The Stinger Fuel Thread

[Sensibly Spirited Driver]

Fuel discussion from the Stinger Oil Thread has moved to it's new home...​

Welcome to the Stinger Fuel Thread!​

This is the place to discuss everything related to what petrol (or diesel) you're using, why, and flinging savvy technical details and knowledge at the walls until something sticks.

Kia's spec sheet recommends "premium" fuel for the Stinger, while for their other cars they recommend "standard", but the Stinger manual also says "standard" is okay. Which are you using, and why? What have you learned in testing different octanes in terms of performance and mileage? How does your tune affect this? What about racing? Inquiring minds want to know...

 

[Sensibly Spirited Driver]

I usually get my gas at Costco, and always use premium. Outside of that, I usually fill up at Chevron, for no reason other than marketing. Those happy techron car ads from my childhood worked!

 

[Ucinn]

I use 93 in this and my Mustang. Both of the engines benefit from the higher octane. The Sorento gets the 87 stuff.

 

[Falaris]

The Sorento gets the 87 stuff.

Same here!

-Fal

 

[Sensibly Spirited Driver]

I use 93 in this and my Mustang. Both of the engines benefit from the higher octane. The Sorento gets the 87 stuff.

I didn't even know higher than 92 was available in pumps in the US. I found this 93 map.

93 Octane Gas Finder map

As you can see, it's a middle and east coast thing. Pretty slim picking out in the West. It would be nice if someone could test the octane range of the Stinger and see where it stops benefitting. My Saab performance maxxed out at 94 (according forums), although I never tried it.

That's cool you have a Mustang. I love the 2015 redesign. For me, the Stinger is a Mustang that turns and fits four people. I'd still love a Mustang, practicality be damned, they are just cool looking cars. My friend has a 1966.

 

[Ucinn]

Yea, I run a 93 tune on it and took it to a car show in Oklahoma and they only had 91 out there. It ran poorly and had pinging. Needless to say I now also have a 91 tune for it for the trips out west.

 

[Sensibly Spirited Driver]

Are you referring to your Stinger or your Mustang? And what tuning options are you using and changing to adapt to the lower octane fuels? On my previous car (Saab) I noticed a difference between 91 and 92, but not every time. I think that's because those numbers are minimums. So, theoretically, some gas labeled 91 could have more octane than some labeled 92. On average, though, I noticed that my Saab ran smoother when filled up on 92 (Washington/Oregon). In Idaho and Montana, it's all 91. However, they do have a lot of "ethanol free" stations in "God's Country". I imagine performance would be better on a good quality ethanol-free 91 than a standard ethanol mixed 92. The first time I tried ethanol free 92 in Oregon, I was quite surprised at just how smooth it ran and how much additional kick it had. However, I also tried some "ethanol free" in Montana once, that made no difference at all, in terms of performance or MPG. Gas varies so much, so just going by numbers on the pump doesn't tell the full story.

I'm also intrigued by how different the stated MPG has been in various Stinger reviews, specifically long highway drives. Ars Technica got over 30mpg on the highway, whereas some other mags reported less than Kia's 25mpg claim. I'm guessing that's part gas, part how they were driving, and part engine. Every Stinger engine is going to be a bit different, with some more efficient and some less. In my first 500 miles, the Stinger is reporting 26.5mpg, and that is 50/50 highway/city. That number is higher than Kia's stated highway only mpg, and is more inline with what Ars Technica got, so I'm guessing highway-only mine would be doing 30mpg as well. As we drive and test these, we'll get more info from our experience and the forum.

 

[Ucinn]

Sorry, was talking about my Mustang. I'm using an SCT x4 with MPT tune for it. I have Bama tunes for it also, but consistantly run .2 slower in the quarter on their tunes.

 

[Mach_Tuck]

I use 93 in this and my Mustang. Both of the engines benefit from the higher octane. The Sorento gets the 87 stuff.

Ha ha. Same for me too except 91 (highest in AZ) for M3 and Stinger. 87 for the wife's Sorento and our off road Wrangler!!

