[M2C4ME]

Hey everyone. What's the best gas to use? I heard Shell and obvious the top grade.

Thanks.

[aerokubectl]

Objectively they're all the same.

in b4 but Arco gas is bad cause its cheaper.

[AlpsRider]

Originally Posted by M2C4ME

Hey everyone. What's the best gas to use? I heard Shell and obvious the top grade.

Thanks.

Many people go with Shell V-Power, however in some states like California they only offer up to 91 octane. BMW recommends 93 octane with a minimum of 91. If you are lucky enough to have 93, good for you. If you only have 91 then you always have the option to spike your fuel mixture with some racing fuel to bump up the octane.

[nomoracin]

I just use Shell Vpower as that's what BMW recommends on the gas lid thing.

[Commanderwiggin]

Shell V-Power

Otherwise E85 if you're tuned for it.

Never Costco or Arco

[carlsontheflyer]

I have been using QT gas pretty much exclusively for years. QT is top tier fuel, and that's what is recommended by BMW, among other manufacturers. Here in Georgia its 93 octane.

[nachob]

I use Chevron with Techron because I personally have seen it work on injectors and can vouch for its effectiveness. Shell is probably just as good but I don't have first hand knowledge like I do with Techron. Also, Techron has been around forever and is tried and true. Finally, if you buy the BMW fuel system cleaner sold in the USA even today with the BMW-Shell partnership, it is Techron.

Someone mentioned octane and I see that mentioned a lot because Europe has higher octane numbers but beware....Europe uses a different rating method than the US and the US method is actually more accurate. I see many here tout European numbers all the time. Here is a snippet from

The Economist:

It should be noted that this is not the octane rating seen on the pump in America. The RON figure results from a laboratory test done using a special engine with a variable compression ratio.

In the fuel test, the compression is raised until the engine begins to “knock”—ie, the fuel in the cylinder ceases to burn smoothly and instead detonates before it can be ignited by the spark plug. The cylinder pressure at which this occurs is then compared with that achieved while the engine is running on a reference fuel (a mixture of iso-octane and n-heptane). The ratio of the two pressures provides the RON of the fuel in question.

A better way of measuring a fuel’s ability to resist knocking under load is the so-called motor octane number (MON) test. This uses a similar test engine, but with a preheated fuel mixture, a higher engine speed and variable ignition timing. Because it uses more real-world conditions, the MON rating is typically eight to ten points lower than the equivalent RON figure.

In Europe, the octane rating on the pump is simply the RON figure. America, by contrast, uses the average of the RON and the MON figures, called the AKI (anti-knock index). Thus, 97 octane “super unleaded” in Britain is roughly equivalent to 91 octane premium in the United States.

Also there really aren't that many refineries in the US. Most fuels come from a few refineries and additives are added for the different companies but the additives matter as well as condition of the tanks and fuel stations. Some stations have mishaps where fuel caps are not closed properly and water gets into the fuel tanks, etc. regardless of how good the fuel was when it was distilled. So get fuel from a place that looks well maintained and stick to Shell or Chevron additives.

Finally don't add other additives to the fuel. I hear people say they will add this or that Octane booster. Unless it has been tested and approved by BMW, I wouldn't. Furthermore, many say stuff like well I did it and nothing happened. Damage from additives is not instantaneous. It can manifest itself over time attacking seals, plastics and rubbers in the fuel system.

I hope that helps.

[chmura]

I put in 91 and add 3 gallons of VP racing 100 octane fuel into the tank.

[dubzz24]

Originally Posted by spetsnazos

Objectively they're all the same.

in b4 but Arco gas is bad cause its cheaper.

I can tell you that based on my objective testing from when I tried many different brands of gas on my MHD stage 1+ tune on my previous n55 335i, there absolutely is a difference. I went through 2 full tanks with a specific brand from the same station, and on the 2nd tank I logged a bunch of pulls to give the car time to adapt to the new fuel. All this was over the course of a month, with similar outside temperatures.

Esso and Husky 91 octane would have ignition timing corrections of up to 6-8 degrees consistently, Shell had timing corrections of up to 4 degrees, and the Chevron came out on top with only 2 degrees. Interestingly, my local Chevron sells 94 octane and 91 octane, and the 94 octane had around the same amount of timing pull as the 91 from Shell (it was worse than their own 91). My best results were from going across the border and getting 92 octane from Chevron in Washington, which had no timing corrections at all, but that’s not always an option for me.

[ContactPatch]

Usually the best gas is at the station you stop at just before you run out!

