[Slickpanther]

I have a 1.5 liter sport and used Kroger’s Additech today because I had a ton of points. Was this a bad idea? Anyone use this stuff? What was your experience?

 

[DARKART]

It’s fine.

 

[AccorDokken]

Is it unleaded gas? Out of a pump? If yes to both, then it's perfectly fine.

 

[pearl_Honda]

Is it fine though?

The manual and general recommendation is to use Top Tier gas - Kroger isn’t on the list: https://toptiergas.com/licensed-brands/

I’ve been in situations where I had to use non-Top Tier, but it’s not something I’d do regularly. That said, if Kroger fuel is just too good to pass, adding a fuel cleaner once in a while should be part of your routine.

 

[mellis]

I use kroger almost everytime I fill up my accord. Is premium (91 where I am unfortunately) worth it on a 17 year old car?

 

[Samuelx]

The manual and general recommendation is to use Top Tier gas - Kroger isn’t on the list: https://toptiergas.com/licensed-brands/

I find it interesting that ARCO is listed as a Top Tier gas brand. That would be a last resort type of choice for me - Shell, Chevron, Mobil, and 76 are pretty much my go tos around here in So Cal. I tried Costco for the first time last Thursday, just to try it - so far so good.

Fwiw, I worked in the service and parts departments of Honda Kawasaki Santa Monica for a little under 4 years back in the early 90's. There was one summer where maybe a dozen or two motorcycles, all types, came in running like crap and needed carb work done - the common denominator with all of them was ARCO gas. I had never used ARCO up until then and that kinda sealed the deal for me Not to use them (although they've most likely improved since then)…

 

[namegoeshere]

I've never had any problems with Arco fuel, and I've used it off and on since the early '90s up till now.

I've used 76, Shell, ARCO, Exxon (pre-merger), Mobil (pre-merger), Exxon Mobil,...

The Top Tier list is constantly changing. At one point Exxon Mobil wasn't listed as Top Tier because they didn't want to pay the marketing fees or be told how to market their fuels. I pointed this out here: What Octane, Type or Grade of Fuel?

No Exxon or Mobil

A few years later, Exxon and Mobil appear on the list...

A little later BP paid the marketing fee and got added to the list while Rebel Oil and Severson Oil got removed... probably because they didn't see any benefit and stopped paying the marketing fee...

Then around late 2013 or early 2014, Costco got put on the list...

And ARCO paid up in late 2014...

Looking at the list now, I see that Amoco got added as did CITGO, Marathon, Valero, and a bunch of others.

The Top Tier gas list is mainly marketing. I use the list as a reference. I know that I likely won't have any problems using any one of brands on the list unless the station owner is diluting the fuel.

Watered down gas is way more common than you think

Faulty gas pumps mean you could be buying watered down gas, gas with sediment in it, or getting less gas than you pay for.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[RTexasF]

have a 1.5 liter sport and used Kroger’s Additech today because I had a ton of points. Was this a bad idea?

Why is Kroger gasoline suspect? I prefer top tier gas but your car will run just fine on Kroger.

I use kroger almost everytime I fill up my accord. Is premium (91 where I am unfortunately) worth it on a 17 year old car?

Highly unlikely. It might be worth it on a turbo engine.

 

[AccorDokken]

This could be BS, but I have read that multiple stations in the same vicinity can get the same gas deliveries regardless of brand. Say if a small rural town has three gas stations--i.e. Shell, Irving, and Exxon--all three get gas from the same delivery truck. Might not be true, but it makes sense.

As was mentioned before, Top Tier might guarantee you're getting a better gas, or it might just be a marketing thing and not really mean a whole lot.

 

[TheBusch]

Unless this isn't the case where you live.....

Kroger/King Sooper fuel points can be used at Shell stations as well, and Shell is on the top tier list.

I stick to the list because the owner's manual says to. Not worth the couple cents fuss.

 

[namegoeshere]

This could be BS, but I have read that multiple stations in the same vicinity can get the same gas deliveries regardless of brand. Say if a small rural town has three gas stations--i.e. Shell, Irving, and Exxon--all three get gas from the same delivery truck. Might not be true, but it makes sense.

It is true. Do you think each gasoline brand has their own refinery that converts oil into gas? Of course not as they're very expensive to operate. Trucks get their gas at a filling terminal and then they dump in the detergent additives specific for each brand before delivery.

As I noted, BP (which owned ARCO before selling it to Tesoro in late 2012) at one point wasn't a Top Tier brand, but their fuel had plenty of cleaning detergents... as much as if not more than Shell or Exxon, who themselves were at one point not a Top Tier brand.

 

[Ash051]

We had a GM mechanic in our family and he said to always use top tier name brand gasoline and to always use the same pump at the same gas station whenever possible. Not sure if the times have changed, but the only difference really is the quality and number of detergents in the gasoline. Top tier brands use more detergents and have less carbon build-up as a result (AAA did a study and found this). It's probably fine occasionally, but personally, I wouldn't do it often.
Not sure if Kroger points are the same as Harris Teeter points (I work for Harris Teeter and Kroger is our parent company), but if so, then the points are also valid at BP stations. My dad has a V6 Highlander and uses our points there.

 

[namegoeshere]

Top tier brands use more detergents

Not always the case as I showed with BP in my post directly above yours.

