Which Gas Company is Best?
03-09-07, 12:53 PM
#31
Anyone know what type of gas Costco uses?
edit:
If anyone has any additional information, it would be appreciated.
edit:
Why is the Costco gas station so much cheaper than other gas stations?
I always thought the gas station idea at Costco was just an afterthought… you know, a way for those guys to make a few more bucks. When I placed a telephone call to Costco headquarters in Issaquah, Washington, I found that I was dead wrong. Costco takes its gas very seriously. So seriously in fact, that they actually have a VP of Gasoline on their executive roster. (I wonder if they have a VP of Pizza-by-the-Slice?) I tried to reach the VP of Gasoline, but evidently he must’ve been out brokering a huge petroleum deal with Rotten Robbie’s, because my call ended up getting routed to a general information monkey. I must not be the first person who’s called with this question because the customer service rep read me a prepared script. It went something like this: “Costco is able to keep its gas prices so low because we don’t acquire our gas from just one source. We purchase gasoline from many sources (BP, 76, Arco to name a few) – wherever we can get it cheapest at that time. This way, we can pass the savings on to you.” So, if you don’t mind waiting in lines that hearken back to the gas crisis of ’73, you too can save a few clams at the Costco gas station.
I always thought the gas station idea at Costco was just an afterthought… you know, a way for those guys to make a few more bucks. When I placed a telephone call to Costco headquarters in Issaquah, Washington, I found that I was dead wrong. Costco takes its gas very seriously. So seriously in fact, that they actually have a VP of Gasoline on their executive roster. (I wonder if they have a VP of Pizza-by-the-Slice?) I tried to reach the VP of Gasoline, but evidently he must’ve been out brokering a huge petroleum deal with Rotten Robbie’s, because my call ended up getting routed to a general information monkey. I must not be the first person who’s called with this question because the customer service rep read me a prepared script. It went something like this: “Costco is able to keep its gas prices so low because we don’t acquire our gas from just one source. We purchase gasoline from many sources (BP, 76, Arco to name a few) – wherever we can get it cheapest at that time. This way, we can pass the savings on to you.” So, if you don’t mind waiting in lines that hearken back to the gas crisis of ’73, you too can save a few clams at the Costco gas station.
03-10-07, 06:51 AM
#33
Lexus Fanatic
Thanks! Makes me feel better about buying the BP now. Now I know this might incite more Ford jokes on this forum, and no doubt it's a marketing relationship, but Ford 'recommends' BP gas now.
Sidebar: There's two BP gas stations nearby, one on either side of the interstate. One charges consistently about 8-10c more per gallon! Even more if you go for the cheaper one's 'cash price' of 4c less.
Sidebar: There's two BP gas stations nearby, one on either side of the interstate. One charges consistently about 8-10c more per gallon! Even more if you go for the cheaper one's 'cash price' of 4c less.
03-10-07, 11:28 AM
#34
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
You probably won't go wrong with BP, especially IF they still use the old Mobil detergent package ( they obviously have the rights to it now since they bought out Mobil ), which was one of the best detergent packages in the industry. I myself used it almost exclusively, for years, before switching to Shell and Chevron after BP bought Mobil.
er, Exxon bought Mobil, not BP. Maybe I'm misunderstanding. Oh wait, maybe you meant Amoco, which BP bought?
03-10-07, 11:34 AM
#35
Lexus Fanatic
I posted it this morning before my home-brewed Starbucks fully kicked in. 
However, the same statement applies. Amoco, which BP bought out, was also one of the former top-rated brands of gasoline (they were making lead-free gas in the 1960's when no one else did and had a detergent package almost as good as Mobil's), so if BP wisely stuck with their formula, you are still unlikely to go wrong with BP.
Last edited by mmarshall; 03-10-07 at 11:40 AM.
03-10-07, 11:59 AM
#37
Lexus Test Driver
i've said this so many times I should make a sticky about it. LOCATION.. I worked testing gas for the EPA for almost 6 yrs and to tell you the truth, it comes down to location, overall <in the Atlanta area at least> as far as I can tell you, BP, Shell, Texaco <chevron> and QT are usually the ones with the least impurities in their gas, now Im talking about very minimal differences in contrast to other brands, but those are the ones that usually stand out.. Now when I meant location, it all comes down to the station location itself.. usually the older the station, the more sediment we've found and the more crack prone their tanks are <small ones but enough to leak gas and, sometimes, let small amounts of water in> regardless of the brand.. stick to the big names and you'll be just fine, the only real piece of advice I usually give is try not to gas if the refill truck is at the station, and if you see it, wait about 4-5 hrs after and it's fine
03-11-07, 08:27 AM
#38
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So far, most of you guys are correct. Chevron and Shell are generally the best two brands today, mostly because of high-quality detergent packages.
Mobil used to have the best and strongest detergent package, but since Exxon bought thm out, you really don't know what you're getting with them any more. Amoco was also a very high-quality brand (they, alone, among major oil companies, were producing lead-free gas as far back as the 60's when everybody else was using lead as an octane booster and valve lubricant) but, like with Exxon/Mobil, since they were bought out by BP, you don't really know what you're getting now with them.
Mobil used to have the best and strongest detergent package, but since Exxon bought thm out, you really don't know what you're getting with them any more. Amoco was also a very high-quality brand (they, alone, among major oil companies, were producing lead-free gas as far back as the 60's when everybody else was using lead as an octane booster and valve lubricant) but, like with Exxon/Mobil, since they were bought out by BP, you don't really know what you're getting now with them.
03-11-07, 09:32 AM
#39
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
03-11-07, 10:10 AM
#40
Lexus Fanatic
Now when I meant location, it all comes down to the station location itself.. usually the older the station, the more sediment we've found and the more crack prone their tanks are <small ones but enough to leak gas and, sometimes, let small amounts of water in> regardless of the brand.. stick to the big names and you'll be just fine, the only real piece of advice I usually give is try not to gas if the refill truck is at the station, and if you see it, wait about 4-5 hrs after and it's fine
I'm not an expert on the subject of replacing tanks, but I think, by EPA mandate and state/Federal regulations, even older stations have to have their underground tanks replaced at certain intervals so that they don't leak too bad and contaminate the ground around them. That is just part of the cost of doing buisness....and something else that affects pump prices.
And EVERYBODY will be getting new tanks if we ever start to get more alternate fuels like E85, ethanol, hydrogen, etc.....
03-11-07, 01:05 PM
#41
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03-11-07, 10:07 PM
#42
Tech Info Resource
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I buy Shell because I have a Shell Mastercard. On $296 in gas purchases last month I got $132 in rebates because I bought Shell gas and because I use the card instead of using an ATM card (and I pay it off every month.) This month I spent $312 on gas and got $117 in credit against next month's fuel purchases. With this kind of discount available to me and the amount I spend on gasoline, I would be a fool to buy gas anywhere else, especially with the going rate for premium near my house at $3.30 a gallon.
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