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If you’ve spent any time on a highway in the Mid-Atlantic or surrounding areas, you’ve undoubtedly passed by a Sheetz convenience and fuel store. It’s easy to find one with more than 600 locations across Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. And while stopping in for a cup of coffee or a snack can lessen the burden of a long drive, it’s filling up the tank that matters. Sheetz promises “the highest quality gasoline at the lowest prices,” but does the company deliver on this pledge? We’ll provide a breakdown of Sheetz gas prices and look at the value and quality of its fuels.
But first, let’s briefly review the company’s history. G. Robert “Bob” Sheetz opened his first Sheetz Kwik Shopper store in 1952 after purchasing the Altoona, Pennsylvania, location from his father, who ran a small chain of dairy stores. A decade later, Sheetz brought his brother onboard with plans to open a new place every year. But operations grew quicker than expected.
By 1972, the company operated 14 stores and began selling gasoline shortly after. To boost slowing sales in the mid-1980s, the firm tested made-to-order sandwiches. The experiment was successful, and Sheetz’s version of fast food would become a significant part of the company’s bottom line. Today, Sheetz headquarters is located nearby to that first store.
Sheetz Gas Prices: The Details
Using gasbuddy.com, we picked one location at random from each of the six states that Sheetz operates in. We compared Sheetz’s pricing against other nearby gasoline retailers. For simplicity, the focus is on regular-grade gas, and we looked at the first ten results (when available) for each zip code. Keep in mind that prices can fluctuate daily (if not hourly), so this information reflects a “snapshot” and not a long-term study. Prices are per gallon.
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So, what does this overview of Sheetz gas prices reveal? In general terms, gas at Sheetz costs the same as the average price in each state (within a few cents). And, only in one instance did Sheetz have the lowest price (Altoona, Pennsylvania). But, every other Altoona retailer in these gasbuddy.com search results was charging the same $3.59 for a gallon of regular gas. Interestingly, this Sheetz location is a short distance from the company’s headquarters.
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When looking at the average price in each state, Sheetz beats this amount half the time (by a few pennies). However, in four out of the six comparisons, Sheetz gas prices were the highest among its competitors in that particular location (again, all gas retailers in Altoona charged the same). There may be Sheetz locations with the lowest gas prices, but that wasn’t the case in our overview. Additionally, we didn’t look at Sheets gas prices for mid-grade and premium fuels. Also, most Sheetz locations sell Diesel and kerosene.
What About the Quality of Sheetz Gas?
The other part of Sheetz’s assurance is the “highest quality gasoline.” The company states that “our gasoline is formulated to meet or exceed the most stringent EPA requirements.” Sheetz adds, “If you have a problem that was caused by our gasoline we’ll cover the repair.”
Further, the company assures customers that its fuels use detergent additives to minimize deposits in the fuel system and other engine components. However, Sheetz is upfront that the gasoline it buys from major oil refiners can come from various sources. This can include domestically-sourced oil and supplies coming from Canada, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.
How “Top Tier” Gasoline Comes Into Play
Without chemical analysis, it’s impossible to know if Sheetz gas offers the same performance as fuel from name-brand stations like Exxon, Shell, and Chevron. At the same time, numerous other gas retailers (not including Sheetz) have banded together to form a consortium that offers Top Tier-branded fuel. It’s an effort to formalize and standardize the gas detergent additives mandated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Not only do these highly-formulated types of gasoline aid with fuel economy, but they also reduce engine build-up that inhibits performance and increases the likelihood of mechanical issues. Audi, BMW, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, General Motors, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, and Volkswagen, are involved in the Top Tier program and engineer their vehicles to best perform with these gasolines. Since 2004 these carmakers have worked with gas brands to certify the best fuels for their cars.
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The American Automobile Association (AAA) did a deep dive into the effects of Top Tier gasoline on cars, and the results are revealing. The specifics are limited to AAA members, but Consumer Reports summarized the details in a 2019 article. In short, Top Tier gasoline made a substantial difference over gasoline with different formulations. For instance, intake valve deposits were reduced by 45 to 72 percent over a 5,000-mile cycle when Top Tier gas was used.
As we’ve covered, Sheetz reports using detergent additives that meet or exceed EPA standards and backs this up with a guarantee. But, no one has scientifically compared (and publicly released the details on) how Sheetz gas stacks up against Top-Tier offerings. That leaves the question about Sheetz gas quality unanswered.
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