nthach

I can definetly feel the difference between Chevron and cheap gas like Arco - cars on Arco feel sluggish and guzzle more fuel down.

Hazelrah

My understanding is that the gas itself is all the same. They're all refined to the same spec and Chevron trucks will deposit gas at Shell stations and vice versa. Additives like Techron and V-Power are added at the pump.

I'm not really sure what you mean by "effective marketing." Chevron and Shell have additives, and additives are good for the engine. Nothing wrong with saying that. If the other brands have additives, then I don't know about it and they really should advertise it more.

I use Chevron or Shell interchangeably, whichever is cheaper and closer. In SoCal there is not really a consistent difference in price among the brands, except for Arco which doesn't take credit cards. If the price is the same, why not use the one which I'm sure has the additive, whatever the additive is.

I use Lucas too. I read once that Techron and Lucas target different parts of the car so it's not a waste to use them at the same time, but I can't find that link (might have been a thread here). I think my car runs better since I started using Lucas, but either way it's only $10 a bottle for 100 gallons.

leedogg

Somebody on one of the car forums posted how they physically saw the fuel injection spray become a fine mist once techron was added. I dont doubt it.

Heres another site to consider:

http://www.toptiergas.com/retailers.html

Jay

iTrader: (3)

100% same here !!!

+1

IS350jet

Those cute little talking chevron cars is great marketing. The gas is good, too.

wolverine

iTrader: (9)

Ive been using chevron ever since I got my license. dunno why I started going there . the commercials pulled me in.

ba-b4

I wonder if it's the same if we just used the el cheapo gas and then every month pour in one of those concentrated bottles of techron additive?

Koma

iTrader: (3)

Probably. All gas is the same when it gets to the fuel stations additives are put in later.

Lexmex

When I get to the U.S. border in April, first thing I am doing is pulling into the Chevron station in Laredo and filling up.

T0ked

iTrader: (2)

With gas prices as they are now, I just use whichever name-brand is cheaper. I use a lot of Hess. Shell V-Power is great and use that whenever prices are within 1-2cents from Hess. No Chevron out here in the NE...

TruPlaya26

iTrader: (4)

For the last 2 years I have been stricltly using BP, it's ALWAYS cheaper than any gas stations I see around my area and it also seems to be the most popular, it's always packed, even though there are two other gas stations literally right next to it ...

Habious

I almost always use Exxon/Mobil because...well, I have no-so-great credit and they were stupid enough to give me a credit card. The SpeedPass is extremely convenient. I guess that's a really bad reason to use them but, there you go.

Evitzee

Do you pay your gas bill each month before its due date? If so, they weren't dumb to give you a credit card, it's money in their pocket. Gas cards are the easiest to get, the standards are about as low as they go.

I agree the SpeedPass is a convenient way to pay. I've used Exxon gas for years as I work for them and I get a discount. :-) Never had any performance problems. In fact it is known within the industry that they have the tightest tolerances of any of the refiners. They don't give anything away. If you are buying 87 Octane that is what you are getting, other refiners with less precise tolerances have to add a bit more to allow for variations in the overall supply.

leedogg

Wrong. The cheap no brand gas stations get the oldest leftover gas.

If you cant afford the fuel a luxury sports sedan requires, you should probably trade it in for a cheap econobox...

toy4two

BG44k is better than Techron, much more concentrated, 10X more potent, buts it isn't cheap.

As far as gas the only ones I avoid are ARCO and PEMEX, Holy cow, how do they sell that "gas" at PEMEX, I ran some 91 octane thinking it would be passable in my 1990 Accord which only requires 87, so much pinging the CPU had to turn down the engine power via timing retard, I could barely accelerate getting on the freeway in Rosarito. That stuff is terrible, I'll never drive down to Mexico on an empty tank again. I wish you could find US quality gas down there.