Top Tier Fuel and Your "Fuel" system?
 

I searched and didn't find this, and thought it might be interesting to discuss. Fueling our trucks is really a no brainier, but what is your routine? What do you do, and what type brand of fuel + octane do you use?

1. What does everyone think about Top Tier Fuel?
a) Do you think it really makes a difference? - I think over time it does keep the engine cleaner
b) Would you pay a little more for it - Yes I would, but then again at most stations here it's the same price.
c) Is it readily available in your area? - On the main roads it is, but you need to watch where you are at because it's not available all over OKC
d) What brad to you like? I like Shell but it's not really close to me. Since OnCue started carrying Phillips 66, and it's Top Tier I stop there a lot.
e) How often do you use Top Tier? - As much as possible, but I'd say 25% of the time I still use standard tier
f) What Octane do you use? - I use at least 91 in my H.O. Ecoboost, and 87-91 in my regular E.B.

2. What is your routine when fueling your Truck?
a) Skimmers? - I don't use the outside pumps (skimmers don't want the clerks to see them). I check to see if anyone is sitting in a car looking at the pumps (AKA Bluetooth). I wiggle the card slot to see if its loose, and look for the security tape).
b) Preventing fuel spills? - I haven't had any. I'm all over the place on this one, no real measures taken.
c) Fill to one click, two click, etc? - Usually click 2
d) Get a receipt? YES!
e) Hand check your mileage? Yes, I write it down and have an Excel spreadsheet I keep track of them.
d) Any other things? - I don't let it get less than 1/4 tank at any time. I usually fill up at 1/2 tank.

I have some friends that swear by Top Tier Gas vs standard gas.

I live in OKC, and have several options for getting Top Tier Gas. The local On-Cue has Phillips 66 gas, and advertised as Top Tier, and are currently offering a .10 discount up to 99 gallons per month for the first three months, then .05 thereafter. Seems like a good deal, but I haven't used a Gas Card in years.
Here is what they say about Top Tier Gas:
I'm really not brand loyal, but have seen some difference in fuel mileage from station to station. However I don't put a lot of stock in that as temp, wind, my foot in the pedal, etc, can vary so much. I'm not recommending any station or gas, just thought ti would be kind of fun to discuss.

Not going to answer everything but I use top tier only in my 16 5.0. However, I recently read that using premium fuel is not going to keep your engine any cleaner than regular as they both use detergents.

Shell 93 every Tuesday - 20 cents off a gallon on Tuesdays. Running a 93 Performance/Tow tune on my 2013 Ecoboost.
It's the only gas I will use if I am paying for it. The 20 cents off puts it pretty close to 87/regular.

Top Tier at Costco.

Way too much thought on gas...

As I understand it, most gasoline brands are 'Top Tier' these days due to the detergents mixed into the three common grades available.
Unbranded gas stations buying off the spot market may or may not be top tier.
Shell and Chevron used to be called 'Tier 1' gasoline, but the other brands have caught up.

Brad

You understand wrong.

https://www.toptiergas.com/consumers/

My truck seems to like gas from Sunoco the best, unfortunately there were only 2 stations on my commute that carried that and one shut down last year and the other just switched to Marathon last fall. I always got the highest consistent fuel mileage running Sunoco though. I'd say my truck ran stronger too, but that's highly subjective and could just be in my head.

Typically I fill up at Kroger because with a larger family we often max out the fuel points every month so I get $1 off a gallon. That adds up when I'm putting 33 gallons in at a time. Kroger's fuel is hit or miss, some tanks it's as good as Sunoco, and other tanks my fuel mileage will drop 2 mpg's. In the end it averages out to be about the same as the remaining top tier brands around me. Those brands (Shell, BP, Marathon, Exxon) all seem to run about the same for me. My mileage isn't as good as Sunoco gives me, and it isn't as bad as the worst tanks from Kroger; it's consistently in the middle tank to tank.

I use whatever is the cheapest. I guess you don't want to hear about carbs. I have four FI vehicles that are over 20 years old, three of them I bought new. I have never had a fuel related issue....FWI, one has right at 100k miles, one well over 100k and one well over 200k. The fourth only has 42k.

The link reads much the same as what I wrote, what's wrong?

Brad

You said that most brands are Top Tier. While a lot of brands are Top Tier, it's no where near most. Kroger, a major gas retailer, is not Top Tier for example. Neither is Sam's Club. or Speedway (#4 in market share in US) or Circle K (#6 in market share).

You also said that unbranded gas stations may be Top Tier. While they may have detergents in the fuel, it's not going to be Top Tier gas, which has a higher level of concentration of detergents. Further, some Top Tier brands follow even stricter standards, like Costco, with better filtration management for one thing. AAA study