BMW recommends Shell gas, but it's more expensive than other brands

[hwntime]

Originally Posted by DanG

In Seattle you can’t find anything above 91 octane.

There's an ARCO in Bellevue that serves up 93. 14650 Bel-Red Rd
Bellevue, WA

[ItsGary]

Originally Posted by hwntime

There's an ARCO in Bellevue that serves up 93. 14650 Bel-Red Rd
Bellevue, WA

I wish Washington had ethanol free premium

[0w40X1]

Originally Posted by MystroX5

In PA and NorthEast, Sunoco is the best gas you can find. It has been that way for years.

I think they sometimes sell ethanol free which is a great quality.

[backhill]

Fun fact: Amoco is BP fuel. ARCO was BP fuel until last year when they divested to Marathon.

Since all are chiming in with their fill up spots, I've been going to Costco for 9 years now and spot check with GasBuddy that it is indeed the cheapest around.

I also go to Costco for peace of mind. A lot of fuel stations are privately owned/franchised, and the maintenance of the pumps and replacement of the filters are up to the proprietor. With Costco, you know they maintain their pumps and replace filters on an appropriate schedule.

[Ellazzar]

Costco 93 (Chicago area) for last 2 years and it works just as well. It's all politics and Shell pumps money into BMW as "sponsorship" so of course they (bmw) will recommend it.

[praxis218]

Am I the only one who gets the brand of gas that makes my exhaust pop/backfire the most? :) For me it's RaceTrac.

[bimmer456]

You can get discounts on shell gas with your Ralph's card or the fuel rewards card. I may have mentioned that already. I also get 5.25 percent with my credit card. About 20 to 30 cents off per gallon and up to $1 off per gallon for 1 fill up a month. They aren't noticeably more expensive than other brands for 91 which is the highest we have and is the nitro premium they market as.

[F30dud]

Originally Posted by bimmer456

You can get discounts on shell gas with your Ralph's card or the fuel rewards card. I may have mentioned that already. I also get 5.25 percent with my credit card. About 20 to 30 cents off per gallon and up to $1 off per gallon for 1 fill up a month. They aren't noticeably more expensive than other brands for 91 which is the highest we have and is the nitro premium they market as.

Discount with Ralphs card? How? Are you sure it doesn't add up points? How much is it off per galon with Ralphs, bcz it doesn't say anything about it at my local shell.

[bimmer456]

Originally Posted by F30dud

Discount with Ralphs card? How? Are you sure it doesn't add up points? How much is it off per galon with Ralphs, bcz it doesn't say anything about it at my local shell.

It's anywhere from 10 cents to a dollar off per gallon depending on how much you spend at ralphs earning fuel points. My oldest points expire end of this month so I'm going to try and use it then to see if I can get a dollar off. At the pump you press the button for rewards and then it gives you an option for fuel rewards or ralphs rewards. You press the ralphs rewards and then you can insert your ralphs card to get the discount and then your credit card. You may be able to pay cash at the register but I wouldn't do that as you can get a discount on gas with certain credit cards that makes it cheaper than the cash price. It's advertised quite a bit at the ralphs locations.

[tcabill]

The only stations I've seen E85 at in my area are all Chevrons so instead of going through the hassle of filling up at two different stations I fill at my local Chevron. I run an e40 mix and their e85 is consistently at e82 (51-83 is what the sticker on all e85 pumps say here).

[paposalsa]

7-11 (rarely)
WAWA
Military Base
Sam's (93) pumped at $2.03 Tuesday

Shell/Exxon here is like .60 to .80 higher than Regular (Tourist area)

[BNTLY]

Shell or chevron for me... don’t notice a performance difference between the 2

[Mavus]

Sunoco 93 ... smooth

[DanG]

Originally Posted by Smooth 330i

Sunoco 93 ... smooth

Wish we had Sunoco.

[SVH]

https://www.toptiergas.com/licensed-brands/

[The Automotive Enthusiast]

Gas comes from the same location, with different additives. I go to Exxon and pump 93. No issues.

[328iX]

What about diesel vehicles? I used Arco once and got around 225 miles on half a tank instead of my usual 300+.

Driving consisted of purely highway and my mpg was restored after using chevron diesel, but i get the same mpg with shell/costco as well...

[DanG]

Filled up at ARCO the other day. It had 92 octane fuel. Cost was $3.15 per gallon.

[Bertram28]

I don't recall where I learned that Shell fuel was preferred but did make that change from cheapest available near me.

I do not subscribe to 'its all from same place' or 'only different additives' theories. Shell does have refineries in the USA.

There was a time when Shell fuel commanded a premium price, not now. In SW Florida all fuel stations advertise their regular fuel prices and Shell is the same as nearby competitor fuel stations. I filled up yesterday. Regular was $2.179 and my 93 octane premium was $2.749 before a 5 cent discount per gallon from my fuelrewards.com card. I've had some fuel rewards as high as 50 cents per gallon.

So here is my bottom line: I have used Shell premium since acquiring a used E34 M5 with 165,000 miles on it in 2006. Some 13 years later, that car is one short trip from 229,000 miles. I regularly shift near its redline; and, cruise in a 3,000 to 3,500 rpm range all the time. Never had an engine issue.

[AnOldBiker]

Originally Posted by Bertram28

... I do not subscribe to 'its all from same place' or 'only different additives' theories. Shell does have refineries in the USA. ...

Shell does have refineries in the US. But no refinery trucks their fuel more than 350 miles from the facility. Is there a Shell refinery in Florida ? When not with in the distance, they use the Spot Market facilities to distribute their fuel for contracts. They all live by this.

I retired from ARCO in California. Shell sold their refinery in the LA area, and we made their fuel for them. In the Bay area, we had no refinery there and they made it for us and our contracts.

Refineries washed each other hands when it comes to business ... and profit.

[de Witt]

Originally Posted by Bertram28

So here is my bottom line: I have used Shell premium since acquiring a used E34 M5 with 165,000 miles on it in 2006. Some 13 years later, that car is one short trip from 229,000 miles. I regularly shift near its redline; and, cruise in a 3,000 to 3,500 rpm range all the time. Never had an engine issue.

Ive used any brand name premium octane in my M5s, an E28 M5 with 20 years of ownership and 200k miles on my watch and an E34 M5 with 17 years of ownership that is now rounding the bend towards 190k miles on my wifes watch. Never had an engine issue, even with consistent high rpm shifts as you know is necessary with the S38. Of course cruising is going to be 3000+ rpm, M5s from the E28 and E34 generation are geared in this manner.

I use Kroger fuel consistently bc of fuel points and the AAFES/NEX military fuel stations. As AnOldBiker states, it is likely the shell fuel you are using is sourced from the same depot as other brands; if not, then the BP across the way is likely using Shell refined fuel. Keep using Shell, but in many cases it is the same source with different additives/detergents. Im much more picky about other matters relating of the care of my M5s than fuel brand.

[bmw1racer]

Originally Posted by DanG

Filled up at ARCO the other day. It had 92 octane fuel. Cost was $3.15 per gallon.

If you've ever seen the movie Die Hard, there's a scene where the police officer steps out of the ARCO AM/PM and looks toward the Nakatomi building... As the camera pans up, the price of Regular is 77 cents.