Hi everyone,

Have a new Cayman S (AND LOVE IT!!).

Know that you have to use 93 oct gas. But should you try to stay with the same brand all of the time? Or just go to whoever is cheapest? Was using Exxon because it was the closest station and also the least expensive, but now BP up the street has beat them by close to 10 cents a gallon. What do you think?

Congratulations on your new Cayman.

As long as you are getting premium unleaded from a reputable dealer you will be fine. Exxon . . . BP . . . Shell . . . Chevron . . . Phillips . . . it doesn't make much difference to me. The Exxon dealer is closest so that's what I use but I have used BP on occasion.

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Porsche Cayman 2.7
Mercedes E320 Bluetec
Ducati Paul Smart LE
BMW R1200GS

I was recently told by a mechanic that I should only use Shell, Chevron, or Texaco, because they are the only ones that have cleaning additives in their gas. I have two delivery vans with 350k+ original miles on the motors, each, and we have been using a lot of Shell the past few years, so that seemed to reinforce what he said.

There apparently IS a huge difference in gas quality. Especially avoid the lesser or no-name brands.

Check out the Top Tier brand site. There appears to be some substance to their nominal formulation requirements.

Top Tier Gasoline

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'07 CS Speed Yellow

pgcays.

Thanks for starting this thread. I've always wondered about this topic. I'm gotten different answers from different auto mechanics, so I've always thought that there was nothing to this, given that I've got controversial answers. I've been using the Costco gas since they are located right next to my work, and it helps that they're cheaper than the others. But I've recently noticed that they're only 91 octane. Guess the antiknock sensors help deal with that. But, perhaps I need to change my ways............Will definitely follow this forum. pgcays, you will find there are alot of people on this board who are great resources! Congrats on your new Cayman.

Cheers,
Jim

I think in California the highest octane gasoline that you can purchase is 91???

There are a few stations in CA. that sell 100 octane. You can mix to get 93, but the car runs fine on 91. Search and there are lots of threads on this. And always use name brand fuel.

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Is that 35mph corner 45, 55 or a ..... corner?

Guys:

Exclude California from anything I say later in this post. CARB rules are very demanding! Also, Exxon here is only used as an example. I have no connections, personal, financial or professional with Exxon.

The Gasoline Distribution system in the US relies on pipelines. Colonial pipeline goes from Houston to (essentially) New York, with termials along the way. A refiner puts it's gas in at Houston (say 25K bbls) and let's say it pulls it out at a terminal in New Jersey. IT'S NOT THE EXACT SAME GASOLINE THAT IT PUT IN! So, while you may want to buy Exxon gasoline, you may be getting gasoline that was made by Shell, or Phillips or BP. Gasoline is a Fungible Commodity (or else it couldn't be sold on the NY Merc).

NOW comes the fun part. At that terminal in New Jersey, if you're say Exxon, when you pick up the gasoline in your truck to deliver it to your Exxon station on Route 9, you add your own proprietary additives. THIS IS WHAT MAKES IT EXXON GASOLINE.

Essentially all gasoline is the same in the US (with the aforementioned Califronial exception AND the EPA designations of Reformulated (RFG) and Conventional (CG)). (Remember that Unocal got some moron Judge in Cali to allow it a patent on RFG - it was overturned years later) This allows it to be distributed to folks in Rhode Island where there isn't a refinery close by (unless you count the Irving Refinery is St. John, New Brunswick).

What makes Exxon gasoline Exxon gasoline is 1) their internal quality control at the terminal and 2) their proprietary additives. If you ask over on the Corvette forum, they would generally recommend Chevron gasoline.

Personally, I only buy from Exxon, Chevron, BP and Shell stations. Additives and quality control. I don't ever by from a convienence store or Costco or Kroger.

Just my 2 cents.

Ole Joe

+1 to that (35 years in the industry).

+2 - many years in the oil industry and 3 years of that in blending for trucks, pipeline, rail. It's just like Joe says in my experience.

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GT Silver CS
1980 Honda CBX
2004 Suzuki SV1000
2006 Subaru Legacy
2002 Honda Insight

Are there any studies backing up the advantages of aforementioned name brands over local non name brands?

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RobMason

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If you trade cars every 2 or 3 years it seem meaningless to be brand specific, am I not right?

Yes plenty of them. Check out the non-affiliated ones if you are in doubt.