Generic Gas Can you save you money and not harm your car!

As the price of gas continues to spiral upward more and more consumers are considering using generic gas from gas stations that are not affiliated with international gas companies. The question in many consumers minds is, will I be getting the same quality of gas from XYZ station as I would get from Exxon or Shell? Will the XYZ gas be OK for my car?

The answer simply is, there is not much of a significant difference between the generic gas and the more expensive gas except for some additives which each company has added to it's gas. To really understand how this is possible a short look at how the gas refining system treats gas makes the picture easy to see.

In general fuel produced at refineries is what is called a generic product. In specific regions of the country gas has to meet certain environmental specifications. Because all gas in those regions gas depots are produced to the same specifications, gas refiners often share and exchange gasoline and store it in common tanks.

The gas that is made at one refinery is pretty much the same as any other refinery. They all make generic gas. The additives that are put into the generic gas are what makes one brand of gas different from another brand of gas. Each has it's own particular recipe or formula of additives.

The brand additives are put into the gas when the gas is being loaded into tanker trucks. All the oil companies are starting with the same generic gas so the main component that runs your car is all the same. You can see why generic gas is really no different than branded gas.

Just to make sure, studies have been done to see if there is a difference between generic gas and branded gas. A cooperative study was done by ABC News and the Maryland State Comptroller's office.

The Maryland Fuel Testing Laboratory was where a battery of tests were conducted. The gas was checked for contaminants like excessive sediments or diesel accidentally mixed with the gas. They ran the gas through an elaborate test engine to ensure that the gas was all the same 87 octane level. They even made sure that the gas was formulated correctly for the season.

The study results are good news for you. The study found that for the most part all gas was one and the same. The major difference between brands of gasoline is how much detergent additives are put into it. Even taking into consideration the additives the differences between them are very small.

So basically gas is gas and all the gas sold in stations whether it is from a branded station or a generic station will work just fine in your car. The biggest difference it turns out is only price.

It is reported that the average gas consumer could save between $100 and $200 per year by using generic gas. To save yourself some cash next time you fill up use the generic station.

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Scott Siegel is the author of a 143 page manual of industry insider secrets on saving gas and money at the gas pump. Visit us to discover how you can get better gas mileage. Find out how to increase gas mileage.
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