6 Truths and myths about gasoline quality

Dani Clos, a driver and content creator, published a video on YouTube on February 18, 2021. The video’s title was “The price war vs. quality in 95 or 98 gasoline.”

This action, on its own, would not have had any repercussions if it weren’t because it reopened a controversial topic: the quality of the various types of gasoline available on the market.

A new controversy arises, the issue is extensively discussed in specialized media and internet forums, and finally, a decision is made…

This debate is cyclical because it follows this pattern. As time passes, the conclusion is forgotten, and the controversy is brought back into focus.

We have brought in the Mythbusters in the hopes of ending the spread of misinformation once and for all. Jacket, and we begin.

In debunking gasoline myths (or not), what statements about gasoline are false, and what statements are factual?

The distillation of petroleum results in the production of gasoline, which finds its primary application as a fuel.

Considering demand from all countries, we are against a daily order of 16,218 million liters of oil.

Let’s look at which arguments are most opposed to one another on gasoline.

1. Every gallon of gasoline originates from the exact location

TRUTH. The Compare Logistica de Hidrocarburos is the source of almost all of the gas and diesel sold in Spain; it is the country’s largest supplier of these commodities (CLH).

After the industry was liberalized in 1992, CLH, which had previously been known as Camps, emerged as the leading Spanish company in charge of the transportation and storage of various petroleum-based products.

It began doing business as Exolum in 2021 and has retained that name ever since. This company is responsible for distributing fuel to various other companies and adding additives to the gasoline.

These additives help to keep the injectors and valves clean, which extends their useful life, protects the entire system from corrosion, and increases fuel efficiency.

2. Gasoline that is sold at a low price is of a low quality

MIT. We are already familiar with the fact that virtually all of the fuel in Spain originates from the same distributor.

As a result, the gasoline sold by Repsol, Cepsa, or even the gas station near your home is identical, and it comes from the same source with the same level of quality.

However, in addition to this, the issue is heavily regulated, which means that all of the fuel sold in gas stations must pass stringent quality controls before it can be sold.

If it does not meet their requirements, there is no way that it can be made available to the customer. It’s as simple as that.

One of the most common misconceptions is that cheaper gasoline will harm the vehicle’s engine. Because of quality controls, this is entirely impossible.

The answer to this question is that there is not much difference between regular gasoline and premium gasoline. A technical component and an advertising component are included.

On the technical side, more expensive gasoline contains additives that better protect the engine from possible wear and give a better performance; to put it another way, you pay more for better driving because the additives are in the more expensive gasoline.

Because of this, they are placing your bets on premium gas lines throughout a long period is profitable. Nevertheless, on the other hand, there is a problem with advertising.

Trust drives us, the customers, to gravitate toward certain brands over others.

Because of the advertisements run by Repsol and the fact that they support various athletes, we are very familiar with the company.

As a result, it is only natural for us to visit one of their gas stations whenever we are unsure where to go.

They are aware of it, so they can charge a higher price for the gasoline they sell.

Experience is equivalent to a degree. During the first few years we spend behind the wheel; we will develop certain refueling routines, varying according to where we work, live, and spend our free time.

We will stick with our tried-and-true gas station and use our go-to fuel, but we aren’t sure why we prefer that particular brand.

When we travel, we are familiar with a few travel hacks, such as the price per liter of gas being significantly higher in service areas, making it more prudent to exit the highway to fill up the tank.

Perhaps we will download an app to tell us which gas stations offer the best deals.

Our advice is not to be afraid to try a variety of companies and gas lines, as this will allow us to determine which one provides the best overall performance and the best value for our money.

Do not settle for the first option that you come across.

Last but not least, there is a logistical problem, which has nothing to do with fuel quality.

When you locate a gas station in a commercial area, you ensure that you will have many customers, which enables you to charge a lower price.

Because of this, many grocery stores have gotten over their reservations about opening their gas stations.

You could also decide not to have any employees and instead just set up an automated payment system with a button for when there are unexpected problems.

There will be significant savings on gasoline here; however, the quality of service will suffer, and if there is an issue, we will need to pray for a speedy resolution.

3. Compared to gasoline 95, gasoline 98 is of higher quality.

It DEPENDS on that. Let’s break this down piece by piece. After the discontinuation of super leaded gasoline and super 97 (the latter of which substituted potassium for lead), the only two grades of gasoline available in Spain at the moment are 95 and 97.

The number represents gasoline’s octane number, also known as the octane rating.

This number represents the fuel’s resistance to detonation when compressed inside the engine cylinder.

We both must understand what it means so that we can communicate effectively. When the octane rating is higher, the compression capacity of the engine is also higher.

98 octane gasoline has a lower sulfur capacity as an additive than regular gasoline, which not only improves the vehicle’s performance but also increases the lifespan of the catalytic converter. In a nutshell, the engine’s performance is improved as a direct result of greater utilization of gasoline’s energetic power. This is why high-performance sports cars typically use this kind of gasoline.

Now, in the case of typical automobiles, there is generally no requirement for an increase in the engine’s performance. Because we have no use for it, purchasing it would be a waste of money.

But if you believe that your vehicle’s cylinder compression needs to be improved or if you want to extend the life of the catalytic converter, neither of these should be a problem (we will talk a little bit more about this now).

A new catalytic converter can cost anywhere from 200 to 500 euros, which is a significant amount of money; however, we need to consider how much we could save up before it breaks down.

However, we must consider the possibility that each manufacturer has developed a motor optimized for use with one of the two varieties of gasoline.

We should question them later if they don’t explain it to us when we buy the car.

There is no problem if we choose to use the one that is not indicated; however, if we use it without any discernment, we risk causing damage to the engine over time. Let’s take a look at what takes place in each scenario:

And above all, do not put diesel in a gasoline car or vice versa.

4. Higher octane fuels, such as 98-octane gasoline and premium diesel, have a lower fuel consumption.

MYTH. In studies that can be trusted and verified, it has not been demonstrated that using 98 or premium gasoline reduces consumption, at least not to any appreciable degree.

When it comes to emissions control, smooth operation, and performance (in high-powered cars), more expensive fuels give us an advantage. However, this advantage does not extend to consumption.

5. Draining the fuel from the hose will allow more energy to be absorbed.

MIT. Some people try to squeeze as much water out of the hose as possible because they are always trying to do everything possible to get more fuel into the tank.

This is why we always try to do everything we can. Unfortunately, the hoses have a non-return valve preventing more power from escaping.

6. The best time to refuel is in the morning.

TRUTH. If you fill up your tank first thing in the morning when it’s more relaxed, more fuel will be able to enter your vehicle, therefore filling up more thoroughly.

When temperatures are low and energy with a higher density is used, we don’t see bubble formation as we do during the heat of the day.

We also need to consider that monetary savings will be apparent when there is a temperature difference of approximately 20 degrees between where you are and the surrounding area.

The savings are not nearly as substantial in environments with different weather patterns.

The moral of the story is that we gain wisdom through experience.

When Dani Clos travels to the Montmeló circuit to compete in spectacular races, he already has a gas station in mind as a reference for when he is there, and he has also given some thought to the gasoline that he will put in his BMW.

We must determine our preferences by investigating and contrasting how the fuel operates in our vehicles.

In general, we will put 95 octane gasoline in a typical car, and there is no need for us to visit the most expensive gas station in the area.

But if we go to a low-cost gas station with no workers, we lose employment opportunities and the quality of service that the gas station employees provide.

These employees not only fill up your tank with gas but also assist you if you run into any issues. And the significance of this cannot be overstated.

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