GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

Interesting - something I didn't know. I have always avoided off brands, leaned toward Shell, but was surprised to see that BP/Amoco, and Mobil not in the "top tier". Dear Tom and Ray: My dear husband and I have entered into a heated debate about the quality of gas. He insists that gas from quick-stop-type gas stations is of lesser quality than that of the big oil companies. My supposition is that there are only a few oil-refinery companies in our country and that "all gas is created equal." Could you please let us know which is best to put in my car, and then I can put my dear husband back in his place! —Anne Ray: It’s not that simple, Anne. All gasoline sold in the United States meets Environmental Protection Agency requirements. So the short answer is, you can put anything into your car from Chevron down to Panther Squat, and it’ll run fine. Tom: The only difference between gasolines is in the contents of the "additives package" they use. The stuff you buy at Fred’s Gas & Herring comes from the same holding tank as the stuff at Chevron, Shell or Texaco. But some brands use an additives package that does a better job of keeping your valves and your electronic throttle clean. Ray: In 2004, several big carmakers — GM, Honda, Toyota and others — were unhappy with the detergent performance of gasoline, because they were finding deposits inside their beautiful engines. So they got together and created some gasoline standards that are tougher than the federal standards. They called the gasoline that meets these higher standards "Top Tier" gas. Tom: The companies that voluntarily agreed to sell only Top Tier gas in the United States are: QuikTrip, Chevron, Conoco, Phillips, 76, Shell, Entec, MFA Oil, Kwik Trip/Kwik Star, Somerset, Aloha Petroleum and Texaco. Ray: So you won’t find Joe’s Gas and Step Stool Emporium on that list, but you will find a mix of major brands and smaller "no-brand" gasoline distributors. You’ll also notice the absence of some VERY major brands, such as the guys who drove the Valdez. Not to mention Mobil, BP, Gulf, Amoco, Sunoco, Hess and others. Tom: Does it matter? It depends. Honda, BMW, Audi, VW, Toyota and GM think it does. But if you use the gas with fewer detergents and end up with carbon buildup after 100,000 miles, you can often get rid of it with a few cans of engine cleaner. You might even be able to get rid of it by using Top Tier fuel for 10,000 or 20,000 miles. So it’s rarely an irreversible problem. Ray: But if you drive a highend car, or you want to be sure you never get any buildup on your fuel injectors or valves, you have to use Top Tier gasoline at least most of the time. Tom: One other thing to keep in mind: The list of Top Tier providers might change. To see the latest list of Top Tier gasolines, go to their Web site, http://www.toptiergas.com. Ray: And as for your husband, I’m not sure why you want to put him in his place. My wife is always trying to get me OUT of my place — which is in front of the TV. Asleep.

I have been using only Shell Top-Tier fuel for the past 6 months. My car feel so much better, using it vs. other brands like BP, Holiday or SuperAmerica that are everywhere up here.

In reading the deposit control section on http://www.toptiergas.com it appears to me that one of the specs is an ethanol content of 8 to 10%. Perhaps that is why BP/Amoco and Mobil are not part of the program. I thought that if there was ethanol in the gas that a notice to that effect had to be on the pump, but I do not remember seeing this at the Shell station. As ethanol has less energy content your milage will drop - but at 10% ethanol that might only be a reduction of perhaps 2%. At $3 a gallon that is worth 6 cents.

This may be off topic a bit,when I was traveling through the US 2 weeks ago,I filled up with premium from a few major branded gas stations,the Vibe started to ping.I always used the 93 octane similar to back in Canada.I've been home and filled up twice since I've been back,and the pinging has gone away.Have any of you from the US had this problem,or do we get higher octane fuel,maybe with less ethanol.

You read a newspaper article once in a while about companies cheating on the octane numbers. I doubt that the weights and measures people that make sure the volume delivery is accurate routinely test the gasoline for octane. But I never use anything but 87 in my Vibe and have never noticed any pinging. Also - I thought that modern engines had a mechanism that retarded the spark in case of low octane.

I have the supercharger,so my case would be different from most.But,it's weird how I noticed a difference from the gas here in Canada and the US.

I remembered that the Ohio Legislature was looking at a bill to make Octane testing part of the Wts. & Measures enforcement program - I don't think it ever passed. Ohio is apparently one of only 4 states that do not have such a program. Ohio is very tolerant of business cheating consumers, as it is business that makes most of the campaign contributions. Even the Attorney General and the Courts are bent that way - they also have to be elected. I find it interesting that when Franklin County started testing (just for information purposes) the error rate was 15%. The "errors" dropped significantly once the gasoline companies knew they were checking. Yet the gasoline trade association says it is unnecessary for the state to check as the oil companies already do that. Yes - the fox guarding the hen house. Here is an article from September 6, 2006.COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Twenty-one Ohio lawmakers have introduced a bill that would require its gas retailers to have country auditors test octane levels to ensure the correct octane is being pumped into tanks, according to Rep. William Healy."When you pump that 93 octane gas into your car, you have no way of knowing if it's 93, 92 or 87," Healy told The Associated Press. "We need to make sure consumers are getting what they paid for."Ohio sells approximately 6 billions of gas annually, according to Healy. It is also one of only four states that do not have octane quality testing programs, the AP reported.With the bill, gas stations and vendors will receive a warning if the gasoline ranks inaccurately more than one octane point. After failing the test more than once, fines will be imposed, starting at $250 and reaching as much as $1,000 for a fourth offense.In Summit County, an auditor already has the authority to test octane ratings and can shut down pumps that have inaccurate octane levels. Since the program began last year seven violations have been recorded, which have all been fixed since then, officials told the AP. Franklin County auditor Joe Testa has tested the fuel quality in the Columbus, Ohio area since 2001 and has reported that failure rates for the first year were as high as 15 percent. Although he can not fine gas stations if their ratings are incorrect, the failure rate has dropped to 3 to 5 percent since he started. "Station owners generally appreciate that we are verifying their octane levels," Testa told the AP. "For the most part, merchants want to treat customers fairly as well."A spokesperson for House Speaker Jon Husted told the AP that it was too early to measure support for the bill.According to Jennifer Rhodes, general counsel for the Ohio Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association, the bill is unnecessary because numerous oil companies do their own checks to meet federal standards. She added that portable devices that test octane levels are only accurate 60 to 65 percent of the time as compared to more accurate lab testing.

I run Chevron 90 octane unless I'm in need of gas and no Chevron is around.

i try to use only premium 76 gas in mine. speakin of ethanol, there's an ethanol plant in the city i grew up in, and sometimes if you get close enough, the smell would give you a headache