Brand name gasoline. Truth or bunk?

[christopherboffoli]

Oh bluebird. Where’s your sense of humor? Happy New Year.

Andre: There probably are some detailed studies out there, just nothing that would necessarily be immediately obvious on a Google search. But the NYT article cited an auto test engineer for Consumer Reports, one of the ABC News stories cited a study by the Maryland Fuel testing Laboratory, and the USA Today article cited a survey by an engineer from the Air Improvement Resource.

It would seem that part of the challenge here is that there doesn’t seem to be any economic benefit for an independent party to do expensive research to disprove it. Whereas to the contrary the oil companies have a self-serving interest in distinguishing their brands in what is essentially the same commodity for everyone.

You don’t tend to see any studies out there proving that generic brand corn flakes is essentially the same product as Kellogg’s. Kellogg’s has more to gain by funding studies that can pick and choose results to prove that their corn flakes are better when the greatest difference is probably just the art on the box.

I’d definitely like to see the Mythbusters take this one on.

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[bluebird]

Up to 85% of gas does not have enough detergent to keep fuel injectors clean. Most have only one/tenth. It’s more often added to the higher octane because of the higher price they can charge.

My 2007 VW says right on the gas door to put in only 89, which means it doesn’t need higher octane but I have no idea how to be assured your getting the proper amount of detergent.

“Bad Gasoline Causes Performance Problems”

http://www.aa1car.com/library/us10325.htm

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[bluebird]

Up to 85% of gas does not have enough detergent to keep fuel injectors clean. Most have only one/tenth. It’s more often added to the higher octane because of the higher price they can charge.

My 2007 VW says right on the gas door to put in only 89, which means it doesn’t need higher octane but I have no idea how to be assured your getting the proper amount of detergent.

“Bad Gasoline Causes Performance Problems”

http://www.aa1car.com/library/us10325.htm

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[christopherboffoli]

My 2008 VW Eos requires 91 which I have been putting in dutifully since I bought it. I have heard from other owners who have tried lower octane and have either experienced no discernible difference or who claim to have realized poor mileage and pinging as a result.

The whole detergent issue is something that the oil companies seem to have invested a lot of time and money in promulgating. But my question is, what is so dirty that has to be cleaned? I just don’t buy it.

I use a clever little iPhone app to track my fuel mileage whenever I fill up. My car always seems to hover around the same mileage: 24mpg in the city, 33 on the highway. So I’m completely agnostic when it comes to name brand gasoline.

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[christopherboffoli]

My 2008 VW Eos requires 91 which I have been putting in dutifully since I bought it. I have heard from other owners who have tried lower octane and have either experienced no discernible difference or who claim to have realized poor mileage and pinging as a result.

The whole detergent issue is something that the oil companies seem to have invested a lot of time and money in promulgating. But my question is, what is so dirty that has to be cleaned? I just don’t buy it.

I use a clever little iPhone app to track my fuel mileage whenever I fill up. My car always seems to hover around the same mileage: 24mpg in the city, 33 on the highway. So I’m completely agnostic when it comes to name brand gasoline.

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[dhg]

–“what is so dirty that has to be cleaned?” —

Um, it’s gas and oil and it’s combusted. Didn’t you see There Will Be Blood? Their faces are blackened by it :)

Pure carbon is one of the by-products of combustion and it must be removed to keep those cylinders firing.

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[dhg]

–“what is so dirty that has to be cleaned?” —

Um, it’s gas and oil and it’s combusted. Didn’t you see There Will Be Blood? Their faces are blackened by it :)

Pure carbon is one of the by-products of combustion and it must be removed to keep those cylinders firing.

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[christopherboffoli]

dhg: I don’t know about you but when I go to the gas station to fill up I’m not pumping jet black crude oil into my car. :-)

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[christopherboffoli]

dhg: I don’t know about you but when I go to the gas station to fill up I’m not pumping jet black crude oil into my car. :-)

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[Sue]

When I bought my 2009 Mazda5 last year, I was told the same thing about not using “off brand” gasoline – the dealer said that when he used the Arco (AM/PM) gas that he got worse gas mileage and that the gas wasn’t the best for the car. Whether that’s true or not, I figured that the amount I save going to a place like that versus a “name brand” is probably like 50 cents a tank, and I’d rather not take the risk for such a small savings. It’s not that I won’t ever put the “off brand” gas in the car, but I do tend not to.

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[Sue]

When I bought my 2009 Mazda5 last year, I was told the same thing about not using “off brand” gasoline – the dealer said that when he used the Arco (AM/PM) gas that he got worse gas mileage and that the gas wasn’t the best for the car. Whether that’s true or not, I figured that the amount I save going to a place like that versus a “name brand” is probably like 50 cents a tank, and I’d rather not take the risk for such a small savings. It’s not that I won’t ever put the “off brand” gas in the car, but I do tend not to.

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[AdmiralJaneway]

A couple of years ago, there was a new story about a problem with water in gasoline. The distributor delivered this gas to Shell and Safeway stations. It changed the way I looked at “off brand” gas.

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[AdmiralJaneway]

A couple of years ago, there was a new story about a problem with water in gasoline. The distributor delivered this gas to Shell and Safeway stations. It changed the way I looked at “off brand” gas.

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[Robindianne]

Christopher,

What is the iphone app for mileage? We drive a smart car and although it’s touted as being the “most fuel effecient non-hybrid” it’d be fun to test out that claim. It, too, requires the highest octane but we fill up at am/pm most every time.

Thanks!

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[Robindianne]

Christopher,

What is the iphone app for mileage? We drive a smart car and although it’s touted as being the “most fuel effecient non-hybrid” it’d be fun to test out that claim. It, too, requires the highest octane but we fill up at am/pm most every time.

