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segfaultxr7 t1_j2nsehh wrote

Reply to comment by GargantuanWitch in Getgo gas no longer listed on the Top Tier website. Did they drop their certification? by Confident_End_3848

I thought so too, but when I saw that my car recommends using it in the owner's manual, I looked into it a little more. Turns out it does make a significant difference.

Modern direct-injected engines are also more susceptible to having gunk build up in the intake, so fuel/detergent quality is more important than it used to be.

I don't freak out if I fill up with non-Top Tier from time to time, but since I plan on keeping my car for a while, I do try to use it normally.

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GargantuanWitch t1_j2nuwb4 wrote

I kept an 88 Ford Taurus with well over 200k miles on it alive for years, and never once had a fuel issue. Back in the 90s.

With the amount of complaining people do about gas prices, I'd wager they'd do the same thing if a particular gas station's brand was known for causing the damage you're trying to avoid. I don't see these news stories. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but you clearly drank someone's Kool-Aid.

BTW, your article is a study done by AAA (a for-profit enterprise) and published in Consumer Reports (also a for-profit enterprise) - if you'd like an honest and unbiased paper, read something from a scientific journal. Consumer Reports is a literal advertisement rag that is willing to shill for whoever pays. There's a reason it's on your Nonna's coffee table.

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[deleted] t1_j2odqw1 wrote

[deleted]

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GargantuanWitch t1_j2ogsaj wrote

Their methodology is weak because the conditions they're claiming to research aren't present by the very nature of their test.

Running an engine for 100 consecutive hours isn't "carbon buildup because fuel is present in the cylinder after the engine is off" which is the entire reason detergents were invented.

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segfaultxr7 t1_j2of0v1 wrote

> I kept an 88 Ford Taurus with well over 200k miles on it alive for years, and never once had a fuel issue. Back in the 90s.

Like I said, today's direct injected engines have issues with carbon buildup that didn't exist with old port injection systems. They are much more sensitive to fuel quality.

Some engines even require dismantling the intake and cleaning it out periodically. Ford and Toyota use direct and port injection together as a workaround. Don't take my word for it, it's an extremely well-known issue that anyone can research.

Are those 1000% perfect sources with no possible conflicts of interest? Of course not, but it's certainly a better data point than someone posting their opinion on Reddit. I'll stick with the recommendation in my owner's manual, especially when we're talking about less than 50 cents a tank.

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CARLEtheCamry t1_j2oyvec wrote

What kind of car do you drive that recommends it, is it higher-end?

I totally get it for people who buy high-end cars and have to put in like 93 octane. At that point though I consider it a niche/enthusiast kind of thing though. Like a coworker drives something like that, and he's a gear head customizing stuff under the hood that is way over my head. Nothing wrong with that.

But if I bought a new Camry and I had to put "special" fuel in it, that would be a deal breaker for me.

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segfaultxr7 t1_j2p1rp6 wrote

No, just a Civic, but it does have a turbo GDI engine. The manual discusses it on page 541.

Incidentally, Toyota recommends it as well. From page 590 of the 2023 Camry manual:

> Toyota strongly recommends the use of Top Tier Detergent Gasoline. For more information on Top Tier Detergent Gasoline and a list of marketers, please go to the official website www.toptiergas.com

The price difference is something like 3 cents a gallon, nowhere near the expense of 93. And it's not like the engine will explode if you fill up with non-TT gas, it's just advisable over the long run.

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