 

[GTB]

currently running e20 blend

 

[StungBlueGT2]

93 only unless 100 for special occasions.Also ExxonMobile Synergy or Shell Vpower are the only two brands I use and would recommend.

 

[StungBlueGT2]

currently running e20 blend

Hope not in your Stinger!?!

 

[Sensibly Spirited Driver]

Hope not in your Stinger!?!

He was joking.

 

[bugaboo90]

Not sure how this thread is suppose to be different from this one Gas. 87, 91, 93 Octane?

but there are some good discussions there..

One thing that was mentioned on that tread was use of Costco gas as a way to say money on premium gas.

 

[Sensibly Spirited Driver]

Not sure how this thread is suppose to be different from this one Gas. 87, 91, 93 Octane?

but there are some good discussions there..

One thing that was mentioned on that tread was use of Costco gas as a way to say money on premium gas.

It was mentioned here, too, that's where I go. You get the best gas where the highest turnover is, and Costco always has lines. The reason why Arco is cheaper than Chevron/Shell is that they buy gas that's "good but about to go bad". Gas degrades with time. A super busy Arco is a better bet than a nearly unused place, as well. The best choice in the US, so far I know, is Costco. You get good gas at a price often well below other options. However, that varies by region. In Seattle it's much cheaper, but I've been to some towns where Costco was more expensive than Chevron. On balance, though, Costco is generally the way to go--so long as they're open. My long trips are generally based on Costco fillup points. I plot my route and refuells accordingly, when I have the option.

Thank you for the link to the other thread, I'll check that out. I'd like this thread to be more international and complete, though. People will be getting diesel stingers outside the US/Canada, and the octane ratings listed as the title there are only used in North America. I always like to learn new things, and I travel internationally a few times a year. So, I'm happy to learn what's happening around the world with Stingers. This forum may have a strong US bias so far, but that may change. There are a growing number of international members, it appears. In particular, I'm interested in hearing from German stinger owners, as I may rent a Stinger the next time I go to the Nürburgring. Last time I rented a Clio RS 220, and it's part of the reason I bought a Stinger. I loved the steering feel. Renault Sport achieved "nirvana" as some reviewers have referred to its steering feel. The Stinger, with steering feel set to "sport", is incredibly close to the Renault Sport feel. Sadly, Renault's non-sport versions have mediocre steering, and there are no Renault dealerships in the US (otherwise I'd be driving a Megane RS). But, no matter, I have a Stinger, it has great steering feel, and I'm happy.

 

[bugaboo90]

I keep forgetting that there is a world outside USA USA USA lol

It was mentioned here, too, that's where I go. You get the best gas where the highest turnover is, and Costco always has lines. The reason why Arco is cheaper than Chevron/Shell is that they buy gas that's "good but about to go bad". Gas degrades with time. A super busy Arco is a better bet than a nearly unused place, as well. The best choice in the US, so far I know, is Costco. You get good gas at a price often well below other options. However, that varies by region. In Seattle it's much cheaper, but I've been to some towns where Costco was more expensive than Chevron. On balance, though, Costco is generally the way to go--so long as they're open. My long trips are generally based on Costco fillup points. I plot my route and refuells accordingly, when I have the option.

Thank you for the link to the other thread, I'll check that out. I'd like this thread to be more international and complete, though. People will be getting diesel stingers outside the US/Canada, and the octane ratings listed as the title there are only used in North America. I always like to learn new things, and I travel internationally a few times a year. So, I'm happy to learn what's happening around the world with Stingers. This forum may have a strong US bias so far, but that may change. There are a growing number of international members, it appears. In particular, I'm interested in hearing from German stinger owners, as I may rent a Stinger the next time I go to the Nürburgring. Last time I rented a Clio RS 220, and it's part of the reason I bought a Stinger. I loved the steering feel. Renault Sport achieved "nirvana" as some reviewers have referred to it's steering feel. The Stinger, with steering feel set to "sport", is incredibly close to the Renault Sport feel. Sadly, Renault's non-sport versions have mediocre steering, and there are no Renault dealerships in the US (otherwise I'd be driving a Megane RS). But, no matter, I have a Stinger, it has great steering feel, and I'm happy.

