Non-top tier gas + additive to save money?

[serialk11r]

This isn't exactly a question of efficiency as much as it is a question of economics, so I put it here. Typically I would fill my car with Chevron (something about the blue everywhere makes me feel good), but I didn't feel like driving 2 miles just to get to the cheaper Chevron station in the next town so I just filled at a Valero. Typically I avoid Valero/ARCO since it's "lower quality" gas, but I read that the only difference is a small amount of detergents, so I poured 2 ounces of Marvel Mystery Oil in the tank since it's composition suggests that it's a good cleaner.

1 quart of MMO costs about as much as 1 gallon of gasoline, but the additives in gas are well under 1% of the composition, so adding just a few ounces should be bringing the "cleaning power" up quite a bit? So I saved maybe 1 dollar on the actual gasoline getting Valero, and then dumped 30 cents of MMO back in.

Thoughts?

[gone-ot]

...that's exactly what GM Owners Manual recommend when using "...non-Tier 1..." gasolines, so you're doing it right.

[Frank Lee]

I burn the cheapest fuel w/o additives. No problems.

[serialk11r]

Originally Posted by Old Tele man

...that's exactly what GM Owners Manual recommend when using "...non-Tier 1..." gasolines, so you're doing it right.

Really? :O

Gonna buy more Valero from now on, my credit card gives 3.3% off on gas so that makes up the difference between them and ARCO.

[Mustang Dave]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

I burn the cheapest fuel w/o additives. No problems.

Same here.
I tried adding a bottle of Techron Fuel System Cleaner to a fill-up in my Mustang last Summer. It made NO difference in FE, but it cost over $85.00 per gallon. ($7.99 + tax for a 12 oz bottle) I'll just continue purchasing my fuel from Safeway and not adding anything to it.

[givemeslack]

I've found good results with Lucas Fuel Treatment. The small 4 oz. bottles are expensive, but you can by it in quart and gallon sizes.

[bestclimb]

I buy the cheapest gas without going out of my way. No additives.

[BrandonMods]

I recently looked into this very same thing for my cruze. I have been unable to find any data supporting the benefits of using top tier gas in your vehicles. If anyone knows of any published data (non-biased) could you please post the link. Otherwise the website Top Tier Gasoline actually has a list of top tier gas suppliers if anyone is interested.

[redpoint5]

Top tier fuel is likely unnecessary. That said, if it does somehow keep the fuel system cleaner, then an occasional fill-up at a non-top tier fuel station will not significantly affect fuel system cleanliness.

I've never had a fuel system failure, and I've always run Arco gas for hundreds of thousands of miles.

FYI- Costco fuel is the cheapest in my area, and it is now Top Tier (ie equivalent to Chevron, Texaco, etc.)

It is very unlikely that cheap gas will ruin a fuel system, and even if it did, fuel systems are easy to service.

[Frank Lee]

Please don't use "ect.". It makes me crazy-er.