Costco gas in Q5?
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Steppenaudi (01-13-2023)
02-08-2016, 11:00 AM
#15
AudiWorld Super User
Since the EPA changed the rules about gasoline in the US, in the 90's, it has pretty much all been "cleaner" than it used to be. More detergents and less crud to form varnish, which is a problem with injection systems.
Top-tier is actually a marketing consortium, a group of companies pledge allegiance to each other and a standard, and if a company doesn't want to pay for all that advertising, they can sell gas that is just as good--they just can't share use of the trademark "Top-Tier" name.
So it is a good thing, but not a necessary one.
Refineries share the same pipes for national distribution. Shell may send 100,000 gallons of "regular" through a thousand miles of pipeline, preceded by 200,000 gallons of Texaco "premium" and followed by 150,000 gallons of Sunoco "ethanol free". Some of that stuff mixes, obviously, between the batches and the mixture can't legally be sold as either brand. So it goes to the independents and local no-name shops, but in fact it is the same gas as the big name brands--just a mixture of it.
Costco? Buys their gasoline by contract bid, like everything else. Some, maybe all, of their pumps have the "TopTier" sticker on them this year, and I know my local Costco didn't have that two years ago.
If you want a real treat, look for the "Pure Gas" stations, which sell ethanol-free real gasoline. There's about 5-10% more fuel power in it, gallon to gallon, compared to E10.
Top-tier is actually a marketing consortium, a group of companies pledge allegiance to each other and a standard, and if a company doesn't want to pay for all that advertising, they can sell gas that is just as good--they just can't share use of the trademark "Top-Tier" name.
So it is a good thing, but not a necessary one.
Refineries share the same pipes for national distribution. Shell may send 100,000 gallons of "regular" through a thousand miles of pipeline, preceded by 200,000 gallons of Texaco "premium" and followed by 150,000 gallons of Sunoco "ethanol free". Some of that stuff mixes, obviously, between the batches and the mixture can't legally be sold as either brand. So it goes to the independents and local no-name shops, but in fact it is the same gas as the big name brands--just a mixture of it.
Costco? Buys their gasoline by contract bid, like everything else. Some, maybe all, of their pumps have the "TopTier" sticker on them this year, and I know my local Costco didn't have that two years ago.
If you want a real treat, look for the "Pure Gas" stations, which sell ethanol-free real gasoline. There's about 5-10% more fuel power in it, gallon to gallon, compared to E10.
01-13-2023, 07:06 PM
#16
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I just purchased a 2016 Q5 3.0T. Reading the manual, it recommends top-tier gas, Costco gas was not listed.
I thought gas from different brands are pretty much the same, but my neighbor told me that his BMW 550 definitely doesn't like Costco gas, all other brands are fine.
What's your take and experience about Costco gas in a Q5?
I thought gas from different brands are pretty much the same, but my neighbor told me that his BMW 550 definitely doesn't like Costco gas, all other brands are fine.
What's your take and experience about Costco gas in a Q5?
I am glad that most people who posted on this thread didn’t have issues with Costco gas. I love Costco and I go there all the time for gas. The one time I went to 76, my check engine light came on. Mind you bought my 2019 used at 13000 miles last March, it was my second car so I have only put on 5000 miles since March 2022. Now it’s going to cost me $1800 to flush out the “bad batch” Costco or whatever gas. I am asking if anyone else is experience this! I think Fletcher Jones sold me a lemon!
01-14-2023, 05:35 AM
#17
AudiWorld Member
We don't know if they sold you a lemon, but I suspect you're getting ripped off. Find a different dealership.
BTW, your 2019 is a 'B9" audi and this is the B8-8.5 forum. You might get different answers over there.
You may have a bad of gas, but it isn't likely from Costco. They are licensed to sell 'top-tier' fuel ( https://www.toptiergas.com/licensed-brands/ ) and they sell enough volume that the gas isn't going to sit around for months. If it were bad gas, all you'd need is a drain and fill with good gas, or an additive like star-tron to pull moisture out of the gas (or dilute it with non-ethanol gas if you didn't have much in the tank). Did the misfires coincide with a recent fill-up?
