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In a word......Yes, according to Consumer Reports.
I've always had a high opinion of the detergent additives used in Chevron and Shell-brand gas......and this study verifies it, though it is also generally supportive of most of the major name brand fuels. years ago, Mobil, years ago, used to have the strongest detergent additives, but once they got bought out by Exxon (a company, BTW, that, at the time, I did not think very highly of), some the bets might (?) have been off....though they are still on the recommended list here.
The main issue, though (as I've stated for quite some time in my posts) is not to use cheap cut-rate brands that may save a few cents per gallon now, for the price of gummed-up engines and injectors later. Then you have to use a good fuel-system-cleaner (or pay for a de-carbonization service) that defeats the very purpose of using cheaper fuel to start with. So, it's like old Fram oil filter commercials (some of you old-timers, like me, might still remember them) that said "You can pay me now, or pay me later" (comparing Fram filters, of course, to cheap cut-rate ones).
For those of you in the D.C./Baltimore areas (or anywhere Giant Food grocery stores are located), Giant will give you a 10-cent discount per gallon off Shell gas for every 100 points on your plastic Bonus-card (normally 1 point per dollar spent, unless marked otherwise)...so, not surprisingly, I do a fair amount of shopping there.
http://www.consumerreports.org/car-m...h-extra-price/
Study Shows Top Tier Gasoline Worth the Extra Price
AAA analysis reveals that gas with detergent additives can keep an engine running smoothly
By Jeff S. Bartlett
Last updated: August 22, 2016
Location and price drive gasoline sales, according to a new survey by the American Automobile Association. But an extensive study also conducted by AAA, reveals that consumers would be wise to factor the quality of the gasoline in their purchase decision.
Using an independent engine testing lab that specializes in fuel analysis, AAA sought to answer the question: Is “Top Tier” gasoline worth the price? The short answer is yes.
Ford 2.3-liter engine tested on a dynamometer.
PHOTO: AAA
What Is Top Tier Gas?
Gasoline is essentially a shared commodity, often stored in common containers until it is purchased by a major retailer. After that, the retailer treats the gas with a specific additive, thereby giving the fuel its brand identity. But are these additives just a dosage of marketing hype?
Top Tier gasoline was developed in 2004 to go beyond the minimum standard for detergent additives to better protect increasingly sophisticated engines from carbon buildup and deposits on the intake valves—which can result in a rough idle, acceleration hesitation, knocking/pinging, and reduced fuel economy.
Over the past 20 years, engines have become far more precise, operating under tighter tolerances and at higher compression ratios, while targeting cleaner emissions and improved fuel economy. To achieve these goals, eight automakers—Audi, BMW, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, General Motors, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, and Volkswagen—have united in support of Top Tier gas, specifically recommending it to their owners with the goal of preserving their engines’ original performance and emissions over time.
Top Tier retailers include 76, Aloha Petroleum, Amoco, ARCO, Beacon, BP, Break Time, Cenex, Chevron, CITGO, Conoco, Co-op, Costco, CountryMark, Diamond Shamrock, Entec, Esso, Express, Exxon, Holiday, Kwik Star Stores, Kwik Trip, Mahalo, MFA, Mobil, Ohana Fuels, Petro-Canada, Phillips 66, PUMA, QT, Quik Trip, Road Ranger, Shamrock, Shell / Shell V-Power, Sinclair Standard, SuperAmerica, SuperFuels, Tempo, Texaco, Tri-Par, and Valero.
Visit our guide to fuel economy.
Intake valve comparison showing a new valve compared to the results from the 100-hour engine test.
PHOTO: AAA
Gas Test Findings
For its test, the lab operated an engine continuously for 100 hours on a cycle to represent 4,000 real-miles of use. The engine was then disassembled, photographed, and its key components weighed and measured to determine the thickness of carbon deposits. Six fuels were used, randomly selected and split among three basic gasoline sources and three Top Tier.
The results showed that on average, Top Tier gasoline had 19 times fewer carbon deposits on injectors, intake valves, and in the combustion chamber when compared to regular gasoline.
AAA also found Top Tier gasoline can have a cleansing effect, reducing intake valve deposits by 45 to 72 percent when used over a 5,000-mile interval. Variation in the results is attributed to the detergents used by different brands.
Further, analyzing gas prices over a 12-month period found just a three cent price difference between non-Top Tier and Top Tier gasoline.
Bottom line: For the nominal investment, this study shows that motorists would benefit from using Top Tier gasoline as their primary fuel.
Given the technological trend toward more sophisticated engines, we think the EPA should consider raising the minimum detergent standards to ensure all drivers benefit from the type of performance and longevity promised by Top Tier fuels.