[AndrewC1989]

Originally Posted by ContactPatch

Usually the best gas is at the station you stop at just before you run out!

I never let the tank go under 1/4 before filling up. Running till almost empty is a great way to get all that carbon build up at the bottom of your tank to gunk up injectors and intake valves. Also puts more stress on the high pressure fuel pump.

[ContactPatch]

Originally Posted by andrewc89

I never let the tank go under 1/4 before filling up. Running till almost empty is a great way to get all that carbon build up at the bottom of your tank to gunk up injectors and intake valves. Also puts more stress the high pressure fuel pump.

That is an excellent motoring rule to practice, it also allows for less condensation to form in the tank in cooler climates. However, sometimes when out traveling and you blow past a gas station and then you see a sign 10 miles down the road that says: "Next Gas 105 miles" it can be difficult to practice. For some extraneous reason that happens to me once in awhile and my tank gets a little low.

[AndrewC1989]

Originally Posted by ContactPatch

"Next Gas 105 miles"

Haha, I guess Idaho is a little different than New Jersey

[ContactPatch]

Originally Posted by andrewc89

Haha, I guess Idaho is a little different than New Jersey

LOL...indeed, you can travel here even further than 105 miles and not see a house or a human being sometimes, especially by Craters of the Moon National Monument. You really do feel like you're on the Moon!

[aerokubectl]

Originally Posted by dubzz24

I can tell you that based on my objective testing from when I tried many different brands of gas on my MHD stage 1+ tune on my previous n55 335i, there absolutely is a difference. I went through 2 full tanks with a specific brand from the same station, and on the 2nd tank I logged a bunch of pulls to give the car time to adapt to the new fuel. All this was over the course of a month, with similar outside temperatures.

Esso and Husky 91 octane would have ignition timing corrections of up to 6-8 degrees consistently, Shell had timing corrections of up to 4 degrees, and the Chevron came out on top with only 2 degrees. Interestingly, my local Chevron sells 94 octane and 91 octane, and the 94 octane had around the same amount of timing pull as the 91 from Shell (it was worse than their own 91). My best results were from going across the border and getting 92 octane from Chevron in Washington, which had no timing corrections at all, but that’s not always an option for me.

Good to know. I might actually dig for an independent study and see what I come up with. I researched this ~5 years ago and it was one anecdote after another so I just shrugged the whole thing off.

[dubzz24]

Originally Posted by spetsnazos

Good to know. I might actually dig for an independent study and see what I come up with. I researched this ~5 years ago and it was one anecdote after another so I just shrugged the whole thing off.

Yeah definitely. On the e90 forums there were a few people who posted similar test results. What made me look in to it was the first time I took that car to the drag strip I was running “94” octane from Chevron and could only trap 98mph bone stock. Apparently the lack of ethanol in the 94 here makes it run worse in turbo cars which seem to prefer the ethanol blended 91. Just switching to the 92 octane from Washington, which has ethanol, picked up 2mph in the quarter mile.

[ONLYA6]

Any 'Top Tier' certified fuel is good.

https://www.toptiergas.com

[Sideshow]

Originally Posted by ONLYA6

Any 'Top Tier' certified fuel is good.

https://www.toptiergas.com

Not to be disrespectful, but how do you know? That site has no facts....

[Ramos]

Originally Posted by Sideshow

Not to be disrespectful, but how do you know? That site has no facts....

Where I live, chevron / Shell is 60-70 cents more than Arco per gallon. That's almost $10 per tank. No thank you, I'd rather fill up with Top Tier Arco (no longer owned by BP in CA) and save my money. Once every 3000 miles, I use Techron fuel system cleaner and get the same benefits as those filling up with chevron each time. To each his own though!

[aWanderlustSeoul]

Originally Posted by Sideshow

Not to be disrespectful, but how do you know? That site has no facts....

Here's an article from Consumer Reports.

https://www.consumerreports.org/car-...h-extra-price/

Unless there's a study comparing all top tier gas retailers and the different additives, I also assume any top tier gas is sufficient and similar.

[ghstm2]

Is it safe to use 94 or 96 octane if available and the car is not tuned?

[Apexeater]

I think this discussion is a lot like the " what is the best oil" to use. Very little facts and lots of hearsay. I personally think most if not all gas is refined in the same place and then the individual companies add their special sauce. A reputable tuner I trust swears by Shell and avoids chevron due to inconsistencies with their blends. Others have said to use Costco since they go through so much so fast their tanks are cleaner than most other brands and they are a top tier gas. I think Shell is recommended by BMW because they wrote the bigger check.

Ask 10 people, get 10 opinions.