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A friend just posted a picture in Facebook of a gas pump where the listed price were $3.95, $3.98, and $3.99.
This brought up a question I sometimes wonder about: is there ever a time when the price differential is so low that it makes sense to buy premium gas?
A friend just posted a picture in Facebook of a gas pump where the listed price were $3.95, $3.98, and $3.99.
This brought up a question I sometimes wonder about: is there ever a time when the price differential is so low that it makes sense to buy premium gas?
Thanks.
Short answer: no, your engine will only take advantage of premium gas if it requires it.
I would consider those a good differential in prices for regular vs premium gas. Most gas stations I've been to here and in neighboring states always have a 30 cent or these days, even more like 40 cents or more difference in regular vs premium gas.
Its only worth it if your car requires the higher octane. In fact, you will actually lose power if you run a higher octane than the car was designed for.
Unless your car NEEDS higher octane fuel, it's a waste of money and provides no benefits. Not only that, but premium tends to be sold less, so it sits in the tanks more, tends to have more contamination (sediment and water) when sampling a wide range of stations.
Its only worth it if your car requires the higher octane.
True. Keeping in mind that many modern engines adjust to octane using knock sensors and adjustable ignition/valve timing; if you put premium in, it will adjust and make more horsepower (and often get a tad better mileage); put in regular and it will adjust to make less horsepower. But only your owner's manual can tell you for sure.
Putting premium in a car that can't use it is a waste of money.
Putting regular in one of the few cars that require it is a waste of money as well, just for different reasons.
Quote:
In fact, you will actually lose power if you run a higher octane than the car was designed for.
You're welcome to post a cite for that claim that isn't a garbled understanding of how adaptable engines use different grades. It's otherwise completely untrue. The only thing octane rating refers to is the length of molecular chains in the fuel; the longer they are, the more resistant it is to pre-detonation. Putting 102 in a Corolla will make no more or less power than 87.
No matter how many times you tell people they are wasting their money running their engine on premium when it only requires regular, they will swear the engine runs better.
A friend just posted a picture in Facebook of a gas pump where the listed price were $3.95, $3.98, and $3.99.
This brought up a question I sometimes wonder about: is there ever a time when the price differential is so low that it makes sense to buy premium gas?
Thanks.
All of my cars require premium, but I would use regular if I could. That spread is really odd, usually you see about 40 cents or so more for Premium gas.
All of my cars require premium, but I would use regular if I could. That spread is really odd, usually you see about 40 cents or so more for Premium gas.
What kind of cars do you own?
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