Are you a top tier gasoline user?

[Bill K]

I throw some top tier exon in every once in a while, and try to find it when on a road trip (usually Exon or Shell). Otherwise I use cheapo Kroger gas. It might be a killer, but so far it's treated me right...

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[bkirchhoff]

So while we are on this topic of fuels, I have a question. I have a Conoco station near my home (<4 mi each way or a 1/2 gallon at 16 mpgs) that IS Top Tier AND also sells ethanol free premium fuel...both pluses. Problem is, it is NOT very busy. Like rarely do I see a vehicle in there. And if I do, often they are getting the non-highway taxed diesel for their back hoe. Now the Costco is considerably further for me (maybe 8 miles each way or about 1 gallon). Costco is Top Tier, but has ethanol. If you know Costco, you also know there is ALWAYS a line to get fuel...and I REGULARLY see the tanker truck there filling the underground tanks. That tanker might be showing up every day, it's so busy, particularly with our crazy fuel prices right now.

So, which fuel do you chose, both being Top Tier? Absolutely freshy-fresh Top Tier fuel with ethanol....or maybe slightly stale Top Tier fuel without ethanol?

Oh this is a good one! I’ve tried to sort this out in a similar way myself with the options I have here. Here’s my thinking based on what I’ve read and researched.

Stale fuel is a bigger concern when it’s ethanol blended because the ethanol itself is hydrophilic and wants to bind to the water molecules in the air. So ethanol blends don’t last nearly as long as ethanol free fuel (assuming all other factors are the same). With that understanding, I’m a little less concerned if non-ethanol sits a bit longer and if this was my motorcycle, I would definitely go for the non-ethanol fuel. Our Broncos don’t have a particularly hard time with ethanol though. So it would be a little more of a wash for me making that decision in my Bronco. That said, I travel for work a lot and am sometimes gone for a month at a time and work from home when I’m not on the road, so I tend to defer to the non-ethanol in all of my vehicles because it could be up to 2 months between refuels on some tanks I pump. If you are always using up your fuel in two weeks or less, I think the ethanol blend would be fine. But if you are going to have e it sit for an extended time, I’d go out of my way to use ethanol free fuel.

Hope that kinda, sorta helps?

 

[MadMan4BamaNATL]

Used to love Chevron 94 had a distinct aroma to it. When got S550 HPP Mustang started using it again. Smelled different. Economy tanked. Switched to Shell 93 economy and performance improved....still use it in fact $154 tank tonight.

Huffing and sniffing gas is illegal man..... SHAME!

 

[ThunderFlash]

"Top Tier" tag is not earned, but purchased. Theres stations that get the same gas as the "Top Tier" gas stations, but they don't get it to label their gas as "Top Tier".

Since the demise of the MIL-specs which were government funded and free to industry and the public, just about every industry "requirement" is "purchased" from the controlling/governing body. And some you can "self certify", and others you have to pay some additional certification/testing body to achieve certification and appear on a "Qualified Product List". They may also require re-certifcation every so often to stay on that QPL .

Gotta pay to play.

 

[Brokenparts]

The simple rules of "cheaper is not better, you get what you pay for" applies to everything...

Everything?

 

[Nc211]

I use Costco 99% of the time, which is Top Tier, and 87 octane (2.7). However, as long as it doesn’t have friggin water in it, I really don’t care too much.

There is some irony about this Bronco that makes you wonder if FIAT was involved in its design elements. Says it can forge 30 inches of water, but you better not get the alternator wet. Meant to be thrown against the side of a f’n mountain, but you better not take the award-winning hard top through a car wash.

Now, we’re saying only a certain type of gasoline for the engine. I mean, it does get a little absurd when a VW can do things that a Bronco isn’t supposed to.

 

[johnk135]

I had a vague ideo of what a top tier gasoline was, but came across a couple of useful articles that gave me a better explanation.
This first article is a general discussion of top tier gasolines and their importance.



This second article talks specifically about Ford ecoboost engines with respect to top tier gasolines.



Clearly it is important to not only choose a gasoline with adequate octane, but also with adequate additives necessary for the best longeviity of our Bronco ecoboost engines.
It appears that not all brands have the top tier additives in all octane grades so choose wisely.

