AAA says cheap, off-brand gasoline is bad for engines

[VinceAtReal4x4s]

http://money.cnn.com/2016/07/08/autos/a ... noonVODtop

"Cheaper gas might end up costing drivers in the long run, according to AAA.

The automotive group found significant differences in the quality of gasoline sold at fuel retailers in recent testing.

The off-brand gasolines can cause "19 times more engine deposits" than recognizable brands, which have more detergent in their mix. The problem can occur after just 4,000 miles of simulated driving.

"Such carbon deposits are known to reduce fuel economy, increase emissions and negatively impact vehicle performance, particularly on newer vehicles," said AAA.

The "top tier" brands with more detergent additives are much better for the car and mileage.

The list of top tier gasoline brands that passed AAA's test includes the nation's major consumer brands: Exxon Mobil (XOM), Conoco (COP), BP (BP), Shell (RDSA), Chevron (CVX), Citgo, Phillips 66 (PSX) and Valero (VLO).

Related: Cheap gas blamed for highest number of traffic deaths since 2008

"AAA was surprised to learn the extent to which detergent additives impact gasoline quality," said John Nielsen, AAA's managing director of automotive engineering and repair. He said the top brands "kept engines remarkably cleaner than other fuels we tested."
CNNMoney (New York) First published July 8, 2016: 8:40 AM ET

[audiocontr]

Do we trust this message?

AAA is a for profit organization...

[VinceAtReal4x4s]

Yeah I kinda don't. Who can ever say...

I tend to use the "better" gas anyway just because those stations usually have much better pump areas overall. The pumps are in better shape most of the time, the card reader is more likely to work, there's usually fluid in the windshield washer bucket, and the biggest thing for me is the trash and paper-towel areas are usually stocked and taken care of. I wouldn't touch the pump handles in most places and this is really true if you run a diesel, which doesn't evaporate like petrol does and you can seemingly never wash it off your hands. Women tend to complain if they smell diesel on you too! I use a 76 station near me all the time and it's always top notch.

Location affects price more than anything else and when you get down to it, the prices are very close most of the time. I'll gamble an extra 50 cents for less hassle any day.

[TechMOGogy]

Just add your own booster to up the cetane level of the diesel and most also have some basic cleaners in them too.

[audiocontr]

From what i remember, the way the pipe line works is you put a gallon in the pipe in Galveston, you can immediately take a gallon in vermont, which means its not always your gas that youre getting at the other end. Additives are added after the pull from the main line, not before.

[undysworld]

Vince,

I'll apologize up front for the hijack, but I've gotta beg to differ...

Women tend to complain if they smell diesel on you too!

Not always! A few years back, my buddy Tim and I walked into the Grumpy Troll Brewpub after spending the entire day in the shop under some wreck or another. There's a fine-looking lass named Nicole tending the bar, and she takes one look at us, tilts her head back and sniffs the air, and smiles at us and says, "You guys are mechanics! I love that smell!".

We just took out our wallets and gave her everything...

[cascade.king]

In northern VT, we get access to Canadian pure "dinosaur juice" ie no ethanol through 1 local fuel distributor who buys and transports in from QC.

Frankly, I trust that gas in old engines more than the brand-name stuff.
If you want additives, just squirt some Mystery Oil in the tank after a fill-up.

[GenevaPinz]

Do we trust this message?

AAA is a for profit organization...

I would think yes, and exactly for that reason:
AAA operates roadside assistance, in the form of insurance (pay a fixed membership as premium, get towed when needed a certain distance a certain number of times). So I would assume they are in one of the best positions to keep statistics that correlate cheap gas with cars breaking down, and decreasing the number of breakdowns amongst their members will have a direct positive effect on their bottom-line.

[audiocontr]

Very strong point and i understand your position.

A little bit of background/insight - my job for a major automotive OEM, is to acquire external data relevant to insight & analytics. I have danced with AAA executive leadership out of Dearborn, specifically on analytics, and was unimpressed. Their data holdings are weak. Their memberships are disconnected, with some ran by AAA, but most simply licensing the AAA name. I was always under the impression that they represent a club membership, with some sort of bubble up of membership interest. I'm afraid that simply is not the case. They are a corporate entity driven by profits.

This article seems like a corporate partnership marketing initiative.

I could be wrong. It happens OFTEN.

[VinceAtReal4x4s]

.... There's a fine-looking lass named Nicole tending the bar, and she takes one look at us, tilts her head back and sniffs the air, and smiles at us and says, "You guys are mechanics! I love that smell!".
We just took out our wallets and gave her everything...

Hmm. So is this Nicole into off-roading, and is she available?

[undysworld]

.... There's a fine-looking lass named Nicole tending the bar, and she takes one look at us, tilts her head back and sniffs the air, and smiles at us and says, "You guys are mechanics! I love that smell!".
We just took out our wallets and gave her everything...

Hmm. So is this Nicole into off-roading, and is she available?

Well, she thought the Pinz was cool looking. But she's had a standing invitation to our shop for quite a while, and hasn't dropped by yet. I'm beginning to suspect she's previously entertained.

[Twin Pinzies]

I used to believe that Pinzgauers were designed to use crappy European gas from the early 70's... so why bother using premium gas? And why use anything but the cheapest multigrade motor oil either?
Well, I will tell you from firsthand experience, my trucks run NOTICEABLY better with premium gas. They also run better with top brand (conventional) motor oil too.

[rmel]

I was just talking to a friend yesterday who has a buddy who was a chemical engineer at a large refinery.

What he said is that the generics or "Rotten this and that" brands typically buy their gas on the spot market,
excess production, and if an order is specifically placed for their needs, typically the high quality additives
are not blended in to save on cost. Obviously the stuff burns, but you don't know how long it has been sitting
around, where it has been, and what is and is not blended into it. Good for your leaf blower