Say you’ve just left the campground and you’re getting ready for a long day of driving. You have a little more than a quarter tank left. Someone told you there’s cheap gas about 3 miles ahead, but your favorite brand of gas station (say, Shell) is just around the corner.
Will you fill up at the Shell because it’s your favorite brand, or will you risk spending less money and drive the 3 miles ahead?
Some RVers swear by certain brands, believing the fuel quality or additives help their engine run smoother. Others don’t care as long as the price is right. For them, saving 10 or 15 cents per gallon—especially when filling a big RV tank—adds up fast.
Then there’s the convenience factor. Will that cheaper station ahead be easy to get in and out of with your rig? Or will it be a tight squeeze, packed with cars, or require you to unhook your toad just to reach the pump?
And what about station amenities? Maybe you want a clean bathroom, a place to grab a snack, or a dump station. Sometimes, your “favorite” station wins not because of the gas itself, but because of the overall experience. Buc-ees, anyone?
Once you’ve voted in the poll below please leave a comment. Thanks!
If you enjoyed this RVtravel.com reader poll, keep in mind that we have polled our readers at least 5,000 times through the years. It’s fascinating to see how they have responded, sometimes very surprisingly. You’ll find an archive of some of the polls here. So what are you waiting for? Check ’em out.
RVDT2701
i buy gas where the gas island is oriented such that I can easily and safely get my 40 foot motorhome in and out.
Top Tier fuels are filtered and have additives that prolong and improve engine performance relative to cheaper brands. A few cents more at the pump saves more in the long run.
It can get really expensive if you get a tank full of bad gas. A few extra cents here and there is worth the pain of bad gas. Top Tier fuel is the way to go! The only bad gas we ever got was not Top Tier.
i do not have one specific brand, but I always prefer Top Tier high detergent gasoline. This includes Shell, Chevron, Marathon, Exxon, Mobil. Typically there is a sticker on the pump indicating it is Top Tier. Before most gasoline engines were “complicated” by various sensors and fuel injection systems I purchased gasoline based on price.
Price and location. Price doesn’t matter if I can’t get the truck and camper into the station.
Re: Fuel prices. We just completed 60 days and 8000 miles from Las Vegas to San Antonio and up through Tennessee to the upper Midwest, then heading back through Colorado. We noticed that Loves, Flying J, and Pilot truck stops along the interstate were consistently priced 30 to 40 cents per gallon higher.
Here in the midwest we’ve noticed exactly the opposite. Love’s in particular is usually less. Not 30-40 cents but a few cents less. But I’ve never been one to go shopping for fuel just to save a few bucks on a tankful.
I am with Dan – On our last trip (from Colorado to Fla, TN and back), Loves was the same advertised price as the least-expensive, and we get a $ .10/gal discount in their app. Have to be careful of some stations’ advertised prices, as it is for E-85, or some other unuseable gas, and it is much cheaper.
We have a class A, gasser. We stop at a station where we can fit in.
When planning our trips, I look for stations that are easy in and out. Overhead views on Google maps really helps.
I pull a 30 foot TT with a gas pickup. If you look at most Pilot and Loves, the pumps are situated close to the building and parking areas and are perpendicular to the building making it harder to pull through.
Gas buddy is your friend.
I am on the commercial diesel side with a 43′ DP. As such, I have a fleet card that I use with diesel that has discounts at a number of branded stations. Because of that, I stated that I chose the brand because they are affiliated with my fleet card. I also plan fuel stops as part of my trip planning (usually six months prior), so it is not like I just wing it on travel days.
I need another option for the survey. I buy gas based on whether our gas powered motor home and toad can comfortably reach the gas pump and drive out without having to back up. Most often, Loves or Flying J are the only choices. Safe travels!
In your article it ended with Buc-ees anyone. I do not go near one, far as I see they are not RV friendly.
We stopped at one in Texas. Huge. Not one single RV parking spot on the lot and we’re driving a 43′ motorhome towing a full sized pickup. Had to make my own place to park as other RVers were doing. Went inside. Very crowded and long lines. It’s clear they are popular, but we won’t stop at one again. We only did it to see what all the hoopla was about.
Good info, Mikal. We have been wondering the same thing and now we know and have notated. Thanks for the headache prevention.
It’s not Top Tier gas either. I’m surrounded by Buc-ees and seldom go.
I buy fuel where it’s available when I need it. If I’m able to plan ahead, I’ll look at satellite views of the station so I’m familiar with how to best get in and out. This is particularly helpful when fueling at truck stops.
I use BP and Exxon credit cards to get the discount for using. And pay within a week to eliminate interest. Saves $.15 and $.10 cents per gallon.
