 Especially
if you drive an Audi, BMW, GM, Honda, Toyota, or Volkswagen vehicle.
Since the summer of 2004, I have been recommending top tier
gas to everyone I knew who drives a BMW, GM, Honda, or Toyota product. These manufacturers got together with oil
companies and created a fuel standard, in response to the damage poor quality gasoline
was doing to their customers' engines, the companies had been replacing engines
under warranty and it was getting expensive.
Toyota even has set their fleet maintenance interval to 5000
miles; many of their vehicles such as the Classic Prius (NHW11) were sporting a
7500-mile maintenance interval. But for
2004 the new Prius, which has the same engine(1NZ-FXE) as all previous Prius,
they ratcheted that down to 5000 miles between servicing, because that's what
the fleet standard is (I'm sure it doesn't hurt that they stand to make money
off every oil change).
Three cars have worn the Prius name badge:
Toyota Prius NHW10 (1997-2001) |JDM Prius, Original Prius, First Prius
Toyota Prius NHW11 (2000-2003) |Classic,
1.1, or 2nd Gen, First US Prius
Toyota Prius NHW20 (2004-Present) | 2nd
Gen, 3rd Gen, 2.0, or Hatchback
Anyway, the automakers got together and set a standard for
all fuels to meet in order to carry their certification, the first retailers to
meet the standard were Chevron and Quik Trip.
For short while Shell was promoting the Top Tier Gas initiative in their
television, print, and radio advertisements; later they started promoting it
has something unique to their own brand, dropping the Top Tier label.
Continue reading this article after the jump
Top Tier Gas is a gasoline quality standard set by Audi, BMW, General Motors, Honda, Toyota and
Volkswagen in response to loosening fuel quality standards. Since 1995, the level of detergents and other
additives in gasoline have been dropping at alarming levels. With fewer detergents, sludge builds up in
the engine and deposits accumulate on the valves hampering the vehicle's
ability to meet emission standards, and reduce performance to acceptable levels.
Top Tier certification means that all grades of fuel meet
the minimum standards and all outlets carrying the brand must meet the Top Tier standards.
The participating retailers are:
-
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
Today there are a far more retailers and auto manufacturers participating
in the program, I still highly recommend that any owner of one of these
manufacturer's vehicles purchase their gas from a Top Tier Gasoline certified
retailer.
Ford has/had a similar agreement with BP/Amoco. I do not know
the status of this agreement; last, I heard they were going to recommend BP on
all of their gas caps. My mom's Mustang did
not have such a label.
Kacey Green
www.grlt.com
"Tech with a twist of lime!"
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Sources:
www.topteirgas.com (2004, &
9.6.2007)
Picture from www.priusownersgroup.com
on an article about a man driving into a gas station.
My own studies.
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