Rating of the best gas stations by gasoline quality for 2022

A car is not a luxury, but a means of transportation. This phrase from the famous novel "The Golden Calf" has not lost its relevance in our days. Own transport means both convenience and freedom of movement, and in the difficult epidemiological situation of recent years, it also means safety. Most Russian families have cars, and some have not one iron horse, but two or more.

Every car needs fuel. Electric vehicles have not yet become widespread in our country, and traditional gas stations continue to service hundreds and thousands of vehicles. Some cars run on diesel, but most run on petrol.

Brands of gasoline

In our enlightened age, few people have questions about the letters AI-92, AI-95 and even AI-100, which can be seen at gas stations. Many people know that this is the designation of the brand of gasoline. A slightly smaller number of people are aware that the numbers in this designation indicate the octane number. But what is this octane number, not everyone knows.

The octane number is the knock resistance of the fuel, resistance to spontaneous ignition at the moment of compression, which is a necessary phase in the operation of an internal combustion engine. This is one of the most important indicators, along with fractional characteristics and the amount of additives.

The fractional composition is, first of all, volatility, on which such indicators as the ease of starting the engine, warm-up time, etc. directly depend.

Additives are mandatory added to the fuel, since it is impossible to obtain the required octane number during its production.

The quality of fuel on the territory of our country must comply with GOST 32513-2013 “Motor fuels. Unleaded gasoline. Specifications". This document defines not only the appearance of a combustible liquid, but also the composition, density, amount of permitted additives and components used to increase the octane number (methyl tertiary butyl ether, ferrocene, Aplidium additive, etc.). The volume fraction of benzene is also determined.

The main rule when choosing a brand is the recommendations of the car manufacturer.If there are no recommendations, then the rule comes into play: the higher the octane number, the better. But still, the most important indicator is not the octane number, but the indicator of the uniformity of the combustible liquid and the absence of unnecessary and harmful impurities.

Quality control methods

Poor quality fuel can cause serious damage to the car, causing malfunctions in the engine, fuel filter, spark plugs, etc. Therefore, in case of alarming symptoms, you need to make sure that the liquid poured into the gas tank is clean. An initial check can be carried out at home, paying attention to the following parameters.

1. Color. Sometimes you can find tinted gasoline, but this is a rare occurrence. Usually the fuel is clear or has a pale yellow tint, without signs of sediment and turbidity.
2. presence of water impurities. It is checked with the help of potassium permanganate, which is taken in proportion to gasoline 1:20. If a pink tint appears, then it is diluted with water.
3. presence of oils. To check, a sheet of paper is suitable, which must be moistened with gasoline and allowed to dry. If after that a greasy trace remains, there is oil in the composition.
4. The presence of sulfur and resins. This experiment is best done outdoors and away from flammable objects. Put a small amount of gasoline on a glass slide and set it on fire. If the composition contains resins, the remaining trace will not be white, but yellowish or brown with stains.

If there are serious doubts about the quality of the fuel, it is more reliable to check it in a special laboratory. If suspicions are confirmed, the expert opinion, together with documents confirming the fact of purchase, will become sufficient grounds for filing a lawsuit in court.

Leaders in the number of filling stations

On the territory of Russia there is a huge number of gas stations. The largest firms have them in the thousands. The most extensive networks are presented below.

1. More than 2000 gas stations: Lukoil, Rosneft.
2. More than 1000 gas stations: Gazpromneft.
3. More than 500 filling stations: Tatneft, TNK, Gazprom.

Of the foreign companies on the Russian market, filling stations of Shell and British Petroleum companies are most often found.

Rating of the best gas stations by the quality of gasoline

The list of filling stations operating on the territory of Russia is calculated by more than a dozen items. Below are the best of them, selected based on consumer reviews on independent resources on the Internet.

Rating of the best filling stations operating under Russian brands by gasoline quality

This list includes Russian filling stations, which, according to drivers, combine fuel quality and advanced service.

