do you really need to use premium gas?? (octane, valve, buy)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
if it says so in your manual? i was told when i bought my mini, (which was supposed to take super) that as long as you pick a grade and stick to it you were ok. it is the switching back and forth that causes the problems.
any truth to this?
also does it make a difference if it is a turbo charged engine? i dont want to ruin my (new) car cause i am too cheap to use premium gas, but if one is as good as the other - well, DUH no brainer!!
Yes, you do need to run premium gas in your car if that's what it says in your owners manual. Not running premium will hurt the performance of your car and also damage the internals of your engine in the long run.
I don't get it, you spend a lot of money on getting a brand new turbo charged car, then you try to cheap out by buying the cheapest gas at the gas station. If money is a problem for you, then don't buy a car like that.
I have a car that is turbo charge as well and states that it needs prem. gas.
athough the manual says prem is 91 oct. Most gas stations sell 93 as prem and 89 as mid.
I asked several mechanics about this. I am not cheap and I can afford the gas if need be, but I also dont throw money out the window. What I was told is this. reg. gas will most likely cause problems. Mid grade ga(s however will most likely be okay. You will have decreased power. I personally, do not have a lead foot and my car provides way more power than I will ever use. They also (everyone I asked) told me to listen extremely carefully to the engine to make sure that there is no knocking. They also told me to put mid grade in when the tank was half full of prem. the next couple of tanks should only be filled about half full so that if you do incur knocking you can quickly fix the problem.
I have been doing mid grade since july and every coulple of fill ups I will do a 1/4 tank prem. that just makes me feel better. I am told it is not needed.
I personally have not even noticed the decreased performance. I have a VW.
hope that helps a little.
Yes, you do need to run premium gas in your car if that's what it says in your owners manual. Not running premium will hurt the performance of your car and also damage the internals of your engine in the long run.
I don't get it, you spend a lot of money on getting a brand new turbo charged car, then you try to cheap out by buying the cheapest gas at the gas station. If money is a problem for you, then don't buy a car like that.
ironically enough - after all the research i did (and i did A LOT) i never heard that you could only use premium gas. the salesman never mentioned it - shocker - and i never even thought to ask about it.
it was only after i set the wheels in motion (so to speak) of purchasing the car that i realized, from reviews that i hadnt seen before, that the car required premium gas.
it isnt that i CANT afford it, its just that i drive A LOT and i hate to throw extra money down the tank if i dont really need to.
My car requires 91 or 93 (93 is what we have around here). It's all about the compression ratio. Maybe the ECU could adjust to 89, but I don't want to push it to save a couple bucks a month. 87 is known to cause problems including detonation (which is basically early combustion when the cylinders aren't ready for it due to the fact that lower octane gas combusts more readily). Detonation can lead to damage.
In your turbo I wouldn't even mess with anything but the highest octane available.
ironically enough - after all the research i did (and i did A LOT) i never heard that you could only use premium gas. the salesman never mentioned it - shocker - and i never even thought to ask about it.
it was only after i set the wheels in motion (so to speak) of purchasing the car that i realized, from reviews that i hadnt seen before, that the car required premium gas.
it isnt that i CANT afford it, its just that i drive A LOT and i hate to throw extra money down the tank if i dont really need to.
thanks for the advice everyone!
It's perfectly acceptable to blend 93 with 87, at a 2:1 ratio, to achieve 91 octane. When mid-grade(89) first came out, most stations didn't have a seperate tank for it. They just used a valve that drew super and regular at a 1:2 ratio from the underground tanks, to produce mid-grade. Provided that you're paying at the pump with cards, it shouldn't be a PITA to blend it yourself.
The oil companies know that we are lazy and stupid. Most people can't figure out that they're being screwed the most when they buy mid-grade, which typically is priced at the halfway point between regular and super. Only problem is, 89 isn't midway, 90 is(87+93/2).
My car also requires premium, and thats all Ill use. Dont fudge around with the manufacturer's suggestions just because youre cheap (for lack of better term). If you dont want to run premium, go get another car, simple as that.
It's perfectly acceptable to blend 93 with 87, at a 2:1 ratio, to achieve 91 octane. When mid-grade(89) first came out, most stations didn't have a seperate tank for it. They just used a valve that drew super and regular at a 1:2 ratio from the underground tanks, to produce mid-grade. Provided that you're paying at the pump with cards, it shouldn't be a PITA to blend it yourself.
The oil companies know that we are lazy and stupid. Most people can't figure out that they're being screwed the most when they buy mid-grade, which typically is priced at the halfway point between regular and super. Only problem is, 89 isn't midway, 90 is(87+93/2).
I now feel like an idiot! not that I couldnt have figured that out but I guess I was to lazy to think about it.
My car requires 91 or 93 (93 is what we have around here). It's all about the compression ratio. Maybe the ECU could adjust to 89, but I don't want to push it to save a couple bucks a month. 87 is known to cause problems including detonation (which is basically early combustion when the cylinders aren't ready for it due to the fact that lower octane gas combusts more readily). Detonation can lead to damage.
In your turbo I wouldn't even mess with anything but the highest octane available.
this is correct. turbos usually involve higher compression ratios as well, so dont mess with it.
My car requires 91 or 93 (93 is what we have around here). It's all about the compression ratio. Maybe the ECU could adjust to 89, but I don't want to push it to save a couple bucks a month. 87 is known to cause problems including detonation (which is basically early combustion when the cylinders aren't ready for it due to the fact that lower octane gas combusts more readily). Detonation can lead to damage.
In your turbo I wouldn't even mess with anything but the highest octane available.
Compression ratios in factory turbos tend to be lower than normally aspirated engines. You're relying on wikipedia too much.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.