Did the gas station fill my M with Regular grade?

Ghetto2315 · 11-16-2012, 10:45 AM

Okay... I'll admit. I monitor my MPG on the Vehicle Status of my iDrive. I don't do it see how much gas I am saving but rather it gives me an indication of how aggressive I have been driving for that specific tank.

Here is the story. I live on the Jersey Shore and my area was one of the hardest hit by Hurricane Sandy. 1/2 of my town is still with out power. I filled up at a BP station last Saturday. I have never used this BP station before. The Hess station right next to my work was out of Premium grade for almost 2 weeks now so I had no choice but to go to another station. As I pulled in to the BP, my first question to the attendant (in NJ, it's full service so they pump for us) was if they have Premium. He said they just had a tanker fill their reservoir tanks last night and have Premium. Attendant pushes the Premium grade button and proceeds to fill my car. I notice the price for Premium at $4.15 per. Fill up completely and I am on my way.

I keep a log on www.fueleconomy.gov for my MPG for every fill-up, how much gas needed to fill the tank, cost per gallon and total cost of the fill-up. For my last 10-records, I have been averaging about 18.5 MPG for those tanks with mixed styles of driving but it seems like no matter how hard I drive, I end up around 18+ MPG (I know... I'm not driving hard enough

). It has been almost a week now with normal driving with no aggressive sprints during my commutes to work and I have been averaging 15.4 MPG. A far throw from my usual 18.5 MPG. That's a pretty big drop-off. How can that be?

Did BP fill my tank with Regular or is there a huge difference in quality between BP and my usual Hess? I am now hearing stories how tankers will come to fill the gas station's reservoir tanks and if they are re-filling the reservoir tanks with Regular and the tanker still has some left, they'll just empty it out in the Plus or Premium reservoir tanks instead of driving back empty (either diluting the other grades or completing putting the wrong grade in the tanks). With my area being hit hard by Sandy, I can only imagine the chaos the gas stations have been going through. My engine seems to be running fine...

Any ideas?

6spdg37s · 11-16-2012, 10:57 AM

bro BP is supposed to be better quality... that is def weird tho ...did u idle anywhere i noticed that throws shit off bad... like start ur car forget something run back inside? or wait on line at drive thru ? etc;

Ghetto2315 · 11-16-2012, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6spdg37s

bro BP is supposed to be better quality... that is def weird tho ...did u idle anywhere i noticed that throws shit off bad... like start ur car forget something run back inside? or wait on line at drive thru ? etc;

Nope, no idling at all, nor did I forget that it was running. Don't eat fast food so I can't remember the last time I was at a McDonalds, BK, or Wendys lol.

gatorfast · 11-16-2012, 11:16 AM

Off topic - but for those who live in areas where gas stations are all full service...do you give a tip every time? Full service is foreign to me.

///Mperative · 11-16-2012, 11:20 AM

Tip not necessary

6spdg37s · 11-16-2012, 11:33 AM

no dont tip them !

THE TECH · 11-16-2012, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gatorfast

Off topic - but for those who live in areas where gas stations are all full service...do you give a tip every time? Full service is foreign to me.

I didn't know places still did that.

surlynkid · 11-16-2012, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by THE TECH

Quote:

Originally Posted by gatorfast

Off topic - but for those who live in areas where gas stations are all full service...do you give a tip every time? Full service is foreign to me.

I didn't know places still did that.

Only Jersey. You are not allowed to pump your own gas. Totally stupid.

THE TECH · 11-16-2012, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by surlynkid

Only Jersey. You are not allowed to pump your own gas. Totally stupid.

Gotcha. Leave it to the true professionals.

Snig · 11-16-2012, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by THE TECH

Gotcha. Leave it to the true professionals.

Unions. Blame them for the fall of the twinkie.

THE TECH · 11-16-2012, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snig

Unions. Blame them for the fall of the twinkie.

I just heard.

ndj · 11-16-2012, 12:12 PM

I don't mean to bust your nuts but considering the impact of the storm on others in your area and elsewhere across the east coast a drop of 3MPG in your premium sports coupe isn't a massive issue!

Superfly_M3 · 11-16-2012, 12:24 PM

90% of Gas Stations in Ontario are selft serve.

Khrishna · 11-16-2012, 12:46 PM

They probably did, my guess they are selling 87 as 93 and making lots of money on people..Sandy has really brought out the price gaugers and cheats

PrimoM3 · 11-16-2012, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by surlynkid

Only Jersey. You are not allowed to pump your own gas. Totally stupid.