 

[phxgt]

It was mentioned here, too, that's where I go. You get the best gas where the highest turnover is, and Costco always has lines. The reason why Arco is cheaper than Chevron/Shell is that they buy gas that's "good but about to go bad". Gas degrades with time. A super busy Arco is a better bet than a nearly unused place, as well. The best choice in the US, so far I know, is Costco. You get good gas at a price often well below other options. However, that varies by region. In Seattle it's much cheaper, but I've been to some towns where Costco was more expensive than Chevron. On balance, though, Costco is generally the way to go--so long as they're open. My long trips are generally based on Costco fillup points. I plot my route and refuells accordingly, when I have the option.

Thank you for the link to the other thread, I'll check that out. I'd like this thread to be more international and complete, though. People will be getting diesel stingers outside the US/Canada, and the octane ratings listed as the title there are only used in North America. I always like to learn new things, and I travel internationally a few times a year. So, I'm happy to learn what's happening around the world with Stingers. This forum may have a strong US bias so far, but that may change. There are a growing number of international members, it appears. In particular, I'm interested in hearing from German stinger owners, as I may rent a Stinger the next time I go to the Nürburgring. Last time I rented a Clio RS 220, and it's part of the reason I bought a Stinger. I loved the steering feel. Renault Sport achieved "nirvana" as some reviewers have referred to its steering feel. The Stinger, with steering feel set to "sport", is incredibly close to the Renault Sport feel. Sadly, Renault's non-sport versions have mediocre steering, and there are no Renault dealerships in the US (otherwise I'd be driving a Megane RS). But, no matter, I have a Stinger, it has great steering feel, and I'm happy.

Where would Arco purchase "good about to go bad fuel"? If it's the same fuel but "old" hope would Costco not have bought it at the same time as Arco if Costco goes through it so fast?

 

[Sensibly Spirited Driver]

Where would Arco purchase "good about to go bad fuel"? If it's the same fuel but "old" hope would Costco not have bought it at the same time as Arco if Costco goes through it so fast?

They purchase it from the same sources as most other petrol station companies (Saudi Aramco handles over 70% of the global fuel supply). Once that crude oil leaves Saudia, or whatever place it may be, it goes to a refinery. After it's been processed into it's various components (some for plastic, some for a variety of other types of fuel), the petrol/gasoline product is then stored somewhere, awaiting purchase. In the US, companies like Shell and Chevron buy the fuel soon after it's processed. That's when the price is highest. The longer the processed gasoline sits around, the cheaper it becomes, as it degrades. Arco buys it when it's still good enough to meet all US requirements, but is nearing the cutoff. Arco then has to sell the gas relatively quickly, and to entice people to buy it, they charge a substantially lower price than Shell/Chevron. As for where in the process Costco buys it's gas? Who knows. They move it faster than Arco though, that's for sure. Costco gas is good, and they don't have to deal with the retail costs that gas stations do. Most of the people on their property are there to buy other things in their warehouse. The gas just gets some people to show up, like myself (it's the only thing I use Costco for). If you run cars that require, or in the case of the Stinger "prefer", premium, Costco is great.

Further, many petrol stations are run by franchisers. The people running the Chevron station buy it from Chevron, and will put some small markup on it. They make most of their money from people buying Fritos, not gas. When margins become thin, or if people aren't buying enough Fritos, they have an incentive to dilute the gas with water to make more money. Costco doesn't have that problem, as their customers are buying Fritos in bulk. The damage to Costco's reputation for watering their gas would be huge. Frank? Not so much. He's singled out as a bad apple and people move on. If Costco had a scandal at one store, it would affect their national gas business. Additionally, unlike Frank, Costco is buying gas for all their stores, not a single franchise, which allows them economies of scale and lower prices. People who go to Costco are more likely to get premium gas, whether they need it or not, and people who need premium gas are more likely to get their gas at Costco--because it's usually far cheaper than anywhere else. Hope that helps.

