There is a gas station near my house called "XTra", who's prices are perhaps too low. Premium sells for $1.89 there, less than regular at most stations. Is premium the same from station to station, or am I better off spending the extra .30 cents for "name brand" gas?

Hey Justin,
I'm just down 880 from you here in Santa Cruz... Where is this station? I'm coming over. On Saturday and Sunday nights on KGO radio out of San Francisco (AM 810) has a guy named Dr. Bill Watenburg. (I think from 10pm to midnight) He uses more of his brain than most people. If you call him and ask him that question, he'll give it to you straight. These stations all get their fuel from the same refineries and add their own additives to it to make it their own. Chevron adds Techroline, others add different stuff. Then they charge prices to make you believe that you get what you pay for. Gasoline stations have to maintain government standards just like antifreeze. Just go for the high octaine and be happy you're not paying $2.09 like we are down the road from you...
Those of you who live out of the bay area can listen on the internet if you'd like. Pretty interesting stuff I think. http://www.kgoam810.com/

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Kyle De Priest
1986 300e
1972 BMW R75/5 (Best there is)

Jeez,

You all pay over two bucks for premium? I guess I should feel lucky. In Texas, the high price around is $1.69. I found a "Generic Brand" place that sells premium for $1.38 but now an Exxon is charging $1.37.

I think you might be right that they all buy their fuel from the same sources. This morning, I saw a tank truck leaving the Exxon station and it didn't say Exxon on it.

Maybe they're pulling a fast one. But, it's a brand new "Tiger Mart". Anyway, I don't think I'd better complain.

BTW, my 300SE runs fine on either brand.

Mr. BILL

90 300SE
95 300D
84 300SD (sold)

$1.37 for Premium!!! I can't believe it. It sounds like I need to go back to my home state of Texas!

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Kyle De Priest
1986 300e
1972 BMW R75/5 (Best there is)

The only thing I've heard about these no-name stations is that their fuel may be older than the name brand stations.

BTW, around here, premium runs from $1.619 Hess to $1.799 Gulf. There aren't that many cheapie stations in this area, and the ones that do exist are charging within pennies of the name brands.

Hess seems to be buying a lot of Shell and Exxon stations, and they are about the cheapest "name brand". There are a few refineries in Philadelphia, and Buckeye pipeline company is pretty close, so maybe we get pretty fresh fuel. I did have Getty premium freeze in my fuel line once, but that station is now closed.

Here in Chicago, it's trial and error. Some of the cheap brands get good mileage and performance. Speedway mid-grade is what I use. I've been concerned with MPG and get 22 with the cheap stuff. Amoco and Shell get me 20 MPG on average, Mobile the car dosen't perform well and Citgo I only get 17 Mpg (its cheap) but with gas you don't always get what you pay for. I use mid grade and my buddy uses regular in his 85 190E 2.3 16 without problems. Give it a try, there are discussion in the forum regarding this.