Oregon too.

robbiedawg · 11-16-2012, 01:23 PM

in my more cynical moments,i sometimes wonder is there are really 3 grades of gas,or if they all come from the same tank.i don't really think this ,but got the image when a friend of mine who worked in a college beer bar,which sold cheap pitchers to people without a very sophisticated beer palate,told me they had about 14 beer taps with different brands of beer on them.they all went into one keg of milwaukee's best!

nc checks gas pumps for accuracy of measure,but not for octane.

6spdg37s · 11-16-2012, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ndj

I don't mean to bust your nuts but considering the impact of the storm on others in your area and elsewhere across the east coast a drop of 3MPG in your premium sports coupe isn't a massive issue!

i dont think he cares about the mileage i think hes using it to gauge whether or not reg gas went in

TTO898 · 11-16-2012, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6spdg37s

bro BP is supposed to be better quality... that is def weird tho ...did u idle anywhere i noticed that throws shit off bad... like start ur car forget something run back inside? or wait on line at drive thru ? etc;

Bro - BP actually isn't considered "Top Tier" gas. Highly recommend staying away from it. BP 93 octane would set the knock sensors off in my S5 and I felt massive degradation and it was confirmed by multiple dealerships that BP is pretty piss poor quality. Generally best to stick to Shell, Chevron and Exxon. Here in the ATL area, Quik Trip is actually super clean and high quality and is slightly more inexpensive. More info here: http://www.toptiergas.com/

Ghetto2315 · 11-16-2012, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ndj

I don't mean to bust your nuts but considering the impact of the storm on others in your area and elsewhere across the east coast a drop of 3MPG in your premium sports coupe isn't a massive issue!

I know it's not a massive issue. It's not even a major one or a moderate one. 3 of my friends lost their homes and 4 others lost their businesses (beach clubs and restaurants). If there was a Hurricane Sandy thread and I posted this 3-MPG loss as my topic in there, then please flame me. Trust me, there aren't many, if any, members on here that feel worse for the people who got hit the hardest than I do...

Endless619 · 11-16-2012, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by THE TECH

I didn't know places still did that.

In Oregon its state law for them to pump your gas. Unless you have an expensive car/truck then you can opt out. But everyone has their gas pumped and no tip is necessary. For my X5 I had them pump the gas all the time. M3 I would do it myself.

swartzentruber · 11-16-2012, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robbiedawg

in my more cynical moments,i sometimes wonder is there are really 3 grades of gas,or if they all come from the same tank.

There are not 3 grades of gas, only two (premium, regular). Plus is a mix. If you've ever purchased Costco gas, you'll notice they only sell those 2 grades.

To the OP, given your extensive documentation of prior tanks, I'd say there a good possibility it is either regular gas, or has another issue. After the shortages, as you say, the delivery tankers and/or the stations may have just figured that people would be happy getting some gas, and not deliberately trying to rip people off, though it of course sucks paying extra for premium and not getting it. Another possibility is the gas got too high of a mix of ethanol.

robbiedawg · 11-16-2012, 07:08 PM

i have read some threads on top tier gas.most seem to agree that it's a good thing,a legitimately better product.a few say it's just marketing.i had been using bp out of habit,because it merged a while back with amoco,which used to be considered better gas.i'm probably going to switch to exxon,the only top tier gas around here.

does anyone know definitively whether top tier is in fact higher quality?

11-16-2012, 10:45 AM	#1
Ghetto2315 Captain Drives: Like I Stole It... Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Jersey Shore Posts: 753 iTrader: (1) Garage List 2012 BMW M3 E92 [3.20] 2010 GENESIS COUPE ... [5.00] 2001 JEEP WRANGLER ... [5.00]	Did the gas station fill my M with Regular grade? Okay... I'll admit. I monitor my MPG on the Vehicle Status of my iDrive. I don't do it see how much gas I am saving but rather it gives me an indication of how aggressive I have been driving for that specific tank. Here is the story. I live on the Jersey Shore and my area was one of the hardest hit by Hurricane Sandy. 1/2 of my town is still with out power. I filled up at a BP station last Saturday. I have never used this BP station before. The Hess station right next to my work was out of Premium grade for almost 2 weeks now so I had no choice but to go to another station. As I pulled in to the BP, my first question to the attendant (in NJ, it's full service so they pump for us) was if they have Premium. He said they just had a tanker fill their reservoir tanks last night and have Premium. Attendant pushes the Premium grade button and proceeds to fill my car. I notice the price for Premium at $4.15 per. Fill up completely and I am on my way. I keep a log on www.fueleconomy.gov for my MPG for every fill-up, how much gas needed to fill the tank, cost per gallon and total cost of the fill-up. For my last 10-records, I have been averaging about 18.5 MPG for those tanks with mixed styles of driving but it seems like no matter how hard I drive, I end up around 18+ MPG (I know... I'm not driving hard enough ). It has been almost a week now with normal driving with no aggressive sprints during my commutes to work and I have been averaging 15.4 MPG. A far throw from my usual 18.5 MPG. That's a pretty big drop-off. How can that be? Did BP fill my tank with Regular or is there a huge difference in quality between BP and my usual Hess? I am now hearing stories how tankers will come to fill the gas station's reservoir tanks and if they are re-filling the reservoir tanks with Regular and the tanker still has some left, they'll just empty it out in the Plus or Premium reservoir tanks instead of driving back empty (either diluting the other grades or completing putting the wrong grade in the tanks). With my area being hit hard by Sandy, I can only imagine the chaos the gas stations have been going through. My engine seems to be running fine... Any ideas? Last edited by Ghetto2315; 11-17-2012 at 02:39 PM.
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11-16-2012, 11:20 AM	#5
///Mperative Second Lieutenant Drives: like grandma Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: New England Posts: 233 iTrader: (0) Garage List 2011 E92 M3 [0.00]	Tip not necessary __________________

