Discount Gas: Is It Worth It?

Do you buy discount gas? Or are you more willing to cough up a few extra bucks for a well-known brand? And does it really matter? Gas prices being what they are, just about every drivers cruising for the best deal. Maybe you fill up on discount fuel and wonder, is the cheap stuff killing my engine? "I had an experience with cheap gas and my car started knocking," says one anonymous driver. But you might be willing to pay extra at those brand-name gas stations because youre assuming the fuel contains those extra additives you hear about, and thats better for your car, right? Maybe not. "Its a complicated situation," says Jean Jennings, the President of Automotive Magazine. Experts say all gas ought to be fine, after all, EPA regulations stipulate a certain level of those additives. "Gasoline additives are basically the detergent that keeps your engine clean," says Jennings. And yet there is a rating system, endorsed by major automakers, called "Top Tier," which claims to identify the best gasolines. You recognize those big brands including Shell, now in the midst of a major campaign warning consumers, government regulations or not, some discount gasolines can damage your car. "Our estimate is that 50 percent of the gasoline sold in the U.S. only meets the minimum or near minimum of government standards," explains Jens Mueller-Belau, the Global Technology Manager for Shell Oil That might be enough. "Most people do not own a car long enough for a carbon build-up or a gunk build-up in their engine to ever cause them a problem," says Jennings. At least one major auto trade group hasnt identified any quality differences in gas "based on geography or brand". You cant simply rely on the Top Tier list to find you great gas. Some of the most respected brands in the nation havent yet agreed to sign up. On the other hand, some obscure independent vendors have.