Lukoil

This company is one of the leaders in the Russian market both in terms of the number of stations and the purity of fuel. The supplied gasoline is obtained by deep distillation, which ensures compliance with Euro 5 standards. Own production allows you to avoid high margins.

• own supplier;
• high degree of purity;
• on sale there is a brand "Ekto plus".

• high price.

Gazpromneft

This enterprise with its own oil production structure is a leader in the field of quality. The organization of transportation with the equipment of each fuel truck with a GPS tracker is also one of their advantages. High requirements for recruited employees guarantee polite and professional customer service. Not so long ago, the company began preparations for the production and sale of fuel that meets Euro-5 standards.

• own research centers;
• careful check of each party;
• value for money;
• good service;
• additional services (washing headlights, etc.);
• bonus program;
• customer support center.

• there are often queues;
• lack of complaints.

Rosneft

This company is distinguished by a wide network of filling stations in Russia. Extensive in-house production facilities eliminate the problem of fuel supply, and a streamlined distillation process allows you to get first-class fuel. Often there are promotions and discounts.

• own infrastructure;
• quality control;
• hotline;
• discounts and promotions;
• loyalty program;
• additional services (cleaning the interior, pumping wheels, etc.);
• network of own mini-cafes.

• insufficiently good service in the regions.

TNK

One of the brands under which Rosneft sells its products is the Tyumen Oil Company, or TNK for short. The earlier complaints about the quality of gasoline after leaving under the wing of Rosneft ceased, since the parent company is interested in the good reputation of gas stations and carefully monitors the supplied fuel.

• high quality;
• modern equipment;
• good service: shops, additional services, etc.

• insufficiently qualified staff.

Tatneft

This company does not have its own production facilities and resells the products of other companies. Employees do not hide the fact that they bring the fuel to the desired octane number with the help of special additives, but only those that are allowed by GOST and do not harm cars.

• open policy;
• relatively low prices;
• high quality;
• developed network;
• purity;
• developed service on the territory of gas stations (shops, cafes, etc.).

• few gas stations in small towns;
• there are complaints about the technical condition of the equipment.

SibNeft

This firm began its activity in the territory of the Tomsk region, but by now its network covers almost all regions of Russia. Having the capacity to conduct research and development, the company has developed a unique fuel, Prime, belonging to the fifth class, which has high characteristics: reduced maintenance costs for internal combustion engines, reduced contamination in engine oil, increased spark plug life, increased environmental safety.

• big choice;
• good technical equipment;
• quality control.

• insufficiently qualified staff.

Oil pipeline

This network is known to motorists in Moscow and the Moscow region. Despite the rather outdated equipment at many stations, AI-100 gasoline began to appear in this network earlier than many others. Drivers are also attracted by a profitable system of bonuses that accumulate over time.

• high quality;
• low price;
• bonus program.

• outdated equipment;
• at times there is an underflow.

Phaeton Aero

This network is one of the oldest, but has not yet received wide distribution throughout the country. It is mainly based in the northern capital - St. Petersburg, as well as in the Leningrad region, but has a high chance of expanding. This is facilitated by the policy of maintaining low prices with impeccable quality of fuel, which is purchased from the Kirishi and Yaroslavl refineries.

• value for money;
• compliance with the declared octane number;
• no complaints about underfilling;
• provision of tire fitting and wheel inflation services;
• well-developed service: availability of non-stop supermarkets, cafes, pharmacies.

• limited area;
• staff incompetence.

track

Another relatively recently opened company that compares favorably with its competitors with unique offers. In their range, in addition to traditional brands, there is fuel for high-powered internal combustion engines, including those produced under the Premium Sport brand. Fuel is purchased from the leader in terms of fuel quality, Gazprom Neft.

• convenient location of gas stations on the highways;
• good service;
• purity;
• comfortable seating area;
• courtesy of the staff;
• high quality fuel;
• many additional services.

• small service area;
• overcharge.

Rating of the best filling stations operating under foreign brands by gasoline quality

This list includes gas stations operating under foreign brands. They are distinguished by high quality requirements and excellent service.

