it down to a half gallon or less. Then the next time you fill it up completely, divide the miles you got and the amount of gas you just put in to fill it up. then try doing the same exact thing again with a different octane of gas or a different brand. It isn't an opinion, it is math. Anyone that knows how to calculate it can figure it out for themselves.

Friendlybro79 · Answer

As far as I know the benchmark really is of it qualifies as top tier gasoline, which of I remember, means it has 5x the minimum detergents that is required. Most of the big brand names are all top tier now which means any of them are better than a station using the min amount of detergents in the gasoline. Basically any top tier makes a difference if a non top tier gasoline is using only minimum detergent level.

https://toptiergas.com/licensed-brands/

jshm2 · Answer

The science is clear - it's just marketing bullshit.

While there is a little difference in ethanol content and additives to make fuel "greener". Unless you're driving a sports car, the higher octane content makes zero difference.

genericname85 · Answer

it probably does have a negligible difference that can turn into a relevant difference if you drive an insanely expensive car or like a vintage car that has sentimental value for you. that's my uninformed opinion. just applying some common sense.

front2back · Answer

It does but only based on what is Top Teir rated, any gasoline that carries that standard is something good to put in your engine.
Now, some brands like Shell V-Power do seem to have a competitive edge on detergents and such but compared to the price and other Top Teir rated gasoline I don't see a reason to use them.
I just stick with Costco as it's the cheapest Premium fuel around.

tfan1 · Answer

I refuel at Sam’s club and it seems even if cheaper gas, it feels like it’s “watered down”. Not real water but it’s not lasting long. My car gets 30 mpg and I can refuel and go down the road about 10-15 minutes and one dot on my digital readout for the fuel tank is gone! Something doesn’t add up.

andreasderjuengere · Answer

I tend to get my fuel from a 'local' producer. I see no need to feed the greed from overseas.

SnowedIn · Answer

Sort of. I have noticed a difference if I go from a brand name gas to something at a 7-11 or mom and pop shop. But I just stay consistent and use the same octane and same gas station each time unless I'm driving long distance.

RealMarek · Answer

The brand doesn’t matter as much as whether there is or isn’t ethanol. Ethanol is bad for engines, but ethanol-free gasoline is priced so highly (to push people into ethanol blend) that it probably is more costly than the wear and tear.

NerdInDenial · Answer

The highest Octane I have seen is in the Middle East. I have only seen 91 and 95. Even though there are different companies, the gas prices are government regulated.

Subarugirl · Answer

As someone on who has been working in the automotive industry for the past 7 years yes. It's entirely dependent on the additives or lack there of.

NathanDavis · Answer

I always make sure to pay a bit of extra... for  "unadulterated"   fuel...

zagor · Answer

Don't know for sure. But I did know a BMW mechanic who claimed that most of his customers who had engine trouble regularly bought gas at Costco, who I think varies suppliers to get the best price.

Jdjfjcjj · Answer

Yes it does. Chevron and shell are way better then Exxom or Valero for ex (in my opinion) because of the additives

ChillaxingLove · Answer

No. They all use the same gas that came from the ground. And fyi there actually is only 95 and 98 the 3rd middle one is useless

Guardian45 · Answer

Gasoline is gasoline. It's all brand marketing bullsh! t!

Likes2drive · Answer

There really isn’t any difference except some of the additives they may claim to put in the gasoline so it’s really just a waste

Charlesbrandonf · Answer

Yes costco and shell gas have more octane number which makes an engine run smooth

convo_king89 · Answer

Octane rating isn’t the only thing, there is also cleaning additives like what she’ll advertises.

ArtemisSilver · Answer

Yea if the logo is red your car goes faster, didn't you know?

Anonymous · Answer

Although gas/petrol is produced to a specification, additives are sometimes different. It's not something I concern myself with though.

Anonymous · Answer

Yeah. It even matters where you buy it as they may be watering it down

Marklaw12 · Answer

Yep. Some. The bigger brands have less gasoline at the same price.

Jamie05rhs · Answer

We don't even have Chevrons here anymore. I don't know where they all went.

Guy13 · Answer

High octane makes a difference….

peedy · Answer

No it all pretty much comes from the same place

musicbrain5 · Answer

Not to me.

Chris_u006 · Answer

Absolutely not!

Do you think that the brand of gasoline that you buy makes any difference?

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