Direct-injection engines do suffer from carbon buildup on the intake valves, more so with forced induction (i.e. turbo). But at 13k there shouldn't be enough buildup to warrant carbon-cleaning, and one batch of 'bad gas' certainly isn't going to cause it either. Audi's typically need a carbon cleaning around 100k or so - and then it's only intake valves. It takes A LOT of carbon to cause misfires.
Suggesting that your exhaust valves also need to be cleaned is not anything I've every heard of, as those get hot enough to burn off carbon deposits and are not exposed to as many unburned hydrocarbons. That another indication you're being given the run-around by the service advisor.
There's probably something else going on with your Audi that's triggering the misfire. The dealership doesn't have much (if any) profit margin on warranty repairs, but having you pay for unnecessary work is just gravy for them; especially if they can also get you to pay for their diagnostic fee.
BTW, your 2019 is a 'B9" audi and this is the B8-8.5 forum. You might get different answers over there.
You may have a bad of gas, but it isn't likely from Costco. They are licensed to sell 'top-tier' fuel ( https://www.toptiergas.com/licensed-brands/ ) and they sell enough volume that the gas isn't going to sit around for months. If it were bad gas, all you'd need is a drain and fill with good gas, or an additive like star-tron to pull moisture out of the gas (or dilute it with non-ethanol gas if you didn't have much in the tank). Did the misfires coincide with a recent fill-up?
Direct-injection engines do suffer from carbon buildup on the intake valves, more so with forced induction (i.e. turbo). But at 13k there shouldn't be enough buildup to warrant carbon-cleaning, and one batch of 'bad gas' certainly isn't going to cause it either. Audi's typically need a carbon cleaning around 100k or so - and then it's only intake valves. It takes A LOT of carbon to cause misfires.
Suggesting that your exhaust valves also need to be cleaned is not anything I've every heard of, as those get hot enough to burn off carbon deposits and are not exposed to as many unburned hydrocarbons. That another indication you're being given the run-around by the service advisor.
There's probably something else going on with your Audi that's triggering the misfire. The dealership doesn't have much (if any) profit margin on warranty repairs, but having you pay for unnecessary work is just gravy for them; especially if they can also get you to pay for their diagnostic fee.
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simplesez (01-15-2023)
01-14-2023, 05:36 AM
#18
Carbon built up on the intake and exhaust values has nothing to do with the quality of the gas, gas simply doesn't get there on the direct injected engines. Long oil changes, quality of oil and piston rings not sealing completely will have more to do with that then gas.
First thing to do for a misfire like this (outside of basic diagnostic like switching coils, etc,) is to put a couple of canes of injector cleaners in the tank and let them do the magic. If this is from bad gas and injectors are dirty 90% chance that this will solve it.
This is easy and cheap to try.
I used to use chevron only gas, these days Im using 76, costco. Chevron went crazy with their prices. So far I dont see any difference on the same engine.
First thing to do for a misfire like this (outside of basic diagnostic like switching coils, etc,) is to put a couple of canes of injector cleaners in the tank and let them do the magic. If this is from bad gas and injectors are dirty 90% chance that this will solve it.
This is easy and cheap to try.
I used to use chevron only gas, these days Im using 76, costco. Chevron went crazy with their prices. So far I dont see any difference on the same engine.
01-15-2023, 06:03 PM
#19
AudiWorld Member
It's rarely ever "bad gas" but rather bad tanks. Costco has a reputation for quality so they will not let their tanks fall apart. Off brands and crappy truck stops don't have the same incentive to maintain their tanks.
Depending on where you are most gas comes from wholesalers with few brands actually providing their own product. It's "additives" that make the brand unique and that could be a drop of petroleum distillates in a 500 gal tank.
As I said in the other thread they are playing you for a fool with the bad gas remark (in a dealership text lol morons)
Depending on where you are most gas comes from wholesalers with few brands actually providing their own product. It's "additives" that make the brand unique and that could be a drop of petroleum distillates in a 500 gal tank.
As I said in the other thread they are playing you for a fool with the bad gas remark (in a dealership text lol morons)
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