Automotive

Esso gives worse mileage than Petro Canada?

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  • Oct 21st, 2019 11:06 pm
Deal Addict
Aug 30, 2011
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Edmonton

Esso gives worse mileage than Petro Canada?

We've been filling up with Petro Canada regularly ever since the RBC 3¢ off per litre offer came out.

Last two times we filled up at Esso and our average fuel usage went up.

It went from 9.0L/100km to 9.1L/100km. This is making me concerned. Maybe 0.1L/100km doesn't make much of a difference but this is the average fuel economy.

Anyone have the same experience? Esso specifically advertises better fuel economy with Synergy technology.
33 replies
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Feb 11, 2007
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It's highly unlikely that you controlled your conditions 100%, so your results are meaningless.
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Deal Expert
Aug 22, 2006
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Anecdotal and totally non scientific, but I swear I get worse mileage when I fill at Superstore vs Costco.
I still didn't control conditions, but I tend to get about 5% less when I settle for Superstore.
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Nov 16, 2004
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My Dad says stuff like this. Swears by it actually.

I could see performance differences between grades of fuel, I can't really argue with that, but between companies, it's a little harder. No idea, to be honest.
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Jan 9, 2011
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tablo13 wrote: It went from 9.0L/100km to 9.1L/100km.
You're talking about a difference of about 1%. This is more likely explained by changes in which way the wind was blowing than differences between fuel.
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Jun 2, 2012
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NORTH YORK
Maybe you have been preheating your car a couple extra minutes because it’s been so cold?
Deal Fanatic
Jan 18, 2010
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I have heard similar things from a couple of people as well. Both say they get better mileage with Petro Canada
Deal Addict
Dec 18, 2017
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London, On
In many areas, the gas all comes from the same place. You also can't compare after 2 tanks of gas. Especially in winter. Especially if you have had snow.
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Nov 11, 2016
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djeffery wrote: In many areas, the gas all comes from the same place. You also can't compare after 2 tanks of gas. Especially in winter. Especially if you have had snow.
Agreed.
Here in the Maritimes - since the Esso refinery closed in Dartmouth - MOST gas stations buy from the Irving Refinery in St John NB.
So - typically the trucks for Petro Can and Ultramar pick up there.
Shell may truck down from the Montreal refinery but typically no - especially in the Winter.
Esso may buy from Irving OR they may ship it in from in oil tankers from Montrel and fill up tanks. This depends on Ice Conditions in the St. Lawrence and above.
So it may or may not be "Esso " gas.
I imagine Costco and Mobil and Wilson's all buy from whoever is cheaper - including the transport to their station.
There are also "Milk Runs" where a desginated Quebec or Ontario tanker truck may fill up gas station tanks starting in NB and see how far they get.

I am not sure where you are and if this is a viable argument.

I have a Prius and I can have remarkably different mileage in a given week depending on how I drive it and where I am driving
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Feb 22, 2016
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tablo13 wrote: We've been filling up with Petro Canada regularly ever since the RBC 3¢ off per litre offer came out.

Last two times we filled up at Esso and our average fuel usage went up.

It went from 9.0L/100km to 9.1L/100km. This is making me concerned. Maybe 0.1L/100km doesn't make much of a difference but this is the average fuel economy.

Anyone have the same experience? Esso specifically advertises better fuel economy with Synergy technology.
Just throwing it out there, is it possible Esso puts more ethanol in its gas vs Petro? Ethanol has less energy than gasoline so there would a difference if, say, Esso's mix is 10% ethanol and Petro's is 5%.

I will say I have experienced the opposite -- I had an Esso gift card to use so I filled there, and I got better fuel economy using their gasoline vs Costco. However, in these parts Costco can be as much as 10 cents a litre cheaper than Esso so...
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Jan 12, 2008
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Gas comes from the same refinery. It's really just about branding
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Aug 22, 2006
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Disciplinz wrote: Gas comes from the same refinery. It's really just about branding
Same refinery, but each station apparently adds their own additives.
What this does to fuel economy is beyond me.
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Mar 28, 2005
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Yes, as others have said, 0.1l/100km difference is totally meaningless.

However, I have noticed about 10% better gas mileage with Shell compared to others, but again not really a lab test under controlled conditions.
What was suggested once is that Shell uses less ethanol in their gas than others and that could account for better gas mileage.
Deal Addict
Dec 15, 2013
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North of Toronto
tablo13 wrote: We've been filling up with Petro Canada regularly ever since the RBC 3¢ off per litre offer came out.

Last two times we filled up at Esso and our average fuel usage went up.

It went from 9.0L/100km to 9.1L/100km. This is making me concerned. Maybe 0.1L/100km doesn't make much of a difference but this is the average fuel economy.

Anyone have the same experience? Esso specifically advertises better fuel economy with Synergy technology.
The colder it gets, the worse the gas mileage will be. There are plenty of environmental factors like icy/snow, traffic, acceleration patterns, etc.
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Oct 13, 2008
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I only gas up at Petro Canada (w the 5¢ discount) ... OCTANE 91 on my tuned 15 Lancer.

I haven't touched Esso since I experienced bad engine starts in my old 2004 Lancer.

SUMMER: approx. 14.5-15.5km/L
WINTER: approx. 12.2-13.6km/L
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Deal Guru
Sep 1, 2004
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Too many variables. The only thing for sure is that the more ethanol content, the worse mileage you will get.

Also, don't do comparison in winter. Weather isn't stable enough for baseline. And always do 3 tanks of each and do an average.
Sr. Member
Oct 13, 2010
699 posts
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[...] 0.1 L/100km literally is within margin of error.

My 19 Camry hybrid gets 5.2 but it could be +/- 0.5

Too many factors.
Last edited by Mars2012 on Oct 12th, 2019 7:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: rude
Jr. Member
Mar 2, 2012
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MILTON
I took my truck to the dealer because it was losing power for a second, like a hiccup or something.
The first thing Ford mechanic asked me if I am using Esso gas. I couldn't believe my ears, up to that point I was only using Esso. He told me this is because of additives in Esso gas. He also said sometimes they have to take the water out of the gas tank.
I switched to Petro and after 2-3 filling those hiccups stopped.
I get better avg with Petro gas.
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Feb 11, 2007
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jikiji626 wrote: I took my truck to the dealer because it was losing power for a second, like a hiccup or something.
The first thing Ford mechanic asked me if I am using Esso gas. I couldn't believe my ears, up to that point I was only using Esso. He told me this is because of additives in Esso gas. He also said sometimes they have to take the water out of the gas tank.
I switched to Petro and after 2-3 filling those hiccups stopped.
I get better avg with Petro gas.
That's more likely related to the station you usually fill up at, not one specific brand.
If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.
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Jul 30, 2007
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I recently put in couple of tankful of esso super 91 and I noticed my gas consumption mileage has gotten a bit worse, about 1.5l/100km compared to my normal Shell91.

Back to my trusted shell gas from now on. Grinning Face With Smiling Eyes

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