thx007

Ok, I usually try to use top-tier stuff... typically Chevron. But I was curious if anyone knew the facts behind who supplies Costco with their gas? Regional differences I suppose will affect it too...

Can someone please bring me some 93 octane from the East coast??

zphase

I filled up once with their premium without any problems.

Deftly

I use Costco and Sam's gas almost totally. Guess I'd have to use a "name" brand to know what the difference would be. Car runs fine with excellent gas milage. It does what I need it to do.

traindude

I asked the service staff at my local Chevy dealer about this exact thing. I was told no problem using Costco Premium grade. Using regular unleaded would create problems noted in previous threads. Stay with the premium grade for the Vette was their recommendation. Brand of gas did not seem to matter. I've been using Costco Premium in my 07 C6 without any problems so far and Costco regular unleaded in my Explorer and Grand Chrokee without any problems as well.

lawyer2b

Brand name and generic gas are generally refined at the same location. The cost difference between the two is a result of the aftermarket additives the brand name adds after it is refined. Costco gas is cheaper because of the lack of additives. Will the lack of additives affect the performance of your Vette? No.

last901

Given that nearly everything at Costco is of high quality, I would expect their gasoline to be the same. I'd use it myself if it weren't for the fact there always seems to be a long line to buy it. I figure whatever I save in the price, I eat up idling in line. Besides, isn't it a bit beneath your dignity to wait in line in a $60K car to save a few bucks on gas?

I hate lines.

clockworks

I always feel weird going to Autozone in my Vette. A nicely polished Vette sticks out like a sore thumb amidst people fixing their beaters in the parking lot.

My god, I'm a bonafide Vette owner... finally!

TBIRD57

gas is the same...may offer higher octane

cvp33

If octane is all your concerned about, then running premium 92/93 will accomplish what you're looking for. If you're concerned about build up, than you need a top tier gas with detergents/additives. I use Shell exclusively. I never buy from the lowest guy, Sam's, Costco, etc. The peace of mind is worth the 4 cents per gallon premium to me. I even run the Techron additive once per month. Even I admit that this is overkill.

shopdog

I disagree. The EPA mandates the additive properties gasoline must meet to be sold to the public. Top Tier stations go a bit beyond that, but the amount of additive we're talking about is miniscule, a couple of Kool Aid packets worth to a tanker truck load. The cost differential between brands is negligible. The main reason for the price difference is the cost of name brand marketing. The majors spend a lot more money advertising and promoting their brand than the little guys do. That's reflected in the pump price.

Locally (metro Atlanta), Walmart buys their gas from Murphy Oil Company. So does Kroger. Guess what? Lots of the major brand stations buy from Murphy too. In turn, Murphy gets their gas from Colonial Pipeline, which buys the gas for its pipeline from whichever Gulf Coast refinery, or ocean POL terminal, has the best price on the required octane fuel that day. Lots of it is actually from Pemex in Mexico.

cvp33

Shopdog,

I mostly agree with what you've stated, however detergents are needed, especially with high performance vehicles and engines. I wouldn't feel comfortable saving pennies, when dollars are at stake. Here's a website with a few thoughts to ponder.

http://www.toptiergas.com/

Here's a quick list of Top Tier Gas sellers:

QuikTrip
Chevron
Conoco
Phillips
76
Shell
Entec Stations
MFA Oil Company
Kwik Trip/Kwik Star
The Somerset Refinery, Inc.
Chevron-Canada
Aloha Petroleum
Tri-Par Oil Company
Shell-Canada
Texaco
Petro-Canada
Sunoco-Canada

I found another good reference article for you guys to read from Car and Driver:

http://www.caranddriver.com/article....&page_number=1

shopdog

I agree that additives are needed, the EPA mandates them. Fuel injection engines need them to keep the injectors clean and the spray pattern nominal. This wasn't an issue in carb days when jets were small, but not that small. The tiny passages in injectors are a whole new ballgame.

Top Tier additives might be a bit better than the mandated EPA level, but we're actually talking about very small differences. Any gas of the required octane should be fine. I usually fill up at QuikTrip (Top Tier) myself, but only because the station is close to my house, and usually has about the lowest price in the area.

keyplyr

My tuner asked me what gas I was using because he saw pinging during the tune. We could not hear it, but saw the ping from the EFI Live Software.

The gas was premium (91 0ctane) Exon/Mobile. I thought I was safe using a major brand - wrong.

He advised me to switch to Chevron or Shell (both top tier.) I did and no problems since.

cvp33

In most modern engines you won't hear the ping like in the old days with carburetors. It is most likely isolated to a cylinder or two or even a combustion cycle event or two. But the computer will log the event. Given enough "events" it will throw a code or C/E light.

I'm meticulous about my vehicles, especially when it comes to the preventable part of maintenance. Top tier gas is a MUST for me. Don't even get me started on oil catch cans. If you're not running one you'd be surprised how much oil your shooting straight into your intake. We pulled a manifold on a new, 2,000 mile vehicle and found it coated with oil. Ever since then I've run a catch can on every vehicle.

gsport

i've been using costco gas for at least 10 years without any problems at all... i did ask them once who they bought their gas from, they said they have three or four different suppliers and they bought from whoever had the best price that day... i can't remember exactly which brands it was, but i do remember them being top, name brands like shell, texaco, or chevron, etc...

Erix

If you have run a turbo car, that tells you a lot more about gas quality. The LS motors arent as picky.

From my STI I can say without a doubt, in CA, that costco is fairly poor compared to Chevron. I tried it on 3 seperate occasions spanning different times to give it a fair shake. As soon as ambient temps were high 70's or better it would ping noticeably. Its find in standard apps, but I wont put it in a performance car again.

YMMV.

JVM225

A lot of gasoline on Long Island is delivered by trucks from "Mystic Bulk Carriers." On more than one occasion I've seen the same truck deliver gas to a "name brand" station, and then to an "off brand" station.
I've also seen trucks from different companies fill up at the same terminal.
I think that as long as you get 93 octane you should be fine.
I consistently fill my DD with the cheapest "off brand" regular (87 octane) gas that I can find and I've never had a problem.
I usually wind up getting a name brand in my C6 because there is usually very little, if any, price difference between the "name brand" 93 octane and the "off brand" around here. But, I have filled the Vette with 93 from "off brand" stations several times and have never had a problem.

MDK9950

Yep, use Costco all the time for all three cars for the past 6 years. Never had any problems. All premimum here in Pennsylvania is 93 octane.

owebo

Tier 1 gasoline is a marketing/branding invention.....

ebubman

have used costco gas for years in all of our cars; no problemo! bub