ARCO brand Gasoline???

[KEVPOPPAPUMP]

Is ARCO brand gasoline really lower quality compared to others: Chevron, Texaco, Mobil, etc.? Since I started driving at age 16 all my friends told me ARCO is crap gas. It is usually 3-7 cents cheaper a gallon than the rest, however, no credit cards accepted. I see all makes and models of cheap and expensive cars/trucks filling up there but I just can't bring myself to doing the same because of the way my friends talked of ARCO. Now I know some say gas is gas because of the shared tanks at local refinerys and the quality is how often the gas station maintains pumps etc. but how many of you guys/girls use ARCO with no complaints?

 

[Robert]

I use ARCO when I'm near a station and need gas. I haven't had any problems with it. That's odd that the California stations don't take credit cards. They do here in AZ. When I fill up, I select credit card as opposed to debit to avoid the .35 surcharge.

 

[InS0mNiAc]

im in southern cali, mainly the san fernando valley and i use arco and only arco. I find that there is absolutely no difference between arco and mobil, or chevron, or other high priced gas. And the ones down here except debit and credit right at the pumps.

 

[ojthecizzat]

i use about 100$ worth of gasoline a week in my explorer (like 3&1/2 tanks) and i put probably 500 miles a week average on my car sometime more, and i use arco gas all the time...the only problem i have with ARCO here in the san fernando valley is waiting for a pump to open up because even the people in studio city with their SL600 mercedes-benzes use arco...my mechanic says it makes no difference. But to your friends' credit, i did hear a couple stories about people getting "bad gas" at arco, but after thinking back those stories were told to me when i was also like 16 or 17...back when i knew everything

 

[Big Bear Bob]

I agree Arco is just as good as the more expensive stations. In fact a friend of mine worked at a refinery in Long Beach Ca. for several years, and he told tell me that when the refinery sold the fuel to the different Gas companies. The gas was all coming from the same storage tanks.

Some of stations claim that they have special formula's (Mobile & 76) but I have to think that its salesmanship to a large degree.

I also believe the government spot checks stations for accuracy in Octane and the pumps.

There are some stories of smaller no-name stations watering down their gas, and I wouldn't doubt it in isolated cases, but ARCO has never been a problem in any of the cars or trucks I've owned.

Buying gas in Mexico on the other hand.....

 

[FrankRizzo]

I would not use ARCO gasoline for solvent.

I go to Chevron because the little cars are so cool


(J/K).

 

[Mike 92 XLT]

My dad worked for ARCO for a long time. Here's the deal. The reason that they are cheaper than other brands has to do with their marketing strategy, not their gas quality. The fact that they don't take credit cards allows them to keep the price down (i.e. they don't have to pay anything to the credit card companies for using their service). We've used ARCO is every car we've owned without a single problem. As was mentioned, raw gasoline from refineries is exactly the same no matter where it comes from, and companies do trade with one another (for instance, ARCO and Shell trade gas in the LA and San Francisco areas). The real difference is in the additives. To tell you the truth, Chevron's Techron has long been regarded as the best in the industry. I just can't justify paying the prices they charge for it. I'll just dump a bottle of Techron into the tank every oil change (or better yet, some Amsoil Pi).

Insomniac, what ARCO station near you takes credit cards? I grew up in Chatsworth and I never remember any of them taking credit, only debit.

Mike

 

[InS0mNiAc]

the one at mason and devonshire, corbin and plummer, and plummer and de soto all take credit, debit, and cash

 

[KEVPOPPAPUMP]

Well thanks for setting me straight on the quality of ARCO gasoline. That is weird that some of you are near stations that accept credit cards. The 2 stations near my house accept Debit and Arco Fleet cards only. With other brand 87 octane gas @ $1.57 a gal. I will make the switch to Arco @ $1.51.
My personal opinion on additives included in the gas are that it probably isn't enough to make any difference whereas a concentrate added to the truck's tank might.

 

[liquidx9]

to add fuel to the fire, i have used chevron and only chevron in all of my cars... the mechanic i sold my old car with about 80,000 miles on the engine to said he couldnt beleive it, basic maintenance and chevron, no problems.. to me, the 7 cents a gallon is worth it, though the difference in texas isnt as bad as when i lived in cal (cringe...)

 

[FrankRizzo]

Waaaaaaay back before ARCO had AM/PM's in them, they were just called Atlantic Richfield stations. They they chaged thier name to ARCO, and had a big deal on the TV where they "blew up" the credit cards, claiming that it would help keep prices low. They have been the low price leader since then, and probably between that and the EPA, is probably the reason why there are no more Mom & Pop stations anymore.

I think the gas quality has as much to do with the individual station ower as it does with the company. I bought gas from the ARCO on Topanga Cyn.and Nordhoff for a few months, and fuel filter clogged. I replaced and did not think much about it. Then it did it again, so I changed it again and switched stations, and it does not happen any more.

BTW - how often do you see a S600, a $147,000 car, at an ARCO station!?! I would have taken a picture....

 

[KEVPOPPAPUMP]

BTW - how often do you see a S600, a $147,000 car, at an ARCO station!?! I would have taken a picture....

I have not seen a S600 but I have seen my share of S500's, SL500's, M series BMW's, etc. Wealthy people don't stay well off by spending foolishly on overpriced gasoline.

 

[jimbo74]

all the arcos i have ever been to dont take credit cards.... but they will accept debit cards with the visa/mc logos..... gas is gas... i spent $.41 at chevron today to fill up my tank with 91 octane gas... my tank is less than a quart and has to have oil in it also

 

[Crankcase]

Originally posted by jimabena74
i spent $.41 at chevron today to fill up my tank with 91 octane gas... my tank is less than a quart and has to have oil in it also

Chainsaw or weedeater? Ahh....16:1 ratio

 

[jimbo74]

for my goped.... i use 25:1 with mobil 1 synthetic 2 stroke motorcycle oil

 

[Robert]

All of the ARCO stations here that I have used in the Phoenix area take both credit and debit. If you run your card through as a debit card, they charge .35 for the transaction. If you run it through as a credit, they don't charge extra. Unless you put at least 15 gallons in, use cash, or credit the savings are usually offset by the .35 surcharge.

 

[VOATMJ1]

WOW...gas is $1.57 a gal for reg 87 octane in CA?

It's only $1.28 here in Iowa.

 

[KEVPOPPAPUMP]

WOW...gas is $1.57 a gal for reg 87 octane in CA?

Yup, our clean air politicians seem to always find a way to keep our prices high. First it was the additive MTBE. Now that MTBE is found harmful to groundwater, we are converting to Ethenol so the prices are rising again. As of today Chevron is 1.59 and Arco is 1.51 for 87 octane.

 

[InS0mNiAc]

arco is 1.49 by me, this sux, used to be like 1.19..................4 years ago

 

[Crankcase]

Our gas up here has gone up to 82.9 cents per LITRE in the summer before. That is about $3.13 Canadian a gallon
Right now, it is at 66.6