Thanks!

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[christopherboffoli]

The app I use is called Mileage Tracker (it appears simply as MPG) on the iPhone. I thought it was free when I bought it but I think it might be .99 now. There may also be better apps out there. But this one has worked for me thus far. The developer’s site has more information (with screenshots) here:

http://sites.google.com/a/lemdisyn.com/lemdisyn-home/mpg

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[christopherboffoli]

The app I use is called Mileage Tracker (it appears simply as MPG) on the iPhone. I thought it was free when I bought it but I think it might be .99 now. There may also be better apps out there. But this one has worked for me thus far. The developer’s site has more information (with screenshots) here:

http://sites.google.com/a/lemdisyn.com/lemdisyn-home/mpg

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[Robindianne]

Thanks. Now let the gas games begin :)

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[Robindianne]

Thanks. Now let the gas games begin :)

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[cloudy_seattle]

Just to let you and everyone know, there is a large difference between off brands and say Chevron or Shell. To begin with, gas is a strickly monitored consumable so in the basic sense it is all the same. The difference is in the additives that are added before the tanker leaves the refinery. How gas is mixed changes several times a years to offset the effects of weather conditions. Off brand gas adds at least 10% ethanol and little to no cleaners. With Chevron, you got no ethanol and techron added to delay carbon build-up, however a recent change in the law mandated some ethanol in the major brands. Chevron keeps the ethanol levels low 3%. Thats the big difference. So what does ethanol do? It is a highly acidic additive to help boost octane in lower grade gas. It is not as thermally efficient as gas so performance and mileage suffer with the amount used. Ethanol will eat gas tanks, seals, and injectors in older cars. Cars have to be designed to use this stuff. Flex fuel cars are designed for this purpose. Cars from the last 10 years can safely use up to 10%. Your new Subie is made to use the cheap stuff at ethanol levels over 10%. I would never use it myself. So look at the fuel filler door. It will have the octane needed for your car. Putting higher octance than what’s required is a waste of money. On the other hand putting regular in place of the required premium won’t hurt anything, but your mileage and performance will suffer.

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[cloudy_seattle]

Just to let you and everyone know, there is a large difference between off brands and say Chevron or Shell. To begin with, gas is a strickly monitored consumable so in the basic sense it is all the same. The difference is in the additives that are added before the tanker leaves the refinery. How gas is mixed changes several times a years to offset the effects of weather conditions. Off brand gas adds at least 10% ethanol and little to no cleaners. With Chevron, you got no ethanol and techron added to delay carbon build-up, however a recent change in the law mandated some ethanol in the major brands. Chevron keeps the ethanol levels low 3%. Thats the big difference. So what does ethanol do? It is a highly acidic additive to help boost octane in lower grade gas. It is not as thermally efficient as gas so performance and mileage suffer with the amount used. Ethanol will eat gas tanks, seals, and injectors in older cars. Cars have to be designed to use this stuff. Flex fuel cars are designed for this purpose. Cars from the last 10 years can safely use up to 10%. Your new Subie is made to use the cheap stuff at ethanol levels over 10%. I would never use it myself. So look at the fuel filler door. It will have the octane needed for your car. Putting higher octance than what’s required is a waste of money. On the other hand putting regular in place of the required premium won’t hurt anything, but your mileage and performance will suffer.

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[JoB]

cloudy-seattle

i would agree that using premium gas on a regular basis is a waste of money.. however.. i do bump up the octane for the first tank on every road trip.

I developed the habit after seeing an increase in mileage once when regular wasn’t available… and the premium bump seems to last through several tanks..

and yes.. for those doubting thomases.. and i am one… i have tested this hypothesis. it works for both our vehicles.. a mini-van and a small pickup.

As for cheaper gas.. there is cheaper and then there is risky cheaper because of both the storage conditions at the station and the delivery system for the gasoline.

I fill up at Costco anywhere with no qualms because they run through an amazing amount of gasoline very quickly and keep their tanks flushed. I use my local arco for the same reason.

but.. when i travel and know nothing about the stations along the road.. i am cautious about the mom and pop totally off-brand stations unless they look really well maintained.

however.. given a choice between paying 10 cents more for Chevron or pumping from a well maintained Arco.. i choose the Arco every time.

Pigeonmom.. i put 250,000+ miles on two subarus this way.. and the kids who bought them got another 100,000… Don’t know what happened to them after that.

i’d still be driving a subaru if hubby wasn’t so tall.. the seats just aren’t made to keep a man his height comfortable for any length of time:(

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[JoB]

cloudy-seattle

i would agree that using premium gas on a regular basis is a waste of money.. however.. i do bump up the octane for the first tank on every road trip.

I developed the habit after seeing an increase in mileage once when regular wasn’t available… and the premium bump seems to last through several tanks..

and yes.. for those doubting thomases.. and i am one… i have tested this hypothesis. it works for both our vehicles.. a mini-van and a small pickup.

As for cheaper gas.. there is cheaper and then there is risky cheaper because of both the storage conditions at the station and the delivery system for the gasoline.

I fill up at Costco anywhere with no qualms because they run through an amazing amount of gasoline very quickly and keep their tanks flushed. I use my local arco for the same reason.

but.. when i travel and know nothing about the stations along the road.. i am cautious about the mom and pop totally off-brand stations unless they look really well maintained.

however.. given a choice between paying 10 cents more for Chevron or pumping from a well maintained Arco.. i choose the Arco every time.

Pigeonmom.. i put 250,000+ miles on two subarus this way.. and the kids who bought them got another 100,000… Don’t know what happened to them after that.

i’d still be driving a subaru if hubby wasn’t so tall.. the seats just aren’t made to keep a man his height comfortable for any length of time:(

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