Should premium gas be used for GV70?

[etiennewheeler]

TOP TIER - High-quality Fuel Performance Standard - TOP TIER™

TOP TIER is developed and enforced by some of the leading automotive manufacturers and supplied by participating fuel retailers.

www.toptiergas.com

most major gas companies like Shell, BP, Exxon as well as Costco are top tier

TOP TIER™ Gasoline Brands

toptiergas.com

 

[dhuhtala]

TOP TIER - High-quality Fuel Performance Standard - TOP TIER™

TOP TIER is developed and enforced by some of the leading automotive manufacturers and supplied by participating fuel retailers.

www.toptiergas.com

Thanks, after doing some searches, I'm finding that in Canada only Shell and Costco are certified...there are a few others but I didn't recognize those gas station names, so I don't think we have any here (Alberta). Interesting...thanks.

 

[spoofy]

Is premium from Costco good enough for "premium" or do you have to use 93 octane?

 

[Amtip]

Is premium from Costco good enough for "premium" or do you have to use 93 octane?

Any 91+ is gonna be just fine unless it's at a station where nobody buys it and it sits long enough to degrade.

Costco is Top Tier anyway.

 

[MrBuddha]

Costco is the way.

It's actually out of my way lol but worth the stop because it's always at least .25 cheaper than the surrounding stations.

 

[deewan]

@spoofy My opinion is the quality of gas is the most important thing for the GV70 and almost any car's engine unless the engine "requires" premium instead of "recommends" premium. That was the same advice given to me by the Genesis tech at my service department, he fills his GV80 with 87 or 89 octane.

As stated above Costco, along with many other places, have quality gas. Normally if the gas station is a regional and national brand, you are safe. Places that normally have poor quality gas are privately owned and always have the cheapest gas to try and tempt people to fill up there.

I normally fill up at BP and use their 89 octane but have also used 87 octane from a regional station. I'm guessing I might be giving up a small amount of horsepower but I've never noticed a lack of power when in Sport+ mode and doing a hard acceleration. I've had no other issues and I continue to get the estimated MPG on the window sticker or above based on my Fuelly app. BP is normally about $0.05/gallon more than surrounding stations, but they have a customer loyalty program that requires me to only type in my phone number and that program erases the price difference.

 

[Amtip]

@spoofy My opinion is the quality of gas is the most important thing for the GV70 and almost any car's engine unless the engine "requires" premium instead of "recommends" premium. That was the same advice given to me by the Genesis tech at my service department, he fills his GV80 with 87 or 89 octane.

As stated above Costco, along with many other places, have quality gas. Normally if the gas station is a regional and national brand, you are safe. Places that normally have poor quality gas are privately owned and always have the cheapest gas to try and tempt people to fill up there.

I normally fill up at BP and use their 89 octane but have also used 87 octane from a regional station. I'm guessing I might be giving up a small amount of horsepower but I've never noticed a lack of power when in Sport+ mode and doing a hard acceleration. I've had no other issues and I continue to get the estimated MPG on the window sticker or above based on my Fuelly app. BP is normally about $0.05/gallon more than surrounding stations, but they have a customer loyalty program that requires me to only type in my phone number and that program erases the price difference.

I usually use BP or Holiday, but just to note, BP is no longer on the Top Tier list.

 

[deewan]

I usually use BP or Holiday, but just to note, BP is no longer on the Top Tier list.

I could be wrong, but I thought I read BP dropped off because they use their own "Invigorate" additives that BP feels is as good or better as the Top Tier additives, but Invigorate does not specially meet the Top Tier standard. Again, I could be wrong but I think BP just went in-house for everything so they don't pay of the minimal licensing fee to be Top Tier since 98% of consumers do not even realize Top Tier stations exist and they would also be the people who will fill up anywhere.

 

[resdoggie]

Anyone ever hear of a non-top tier gas noticeably affecting engine performance or causing engine damage? You won't because it doesn't. But people fall for the marketing hype of top tier gas. So the marketing works but your engine won't run any better or worse.

 

[deewan]

Anyone ever hear of a non-top tier gas noticeably affecting engine performance or causing engine damage? You won't because it doesn't. But people fall for the marketing hype of top tier gas. So the marketing works but your engine won't run any better or worse.

At least locally here, the top tier stations (besides when BP was listed) are the same prices as the non-top tier stations. So marketing hype or not, it doesn't impact local drivers wallets.

