[azimmerm]

Hello everyone. i searched but could not find anything concise recommending gas brands in the US, so if you could please vote and leave any positive or negative comments regarding your experience with the particular brands of fuel that you use. I have been using several different brands and would like to know if any are better than others.
Thanks.

[markjenn]

If you add a choice for "doesn't matter", you'll probably see it as the overwhelming favorite.

- Mark

[azimmerm]

allow me to clarify. there are certian brands of fuel that contain more than 10% ethanol which will void your warranty. i am not sure how they can tell, but better not to take any chances.
others on this board have commented about quality differences between brands and some even suggest that there are performance differences.

[CooperS4us]

My MINI dealer claims that BMWUSA recommends primarily Mobil/Exxon fuels for the MINI and other BMW vehicles. I personally use Mobil/Exxon and Chevron gasolines with no problems. Tonight I filled up my '04 MCS' tank with Mobil 93 Octane gas. Premium gas price has skyrocketed here in Miami in the last couple of weeks. I paid $1.879 per gallon tonight, almost $.22 more than just two weeks ago....is this the same trend elsewhere in the nation?

[CooperS4us]

Also, in very rare ocassions (Road trips mostly) we have used Citgo and Amoco Premium 93 Octane gasolines with no problems.

Shell Premium is the most expensive gasoline here in Miami, retailing for almost $2 a gallon!

[NEMINI]

I use, almost exclusively, Mobil super, if I am on a road trip and no Mobil is present when I need gas I'll use any Major brand, I never use the cheap crap, nor do I want my money on Sunoco's 94 (Often 10-15cents per gallon more then 1 octane lower 93, making it not very cost effective IMO)

[stryder]

All gas went up 20 cents or so around here as well, but it seems to be calming down a bit. The usual excuses about lower supply, higher crude prices, etc, (Really cold winter up here in the north can't be helping since many people heat with oil too)

Anyway, I haven't found any stations with more then 10% ethanol in my travels across the top and east of the country, and I don't even recall reading that it'd void the warranty anyway (besides, same warranty stuff applies - MINI needs to prove the gas caused whatever problem, which is unlikely and difficult to do). Anyway. I stick with Mobil where its available, in the midwest I've gotten BP, and in PA I filled up once at Sheetz, and got like 2 mpg more then I had gotten on Mobil or BP, but there aren't any of those around here...

Generally I agree with what everyone else has said, don't buy the cheapest gas you can find, always buy premium and you should be fine. Being consistant helps too, I've noticed on many cars that if I had to switch brands (besides the Sheetz incident) I got worse performance on that one tank. Hess would fit into the category of bad gas from my experience.

[CooperS4us]

Yeah, stay away from cheap/dubious gas stations. And also resist the temptation to fill up with 87 or 89 octane gas, just to save "a buck or two". Although the MINI is equipped with automatic octane detuning, running your car permanently on gas lower than 91 octane is a bad idea. These high compression engines were designed for Premium fuel, so follow the manufacturer recommendations and don't be cheap with your $20K+ auto!

[azimmerm]

thanks. keep those votes coming.

cooperS4us... who was your dealer? picked mine up from Lauderdale Mini on the 30th.

[LordWinslow]

I use the local Mobil/Exxon station right up the road from me as they don't seem to up the price right away if there is an increase. I also use the local Cumberland Farms (not sure what brand of gas they use) but it is the cheapest around and it has never given me any problems. And living in the Northeast I am putting in 93 Octain.

Winslow

[tavis1]

Quote: Originally Posted by CooperS4us

My MINI dealer claims that BMWUSA recommends primarily Mobil/Exxon fuels for the MINI and other BMW vehicles. I personally use Mobil/Exxon and Chevron gasolines with no problems. Tonight I filled up my '04 MCS' tank with Mobil 93 Octane gas. Premium gas price has skyrocketed here in Miami in the last couple of weeks. I paid $1.879 per gallon tonight, almost $.22 more than just two weeks ago....is this the same trend elsewhere in the nation?

Thats still cheaper than out here at So Cal. Just above two bucks. It's all just a scam. They will use any reason to jack up the price but it never returns to were it was. . Don't get me wrong, I believe that prices should go up with time and inflation thats only normal but, for prices to jump 25 cents to 75 cents because there was a Locust infestation in some remote location of Earth is no reason. Then after the pest control guy shows up they drop the price back down ten cents. Everybody with a half a brain knows there full of crap-- why not just be honest?
Tavis1

[vahan]

Here in North California, it's 76, no questions. I drive my cars hard and every car i've owned, i've felt difference in engine response on. Shell used to be good when 93 octane was around, but not the 91.

