what fuel
- Thread starter iffy
- Start date
Premium. In your case, I'd guess 97. Generally, all of the name brand oil companies' gas will be fine. Don't worry about it too much. You can experiment and try a tank of one company and then the other and see which one you like best. You likely won't notice any difference so then it doesn't matter.
That's one thing I never understood... using a lower grade fuel in a high end car for the purpose of saving A DIME a gallon. That's about $1.50 a tank (for 15 gallons) which is if you let it get down that low (which wouldn't surprise me). Now lets say you need a tank a week for a whole year and we can even include a few road trips, which comes out to under $100 a year in savings. So for less than $100 you are willing to dirty and damage your engine using lower than recommended octane?
I'd also like to add if you're chasing the penny and using the cheapest 89 for sale you're probably getting 87 in the mix or worse.
I'd also like to add if you're chasing the penny and using the cheapest 89 for sale you're probably getting 87 in the mix or worse.
Octane is a measure of a gasoline's ability to resist knock or pinging noise from an engine. In older vehicles, knock may be accompanied by engine run-on, or dieseling. Knock is the sharp, metallic-sounding engine noise that results from uncontrolled combustion. Severe knocking over an extended time may damage pistons and other engine parts. If you can hear knocking, you should have your engine checked to make sure it is calibrated correctly and does not have a mechanical or electrical problem, or use a higher octane gasoline.
In most vehicles no benefit is gained from using gasoline that has a higher octane number than is needed to prevent knock. However, in some vehicles equipped with a knock sensor (an electronic device installed in many modern engines that allows the engine management system to detect and reduce knock), a higher octane gasoline may improve performance slightly.
So if the engine is not knocking, whether from the engine management system or from a higher octane, where does the damage come from? The only thing I can see is less performance.
In most vehicles no benefit is gained from using gasoline that has a higher octane number than is needed to prevent knock. However, in some vehicles equipped with a knock sensor (an electronic device installed in many modern engines that allows the engine management system to detect and reduce knock), a higher octane gasoline may improve performance slightly.
So if the engine is not knocking, whether from the engine management system or from a higher octane, where does the damage come from? The only thing I can see is less performance.
Each gasoline brand is different but many put their best additives in their premium fuel. One example is Shell with their V power. I saw a guy drive his late model BMW 7 series into one of these generic low cost gas stations. The gas at this station was on average about 15 cents a gallon cheaper than the big name companies. I wouldn't buy gas from this station for my lawn mower, and the BMW owner is putting the junk into his $70K BMW. Go figure.
I concur with Sly, and not to mention that just because the engines management system compensates does not mean that the carbon is not building up on your valves and pistons. The management system cannot compensate until it senses a knock, therefore you are getting some damage even if it is minimal. I have seen 100k engines that skimped on fuel and they build up carbon deposits smothering the engine.
Note this quote from the article: "On the other hand, if the engine is designed from the beginning for higher octane fuel, it will have considerable advantages in power and economy."
Engine Knock
Note this quote from the article: "On the other hand, if the engine is designed from the beginning for higher octane fuel, it will have considerable advantages in power and economy."
Engine Knock
You talk about these "Low Priced Gas Satations" being a bad thing, where do you think they are getting there gas from? The reason they are cheap is usually because they are not owned by the Petroleum Companies so they can shop around. If BP is there supplier and Exxon come to them and offers them a better deal then they can buy it. If a BP gas station is being charge too much by BP they have to live with it, they can not buy somewhere else. Producing gas is an expensive business, I have never heard of a "Cheapo Gas" oil company.
Just my thought
Just my thought
The low price stations buy whatever "junk" (for lack of a better word) gas companies sell them. They're usually getting sub-par quality gas considering it lacks special detergents. They also are less likely to clean the tanks.
BTW, I have seen an unmarked tanker deliver gas to BP on numerous occasions... The station just might be buying gas from elsewhere unless BP has independent tanker-truckers deliver their product...
BTW, I have seen an unmarked tanker deliver gas to BP on numerous occasions... The station just might be buying gas from elsewhere unless BP has independent tanker-truckers deliver their product...
The problem with their brands is that they are midwest-west coast specific, south might have them as well. The only on of those brands you find in the northeast is Shell. Last I heard about shell was they turn the injectors yellow. Maybe BP and Exxon-Mobil and Sunoco all have Top tier premium fuels, but refuse to add any detergent to their lower octane fuels or pay that website. Maybe that explains why they're not on the list. Shell also has significant refinery holdings in the Gulf which the other (unfamiliar to me, except for Chevron) companies probably have as well. BP and Exxon-Mobil use foreign oil products.