[ska///235i]

Exxon/Mobil is not listed
I been using them from day 1...FU CK
No wonder I been having cold start problems....this is FU CKed up





Ethanol and your BMW

Dear Ska,

The recent addition of ethanol to gasoline in the US gasoline has sparked a lot of discussion among our customers. Since these issues are of common interest to many of our customers, BMW of Peabody wanted to take a moment to offer some suggestions for your 325xia.

What Is The Current Use Of Ethanol?
As you know, Ethanol is a fuel additive that, in the US, is usually made from corn. When burned, ethanol releases much less tailpipe emissions than gasoline, making it better for the environment. Because of that, ethanol is now being mixed with gasoline for auto fuel. This mixture can be from 10% all the way up to 85% (E85).

Will Using Fuel Mixed With Ethanol Harm My Vehicle?
Using a fuel that contains up to 10% ethanol will not harm your vehicle. However, there are a couple of things to be considered. First, under some conditions (usually low temperatures) ethanol separates from the gasoline-alcohol mixture and absorbs water. The ethanol absorbed water is heavier than gasoline or ethanol and settles at the bottom of the fuel tank. When introduced into the combustion process, this leads to an extremely lean fuel mixture and can result in misfires, rough idles, and cold starting problems.

Secondly, some materials commonly used with gasoline are not compatible with ethanol. When these materials come in contact with ethanol, they may dissolve in the fuel, which may result in poor drivability, or worse engine damage.

Please remember that fuels that contain more than 10% ethanol such as E85 are intended for specially prepared vehicles (flex-fuel vehicles). These fuels must never be used in BMW vehicles.

Will Using Ethanol Void My Warranty?
Using fuel that contains up to and including 10% ethanol will not harm your vehicle or void the applicable warranty with respect to defects in materials or workmanship. However, BMW does not cover damage caused by fuel containing more than 10% ethanol or by contaminated fuel.

What Can I Do To Protect My Vehicle?
There are a couple of important things you can do to protect the investment you've made in your BMW.

1. Purchase high quality fuel. Make sure that your fuel has a minimum octane rating of AKI 91 and the percentage of ethanol is 10% or less.

2. Purchase your fuel from a reputable source. BMW and several other auto manufacturers have worked with gasoline retailers to approve "TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline". These fuels have increased levels of detergent to help keep engines cleaner and reduce deposits-related concerns.

You can find out more about TOP TIER Fuels and find a retailer at www.toptiergas.com.

I hope this information can be of valuable use.

Sincerely,
Bob Stone
Service Manager
BMW of Peabody






TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline Retailers

Gasoline retailers must meet the high TOP TIER standards with all grades of gasoline to be approved by the automakers as providing TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline.

In addition, all gasoline outlets carrying the brand of the approved retailer must meet the TOP TIER standards.

Additional gasoline retailers are added to the TOP TIER list as they meet the standards. The retailers known to be on the TOP TIER list are shown below.

TOP TIER Gasoline Retailers:

QuikTrip
Chevron
Conoco
Phillips
76
Shell
Entec Stations
MFA Oil Company
Kwik Trip/Kwik Star
The Somerset Refinery, Inc.
Chevron-Canada
Aloha Petroleum
Tri-Par Oil Company
Shell-Canada

[windnsea00]

Originally Posted by ska

I been using Mobil from day 1....are they listed here??????????

No they aren't. Now the question across the car boards is how legit is Top Tier, as do the companies just pay to get on there? Well anywho, I just fill up at my local Chevron or Shell for piece of mind

[monolith]

Exxon is noticeably absent.

[ska///235i]

I cant beleive I'm paying over $3+ a gal for CORN OIL l:mad:
MAD as Hell

[Gearcraft]

i just loaded $15 worth of mobil last Sun. since then i noticed that my car felt really heavy. maybe the post confirms the sudden change of feel of my car. i couldnt feel as much torque as i use to. and i was trying to floor it earlier but still, it really felt different. its been really gloomy here in OC. maybe that explains it. mobil+cold weather.

my gas pedal really felt heavy and it was annoying coz its hard to make my shifting real smooth.

must finish the gas and switch back to V-power and see what happens.

i was really ready to whine to you guys about it. or maybe its just me. but i really doubt it. my 325i hauls 5 people with luggages and still gives that decent feel of torque.

[windnsea00]

Originally Posted by monolith

Exxon is noticeably absent.

