Does Cheap Gas Hurt Your Car?
By: Alex Flippin
Updated: June 14, 2007
An article in USA Today looked at whether theres a difference between cheap discount gasoline and expensive "top shelf" gasoline. Though several studies say there is a difference, there are also several that say there isnt. An expert we spoke with today says any difference is caused by fuel additives. Additives are small amounts of chemicals that help keep an engine clean and running properly. While some large fuel retailers maintain that additives do nothing, many add them to their fuel and charge accordingly. The argument that cheap gas actually does harm to an engine prompted the Shell Oil company to recently launch a multimillion dollar campaign to persuade motorists to stay away from discount gas retailers...and, of course, the company says their fuel offers more benefits to a cars engine than others. However a mechanic we spoke with says the only way to know how your car reacts to different companys fuels is to try them for yourself.