I've always had a high opinion of the detergent additives used in Chevron and Shell-brand gas......and this study verifies it, though it is also generally supportive of most of the major name brand fuels. years ago, Mobil, years ago, used to have the strongest detergent additives, but once they got bought out by Exxon (a company, BTW, that, at the time, I did not think very highly of), some the bets might (?) have been off....though they are still on the recommended list here.
The main issue, though (as I've stated for quite some time in my posts) is not to use cheap cut-rate brands that may save a few cents per gallon now, for the price of gummed-up engines and injectors later. Then you have to use a good fuel-system-cleaner (or pay for a de-carbonization service) that defeats the very purpose of using cheaper fuel to start with. So, it's like old Fram oil filter commercials (some of you old-timers, like me, might still remember them) that said "You can pay me now, or pay me later" (comparing Fram filters, of course, to cheap cut-rate ones).
For those of you in the D.C./Baltimore areas (or anywhere Giant Food grocery stores are located), Giant will give you a 10-cent discount per gallon off Shell gas for every 100 points on your plastic Bonus-card (normally 1 point per dollar spent, unless marked otherwise)...so, not surprisingly, I do a fair amount of shopping there.
http://www.consumerreports.org/car-m...h-extra-price/
Study Shows Top Tier Gasoline Worth the Extra Price
AAA analysis reveals that gas with detergent additives can keep an engine running smoothly
By Jeff S. Bartlett
Last updated: August 22, 2016
Location and price drive gasoline sales, according to a new survey by the American Automobile Association. But an extensive study also conducted by AAA, reveals that consumers would be wise to factor the quality of the gasoline in their purchase decision.
Using an independent engine testing lab that specializes in fuel analysis, AAA sought to answer the question: Is “Top Tier” gasoline worth the price? The short answer is yes.
Ford 2.3-liter engine tested on a dynamometer.
PHOTO: AAA
What Is Top Tier Gas?
Gasoline is essentially a shared commodity, often stored in common containers until it is purchased by a major retailer. After that, the retailer treats the gas with a specific additive, thereby giving the fuel its brand identity. But are these additives just a dosage of marketing hype?
Top Tier gasoline was developed in 2004 to go beyond the minimum standard for detergent additives to better protect increasingly sophisticated engines from carbon buildup and deposits on the intake valves—which can result in a rough idle, acceleration hesitation, knocking/pinging, and reduced fuel economy.
Over the past 20 years, engines have become far more precise, operating under tighter tolerances and at higher compression ratios, while targeting cleaner emissions and improved fuel economy. To achieve these goals, eight automakers—Audi, BMW, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, General Motors, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, and Volkswagen—have united in support of Top Tier gas, specifically recommending it to their owners with the goal of preserving their engines’ original performance and emissions over time.
Top Tier retailers include 76, Aloha Petroleum, Amoco, ARCO, Beacon, BP, Break Time, Cenex, Chevron, CITGO, Conoco, Co-op, Costco, CountryMark, Diamond Shamrock, Entec, Esso, Express, Exxon, Holiday, Kwik Star Stores, Kwik Trip, Mahalo, MFA, Mobil, Ohana Fuels, Petro-Canada, Phillips 66, PUMA, QT, Quik Trip, Road Ranger, Shamrock, Shell / Shell V-Power, Sinclair Standard, SuperAmerica, SuperFuels, Tempo, Texaco, Tri-Par, and Valero.
Visit our guide to fuel economy.
Intake valve comparison showing a new valve compared to the results from the 100-hour engine test.
PHOTO: AAA
Gas Test Findings
For its test, the lab operated an engine continuously for 100 hours on a cycle to represent 4,000 real-miles of use. The engine was then disassembled, photographed, and its key components weighed and measured to determine the thickness of carbon deposits. Six fuels were used, randomly selected and split among three basic gasoline sources and three Top Tier.
The results showed that on average, Top Tier gasoline had 19 times fewer carbon deposits on injectors, intake valves, and in the combustion chamber when compared to regular gasoline.
AAA also found Top Tier gasoline can have a cleansing effect, reducing intake valve deposits by 45 to 72 percent when used over a 5,000-mile interval. Variation in the results is attributed to the detergents used by different brands.
Further, analyzing gas prices over a 12-month period found just a three cent price difference between non-Top Tier and Top Tier gasoline.
Bottom line: For the nominal investment, this study shows that motorists would benefit from using Top Tier gasoline as their primary fuel.
Given the technological trend toward more sophisticated engines, we think the EPA should consider raising the minimum detergent standards to ensure all drivers benefit from the type of performance and longevity promised by Top Tier fuels.
