Any of you fools read my post above? Use Top Tier fuels. you cant go wrong. Its widely available in the US.

 

I decided to start using Shell due to the Top Tier ranking a few months back. Shell and Chevron are the only fuels rated Top Tier in my area (Central Florida). Citibank has a Shell MasterCard which gives you 5% off, which I use.

Well, I have since quit using it. When coming to a stop, if I just put the clutch in and leave it in gear, the engine will knock. My daughter's Mini does the same thing (also using premium). I've since run three tankfuls of Hess premium through it, and the knocking went away.

I've also read that Citi has a card which gives you 5% off any brand fuel, so I'm going to check into that.

 

TOP TIER also consists of Chevron and Phillips 66/Conoco

 

Interesting. Shell is the only Top Tier retailer selling in this area. Unfortunately, many or most of the local Shell stations have switched to an ethanol blend of up to 10%. I don't relish paying top dollar for fuel that gets me lower fuel economy. I've pretty much switched to Exxon/Mobil. Cheaper and no ethanol in this area.

 

Everything's ethanol around here (Northern VA).

 

I had misfires with V-Power too. Chevron no problems.

 

I think my car runs best on Shell Vpower 93 for power and gas mileage. Chevron Supreme 93 is my back-up choice if Shell is not available.
Thanks for the heads-up on your Shell experience though. I think the best advice I ever received was to pick service stations with newer pumps/tanks over the price of gas. All inground tanks eventially develop leaks which allow contaminants to enter the fuel in the tank. It seems like at least one station a year is replacing their tanks a year around here because of inground gas tank leaks. Shell just got done replacing theirs and Chevron's looks real old now...I'll be going back to Shell as a result.

 

Local car radio show's been mentioning that with Ethanol, the need to fuel dryers has actually increased because ethanol doesn't actually bond with the water in the tank and can actually cause water or pure ethanol to settle out to the bottom of the tank. Recommending monthly application of a fuel dryer.

Moisture will cause mis-fires too.

 

Any brand of fuel can have problems. There can be a bad batch at the refinery, or it can pick up contaiminants along the way to the station, or the station itself can have a problem with the tank.

 

All the gas in a particular area likely comes from the same place anyway. You don't think Racetrak makes their own gas do you? No, they get it from the same place Shell and Chevron stations get it from. The only difference, sometimes, is the additives that go into the mix. (Sounds like that was the issue in Canada.) Making sweeping statements like "All Shell is bad" or "All Chevron is good" is just fooling yourself IMO. But hey, if it makes you feel better at the end of the day, go for it. (Yes, I'm being serious there.) Me, I just look for convenient location and price.