We had a GM mechanic in our family and he said to always use top tier name brand gasoline and to always use the same pump at the same gas station whenever possible

GM mechanic by day,... a chemical engineer for a fuel company by night?

 

[Vegashybrid]

As someone who was in the fuel business for over 20 years I will start by saying that all gasoline you buy from a state authorized pump is top tier fuel, period. Unless you bought it at your neighbors house who refined the fuel himself, every single manufacturer by law has to abide by certain guidelines period end of story.
Second, as stated before all fuel comes into a pipeline for a location, and the companies add their detergents and additives after. Meaning it all starts the same based on govt regulations.
Third. Most of the companies mentioned are not really top tier fuel suppliers,(or Costco, Kroger, Pilot, ect. Globally there are only about 12 actual refining companies. When you buy from a store branded with a specific company, BP, Arco, Exxon ect, they are either corporate (which you really don't see anymore in the US) or they have a brand contract with that oil company. Everytime you go to that location you will get that brand of fuel. Everywhere else you buy fuel that is not specifically branded buy their fuel on the open market. So when they call that terminal to order fuel, they can go with supplier has a better price that day. One day it could be Exxon, next it could be Shell, one day the Shell fuel could come from a pipeline in a neighboring state, because you got a better deal from that supplier that day. But to clarify its all Top tier fuel. But because they can buy on the open market they are considered unbranded stores.
With that in mind the chart from above showing the detergents per 100ml is bs because not only could a Pilot or Speedway station they tested have two different fuels in the tank but, different time of year with varying ethanol contents and different, varying types of detergents. What detergents did they test for? Did they simply test for one common detergent across all of them?
Now in regards to Arco being mentioned, the reason why Arco is usually cheaper is because they have always use more ethanol type products in their fuel. This is still within the mandates, but remember alcohol is cheaper and burns quicker meaning it has less energy per unit. Not that it has less detergents ect. Just less energy meaning lower mpg. In extreme cases yes too much alcohol burns hotter and could destroy parts faster but again these aren't alcohol drag cars using that high of a ratio.
BOTTOM LINE:
Fill up anywhere at any certified pump and you will be getting top tier fuel.

 

[Vegashybrid]

Is there any benefit to using 93 octane in the 2.0T or is it a complete waste of money?

If your tuned or use Arco constantly yes you may see some benefit. Not stock. The ECU is set to adapt to the factory recommend fuel, meaning it won't adjust timing, boost ect higher to compensate for better fuel. Now of you got a bad batch it will pull timing ect to save engine from detonation.

 

[RickBlaine]

I want to add that oil is a commodity. Yes, you are burning oil from Iranian soil, or Venezuelan soil, or from the Great state of Texas, etc....

 

[Vegashybrid]

I want to add that oil is a commodity. Yes, you are burning oil from Iranian soil, or Venezuelan soil, or from the Great state of Texas, etc....

What's scarier is all these trading houses who are now sitting on hundreds of millions of barrels of oil they bought when it went to zero. But I digress...... Arco is the only brand I stay away from btw.

Edit: can a mod maybe sticky this as a fuel discussion topic. On the 8th gen forum there is an almost identical post except about Costco fuel. It seems to come up frequently I think we were even talking about this in another thread a couple months ago. Anyways everyone can go buy their fuel with greater piece of mind now, unless you've been filling up at Billy Bob Ray's homebrew venison jerky and fuel stop.

 

[Slickpanther]

Unless this isn't the case where you live.....

Kroger/King Sooper fuel points can be used at Shell stations as well, and Shell is on the top tier list.

I stick to the list because the owner's manual says to. Not worth the couple cents fuss.

Thanks. Problem solved. I don’t trust the gas at the Kroger stations so I‘ll use Shell. It’s common knowledge their gas is high quality. I went on gas buddy and found a Shell 1.2 miles away from me thats price was the same as the quick trip I’m used to using and found out that they do accept Kroger rewards. I wish I would have been known about this earlier. I’m like you, I’d rather use top tier.

 

[Vegashybrid]

Thanks. Problem solved. I don’t trust the gas at the Kroger stations so I‘ll use Shell. It’s common knowledge their gas is high quality. I went on gas buddy and found a Shell 1.2 miles away from me thats price was the same as the quick trip I’m used to using and found out that they do accept Kroger rewards. I wish I would have been known about this earlier. I’m like you, I’d rather use top tier.

Lol you obviously didn't read a single word I wrote. ALL FUEL IS TOP TIER. If Kroger and Shell have a partnership like that it's more than likely because they use Shell gasoline in their tanks but didn't want to pay the licensing fees to Shell or pay them a portion of their sales, instead passing those savings to their customers. She'll charges someone six figures to use their licensing and canopy wraps ect, plus they take a portion of your gallons sold. Tbh I could easily find out with one phone call what their partnership is but after years of experience I have a basic idea already.
Edit: I know all this because I owned both franchise and independent fuel stations. I had high performance/hp, tuned turbo, vehicles, that never had any problems for years owning independent fuel station. Again all the fuel is top tier. One of my bigger suppliers was River City Petroleum, an Exxon distributor.

 

[AccorDokken]

Is it fine though?

Yes.

The manual also says to use genuine Honda fluids exclusively and have virtually all services performed at a Honda dealership, but we don't all follow those recommendations.