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[EdP]

Anyone ever hear of a non-top tier gas noticeably affecting engine performance or causing engine damage? You won't because it doesn't. But people fall for the marketing hype of top tier gas. So the marketing works but your engine won't run any better or worse.

AFAIK, it is mostly a carbon buildup thing. No, you won't run "better" or have more power. You just know you are getting proper additives that you may or may not have in the generic.

All gasoline is refined to the same Federal specification. Top tier allows all brands to use the same additives when they are added at the terminal for distribution.

But only Exxon puts a tiger in your tank.

 

[Amtip]

Anyone ever hear of a non-top tier gas noticeably affecting engine performance or causing engine damage? You won't because it doesn't. But people fall for the marketing hype of top tier gas. So the marketing works but your engine won't run any better or worse.

Sure, I've gotten bad gas from non-brand gas stations plenty of times. Hell there's even been several times where the local news has warned people to not go to several gas stations, one of which involved somebody's vehicle being undrivable until it was serviced.

 

[luck11]

Here in Canada, I use Petrocan and sometimes Ultramar because they are convenient for me and my driving route and routine. Neither appear on the toptier list, although Petrocan claims it is top tier because it uses Techron...an EPA approved additive. Only one that is on the list and it is Shell, but close to the highway and always much higher price, and a PITA to get in and out of at peak times because of solid traffic, a major safety hazard and many near misses. And this is the only time I would visit....on my way home from the office, but otherwise, out of the way. The Costco closest with gas is not even in my ballpark.

I take this top tier list with a HUGE grain of salt. It's akin to those accreditations that mean just about zip because it's all self-declaration with no testing or control by anyone, but the petroleum provider itself. And if a company simply chooses not to PAY to be part of the club, then they are not on the list, but it does not mean they are not top tier (eg. Petrocan).

Anyway, these stations I use are top companies here, and always busy. Gas turnover is frequent. Have always used them and never had any issues whatsoever. In fact, my 2017 F150 twin turbo 3.5L....5 years on this non-top tier gas, regular, not premium, and could pull a huge tandem motorized dump trailer full of reno garbage, soil etc like nothing was attached and the engine never missed a heart beat. That sucker was a beast. I will continue to use regular in my GV at these gas stations because I am not looking for an extra .5 seconds in 0-60 via more octane. And the stations I use all have their additives for cleaning etc. To each his or her own I suppose.

 

[Newfan]

Costco gas is top tier. I fill up there whenever I can. In Canada it's a big price difference for premium fuel and Costco offers the biggest savings. The big 3 have 30c/L price premium for 91 over 87. Costco only charges 12c/L price premium (used to be only 10c/L about a month ago). On a near empty tank, it's over 10$ savings per fill up. Just wish there are more Costcos with gas bars so the line ups aren't so long.

 

[resdoggie]

AFAIK, it is mostly a carbon buildup thing. No, you won't run "better" or have more power. You just know you are getting proper additives that you may or may not have in the generic.

All gasoline is refined to the same Federal specification. Top tier allows all brands to use the same additives when they are added at the terminal for distribution.

But only Exxon puts a tiger in your tank.

Proper additives? Or just certain additives in the proper quantity that top tier gas specifies? It's claimed that TT burns cleaner but just how much cleaner? Is it even measurable? It's nothing new. Shell did tv ads decades ago about how much cleaner their gas burned and would then show how clean a valve was. Is that marketing hype? I stand by the marketing hype to get people to come to the big gas station chains that have TT gas. More people come, more gas sold, more profit. Shell knew that years ago.

Grrrrrr...............

 

[EdP]

Proper additives? Or just certain additives in the proper quantity that top tier gas specifies? It's claimed that TT burns cleaner but just how much cleaner? Is it even measurable? It's nothing new. Shell did tv ads decades ago about how much cleaner their gas burned and would then show how clean a valve was. Is that marketing hype? I stand by the marketing hype to get people to come to the big gas station chains that have TT gas. More people come, more gas sold, more profit. Shell knew that years ago.

Grrrrrr...............

Both apply depending on the gas. There are certain additives specified to meet federal specifications. In the past, brands hyped their additives and even gave them exotic names. Then they got together and came up with Top Tier so they all use the same.
I disagree with you about the valve cleaning being just marketing hype. That would have been found out and not a good outcome. Most likely no additional additives vs the good stuff. Have you ever torn an engine down? I've seen some nasty valves in some but it has been years. You can do the same test if you have the time and money. Just run two cars for at least 50,000 miles. There may be ways to exaggerate it.

