What brand of gas do you use?

[Fever Mike]

My '05 4.4 is a lease so in 2-3 years it will be gone. I use what ever gas is at what ever corner gas station I come to. Usually 93 octane but for long trips I will use 87-89 octane. Used 87-89 Octane for the last year I had my 2000 X5 4.4 and never had a problem.

[Scott in Cincy]

Originally Posted by Fever Mike

My '05 4.4 is a lease so in 2-3 years it will be gone. I use what ever gas is at what ever corner gas station I come to. Usually 93 octane but for long trips I will use 87-89 octane. Used 87-89 Octane for the last year I had my 2000 X5 4.4 and never had a problem.

Makes me glad I bought an off-lease car

[Blacke53]

The only thing that you should concern yourself with is the octain. Brand does not matter. All gas is essentally the same except for the additives that the different brands add. I saw a show on refining oil and they mentioned a cross US pipeline that the Oil companies use to move gas across the country. The company puts gas in at one end and then takes some out of the other end. So Mobile gas put in at one end may be Shell gas that Mobile takes out at the other end. The govt have restrictions on the Octain of gas so in the end it is all the same.

[crete]

Here in Calif with all the emissions standards I think oil companies have to add even more additives to reduce emissions to allow for cleaner air. Here in NorCal we can't get 93 octane...The highest octane I can find is 91 and right now is 2.71/gal.

[Wagner]

Remember that the US is the 11th largest oil producer in the world and thanks to Bush we now have the largest oil reserve in the world (over 670 million barrels) Yet gas prices are crazy. Some of that however can be attributed to the late Hurrican Ivan storm in 2004 which disrupted Gulf production which accounts for 1.6Million barrels a day (larger then Texas kids). So there is a lot to consider when blaiming OPEC and the Saudi's for your gas prices, you may need to look in your own backyard...well if you live in Va or DC at least

http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/usa.html

However....

Here ya go, some old stats:

Oil purchased from Middle East
Shell............................ 205,742,000 barrels
Chevron/Texaco......... 144,332,000 barrels
Exxon /Mobil................130,082,000 barrels
Marathon/Speedway...117,740,000 barrels
Amoco......................... 62,231,000 barrels

Here are some large companies that do not import Middle Eastern oil:

Citgo....................0 barrels
Sunoco..............0 barrels
Conoco...............0 barrels
Sinclair............... 0 barrels
BP/Phillips.......... 0 barrels
Hess...................0 barrels

You can figure 20 gallons of gas for every barrel of oil (42 gallons)

[Scott in Cincy]

Originally Posted by WagnerX5

Oil purchased from Middle East
Shell............................ 205,742,000 barrels
Chevron/Texaco......... 144,332,000 barrels
Exxon /Mobil................130,082,000 barrels
Marathon/Speedway...117,740,000 barrels
Amoco......................... 62,231,000 barrels

Here are some large companies that do not import Middle Eastern oil:

Citgo....................0 barrels
Sunoco..............0 barrels
Conoco...............0 barrels
Sinclair............... 0 barrels
BP/Phillips.......... 0 barrels
Hess...................0 barrels

You can figure 20 gallons of gas for every barrel of oil (42 gallons)

That second list alone is enough to make me want to continue buying from Sunoco. Unless we take over Iraq as the 51st state

[crete]

Originally Posted by WagnerX5

Here are some large companies that do not import Middle Eastern oil:

Citgo....................0 barrels
Sunoco..............0 barrels
Conoco...............0 barrels
Sinclair............... 0 barrels
BP/Phillips.......... 0 barrels
Hess...................0 barrels

You can figure 20 gallons of gas for every barrel of oil (42 gallons)

The problem here is none of these are in NorCal...... what about ARCO, where do they get their barrels

[ike301]

Chevron on Bay Street (Marina) in San Francisco 2.69, 2.79, 2.89
Chevron on Ortega/19th (Sunset) in San Francisco 2.63,2.73,2.83

I use premium just b/c I've heard the higher octane burns cleaner, therefore it keeps the injectors cleaner.... don't quote me on this. Shoot, at these rates, I almost don't even want to drive = 25 gallons @ 2.89 = $72.25, or 25 gallons @ 2.83 = $70.75. We need a hybrid X5!

*edit* great.... just read that supercharger article.... "High octane fuel does not burn cleaner, it does not clean your engine, it does not increase horsepower or torque (unless you are experiencing knock), it does not smell better, it does not increase fuel economy (unless you are experiencing knock) and is not better for the environment." any other comments on that?

[JCL]

Originally Posted by ike301

I great.... just read that supercharger article.... "High octane fuel does not burn cleaner, it does not clean your engine, it does not increase horsepower or torque (unless you are experiencing knock), it does not smell better, it does not increase fuel economy (unless you are experiencing knock) and is not better for the environment." any other comments on that?

Nope, that's pretty accurate. There is a great marketing campaign, however, that has many drivers believing the opposite. I just figure the oil companies are making enough profit. If you are at a name-brand station, one that has a reasonable additive package (ie one that meets federal emissions laws for a start), then resistance to pre-ignition is the only difference, and if you don't experience pre-ignition or performance impacts from the engine controller compensating for pre-ignition, then buying extra octane rating is like giving cash away.

[SANguru]

We have BP in NorCal...

Originally Posted by crete

The problem here is none of these are in NorCal...... what about ARCO, where do they get their barrels