This may not be the right place for this post, but I'm new so please point me in the right direction if I'm wrong.

Currently, I'm driving a '99 Corolla and I fill up my car at the grocery store gas station down the street. It's worked for me, the gas there doesn't seem to be complete crap and my car just doesn't run as smoothly as when I fill it up elsewhere, go figure. My husband has a brand new Honda and he fills it up at Shell because that's what Honda recommends for their cars. Shell is only a penny or two more, so it's worth it for the peace of mind, but what about you guys?

Do you think it's worth it to go to a big name gas station, like Shell? Or is the premium gas at the grocery store station working for you?

 

Shell...There is one on the corner close to where we live and my Husband passes one every day on his way to work, we carpool so it is quite convenient.

 

Arco . . . it's usually one of the cheaper priced gas stations in California.

 

Shell, Union, and Chevron have priced themselves out of my reach.

I usually go to Valero, and add a can of Seafoam every few months.

 

The cheapest gas station with a mainstream brand of 93.

 

Chevron for me!! Or maybe Shell.

 

I prefer Chevron or 76. Usually pump the Chevron near home.

 

Shell only . Call me crazy , but I seem to get better mileage with Shell . I just completed a seven hour round trip to NC , all back roads . 60 mph most of the time , 38 MPG . My car is 6 speed , so that helps a little . But I am not that easy on it either .

 

No chevron, or Conoco here in chicagoland so I usually get BP or Shell.

 

Shell V-Power, Chevron (Petro Canada) for me. There is a definite difference in the additives that are used between the different companies. Discount gas is typically cheaper due to less (or lack of) additives.

And I am getting better mileage after having switched almost exclusively to Shell last year.

 

I have no opinion on what's best, I use Chevron/Texaco or Union 76, but a thought on the "grocery store gas station" just down the street.

Dirty fuel tanks, old fuel, water contamination or even as Ferroeqine has noted, a mix of additives could be the problem that you are experiencing.

For your peace of mind and performance pay the penny or two more and buy the fuel that makes the car run better.

Hope this helps...

 

Gas station.

 

On my trip to MOTD I filled up at a BP (for the first time ever and I was desperate for gas) and I wound up getting 47 mpg with it! I usually fill up with Exxon or Shell and average around 40 mpg... but I may try the local BP and see if I can get that higher mpg...

 

I usually try Shell and then Chevron is next on my list.

 

Mobil, BP, or Shell, in that order. There is even a Shell station about a mintute from my house, but I still go farther for Mobil.

 

kazlot: I think that when you drive an economy car, you tend to abuse them and not even really consider what sort of gas you put into them. I've had mine for ten years and never thought about what the gas I was buying was doing to the engine. Now that I've been reading the forums here, I've been thinking about that a lot more and I really want to start off on the right foot with my MINI. I want it to stick with me for at least ten years, so the more I know, the better off I am. Thanks a lot for the info.

 

While it's great you averaged 47 mpg, it's very unlikely the nearly 20% increase in mileage is due to a different brand of gasoline. If there was a magical additive or formula that increased mileage by 20%, you can bet every brand would have it, or the government would require it.

 

Always Shell because 1. I am a creature of habit 2. Shell's 30 seconds away and in a radius of half a mile, there are 3 shell stations. Also never never never use Arco. It's bad for your car.

 

I fill up pretty much where ever I happen to be when I need gas and just about anywhere but Exxon or Mobil. I'm tired of lining their bursting-at-the-seams-with-record-profits pockets.

 

SUNOCO 94

$4.25 in NYC yesterday

 

Shell V-Power exclusively.

 

Shell VPower 93 only now. Tried Sunoco and Mobil. I find the car performs better with Shell.

 

QT

 

Chevron is my station of choice.

 

BP for me. If I use there credit card they rebate me 5%.