Q. Does it really matter what grade of gas I use in my car?

A. Yes and No. In an area like Cleveland where there are such drastic climate ranges, the gas mixture is constantly being changed to accommodate the season. There is a different mixture used in winter gas vs. summer gas for example.

Unless you are driving a performance car like a Corvette or a Super-Charged Impala there is no reason to use premium gas.

But you should be careful where you buy your gas. Certainly the big names like Shell, Marathon, Sunoco, Amoco, etc. are fine.

The problem comes when you go to the "generic" gas stations or the local "Joe's Gas and Go"-type place. (If there really is a Joe's Gas and Go I'm not aware of it, and not speaking specifically about them).

You don't know the mixture they are using (no matter what the sticker says on the pump). You don't know where they got the gas they're selling. There could be dirt in the tanks. They could be selling a product other stations rejected.

Good gas is important in maintaining your car and helping it to last a long time. The few cents you save at a generic gas station may seem like a lot at the time, but it won't seem like much when you need to buy a new car before you were planning on it.

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