Originally Posted by Franc Rauscher
Top Tier gasoline is more of a marketing ploy than an actual "different" gasoline. Other than for winter & summer blends & octanes the gasoline you purchase at Exxon is no different than the gas you purchase at Shell.
At least here in the States........I can't vouch for Canada or Europe.
Originally Posted by Franc Rauscher
I can't argue this point with any authority. I know it was true at one time because my mom was a personal assistant to the president of Kerr Mcgee Oil for a while and told the same story. The only difference between Shell and Standard Oil or Texaco was the color they added to the blend as they filled the ground tanks at retail. It was, in fact ,the law that all fuels were the same.
But that was in the sixties. It doesn't explain why pumps have different Octanes ie: premium Shell is 93 but Mobil is 91. It futher does not explain why some have Ethanol and others do not and it surely does not explain why I get 5% to 7% better fuel economy with Shell vrs BP. Trust me, I have checked it more than once in seven different cars.
Hi, Franc!
The octane in our various fuels are mixed at the pump. Ethanol is blended in certain brands (& rarely in premium fuel) at the distribution tanks. The Ethanol is kept in separate tanks (duh!) & blended before it's carried away in the compartmentized (I don't think that's actually a word but I'm having brain lock) tankers. I cannot explain why you would get better mileage with one brand over another though I doubt if any mileage is strictly a byproduct of the gasoline you use especially if you receive gains in the single percentages. It could be anything, Franc, who knows.
Originally Posted by Franc Rauscher
If it is all the same why the different ratings and why the different milage?
I suspect that distribution is more descrete now and the fuel formulas for each brand my very well be different. Further, there have been numerous tests by consumer advocate groups quantifying the differences as shown earlier in this thread.
Perhaps we should look into this more but I'm sastified that Quick Trip is what they claim and when I can't get it I go tho Shell.
I don't care how good it is, I won't buy Citco or "ZX" or any of the new names Chevas has given his company outlets, not even if he drops to $1.00 a gallon.
Let me explain why I know this & maybe it will go down easier. The company I work for presently owns 23 C-stores branded Citgo & Mobil. All of our gas is pulled from whatever distribution terminal is closest to whatever store, usually out of Green Bay or a tiny bump-in-the-road town called Junction City. No one brand has separate tanks, only premium or regular exists in the tanks (plus other odds & ends like diesel, kerosene, etc.). In addition we own a terminal in Madison that stores only ethanol. We own a fleet of tankers that pulls this fuel & is distributed to any branded store we own, matters not if it is one of our Citgo or Mobil stores, all the same stuff gets dumped underground.
By the way, we are presently in the process of dumping the Citgo brand & going brandless at those stores. Our CEO's felt exactly the same way: as long as Chavez keeps shooting off his mouth Citgo is damaged goods & we will not deal with them no mo'. Everytime he makes the news our sales fall off at our Citgo stores. It isn't worth the hassle anymore.
Originally Posted by Franc Rauscher
OK, Is someone having fun with us or did Chuck Norris just buy a Crossfire?
I don't know who this guy is but I'm enjoying his posts! If only eating beans would get our cars to go I'd buy stock in Bush's!