I've read a bunch of threads on "top tier" gasoline, and was wondering what brand of gasoline TCH owners use and approximately how many miles to the tank (full fill ups, not partial fill ups) you are getting. I live in Chicago and use Shell exclusively. I get between 520-540 miles to the tank.

How about you?

 

I was using BP until the local stations went to 10% ethanol. I now use Chevron.

With either one, I am getting between 625 to 675 miles on a tank. This past weekend it was nice to fill up in Georgia, drive to Evansville, Indiana and back and STILL have enough left in the tank to get to work for another couple of days.

 

I recommend that you stay with Shell. I have used most of the "Top Tier" brands, and Shell has repeatedly given me the best FE.

How, you ask, do I know this? I calculate my fills to be as near 14 gallons as is practical, and then use hand calculated mileage for each tank. In testing, I have run alternating tanks (Shell -- someone else -- Shell -- someone else, etc.) where the tanks are in the same season, weather conditions -- and also over my same commute with no roadtrips on them.

Shell has consistently outperformed each competitor by 2-3 mpg. Not totally scientific, but enough so that now I buy nothing else when I have a choice. I don't know the chemistry that makes them able to do this -- I just know that they do.

 

I was using Shell and getting 41-42 mpg; but the last month I've been using a no-name (the price difference is $0.25/gal) my mileage has dropped 1 mpg.

Don

 

That looks like its worth the change then. I have been using no-name gas because its usually a little cheaper but have been wondering if I should go with exxon or BP.

 

Dan,

One thing to remember is that in most areas of the country, ALL gasoline comes from the same tanks. The ONLY difference in those areas is the additive package placed into the tankers at the tank farm. The additive package is the price differential that you are seeing.

These are mainly detergent agents that help keep your injectors, sparkplugs, sensors and valves clean. If you do use a lower grade of gasoline, you might want to look into the additives available at your local auto store to substitute for what you are not getting at the pump.

 

I mostly buy at Hess stations these days. My lifetime (2 years +) FE is in my sig, approaching 38. My current tank, about halfway through at the moment, is averaging around 49 mpg (just dropped below 49 over the weekend--laundromat runs! before that, it was about 49.5), for what's shaping up to be my best tank yet. Even my 80-something mile trip from the gas station to home on my way back from Maine last year (posted it in another thread) when I got over 55 mpg down Route 1, hills and all, the tank ended up no better than 47 mpg on the MFD. Have to see how it looks when I do the math in another couple of weeks.

 

Since I have gotten my TCH I have only put in Speedway gas. You can click on the database icon displaying my average and it will show you all of my tanks. If I ran the tank dry my average max distance would be 703 miles per tank. The farthest I have actually gone before a fillup was 652.

 

Chevron. I may start using Valero for a while.

 

I have used Chevron for 25 years. I did switch to Phillips 66 for about 4 years. I switched back now that we have a Chevron Truck stop north of town. I find it's less congested filling up there than at the Phillips thats a very popular station to buy gas that usually a few pennies lower in price.

Some of my past combined gas mileage on various cars using these top tier gasolines.

88 Cavalier 4-cyl auto - 34 mpg
91 Cavalier 4-cyl manual - 36 mpg
94 Corolla 4-cyl auto - 38 mpg
03 Corolla 4-cyl auto - 40 mpg
06 Ford 500 V6 auto - 31 mpg
07 TCH 4-cyl + elec - 49.6 mpg

I'm still learning little things that helps my overall TCH mpg. My newest high total miles is only 681 for a tank. My wife insist on filling up no less than 1/4 tank. This same 681 mile tank was 12.5 gallons to fill and calculated to 54.6 mpg. The heat where I live in southern new mexico has been 80 to 88 degrees and produces some nice numbers. Mostly these temps and no AC had added about 3 mpg. Over 90 even with the low 20% humidity, you need the AC.

https://www.greenhybrid.com/compare/.../car/5583.html

I experimented with the Corolla and Ford 500 on trying some non top tier brands. I saved a few pennies but found my cars were harder to start, idle at times was slower and poor acceleration. Some ping going up a overpass and lower gas mileage.

If I found a major brand of gas near a discounter then they compete for price. You can buy a major brand for about 3 cents per gallon more. That was why the Phillips 66 station was so very popular in my city. A top tier gas for near the price of a discounter.

Here is the site for those that don't understand about the top tier list of gasolines. Click each link if you want and read the details of this multi million dollar study.

http://toptiergas.com/