Hey all.

New member still, probably seen my posts elsewhere. I wasn't sure weather to make a new subject for this, I always feel bad filling up already busy messages boards with new topics.

Been spending alot of the last few days researching online about my new car and my concern with it's so far MPG. (It's a Sedan Ex Automatic.) Today in my search I became aware of something else. I want to see if I should be concerned with.

First off I am not a "Car" person, persay. I'll probably never enchance my car in any way as far as performace goes. I just want it to last a long time and get me from A to B. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my new car, it's my first one ever and I want to take care of it. So that being said (and I get a feeling I might get a little ribbed for this.) Should I stop using Arco? I'm not asking to nessicarily improve my MPG, but more to just take care of the car. Although I admit I love finding the lowest gas prices, I've recently realized that the differences from a place like Arco VS say Chevron comes to like a buck or two difference for a tank full. Big whoop.

I'll still probably use the cheapest grade, 87 or unleaded or whatever you call it. But just looking for some recommendations. Change brands to take care of the car better?

I've only put Arco in once, it's only the second tank ever. If I switch, just let it get relatively low and then put something new (BetterI in? I know I live near a Chevron and a 76. I can't for the life of me think if there is a Shell near by. I don't think I've been to a Shell in years. Are any of those gonna be about the same? As far as improving from Arco that is.

I appreciate any input. This forum has been very useful, thank you!

 

I don't think it'll really matter... there's only two things you should be aware of when buying gas at small stations:

1) some stations water down their gas to make more money

2) small stations tend to get their gas shipments after the bigger stations. Because of this, they sometimes get the watered-down dregs of the gas trailer.

Other than those two things, small stations and low prices are a great way to go

 

how can a station water down the gas? if its watered down your car will run like **** and posibly not at all. i never had any problem using any gas from any station.

if your car is nothing special (performance wise) use whatever is available that is the cheapest as long as it is the right octane rating, and spend the money you save on general maintenacne.

 

proof of these accusations? Have you ever seen what water does to an engine? If some stations do this, you'd have cars with holes in their blocks a lot more than never.

 

I don't have proof personally, I've just heard enough people talking about it enough times to believe it happens. And I'm not saying they it's a 50-50 mixture or whatever; I'm not saying they pour huge amounts of water into the storage tanks, but even a little water will still get the stations a little more profit. Prove to me that no gas station on earth has ever done it and I'll take it all back. But since neither of us can actually prove our points, it leaves us at a stalemate. All I'm saying is that it could happen.

And for the record, regarding what small amounts of water does to engines:
Go park your car outside overnight with less than half a tank of gas. When you wake up the next morning, give yourself a pat on the back, because you now have a semi-watered down gas tank (If you live in an area where there's a decent temperature change overnight). It's called condensation, and it does happen in your gas tank. Slightly watered-down fuel won't do any more than give you ****ty gas mileage or everyone that parks outside in a temperate climate (including me) would "have cars with holes in their blocks a lot more than never"

 

I'm sorry, but you made the claim. The burden of proving this claim is upon you.

Your post was made to look as facts, not opinions.

If you can't prove it unconditionally, then making claims based on "word of mouth" isn't something one should do on a technical board.

 

nor is arguing on a thread asking for advice

 

I just don't want people believing unprovable hearsay. Now that this is out of the way;

Do you have any Shell stations around? They supposedly put cleansers in the gasoline to help clean your injectors and fuel lines.

My advice is every oil change get yourself some STP fuel cleaner and dump it into your tank on your next fill up. I've yet to have problems with my engine in the 4 years I've owned it doing this.

 

Thank you for finally answering the question

And if nobody ever told someone advice or whatever that was "just what they heard", we'd have about three active threads. Go into any random motor swap thread (especially one regarding H22 swaps) and 95% of the answers will be "just what I heard"s.

 

Which is why I pick the advice I choose to listen tobased on who I see actually having swaps. It'll take a while before I start wandering into swap threads and reading advice because I'll have to see who did what swap & if their advice is being followed more than the "I heard" advice.