11-16-2012, 01:23 PM	#16
robbiedawg First Lieutenant Drives: 2008 ib e90 m3, 1995 acura nsx Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: chapel hill, nc Posts: 353 iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 BMW M3 [0.00] 1995 ACURA NSX-T [0.00]	in my more cynical moments,i sometimes wonder is there are really 3 grades of gas,or if they all come from the same tank.i don't really think this ,but got the image when a friend of mine who worked in a college beer bar,which sold cheap pitchers to people without a very sophisticated beer palate,told me they had about 14 beer taps with different brands of beer on them.they all went into one keg of milwaukee's best! nc checks gas pumps for accuracy of measure,but not for octane. __________________ ~ TRAFFIC LAWYER IN CENTRAL NC ~ 2OO8 E90 M3 /// INTERLAGOS BLUE w/BAMBOO BEIGE, CARBON LEATHER / 6MT / 19" 220M FORGED WHEELS / PREMIUM / MOONROOF / IPOD / BSW SPEAKERS ~EVERYTHING IN MODERATION,INCLUDING MODERATION ~

11-16-2012, 07:08 PM	#22
robbiedawg First Lieutenant Drives: 2008 ib e90 m3, 1995 acura nsx Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: chapel hill, nc Posts: 353 iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 BMW M3 [0.00] 1995 ACURA NSX-T [0.00]	i have read some threads on top tier gas.most seem to agree that it's a good thing,a legitimately better product.a few say it's just marketing.i had been using bp out of habit,because it merged a while back with amoco,which used to be considered better gas.i'm probably going to switch to exxon,the only top tier gas around here. does anyone know definitively whether top tier is in fact higher quality? __________________ ~ TRAFFIC LAWYER IN CENTRAL NC ~ 2OO8 E90 M3 /// INTERLAGOS BLUE w/BAMBOO BEIGE, CARBON LEATHER / 6MT / 19" 220M FORGED WHEELS / PREMIUM / MOONROOF / IPOD / BSW SPEAKERS ~EVERYTHING IN MODERATION,INCLUDING MODERATION ~

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11-16-2012, 10:57 AM	#2
6spdg37s Captain Drives: none Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: dirty jerz Posts: 738 iTrader: (2)	bro BP is supposed to be better quality... that is def weird tho ...did u idle anywhere i noticed that throws shit off bad... like start ur car forget something run back inside? or wait on line at drive thru ? etc;

11-16-2012, 11:16 AM	#4
gatorfast Lieutenant Colonel Drives: MR E90 M3 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: SoFla Posts: 1,808 iTrader: (3)	Off topic - but for those who live in areas where gas stations are all full service...do you give a tip every time? Full service is foreign to me.

11-16-2012, 11:33 AM	#6
6spdg37s Captain Drives: none Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: dirty jerz Posts: 738 iTrader: (2)	no dont tip them !

11-16-2012, 12:12 PM	#12
ndj New Member Drives: 2009 E90 M3 & E82 M Sport Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Fife, Scotland Posts: 11 iTrader: (0)	I don't mean to bust your nuts but considering the impact of the storm on others in your area and elsewhere across the east coast a drop of 3MPG in your premium sports coupe isn't a massive issue!

11-16-2012, 12:24 PM	#13
Superfly_M3 Captain Drives: 2011 M3 Sedan Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Toronto Posts: 883 iTrader: (0)	90% of Gas Stations in Ontario are selft serve.

11-16-2012, 12:46 PM	#14
Khrishna Banned Drives: M3 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: UT Posts: 76 iTrader: (0)	They probably did, my guess they are selling 87 as 93 and making lots of money on people..Sandy has really brought out the price gaugers and cheats