Something to make everyone sick..
TECH Addict
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,662
Likes: 1
From: LaConner WA
Ellis is very much correct on the wide disparity in levels of quality of your gas. ALL gas starts out pretty much the same stuff. The big differances are in the additive packages that the individual companys use. Costco/Am-pm gas is not up to Chevron/76 standards. You can definitely burn the cheap stuff for a while and you probably won't notice much differance. What you WILL notice is that over time your injectors will clog up, your power and economy will drop, and you'll have more fuel system problems in general than will your counterpart who burns Chevron Gas. The trouble is that it's such a gradual thing that by the time you actually know somethings wrong, it's time for 8 new injectors. Also as stated your going to get worse fuel economy with the cheaper gas. You probably won't notice 2-4% worse economy, but it seems to be true. To each their own 
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
From: Seattle
Just to add to the argument:
I drive to Spokane every now and then to visit friends and family. It's a great opportunity to test my highway mileage since it's a 300 mile drive. I do the standard test: fill up the tank right before leaving the city, reset trip odometer, then fill up at the destination and count the gallons.
When my car was bone stock, I got 19-21 mpg with Arco gas, and 26-27 mpg with 76/Chevron gas, both 92 rated. I figure I won't be saving anything with cheap Arco gas if I have to fill up more often, and if it's worse for my engine, then going to 76/Chevron is well worth the extra dime.
I drive to Spokane every now and then to visit friends and family. It's a great opportunity to test my highway mileage since it's a 300 mile drive. I do the standard test: fill up the tank right before leaving the city, reset trip odometer, then fill up at the destination and count the gallons.
When my car was bone stock, I got 19-21 mpg with Arco gas, and 26-27 mpg with 76/Chevron gas, both 92 rated. I figure I won't be saving anything with cheap Arco gas if I have to fill up more often, and if it's worse for my engine, then going to 76/Chevron is well worth the extra dime.
I did the same thing. I used to use Arco because it was cheaper but noticed that I filled up 14.5 gallons. I used to fill up every other day. Same drive everyday. I started using Mobil and filled up with 13.5. I switched to UnoCal 76 as I was filling up with 12.2 gallons. The gas was about 8 cents more per gallon, but was cheaper to use teh more expensive gas.
What is really funny is for the last year, several Unocal stations around my house and work are actually the same price or cheaper than Arco
What is really funny is for the last year, several Unocal stations around my house and work are actually the same price or cheaper than Arco
TECH Veteran
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 4,954
Likes: 1
From: Kent WA
It's amazing to me that people will go to great lengths to use a very good quality synthetic oil like Amsoil, Royal Purple, Redline, Mobil 1, German Castrol, etc. yet run down the street to fill up at Arco.
Kinda like eating a fine beluga caviar and washing it down with a Keystone Light.
Kinda like eating a fine beluga caviar and washing it down with a Keystone Light.
MMMMMM, Caviar & Old Milwaukee
I only use Arco in low compression daily beater cars. I did use it in my 3.4 V6 Camaro for a stretch, until I realized that it was cheaper to use the more expensive stuff. I'd never put that stuff in my LS1 or my wifes Mercedes.
I only use Arco in low compression daily beater cars. I did use it in my 3.4 V6 Camaro for a stretch, until I realized that it was cheaper to use the more expensive stuff. I'd never put that stuff in my LS1 or my wifes Mercedes.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 707
Likes: 0
From: Tacoma, WA
Arco sucks! All Arco will do over the long run will cost you a bunch of headaches. Funny story... I was with a friend and he was filling up his POS at Arco while a guy with a '01 Z28 pulled up and began to fill his tank with 87 Octane gas (keep in mind that this is a Z28 we are talking about). Then while we were talking camaros, he began to bitch and complain about all the "problems" he has been having with it and it only has 43k on it. Well, all I could say to him was you treat your car to s#!t, it will give you s#!t in return. He asked me what I meant. I told him to start with the gas that he was putting in it. Then he goes, "that is what I have always put in it and I have had no problems with it". At that point, I was more than glad that my friend was done and ready to go so I didn't have to listen to that idiot anymore. 
Originally Posted by ROCNDAV
I did the same thing. I used to use Arco because it was cheaper but noticed that I filled up 14.5 gallons. I used to fill up every other day. Same drive everyday. I started using Mobil and filled up with 13.5. I switched to UnoCal 76 as I was filling up with 12.2 gallons. The gas was about 8 cents more per gallon, but was cheaper to use teh more expensive gas.
What is really funny is for the last year, several Unocal stations around my house and work are actually the same price or cheaper than Arco
What is really funny is for the last year, several Unocal stations around my house and work are actually the same price or cheaper than Arco
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