We see it everyday. Gas prices at one gas station are higher than another. Shell could be $3.45 per gallon while Hess is only $3.35 per gallon. Then you see the no name gas is even cheaper. Have you ever wondered why the price can be so different from one gas station to another? It may be a surprise to some of you that the fuel coming out of the pump isn't always created equally.
Now gasoline in its purest form is the same no matter which refinery produces it. The fuel from all of the refineries all share the same pipelines that run across the US. The fuel refined at an Exxon refinery may end up in a gas pump sold at Hess. What sets the fuel apart doesn't happen until it gets to the distribution center. This is where the fuel is taken from the pipeline and then mixed with additives to help keep your engine running longer and keep it clean. This is where the fuel that is sold at one business can differ from another. For example, you see the commercial for Shells V-Power giving you better fuel economy and helping to clean your engine. The way they explain this is by adding more nitrogen and some other chemicals to the mix. These are the additives that set Shell apart from Sunoco and Hess.
But the fuel you get at the pump can be even be different from one Shell station to another. When fuel sits in your gas tank or the tanks at the fueling station it starts to gather moisture and other dirt that can, at the very least, negatively impact your fuel economy. I can imagine more than one of you reading this have had bad gas from a pump before. That is why it is better to sometimes pay a little more for gas at a gas station that moves a lot of gas than to save a few cents getting something that may have been sitting in their tanks for some time.
Now, you may be asking yourself, "how do I know who has the best gas?" Well, besides making sure you gas comes from a station that doesn't have old gas, gas stations are actually rated in the US. The best gas stations with the best fuel are called top tier gas providers. Each year, these fuel providers are tested and must past an independent study to become a top tier provider. You can see the current top tier providers here. This is why I only take my cars to Shell. Sure, it's a little more money, but I definitely see a difference from other fueling stations around. Shell is also a top tier gas provider so I know I am getting the best fuel I can get.
Where do you take your cars to get fueled up? Do you just take the cheapest gas around or do you just go to the same place all the time? Does reading this make you think twice about fuel in general? Let me know in the comments below.
About The Author: Andrew Owendoff
Andrew has been working with us at FCP Euro on and off for many years. He brings to the team over a 10 years of automotive experience and has worked on many vehicles from Volvo, Mazda, and Ford. Beside doing normal maintenance, he his also an avid modder and has done everything from exhaust systems and stereos to tuning and turbo swaps. He can be reached at aowendoff@outlook.com
