Gasoline Brand Preference

also.. so now i am really confused!

 

I was using Quik Trip which is suppose to be a top tier gas. But I recently tried BP and I saw my MPG go up. I plan to try Shell V-Power soon and compare it to BP. Overall, BP gas worked well and better than Quik Trip.

 

just a bump to get some clarification on what type of gas to use... some say use 85 and its ok because of the altitude here in UT but when i read the manual it says not to use lower than 87...

 

Wait until your rods knock then use premium.

I find it incredible that modern engines with high compression ratios run so well with the lower octane .

 

85 is just fine when in higher elevations, happy motoring!
I have used it when in the moutains many times no problem.

 

I am in southern oklahoma and use Sams gas. It is 100 % gas. Went to Dallas 2 weekends in a row and filled up at a shell station with 10% E and did better than the 100% gas. Drove 75 mph to Dallas and got 42 (paper pen) (sams) and on way back with Shell got 48 (paper pen). Checked elevation with GPS, all within 200 feet from max to lowest (900 to 1100 feet) Now where I live, I think all the stations get gas from the same place. Do not really have name brand stations. Just circle K and EZ go convienance stores and small mom and pop stations. So I think better brands may do better. Just my 2 cents

 

so far so good with the 85 costco gas
55-56MPG on the car computer driving 70-75MPH on the freeway

 

just an update with the costco gas... 54mpg...

 

Unfair! Unfair! I grew up in Oklahoma and the wind blew all the time except just before the hail, thunder, and tornadoes arrived. <grins>

Our family now lives in the Tennessee Valley with similar weather except for the wind. The hills and mountains keep the winds pretty much above us and we like it that way. We have tornadoes too, just not the wind . . . except in Montgomery, the State capital.

On a serious note, mass-flow, MG1 torque, and ICE rpm is all that is needed to map the BSFC. Run different gasolines and you can get a good metric of the gasoline energy content.

Bob Wilson

 

I only buy top tier gas and use the Gas Buddy app on my iPhone to find the cheapest one of those.

All of the detergents are basically based on the same thing so I don't think brand matters, as long as it's top tier.

 

I have my Prius for 2weeks now and has put about 3000 miles so far and only filled at chevron and shell and only pumped 93 grade. I know 87 is recommended but I get the feeling that engine will stay clean and healthy with highest grade, mpg stayed the same as other members reporting with 87 grade

 

You're wasting your money.

 

Good word of advice, thanks and i guess ill think about techron treatment

 

Just to follow up, i just went through a tank of gas from Conoco and only got 52MPG for the tank.... now i just got a tank from Costco and drove to work (63 miles) and was averaging 56MPG. So it right in line with my post above.
For me, Costco is doing me good.

 

With over 105,000 miles on our Prius I can tell you the Prius will burn just about any gasoline
that you can buy here in the U.S. I filled up in Reno Nevada back in July 2013 with 85 Octane from a no-name gas station. Car ran fine, and still delivered over 55 mpg with liberal use of AC. That 55 mpg included going over the pass from Reno into Lake Tahoe, which is quite a climb.....

 

I do prefer a top tier gas station since I like the detergents. I believe it helps to keep the engine internals cleaner.

That said, if you do not or cannot fill up at a top tier station all the time, adding the Chevron Techron a couple times a year can help to clean the engine but this is not really needed IMO if you fill up at a top tier station normally.

 

Gee whiz a Lousianna Prius owner..lets say big welcome!....don't reall too many posts from this "LA"...if you are going to Shell and Chevron...both are TopTier.com so I would say you could risk using regular like the rest of us.
Former Baton Rouger here.

 

Before the Prius I drove a smart fortwo and premium was required. The car's 1 liter engine was sensitive to different brands of gas and I tested mpg with Chevron, Shell, and 76. The differences were slight in summer, but the winter blend in California favored 76 with slightly better mpg, followed by Chevron then Shell. After 18 fill-ups the Prius doesn't seem as brand sensitive.

 

If you are in an area where prices go up because there is a problem at a local refinery, why would you think capitalism is at play and there is a difference?