These articles specifically discuss gasoline brands that meet/exceed, or do not meet top tier certification.
Hope this helps you choose the right gasoline for your Bronco.

Thanks for the AI slop, very informative.

 

[TPadden72]

Everything?

Along with the law of diminishing returns?

"Benefits gained from something will represent a proportionally smaller gain as more money or energy is spent in it."

 

[ThunderFlash]

Stale fuel is a bigger concern when it’s ethanol blended because the ethanol itself is hydrophilic and wants to bind to the water molecules in the air.

Hope that kinda, sorta helps?

I suppose another not-so-insignificant detail is that the Costco gas can be significantly lower price, at least 0.25¢ and as much as 0.50¢. At 16 mpg, that can add up.

 

[5GENIDN]

Now, we’re saying only a certain type of gasoline for the engine. I mean, it does get a little absurd when a VW can do things that a Bronco isn’t supposed to.

I am curious. Are there ANY car manufacturers that do NOT recommend the use of a top tier fuel in the US? (My question includes VW)

 

[Brokenparts]

Along with the law of diminishing returns?

"Benefits gained from something will represent a proportionally smaller gain as more money or energy is spent in it."

Well then, should we discuss binary threshold effect?

 

[CarGuy]

I use Costco premium (93). Always top-tier (Exxon, Shell, etc.) when not near a Costco station.

 

[thenewjs]

Since the demise of the MIL-specs which were government funded and free to industry and the public, just about every industry "requirement" is "purchased" from the controlling/governing body. And some you can "self certify", and others you have to pay some additional certification/testing body to achieve certification and appear on a "Qualified Product List". They may also require re-certifcation every so often to stay on that QPL .

Gotta pay to play.

Took the words out of my mouth.

Growing up, a deacon at my church owned the GULF gas station across the street from the church. He was looking to retire, but he still had a few years on left on his GULF contract or he would have to pay an early termination fee. So the church took over. My father was a pastor at the church and just so happened worked my grandpa's Gulf gas station as a kid. So my dad took on running the gas station, once the Gulf contract ended. My father, decided to end the relationship with gulf but continue to get their gas. So they pulled all the Gulf signage. In the early 2000s, I was in the Navy, my father was still running the gas station and "Top Tier" came up. He looked into getting his pumps label top tier since the gulf station down the street, got its pumps labeled.

Gulf tells him, Since he's not under contract, he can't label his pumps "Top Tier". Only their Gulf labeled stores can label their pumps "top tier". My pops calls, shell and exxon. They tell him, you can sell our top tier gas but you can't label it top tier gas unless he signed a contract.

 

[5GENIDN]

Took the words out of my mouth.

Growing up, a deacon at my church owned the GULF gas station across the street from the church. He was looking to retire, but he still had a few years on left on his GULF contract or he would have to pay an early termination fee. So the church took over. My father was a pastor at the church and just so happened worked my grandpa's Gulf gas station as a kid. So my dad took on running the gas station, once the Gulf contract ended. My father, decided to end the relationship with gulf but continue to get their gas. So they pulled all the Gulf signage. In the early 2000s, I was in the Navy, my father was still running the gas station and "Top Tier" came up. He looked into getting his pumps label top tier since the gulf station down the street, got its pumps labeled.

Gulf tells him, Since he's not under contract, he can't label his pumps "Top Tier". Only their Gulf labeled stores can label their pumps "top tier". My pops calls, shell and exxon. They tell him, you can sell our top tier gas but you can't label it top tier gas unless he signed a contract.

The excuse being that unless you are under contract we can not guarantee you are using our "Top Tier" gasoline with every supply... and well we pay for that "Top Tier" label... so no contract no label from us.

 

[jtgensler]

I've been trying to use Citgo via Country Fair more lately.
I haven't noticed a better mileage, but I am getting a better price by joining their app & purchasing a gift card in store to use at the pump. Saves like $0.13/gallon.
Locally, the prices are around $4.20, so that helps.

But I also frequently use Sheetz & they don't appear on the top tier list....so idk.

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