 

[AV8R]

currently running e20 blend

Doesn’t e20 have ethanol in it which Kia says not to put in tank?

 

[JohnG7]

They purchase it from the same sources as most other petrol station companies (Saudi Aramco handles over 70% of the global fuel supply). Once that crude oil leaves Saudia, or whatever place it may be, it goes to a refinery. After it's been processed into it's various components (some for plastic, some for a variety of other types of fuel), the petrol/gasoline product is then stored somewhere, awaiting purchase. In the US, companies like Shell and Chevron buy the fuel soon after it's processed. That's when the price is highest. The longer the processed gasoline sits around, the cheaper it becomes, as it degrades. Arco buys it when it's still good enough to meet all US requirements, but is nearing the cutoff. Arco then has to sell the gas relatively quickly, and to entice people to buy it, they charge a substantially lower price than Shell/Chevron. As for where in the process Costco buys it's gas? Who knows. They move it faster than Arco though, that's for sure. Costco gas is good, and they don't have to deal with the retail costs that gas stations do. Most of the people on their property are there to buy other things in their warehouse. The gas just gets some people to show up, like myself (it's the only thing I use Costco for). If you run cars that require, or in the case of the Stinger "prefer", premium, Costco is great.

Further, many petrol stations are run by franchisers. The people running the Chevron station buy it from Chevron, and will put some small markup on it. They make most of their money from people buying Fritos, not gas. When margins become thin, or if people aren't buying enough Fritos, they have an incentive to dilute the gas with water to make more money. Costco doesn't have that problem, as their customers are buying Fritos in bulk. The damage to Costco's reputation for watering their gas would be huge. Frank? Not so much. He's singled out as a bad apple and people move on. If Costco had a scandal at one store, it would affect their national gas business. Additionally, unlike Frank, Costco is buying gas for all their stores, not a single franchise, which allows them economies of scale and lower prices. People who go to Costco are more likely to get premium gas, whether they need it or not, and people who need premium gas are more likely to get their gas at Costco--because it's usually far cheaper than anywhere else. Hope that helps.

Arco is TOP TIER gasoline! I thought all ARCOs that I'm aware of advertise as TOP TIER.

Here are the Top Tier licensed retail brands, as of April 2018:

• 76
• Aloha
• Amoco
• ARCO
• Beacon
• BP
• Break Time
• Cenex
• Chevron
• Chevron (El Salvador)
• Chevron (Guatemala)
• Chevron (Honduras)
• Chevron (Panama)
• CITGO
• Conoco
• Co-op
• Co-op Premium Diesel (select locations only)
• Costco Wholesale
  Costco Wholesale – Diesel (select locations only)
• CountryMark
• CountryMark PLUS
• Diamond Shamrock
• Esso
• Express Mart
• Exxon
• Fast Fuel
• Fast Stop – Diesel (select locations only)
• Fast Stop Express – Diesel (select locations only)
• Hele
• HFN – Hawaii Fueling Network
• Holiday
• Irving Oil
• Kirkland Signature Gasoline
• Kirkland Signature – Diesel (select locations only)
• Kwik Star
• Kwik Trip
• Kwik Trip Express
• Mahalo
• Marathon
• Metro Petro
• MFA Oil
• Mobil
• Mobil (Canada)
• OAAI
• Ohana Fuels
• Petro-Canada
• Phillips 66
• PUMA (El Salvador)
• PUMA (Panama)
• PUMA (Puerto Rico)
• QT
• QuikTrip
• Ranger
• Ranger Mustang
• Ranger Stallion
• Ranger Thoroughbred
• Reeder’s
• Shamrock
• Shell
• Shell (Canada)
• Shell (Puerto Rico)
• Sinclair
• Sunoco
• SuperAmerica
• SuperFuels
• Tempo (Canada)
• Texaco
• Texaco (El Salvador)
• Texaco (Guatemala)
• Texaco (Honduras)
• Texaco (Panama)
• Tri-Par Qwik Stop
• Valero
• Win Win