Top Tier Fuel: Health Food for Your Vehicle

You know how lousy you feel when you eat a consistent diet of fast food? And, how much better you feel when you eat a healthy meal?

Well, your vehicle is no different.

About eight years ago, a few automobile manufacturers got together and formulated a special fuel composition. They wanted to ensure that their vehicles had the least amount of emission output -- and, at the same time -- provide the best miles-per-gallon (MPG). General Motors, Toyota ,Volkswagen, Audi, Honda and BMW  got together to promote emphasis on how detrimental low detergency in fuel is for your car or truck. Even though the low detergency standards meets the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) guidelines, it still is an issue. Low detergency does not keep internal engine components clean. And common sense dictates that a clean engine is an efficient engine.

An efficient engine keeps money in your wallet -- not in the gas station's till.

The following fuel stations meet the "top-tier" standard*:

Chevron
Quick Trip
Conoco
Phillips 66
76
Shell
Entec Stations (Alabama)
MFA Oil Company (Missouri)
Kwik Trip, Kwik Star (Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa)
Somerset (Kentucky)
Aloha Petroleum
Tri-Par Oil
Turkey Hill Minit Markets
Texaco
Road Ranger (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin)
Sunoco (Canada, only)

* GM TSB #04-06-04-0471

Top-tier fuel really works!

We had an experiment at the shop a while back. Two techs lived within one mile of each other. One tech "donated" his vehicle to the cause -- the "test" car. It was designated that the car was to traveled the same path to and from work, only (no recreational driving). The vehicle was to be filled with 87 octane (lowest) grade, only (for both non and Top-Tier fuels). The test vehicle was driven by tech #1 for three weeks using a non-Top-Tier gasoline. His fuel economy averaged  19 MPG. Tech #2 drove the vehicle for three weeks using only Top-Tier fuel. His fuel economy averaged 22 MPG.
Now, this car's gas tank holds 15 gallons of fuel. Tech #1 had approximately 285 miles per tank. Tech #2 had approximately 330 miles per tank. On paper, tech #2 got a "free" tank of fuel because his MPG went up in numbers. Now, you can't ask the gas station attendant for a free tank of gas, but your wallet is going to notice that it's a bit heavier with cash.

I know that I could do a lot of things with an extra $75 here and there.