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Some gas stations I've been going to have all these "new-fangled" grades of gas so that I hardly know what to use! Which ones are okay for any car and which ones (besides diesel) are definitely only for cars specially made for them?
I'd like to know if a newer one might actually be good for my car but I don't want to mess it up - I have a 2005 Mazda RX-8 and a 2012 Mazda 6, if that makes a difference.
Use what gasoline your vehicle manufacturer says to use anything else is a waste of money. If you use anything over 87 octane your wasting your money your vehicle is set to use regular gasoline. If you’re manufacturer says use premium then use premium. Why people think switching from regular 87 octane to 91octane premium will make their vehicles run better is beyond me. Only high performance vehicles use premium.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Quote:
Originally Posted by easy62
Use what gasoline your vehicle manufacturer says to use anything else is a waste of money. If you use anything over 87 octane your wasting your money your vehicle is set to use regular gasoline. If you’re manufacturer says use premium then use premium. Why people think switching from regular 87 octane to 91octane premium will make their vehicles run better is beyond me. Only high performance vehicles use premium.
O boy i can see this question is going to get all scientific on here in a few days.
Mostly true, but Ford recommends higher octane for towing with my F150 5.0 V8, and in fact there is a noticeable difference. The 87 is just fine the rest of the time. I have not seen any "new-fangled" grades of gas since the 1960s when you could select a blend at the pump at stations like Regal and Hancock.
I'd like to know if a newer one might actually be good for my car but I don't want to mess it up - I have a 2005 Mazda RX-8 and a 2012 Mazda 6, if that makes a difference.
What does the owners manual say? Follow that.
I haven't really seen any new grades. I've seen, 85, 87, 89, 91, 92, 93, 94, and a few grades higher than that.
For the most part, 85 is reserved for high altitude locations only. 87 octane is usually the min required for *most* average passenger vehicles. Performance or luxury cars tend to require or recommend 91 octane for max performance. Anything above that is really a waste on a stock, as-delivered average vehicle here in the US.
Now, if a car is performance tuned, that's when you want the higher octanes. Custom timing curves and fuel maps, added turbo or supercharger, etc. There are even tunes to run E85 gasoline. If you have no idea what I just said, then these higher octanes really aren't for you
Mostly true, but Ford recommends higher octane for towing with my F150 5.0 V8, and in fact there is a noticeable difference. The 87 is just fine the rest of the time. I have not seen any "new-fangled" grades of gas since the 1960s when you could select a blend at the pump at stations like Regal and Hancock.
There is no more different grade of gasoline, only other one is gasohol what it was called in the 80’s now it’s E85 and i bet you’re F150 owners manual tells you to burn premium when towing a heavy load because the on board computer will adjust for the heavier loads and requires a higher octane.
Gas is like years past when you had regular, mid grade, premium, and like union 76 raceing fuel.
A few stations around me are now selling E15 (at 88 (R+M)/2, if I recall correctly) which is cheaper than the E10 87 octane. The EPA has said E15 is ok for cars 2001 and newer.
Manufacturers might have different opinions, I beleive GM and Ford have certified all their 2013 and newer vehicles for E15, but have basically said they aren't going to go back and test older vehicles for it, and just about every manufacturer is good with it for their newest vehicles.
So, you get stuck with the EPA saying it is ok for a 2005 Mazda, and Mazda saying "we don't know".
Personally, I'm not using it if the owner's manual doesn't say it is ok to use (and the 2005 will definitely not say that it is ok).
Some gas stations I've been going to have all these "new-fangled" grades of gas so that I hardly know what to use! Which ones are okay for any car and which ones (besides diesel) are definitely only for cars specially made for them?
I'd like to know if a newer one might actually be good for my car but I don't want to mess it up - I have a 2005 Mazda RX-8 and a 2012 Mazda 6, if that makes a difference.
What do you mean? Please be specific, we are not mind readers here.
A few stations around me are now selling E15 (at 88 (R+M)/2, if I recall correctly) which is cheaper than the E10 87 octane. The EPA has said E15 is ok for cars 2001 and newer.
Manufacturers might have different opinions, I beleive GM and Ford have certified all their 2013 and newer vehicles for E15, but have basically said they aren't going to go back and test older vehicles for it, and just about every manufacturer is good with it for their newest vehicles.
So, you get stuck with the EPA saying it is ok for a 2005 Mazda, and Mazda saying "we don't know".
Personally, I'm not using it if the owner's manual doesn't say it is ok to use (and the 2005 will definitely not say that it is ok).
EPA opinion is utterly irrelevant. Check your owners manual. Not only did they design and build the car, they are the ones who decide on warranty work.
If you run E15 through a vehicle that is not supposed to use anything beyond E10, guess what, fuggeddaboutit.
EPA opinion is utterly irrelevant. Check your owners manual. Not only did they design and build the car, they are the ones who decide on warranty work.
If you run E15 through a vehicle that is not supposed to use anything beyond E10, guess what, fuggeddaboutit.
You are spot on the manufacturer knows what gasoline to use in their vehicles they built the thing they know better than anyone else. Why do people always second guess the manufacturer I’ll never know.
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