When a tanker is going to make drops of gas, he fills up from the storage tanks and puts in the required additives Smart thing to do was consolidate each brand to the TT so now the truck can dump 5000 gallons at Shell and then go to the Exxon down the street. Does any of that gas get delivered to the Brand X station? Maybe. Maybe not. Using TT gives me some confidence.

 

[FirstGV70]

Both apply depending on the gas. There are certain additives specified to meet federal specifications. In the past, brands hyped their additives and even gave them exotic names. Then they got together and came up with Top Tier so they all use the same.
I disagree with you about the valve cleaning being just marketing hype. That would have been found out and not a good outcome. Most likely no additional additives vs the good stuff. Have you ever torn an engine down? I've seen some nasty valves in some but it has been years. You can do the same test if you have the time and money. Just run two cars for at least 50,000 miles. There may be ways to exaggerate it.

When a tanker is going to make drops of gas, he fills up from the storage tanks and puts in the required additives Smart thing to do was consolidate each brand to the TT so now the truck can dump 5000 gallons at Shell and then go to the Exxon down the street. Does any of that gas get delivered to the Brand X station? Maybe. Maybe not. Using TT gives me some confidence.

These are direct injection engines so the fuel never hits the back of the valves. Does Genesis use a port injector to help clean the valves? I know toyota does that and it would be great if Genesis has it on their engines, but I don't believe they do.

 

[resdoggie]

Both apply depending on the gas. There are certain additives specified to meet federal specifications. In the past, brands hyped their additives and even gave them exotic names. Then they got together and came up with Top Tier so they all use the same.
I disagree with you about the valve cleaning being just marketing hype. That would have been found out and not a good outcome. Most likely no additional additives vs the good stuff. Have you ever torn an engine down? I've seen some nasty valves in some but it has been years. You can do the same test if you have the time and money. Just run two cars for at least 50,000 miles. There may be ways to exaggerate it.

When a tanker is going to make drops of gas, he fills up from the storage tanks and puts in the required additives Smart thing to do was consolidate each brand to the TT so now the truck can dump 5000 gallons at Shell and then go to the Exxon down the street. Does any of that gas get delivered to the Brand X station? Maybe. Maybe not. Using TT gives me some confidence.

Yes, I tore down the engine in my '76 vette a few times. Funny thing I noticed about the intake valves. There was lots of carbon deposits on the intake valves. Then I upped the performance and installed a pair of AFR aluminium heads. Took them off a few thousand miles later to..............clean the carbon off the valves! Reinstalled and disconnected the PCV valve. Several thousand miles later using my borescope.....................clean as a whistle! Same gas was used as I nearly always filled up at a Shell station nearby. I stand by my statement - its a marketing ploy to get folks to buy gas from those stations who paid for a license to advertise TT gas is in their storage tanks. Just because a gas station doesn't have TT gas doesn't mean that the gas has no additives. It most likely does in order to burn clean too. Anyway, I for one, wouldn't waste my time looking for a station with TT gas.

 

[resdoggie]

These are direct injection engines so the fuel never hits the back of the valves. Does Genesis use a port injector to help clean the valves? I know toyota does that and it would be great if Genesis has it on their engines, but I don't believe they do.

I do believe it does have dual injection - one injector direct into the cylinder and the other in the intake manifold runner. The Cadillac XT4's 2.0T is a complete new design and uses an internal two stage PCV system vice dual injection. More than one way to solve carbon build up on valves.

 

[luck11]

These are direct injection engines so the fuel never hits the back of the valves. Does Genesis use a port injector to help clean the valves? I know toyota does that and it would be great if Genesis has it on their engines, but I don't believe they do.

I'm no tech, but I recall that for my 2013 Santa Fe XL, Hyundai implemented with the 6 cyl GDI engine (about 6 months or 1 yr in...it was the new gen), recommended maintenance of the fuel system by adding a fuel cleaner to the fuel tank. If I recall it was every oil change or once a year. It was to address potential deposit build up. I distinctly remember buying the bottle when my SF was in for service and putting it in at next fill up. I know its a diff engine than our GV, but thought I would mention in case there are some technical similarities. If it has no bearing...then feel free to ignore!!