Now having a fussy car I thought I'd read up on gas.. I found this on google..Interesting that some manufactures use only Chevron for their emission tests..
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I would strongly recommend Chevron


Additives are really the only difference. The mechanics I know swear by Chevron's additives and don't recommend Shell's new V-power. I heard this same recommendation from a few different mechanic shops after I had a bout of problems with the fuel system on my car.

Basically, all companies start with the same base mix and add their own little dash of chemicals to create a difference between the brands.

Gasoline is delivered to local mixing tanks through a central nationwide pipe network, so the gas you fill up on at 7-11 is likely from the same pipe as the Chevron across the street, but you get the advantage of Chrevron's engine cleaning agents whereas the cheaper fuel at 7-11 may have the state-minimum of everything.

I understand that it is a good practice to use the same brand of gasoline in your car when possible, and to always stay with the same grade (don't mix premium and regular unleaded, for instance).

If you have the choice, I would always choose Chevron. It is rarely much more expensive, and I find it interesting that Dodge, Chevrolet, and Ford all use Chevron gasoline when testing new vehicles for emissions regulations (even though all three companies have to have the Chevron gas shipped almost 500 miles as there are no Chevron stations in Michigan).

 

I have raced cars and carts in Utah for years and the buzz around the tracks was that Chevron was the best, most consistent, cleanest pump gas available. It is all I ran in my race carts unless special race fuels were required. I only run Chevron premium in my S.

 

The paragraphs you linked to have been cirsulating for at least 10 years and have been repeated so many times it's now assumed to be 'fact'. If you're clever, you can switch 'Chevron' for 'Shell' in a Google search and find similar text saying how Shell is best and Chevron is crap. Since Chevron is pretty much US based only, the same text can be found overseas stating that a different brand available in that country is the best.

The same applies to OEMs 'only using Chevron'. Not surprisingly the list of which OEMs supposedly use it is not consistent.

Much like beer, laundry soap and soft drinks, there's so little difference in the actual product the marketeers have to resort to outrageous claims to sway consumers. Nobody takes a guy seriously who claims that Bud gets him hotter chicks at the beach, yet an anonymous 'expert' on the interwebs claiming that brand A gas is better than brand B must somehow be right.

If anything, the S-type stands out as NOT being sensitive to gasoline brands, additives or octane ratings.

 

Just use a "top tier" premium fuel. Here in Georgia, Quik Trip is top tier rated, and consistently cheaper than most brands. I've never run into any fuel related problems. Besides, they probably have the best convenience stores, proof by how packed they are, 24/7.

 

I think it's significant that out of all the OEMs that have endorsed the Top Tier marketing scheme, Jaguar and it's former parent Ford are not among them. I take that as a sign that putting such limitations on the owner is not required.

Top Tier is also pretty much a USA only thing and to a minor degree Canada. What are people in Europe and downunda supposed to use?

 

True that. Many Americans are "brand loyal," because we tend to find something that works well...and stick to it. The opposite is also true - if you find that you wind up with a tank of bad gas, you'd avoid that brand, or gas station like the plague.

You're spot on about the endorsements. My pre- ST vehicles were Cadillac and Infiniti... and THEY were adamant about "top tier" brands (as if someone got paid).