Yea ExxonMobil.

[windnsea00]

Originally Posted by Gearcraft

i just loaded $15 worth of mobil last Sun. since then i noticed that my car felt really heavy. maybe the post confirms the sudden change of feel of my car. i couldnt feel as much torque as i use to. and i was trying to floor it earlier but still, it really felt different. its been really gloomy here in OC. maybe that explains it. mobil+cold weather.

my gas pedal really felt heavy and it was annoying coz its hard to make my shifting real smooth.

must finish the gas and switch back to V-power and see what happens.

i was really ready to whine to you guys about it. or maybe its just me. but i really doubt it. my 325i hauls 5 people with luggages and still gives that decent feel of torque.

If you got bad gas, say at a place not used very often (yea like that happens in so.cal haha) then you would feel that. You wouldn't be able to feel a difference in 91 octane from Mobil compared to 91 octane from Shell, unless you consider the placebo effect reality.

[Gearcraft]

i dont know.... if anybody has a better explanation then i would listen. ive been really trying to figure out whats wrong.

last Sun. i drove here from westminster to somewhere in LA thats about 44 miles and the car felt really light. even with a 76-key keyboards with its heavy bag, a small amplifier, and a guitar in a hard-case, and some other stuff.

when i got home i put in the mobil gas. (i usually put V-power and Chevron) since then the car really felt ridiculously heavy. i checked the tires already and i see no problem with the tires.

i dont really know... it could be me but the car really felt different.

[ska///235i]

Originally Posted by Gearcraft

i dont know.... if anybody has a better explanation then i would listen. ive been really trying to figure out whats wrong.

last Sun. i drove here from westminster to somewhere in LA thats about 44 miles and the car felt really light. even with a 76-key keyboards with its heavy bag, a small amplifier, and a guitar in a hard-case, and some other stuff.

when i got home i put in the mobil gas. (i usually put V-power and Chevron) since then the car really felt ridiculously heavy. i checked the tires already and i see no problem with the tires.

i dont really know... it could be me but the car really felt different.

I believe you. I been only avg 18 mpg and having prblms starting the car in the morning. ....now I know why
I'm gonna try another brand of gas

[lux.sh]

After I put in chevron, my car faster than a mustang cobra.

I trust my butt-dyno, and I know I gained more than 20whp up top(5000~7000rpm), and around 30wtq midrange RPMs.

GO GET CHEVRON GUYS. my dad owns one.

[huchung]

Originally Posted by ska

I believe you. I been only avg 18 mpg and having prblms starting the car in the morning. ....now I know why
I'm gonna try another brand of gas

I exclusively Chevron ever since I got my car and have been averaging 22mpg. So thats not much better than yours. However, I hear shell is suppose to be real good with the mileage...

[Gearcraft]

Originally Posted by lux.sh

After I put in chevron, my car faster than a mustang cobra.

I trust my butt-dyno, and I know I gained more than 20whp up top(5000~7000rpm), and around 30wtq midrange RPMs.

GO GET CHEVRON GUYS. my dad owns one.

lol. i wanna start a gas station business too.

still. i dont know... somebody slap me back to my senses..

this gloomy weather.. really really strange....

[ver.e90]

Interesting thread...

So, if one has been using Mobil for a while, then switches to one of the top tier fuels, does the performance of the car improve, or is there permanent damage???

[E90Boy]

I've been using 93 octane here in mass and get 20-25mpg on average depending how agressive I am with the pedal . If I drive in the city more I get around 21-22mpg.

[Asiann]

Always use 93 oct and have 10% ethenol at every gas station on the island. Still get over 22 mpg in the city. Can't give hwy since don't drive more than 6 miles to work and from one side of the island to the other is only about 25 miles.

[BMW F22]

I've been using nothing but Shell and 76. Good thing exxon is not that common around here. sorry to hear about ur situation SKA>

[Asiann]

Does anyone know what the military and Costco uses?

[Collanrf]

Originally Posted by Asiann

Does anyone know what the military and Costco uses?

It's Beacon for military.

[Collanrf]

My car chokes everytime i use the miltary gas station.

[hotsand5]

BP not on the list?

[zamboni]

Chevron for both E90 & E46.

[bmwexecutive]

Originally Posted by hotsand5

BP not on the list?

I was thinking the same thing. Just filled her up $37 worth yesterday at BP. I guess I'm going to be filling her up with Shell VPower now.