I buy diesel based on the station affiliation to my fleet card
Same here.
To my understanding the only fuel additive shown to do anything is the Top Tier product (sticker on the pump). Otherwise the fuel has to meet specifications. In most cases, even the cheapest gasoline comes from the same distribution source as the most expensive.
third choice, convenience/location
We base it on availability and ease at the pump. For that reason, we tend to use truck stops that also cater to RVs.
Neither, I base where I fill up on how easy it is to get in and then leave when I fill up our 38 ft diesel pusher. So truck stops and larger gas stations are usually where we get gas. with a 100 gallon fuel tank, I start looking for fuel when we get to a half tank.
We use the TSD card for saving fuel dollars. Like many others I stop mostly at places I can safely enter with our 40’ motor home towing an F150. Which basically means truck stops. Love Love’s.
Same here, but pulling a fiver with a F350 diesel. It’s much easier to navigate the truck side.
Neither….. the only deciding factors for us is location with fast flow nozzles. My fleet card works everywhere that has a large output fast flow nozzle.
You didn’t allow our #1 criteria – accessibility. Our 32 foot motorhome gas filler is on the BACK WALL! And we tow a Honda Fit, so we need to be careful that we can get in, get the back wall to the pump and get out without having to drive through parking spaces (which are never all vacant, anyway). So, those pumps that have you drive in facing the convenience store are a definite no-go for us, no matter how good the price.
We prefer to buy Costco’s top-tier when available because of the quality, price, and, usually, ease of access. Otherwise, it’s generally access, then price. It’s not worth a few pennies less per gallon if the savings involve risking damage to our rig. We look for stations that are on our way rather than seeking the cheapest one in the area. The fuel consumed driving there as well as the time lost getting to it really eat into the “bargain” price.
I try to find brands that are Top Tier rated, but it’s also important to find a gas station that I can reasonably get in and out of with the RV.
This.
When I’m traveling I use the lowest price gas. When I park it for the winter, I’ve found that a name brand fuel remains more stable. I never use any gasoline stabilizer and never had any issues.
When traveling with our 40′ dp and 22′ cargo trailer behind, we only go to truck stops, so price is whatever they are charging. When traveling in our 24′ motorhome, price is the deciding factor because we can get in and out almost anywhere.
I chose brand..Flying J…only because many/most have RV fuel lanes.
When I was a teenager I worked at a gas station through 2 years of high school and 1 year of college. During that time the gas station I worked at changed companies 3 times, Mobile, Vickers, and North Star. The same truck delivered the gas from the same distribution point for all 3 brands. I asked the truck driver once if there was any difference in the gas and he said it was all the same. Maybe things are different now, but I doubt it.
Most definitely, when I can, I purchase shell premium, as my vehicle runs better with more power using premium fuel and shell premium has chemicals in it that cleans and protects my engine. I consider it an investment in the longevity of my vehicle.
Thank you for the question, RV Travel. I answered “price” with the majority. Overwhelmingly we travel in the Southeast — Alabama, Georga, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia — and we overwhelmingly get fuel (diesel) at Petro or TA truckstops. Their prices tend to undercut Love’s and Speedway, the other two truck stops that we tend to patronize because of price and ease of entry and exit. Have a great week and safe travels!
We try to plan our stops with fuel in mind. After dropping 5r(Big Boy) we will typically grab a bite for lunch/dinner, then take care of fuel for (Bertha). We are retired & not in a hurry, a normal day of traveling is 3-4 hours so it’s usually about 1/2 tank fill up.
Needed more choices! Car gas for convenience. MH who takes the fuel discount card and where we are….so, I did vote price.
You should have added another selection, ease of fueling your gas class A towing. Most modern new stations make it impossible to fuel our RV. So we will pay the extra fuel cost if we can maneuver around pumps.
Price is a consideration with that said I look for fuel from places that have large turn over (like truck stops) you get the freshest fuel and the chances of getting water are greatly reduced from the station who’s tanks sit half full for days at a time.
I have always used the cheapest gas I can find and have never had a fuel problem in all of my 81 years. The same goes for selecting regular over mid-range or premium. Today’s engines are mostly computer controlled and even when the mfg “recommends” premium, I use regular as the computer wil retard the timing to eliminate pinging. It does reduce the hp a little bit, but unless you are on the drag strip, you’ll never know the difference.
As for diesel for my 44′ motorhome, convenience of getting in and out safely is my #1 choice regardless of price.
Neither. I only run my vehicles on non-ethanol gas which is typically 90 octane around us.