QUESTION:
Is name brand gas better for your car?
ANSWER:
No, not necessarily.
SOURCES:
AAA Mid Atlantic, Gas Buddy.com, U.S. Energy Information Administration
PROCESS:
Generic or name brand? It's a choice we make all the time in the supermarket. You also make it when you're filling up your tank--which a lot of us are doing this holiday season, driving to see the in-laws.
If you go online you'll see chatter about name brand gas like Exxon, being the better choice to pump into your vehicle and makes it run better than the generic no name stuff.
Mason Hamilton with the U.S. Energy Information Administration says when it comes to the difference between name brand and generic fuel - there isn't much.
Expert Patrick DeHaann with Buddy dot com, agrees. While some name brands add things like Nitrogen which help your car from building up carbon, it's not a major distinction.
“So long as that gasoline is meeting those federal minimums you're probably not going to notice at least the car won't notice a big difference." So what should you look for? John Townsend with AAA go for "top tier." Independent lab tests conducted in 2016 showed that fuel helps your engine get the best gas mileage and run cleaner. You can get it in any octane and at unbranded gas stations like Costco in the District. Just look for this sticker on the pump.
Branded, generic gas—doesn't matter where you go, it's top tier that going to help your car function better. For the complete list of Top Tier gas stations click here.