British Petroleum

This network is one of the most famous in the world. In Russia, every year she strengthens her position, gaining more and more fans. It is this brand that is recommended by most automakers, since its impeccable purity is beyond doubt. It is purchased from the Rosneft company and undergoes strict control.

• own production facilities;
• strict quality control system;
• a large selection of brands, including proprietary Active, which improves the performance of internal combustion engines and reduces the amount of deposits;
• qualified personnel;
• the presence of mini-markets at gas stations with a good assortment of goods.

• high price;
• at remote gas stations, fuel quality may be worse.

Shell

This company is also widely known not only abroad, but also in Russia. Using the highest quality additives allows you to get first-class fuel. An excellent reputation and many positive reviews make it attractive to drivers of cars of all brands.

• great quality;
• bonus cards that allow you to save 10-15% of the cost;
• frequent promotions and prize draws;
• excellent service;
• the presence of branded Shell V-Power gasoline, which allows you to increase engine efficiency.

• lack of own carriers on the territory of the Russian Federation;
• high cost of fuel;
• a small number of refills.

Neste

This Finnish company prefers not to be too scattered across the territory of the Russian Federation and has concentrated its gas stations in the north-west of the country: in the Leningrad, Novgorod and Pskov regions. The oil depot is located in the city of Lomonosov, which allows saving on transportation costs.

• good service;
• attentive staff;
• purity;
• price at the level of Russian filling stations.

• technical problems with equipment operation;
• there are complaints about the quality of the fuel.

How to avoid gas station scams

It is not uncommon for consumers to encounter fraud and petty fraud at gas stations. In some cases, this leads to a smaller amount of gasoline for the declared price, in others - to problems in the operation of the car. The most common types of cheating are listed below.

1. Purchase of high-quality AI-92 gasoline and increasing its octane number to AI-95 or AI-98 by using toxic cheap additives (tetraethyl lead, monomethylaniline, etc.).
2. Reprogramming gas stations so that they show more fuel than was actually filled.
3. Refueling gun tricks. Refuelers may resort to this trick if the driver is distracted or has gone to the store. The gun button is released when the dispenser begins to count the last liter, and this fuel remains in the hose, from where it is later drained.
4. Overflow. Often found at gas stations located on the highway. The calculation goes to the fatigue of drivers who may not pay attention to the fact that the amount in the check is more than what the gas tank can hold.
5. Rounding up the purchase amount. Used for cash payments. As an argument, they can give an excuse that they handed over all the cash to the collectors and there is nothing to give change. In this case, refueling can be carried out for the amount requested by the driver. The calculation goes to inattention.
6. Credit card scam. The seller can say that the customer's card is not being read, and after he agrees to pay without a discount, use his own discount card, thus assigning a discount to himself.

In order not to become a victim of the situations described above, you need to be careful and follow a few rules:

• It is better to refuel the car yourself, not trusting tankers.
• It is necessary to turn off and remove the gun from the tank only after the counter on the column turns off.
• If you suspect the settings of the fuel dispenser, you can pour gasoline into your canister and compare the actual volume with what is displayed on the scoreboard. The refusal of gas station employees to pour fuel into a canister is illegal and may indirectly indicate deliberate violations on their part.To check, you can also use a special measuring canister, which must be at every gas station without fail. This capacity must be provided at the first request of the client. The sample is taken in the presence of the head of the gas station and two witnesses.
• When complaining about a non-working discount card, you can check it at another gas station, and if the purchase amount is rounded off, be sure to check that the amount of fuel was filled in exactly as much as needed based on the actual amount of payment.

Identified underfilling or overfilling is a good reason for filing a complaint with Rostekhnadzor. And if an engine breakdown occurs due to low-quality gasoline, you can complain to Rosstandart and request a check of the operation of the gas station.

Studying reviews on independent resources from real customers of various gas stations will allow you to determine which places you can call for gasoline for your iron horse, and which ones are better to bypass. Attentiveness and a competent approach to the choice of gas stations will help to avoid many problems and make the operation of the car even more pleasant.