Do you use Premium gas in your vehicle(s)?

[DaveInPgh]

Stumbled upon a short article on the MSN Money website stating that U.S. drivers wasted $2.1 billion in the past 12 months on premium gasoline. According to their study, "AAA could find no difference between premium and regular in terms of horsepower, fuel economy, or lower tailpipe emissions."

Do you use premium gas? If so, do you feel that it makes a difference with your vehicle?

http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/us-drivers-waste-billions-paying-for-premium-gas-aaa-says/ar-BBwnuJJ?li=BBnbfcL

[97guns]

my 2 previous cars were turbocharged and i used premium on factory reccomendation, my car now is turbo too but doesnt call for premium

[kork13]

I'm undecided what I think of premium... I've owned 4 cards - 2 regular, 1 premium (factory recommended), and now a diesel. I did use premium on the one that called for it, and the added cost stunk, but it wasn't horrific. I've noticed, though, that the cost difference between regular and premium has gotten alot larger since then... 40-50 cents higher vs 20-25 cents higher. That seems a little excessive.

However, my opinion is that you want to give your engine what it is designed for. Can any modern engine adapt to any (normal) octane level? In most all cases, yes. But typically that results in a reduction in engine efficiency. Respectful nod to the article linked, but notably lacking from their study were any cars that call for premium fuel, either required or recommended by the manufacturer. So it's results don't quite carry water for me.

Trying to decide what I want to do when I sell back my VW diesel... I love the Golf GTI, but the added cost of premium fuel that it calls for is a sticking point for me. If i were to get it, yes I would follow the manufacturer's recommendation of using premium. So I'm still trying to decide....

One thing I did discover, however, apparently my wife was once told that premium was better for your engine (exactly what the article talked about, and totally false), and she often filled up with premium on her car (Hyundai Elantra... Definitely not needed). I tried talking her out of that thinking... She didn't appreciate it much, but we'll see over time if I've actually changed her mind. Lol

[DaveInPgh]

One thing I did discover, however, apparently my wife was once told that premium was better for your engine (exactly what the article talked about, and totally false), and she often filled up with premium on her car (Hyundai Elantra... Definitely not needed). I tried talking her out of that thinking... She didn't appreciate it much, but we'll see over time if I've actually changed her mind. Lol

This was one of the main points of the article. People buying premium gas for cars that don't recommend or require it, based on the notion that they are doing something good for the car.

[disneysteve]

No I don't. I've never owned a car that required it.

The only time to use premium is if that's what the factory recommends. Otherwise you are just throwing money away.

[GoodSteward]

Premium gas has a lower combustion requirement so more fuel burns easier leaving less behind. I believe that's the idea anyway. It's meant for cars with engines that are more "fine-tuned" that are more sensitive to any knocking or unevenness. I don't know if it really matters, but there must be a reason they do recommend it since it isn't common. I had a Maxima once that required it. Same size engine in my Avalon doesn't, but has better MPG and HP rating. I guess it is just how they are designed.

[GoodSteward]

I watch TOp gear a lot, and I have seen them reference how US octane is lower than EU. I looked it up. EU "regular" is a 95 octane, whereas Premium in US is 91. Their fuel is a lot higher, but also burns much more efficiently to waste less.

[disneysteve]

I watch TOp gear a lot, and I have seen them reference how US octane is lower than EU. I looked it up. EU "regular" is a 95 octane, whereas Premium in US is 91. Their fuel is a lot higher, but also burns much more efficiently to waste less.

That's interesting, but I wonder if the cars are any different?

[GoodSteward]

That's interesting, but I wonder if the cars are any different?

Much smaller. lol

On another note, he made a comment that in the EU a particular exotic car he was testing got like 900HP on their fuel vs 750HP with American.

[Spiffster]

Spending extra on premium when your car will take regular is completely pointless. Cars with higher compression ratios suggest higher octane gas to prevent preignition. Altitude also plays a roll, premium here in CO is 91 while its 95 at sea level IIRC. Some gas stations do upsell premium with certain additives, but Im betting thats mostly just a marketing ploy.

Either way most engines are smart enough to adjust to lower than recommended octane fuel, they just become detuned a little.

[sv2007]

I always buy the recommended gas; and all my current cars only recommend regular gas. They do get premium sometimes when I press the wrong button or use a station with separate pumps (and the regular pump has a line).

Some of my motorcycles require premium so I buy premium (and I also prefer to buy it from stations with separate premium gas lines or pumps since each bike only takes 4.5gal or so max and the unknown gas in the lines is somewhat significant).

The only car I owned that I purposely put premium into was my 2002 Toyota Sienna when gas was near $5/gal. That car gives better mileage on premium and whenever gas is > $4.20/gal, premium gas gave lower $/mile.

[FLA]

I would never buy a car that needed premium gas. What car I drive matters little to me so I'd be unlikely to even be looking as cars that require it.

[Fishindude77]

A few years back I did a lot of work for a guy that owned quite a few gas station / convenience stores as well as a fuel distribution company. I posed this question to him and he said he was curious also so experimented on his own company's fleet of vehicles with the various grades of fuel and never found enough mileage improvement to merit paying more for the premium fuel.

His summary was .... The only reason to ever pay for premium fuel is if your vehicle doesn't run right on the cheap stuff.

[Singuy]

Most premium gas cars will be fine on premium 91 octane. Here in FL, we have 87, 89, and 93. Premium gas is now much more expensive than regular, almost 50 cents more/gallon.

My car calls for 91 octane, so I do a mixture of 93 + 87 to get to 91..eventually saving me about 4 dollars/fill.

[sv2007]

A few years back I did a lot of work for a guy that owned quite a few gas station / convenience stores as well as a fuel distribution company. I posed this question to him and he said he was curious also so experimented on his own company's fleet of vehicles with the various grades of fuel and never found enough mileage improvement to merit paying more for the premium fuel.

His summary was .... The only reason to ever pay for premium fuel is if your vehicle doesn't run right on the cheap stuff.

Did his cars specifically mentioned that premium gas increases gas mileage?

My 2002 Toyota Sienna manual recommended premium gas for better mileage; and I tested about 3-10% improvement (city-highway), so it pays to use premium when gas is expensive (as premium cost is generally a fixed amount above regular).

Currently, my 09 Camry and 11 Chrysler Town&Country manuals didn't mention any advantages for premium gas, so I doubt they will give any noticeable improvement (and have never measured).