How many of you are running Top Tier exclusively?

Our sales person never mentioned that fuel as a requirement. Only said mid or high octane for consumption.

I'll be switching to Top Tier since this was mentioned at our second date. I'd bet out of the 32 people at our second date event, 28 of us didn't have a clue about the Top Tier gasoline requirement.

 

I always use Top Tier gas in all my cars. I believe the additives are a benefit plus I suspect the gas quality is more consistent than at stations where they buy whatever is the cheapest at the time. Sure Top Tier is a little more expense but I think worth the expense because I tend to keep my cars for 8-10 years and over 100,000 miles. The engines I have taken apart, or at least had the head off, have looked great from a sludge/deposit standpoint and I contribute much of that to good quality gas.

 

I've never heard there's any "requirement" for top tier, but I've been using Shell 93 octane and always throw in a couple ounces of Star Tron stabilizer with each tankful. Did it on my 2014 MCS for 27K miles and will do it on my 2016 JCW when I fill it for the first time today. When you pay as much as we do for these cars, a couple more pennies to get the additional detergents and the like seems like a good investment to me. YMMV

 

Only Shell or BP for me, both of which are top tier. Some people say it doesn't matter where you get your fuel but I've noticed a difference in my cars and motorcycles.

 

I've always bought my gas at "top tier " stations. I remember a small indy group of gas stations in New York that were selling heavily adulterated gas with various industrial chemicals and I clearly wanted to steer clear of that mess.

 

Certainly money isn't going to be a issue, even a dime more per gallon is only a dollar more for a tank difference. Just was surprised to hear it's what we should be running in our MINI's from the "git-go". I'd been running 93 octane Race Trak gas in mine since new. Now will be switching to Shell as it's the closest station to our home.

 

I learned the hard way about top tier. Blew out the O sensor buying cheap 'grocery store' fuel. When the shop owner handed me my keys after the repair he also handed me the printout from the top tier website. Haven't used anything else since...and that was about 60K miles ago.

 

I always use top tier fuel in my vehicles. Totally unsupported, but I wonder whether the indy stations aren't sometimes careless with their purchases and whether the premium grade they sell is always premium. I think the majors are reliable with respect to fuel quality and grade.

 

Even though I don't own a cooper, I have always used Top Tier gas. In fact on my CT200h, I can use regular 87 octane.. but I still bump it up to 89. The reason is quality of gas at cheaper gas stations like say Grocery chains or Race track varies a lot.

 

Nothing but top tier for Baby! Shell 91 or 93 or ConocoPhillips 93. Runs better and doesn't really cost that much more in the long run!

 

Top Tier (Valero) in all our cars.

 

Have used toptier fuels only since day one. No problems. Toptier fuel is recommended by BMW/MINI as stated in the owners manual.

 

I run Shell, Chevron and ARCO in the Mini and best I can get is 91 octane. To many of the other have Ethanol. This is in California and we have all kinds of Designer Gas. I was on able to 93 once since we had the car and that was in either Nevada or Idaho. When ever we go to Idaho to see the Grand Kids we don't fill up until we get into Nevada then we get good gas and there is a noticeable difference in performance and I think mileage. The 2011 Clubman get good enough mileage and has small take that I can afford to run the good. Our Expedition has a 28 gallon tank but gets only 17.5 on the highway, at $4 a gallon it gets real expensive to fill up. $35 is the most I spent on filling the mini.

Tom

 

I always run 93 Ocatane from Shell only. I'll go out of my way to only get shell. When I fist got my Mini this year I was just putting 93 from any gas station and would randomly have the car go into limp mode. Ever since I started with Shell I haven't had a single issue.

2011 Clubman S with JB+ at 70% (This might have also been the cause but it has been on since the 2nd week of ownership)

 

Artoo drank Shell for the first 125,000 miles of his life. The last 25,000 it's been Costco. Top Tier and saves a couple of pennies per tank.

Then 3-4 times a year I fill it with Sunoco 95 race fuel, not top tier but no ethanol, when I'm in the paddock of Summit Point and getting ready to go home. And also every 5000 miles at oil changes a bottle of Techron.

I think the quality of fuel makes a difference and will continue to use Top Tier.

///Rich

 

Rich, you mention Techron. I and other acquaintances use BG-44K a couple of times a year much to the delight of our motors. Any one else familiar with that stuff?

 

I ran that Shell Nitro Plus stuff the other day and it seems to be running well. I've only had the mini a few weeks, so I haven't noticed much in the way of performance difference. Supposedly that Shell stuff is the best, though. Funny that QuickTrip is top tier but not Race Track. I always get them mixed up, and they always seem to be right next to each other. I'll have to steer clear of both, I suppose.

 

Costco is top tier as of last year.

 

+1, Costco.

67K on 2009 R56
Now 10K on 2015 F56.

And first long road trip last weekend. 850 miles round trip. Mostly freeway. San Diego to west of Sacramento area (through LA, over Grapevine). Cruise set to 69, 42.5 MPG as measured miles / gallons -- very pleased.

 

69 MPH on the I5 south into LA?!?

I bet your fellow motorists just loved that.

I have to use cruise control along that stretch just to keep from going fast.

For those unaware traffic along that stretch averages 80+.

Oh, and +1 for Costco gas, although it is to early for us to be sure with the Roadster. Prior it was only Chevron in my old R53.

As typical we think we're special here in California and use our own gas. Wish we could get the same stuff sold in our neighboring states. That would definitely help stabilize our outrageous gas prices.

I have noticed that here in CA I really don't see "Top Tier" advertised. Perhaps because we use our "special" gas?

 

Too many police to play fast / slow. Plus a six month old fifty pound puppy in the car who got car sick earlier in the trip, and a copilot (wife) who wasn't happy when earlier driving techniques had contributed to the seeing the dog's lunch a second time. So, yes, 69 mph on the cruise; and no, I didn't mess up traffic.

 

Hilarious

 

Yep. Nothing but 93 in my MCS since I bought it. The only two gas stations near me are Sunoco and I also have a BJ's near my work. Those are the only two places I've used. Car seems to run great.

Didn't really think about using fuel cleaners. I thought they weren't all that good, especially removing carbon buildup, but if you guys think it's worth popping a bottle of Techron into the tank every 5-10,000 miles I'll do it.

 

I am not familiar with BG-44K. But as a long time motor head, frankly, if you use good fuel, your injectors and intake should do better. Techron for me is simply part of the routine and I am not sure it actually makes a difference.

I wish our engines could actually talk. Artoo, 2003 R53, runs like a top at over 150,000 miles. Hardly ever a blip although I did prophylactically change the coil and wires (OEM) at 100,000. My only complaint is that I use a lot of oil and have been since almost new. Over a quart per 1000 miles and sometimes a quart in 500 miles. Mini always said that was normal. It makes me crazy but I chalk it up to the cost of motoring.

///Motor On

 

When we say that Costco gas is top tier, do we mean ALL Costco gas, in every state? Or do we mean only from pumps or stations that specifically say top tier?

Can the top tier designation for a particular brand apply only to some geographic areas, but not all?

On a slightly different note - I'm generally confident that when I fill up at a Chevron or Shell station, for example, I'm getting the quality and grade that I'm paying for. Perhaps this is an unfair question, but who's policing what's being actually sold at some of those independent stations? Would you notice if from time to time the station operator had the tanker truck dump Regular in the Premium tank, for example? Or bought a load of non-top tier?