Does it matter? Are there any differences? Does octane make any difference?

I try to stay away from the no-name gas stations just to be safe. I had a friend who used to inspect these tanks and he told me that some of the non-branded tanks he inspected were noticibly worse than say Exxon and Mobil. Around Burlington it's usually only 1-2 cents difference between Mobil and the no-name stations gas. I've also heard of sheisty non-franchised station owners diluting their gasoline with alcohol which could if over diluted do serious damage to a vehicles fuel system components.

http://www.elementownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15241&page=2&highlight=octane

Check out the links in the last post of that thread for more info regarding octane. It's been discussed in detail here at the EOC. The Element is configured with engine management software which is specifically tuned for regular (87 octane) gasoline. My experiments with higher octane fuels have resulted in lower gas mileage results.

Let's see... when I first got a really nice car (required premium), I used Chevron with Techron religiously....

But then, with no where else to go, I stopped by an Amocco and got it's premium gas, and I really noticed a difference. When you drive and really pay attention to and get attuned to your car, you know how it's supposed to vibrate, you know how it's supposed to accelerate... and even though it might have been subtle, I noticed an improvement with Amocco.

Since then, of course, Amocco was bought by BP. Also since then, I am only driving cars that don't require premium. I started going to a Citgo out of convenience, but I don't like Hugo Chavez and so have switched back to an almost as convenient BP. The BP I go to is right off the interstate, right across from Gwinnett Place Mall (for those Georgians out there), and yet amazingly is usually (although not always) as cheap or cheaper than gas stations out of the way. They also have free air (no puns, please).

Of course, the Citgo I had been going to has free air, too... amazingly free air seems to be making a comeback. So I get air at the Citgo (it's in the same strip mall as my son's martial arts class), I also get carwashes and sometimes by a drink there... just not the gasoline.

BTW, overall I'm not particularly religious about it... I'll go anywhere convenient, but if I know I'm going to pass by a BP I'll go there. If not, I'll go to Shell or Exxon or wherever. It's just a preference, not a rule.

I just buy whatever brand happens to be offered at whatever gas station I happen to pull into when the orange light comes on.

So I checked each option. :)

- Jeff

Put me down for "other"
Quik Trip - Which is, believe it or not, a top tier gasoline. I have one a half mile from my house with enough pumps to supply like 40 cars at the same time - and often it seems they are all in use. And it's cheap too.

:D How about none of the above?

Isn't it some anti-trust thing that forces major companies to sell to the "unbrands?" I.e. if you stop in a Clark station, you may really be putting Exxon in your tank?

I guess I put Diamond Shamrock in my tank more than anything else b/c it's the nearest. I never figured you could do a real comparison because on one tank, the wind may be in your face and you wait at more stoplights etc. but the next tank, you get better conditions.

I have thought about upgrading, though. If gas is over $2 per gallon, and if the next grade is 10 cents more, you're looking at under 5% extra. I was driving my Altima over the holidays and I accidentally upgraded. My mpg jumped from 30 to 33...coincidence? Next tank, it seemed to balance out. Oh well.

I'm another other user, agian Quiktrip because it is top-tier. They have been guaranteeing their gas since before the top-tier rating. They are also the ones that all other stations set their prices off of here in the midwest, although, a month or two ago there was an article about how they weren't necessarily play that game anymore.

:D How about none of the above?
I wanted to add that, but I forgot, and I can't figure out how to edit it.

As others have said...whichever is closest and/or cheapest to me when I need gas. I saw something on TV once (so it must be true) where a gasoline industry professional scientist kind of guy was analyzing gas from different stations. He said when you come down to it, all of your run-in-the-mill everyday regular unleaded gas is pretty much the same wherever you get it. There are certain standards gas stations must abide by so Exxon gas isn't any better than Sheetz (or WaWa or Get-Go or whatever little stations you have in your part of the country).

at first i used chevron because of the techron to keep my valves and stuff clean as possible...i still use it sometimes...i also use bp,exxon,and shell....maybe it's in my head but my e as well as my toyota truck seem to have a little more kick when i fill up with exxon..once i filled up with bp(amoco) premium in the e and i could tell quite a difference in power

We always use Chevron, in part due to the Techron benefits, but also because one of our best friends is a Chevron engineer, so we feel like we're kinda doing our small part to keep her in a job. :)

Also, many years ago, Chevrons were one of the first stations in our area to get the pay-at-the-pump kiosk-style gasoline pumps thus sparing me from having to deal with the lame-ass people who work at most (not all) convenience stores. So I like to kinda repay Chevron station owners for sparing my blood pressure all of those additional hits...

Rob