With anything else but 76 my cars feel slower... response is a lot worse. Maybe it's a north california thing, donno.

Still waiting for my MCS...

Vahan

[bryandixon]

Quote: Originally Posted by azimmerm

Hello everyone. i searched but could not find anything concise recommending gas brands in the US, so if you could please vote and leave any positive or negative comments regarding your experience with the particular brands of fuel that you use. I have been using several different brands and would like to know if any are better than others.
Thanks.

Go here to learn more about gasoline than you might want to know. This site has not been updated since 1996, but the information is relevant.

http://www.faqs.org/faqs/autos/gasoline-faq/part1/

Read especially 4.10, there is much more than Antiknock ("Octane") specs to gasoline. Read 4.11 and 4.12 also. I would not buy cheap brands, these are obtained from major refineries, but they can be off-spec and they will not have the quality additives. And problems caused by such gasolines may not show up for a year or more.

Bryan

[CooperS4us]

Quote: Originally Posted by azimmerm

thanks. keep those votes coming.

cooperS4us... who was your dealer? picked mine up from Lauderdale Mini on the 30th.

We decided not to waste our time with the generally aweful Miami dealerships (South Motors MINI and Braman MINI) so did the 30 mile drive north to Lauderdale MINI instead.


I picked up my '04 MCS from Crystal Neagle at Lauderdale MINI on Oct 3rd, 2003. My wife's '02 Cooper CVT was also delivered by Crystal on Sept 7th, 2002.

Crystal, Larry, Bonnie and Debra are the nicest bunch of car sales people I have ever met. Lauderdale MINI is the best MINI store in the entire state of Florida, period.

I see that you made the 200+ mile trip from Orlando. Downtown MINI still believes in the "mark-up" pricing policy which is only driving customers south to Ft Lauderdale.

[Z1GZAG N]

While I run 93 Octane fuel in all three of my vehicles, I commonly use Citgo from 7-11 and Hess fuel. Years ago, I truely believe Amoco Ultimate was by far the best. Today, with Amoco bring bought out by BP, I dought if it's much if any better than any other brand premium fuel. I won't buy at small no name stations but with 188,000 miles on my Corvette and mostly Citgo premium used through out it's life, I can say there's nothing wrong with fuel bought at 7-11. For all you guys living out west and having to live with 91 octane fuel, I feel for you. I hear from guys in California everyday suffering from the effects of low octane levels. Poor performance and valve ping from the same performance programs used on the east coast is proof that 91 octane is far lower quality than 93.

[kapps]

We run 93 octane from Sams Club with no problems. It doesn't have any of the additives all the other big comanies put in but I can get 93 octane for a cent or two over midgrade at other stations. Remember, all the gas in your area is pumped through the same pipes. The only difference is the additives the stations put in.

[NEMINI]

the stations don't put the additives in.

[bryandixon]

Quote: Originally Posted by kapps

Remember, all the gas in your area is pumped through the same pipes. The only difference is the additives the stations put in.

Not true I'm afraid. Sometimes discount retailers accept gasoline that is off-spec for the major that made it but fine for the discount retailer and good enough to meet environmental requirements. Maybe a little too much sulfur, maybe the RVP a liitle too high in summer or a little too low in winter. It will make a difference in the long run.

And the additives (which are not put in by the stations but by the distributer) make a big difference in the long run as well.

One could smoke five packs of cigerattes in one day and say "It did not affect me" but five packs a day for some years will cause problems. So one tank of sub-standard gasoline does not affect the car, but tank after tank and I think it will. Not worth the pennies saved.

[MINImeat]

I try to buy from the same Amoco/BP station I've been buying from for years and stick with Amoco/BP Ultimate on trips. Never had a fuel-related problem such as pinging, knocking, hesitation, etc.
I think the S is sensitive to fuel quality.

[naparish]

For my MINI and my wife's 2001 Volvo XC, both of which require 91 octane fuel, I buy the cheapest fuel I can find that at least meets that requirement (or with a higher level, when I'm out of California) -- and I haven't had a problem so far.