Does my car really need octane 93 gas?

[iamwiz82]

Spending that much on a car and trying to save 20 cents a gallon really seems... odd... to me.

 

[KarenMarie]

Not only is it bad for the engine to use the wrong octane, but it is also false economy.

Most ppl see a lower preformance and worse gas milage when using lower octane, so you are saving nothing.

 

[Philippine Mango]

Originally posted by: Shawn

Originally posted by: goku
There is no point in using less than Octane 93 for cars these days since the premium is so small compared to what it used to be.

WRONG! There is NO reason to use premium if your car only needs regular. In fact, it is actually harmful.

I disagree, my friend's Dodge Van is a V8, says to use 87 octane but when driving up the hill it knocks, so he put in octane 93 and it doesn't knock anymore... HTF would it be bad for your engine? All it is is just less likely to combust so the fuel either combusts or it doesn't, you don't want lower octane because it's cheaper and can combust when yuo don't want it to.

 

[eldorado99]

Originally posted by: Nebor
It needs premium. It's a high performance aluminum block v8. If you use anything else, the car will have to retard timing to compensate and you'll net worse performance and worse gas mileage.

Praise the lord!

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: Syringer
Try a lower grade, if you don't hear knocking or pinging you're fine.

While some modern cars can indeed run on lower-octane gas then recommended, you'll lose some performance, and it begs the question of why TF you bought a high-performance car if you want to cheap out on gas.

 

[Baked]

Your family is obviously filthy rich what w/ all the expensive gadgets you've been bragging about since forever, so why is your dad suddenly cheaping out on the gas for his pimp mobile?

 

[imported_Lucifer]

Originally posted by: Philippine Mango

Originally posted by: Shawn

Originally posted by: goku
There is no point in using less than Octane 93 for cars these days since the premium is so small compared to what it used to be.

WRONG! There is NO reason to use premium if your car only needs regular. In fact, it is actually harmful.

I disagree, my friend's Dodge Van is a V8, says to use 87 octane but when driving up the hill it knocks, so he put in octane 93 and it doesn't knock anymore... HTF would it be bad for your engine? All it is is just less likely to combust so the fuel either combusts or it doesn't, you don't want lower octane because it's cheaper and can combust when yuo don't want it to.

lol you logged into your other account so you can reply with a rebuttal.

 

[VanTheMan]

Use 93. If you don't, you might not see results immediately, but the car might eventually develop problems. It's expensive to have BMWs worked on too. Take care of the car.

 

[I Saw OJ]

Originally posted by: Nebor
It needs premium. It's a high performance aluminum block v8. If you use anything else, the car will have to retard timing to compensate and you'll net worse performance and worse gas mileage.

Werd.

Thats a nice car, why gimp it by using el cheap-o gas.

 

[Conky]

I've got a Lincoln that needs 93 octane but can run on any gas. It's worth it, the lower octane stuff makes your engine detune and run like crap and get terrible mileage. It also makes it randomly die. The money you save will cost you in miles per gallon and general performance.

I stick with the good stuff... I was only forced to use low grade after Katrina and although the gas worked, I wouldn't try it again unless forced to again.

 

[compuwiz1]

Originally posted by: Lucifer

Originally posted by: Philippine Mango

Originally posted by: Shawn

Originally posted by: goku
There is no point in using less than Octane 93 for cars these days since the premium is so small compared to what it used to be.

WRONG! There is NO reason to use premium if your car only needs regular. In fact, it is actually harmful.

I disagree, my friend's Dodge Van is a V8, says to use 87 octane but when driving up the hill it knocks, so he put in octane 93 and it doesn't knock anymore... HTF would it be bad for your engine? All it is is just less likely to combust so the fuel either combusts or it doesn't, you don't want lower octane because it's cheaper and can combust when yuo don't want it to.

lol you logged into your other account so you can reply with a rebuttal.

Nice check...mate! LOL
I'm sure he will swear it's his little brother. :shocked:

 

[rh71]

I did the math and for me, I'd spend ~$200/yr more if I filled up 93 instead of 87. After spending $50k on a car, that's chump change.

 

[Conky]

Originally posted by: compuwiz1

Originally posted by: Lucifer

Originally posted by: Philippine Mango

Originally posted by: Shawn

Originally posted by: goku
There is no point in using less than Octane 93 for cars these days since the premium is so small compared to what it used to be.

WRONG! There is NO reason to use premium if your car only needs regular. In fact, it is actually harmful.

I disagree, my friend's Dodge Van is a V8, says to use 87 octane but when driving up the hill it knocks, so he put in octane 93 and it doesn't knock anymore... HTF would it be bad for your engine? All it is is just less likely to combust so the fuel either combusts or it doesn't, you don't want lower octane because it's cheaper and can combust when yuo don't want it to.

lol you logged into your other account so you can reply with a rebuttal.

Nice check...mate! LOL
I'm sure he will swear it's his little brother. :shocked:

So Shawnsie is the same person as the p mango! :laugh: Well, that is not entirely unbelievable, hehe.

 

[compuwiz1]

Originally posted by: Crazyfool

Originally posted by: compuwiz1

Originally posted by: Lucifer

Originally posted by: Philippine Mango

Originally posted by: Shawn

Originally posted by: goku
There is no point in using less than Octane 93 for cars these days since the premium is so small compared to what it used to be.

WRONG! There is NO reason to use premium if your car only needs regular. In fact, it is actually harmful.

I disagree, my friend's Dodge Van is a V8, says to use 87 octane but when driving up the hill it knocks, so he put in octane 93 and it doesn't knock anymore... HTF would it be bad for your engine? All it is is just less likely to combust so the fuel either combusts or it doesn't, you don't want lower octane because it's cheaper and can combust when yuo don't want it to.

lol you logged into your other account so you can reply with a rebuttal.

Nice check...mate! LOL
I'm sure he will swear it's his little brother. :shocked:

So Shawnsie is the same person as the p mango! :laugh: Well, that is not entirely unbelievable, hehe.

Look, again, but very carefully.
They probably post from the same I-Penis address.

 

[BoomerD]

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question90.htm
"The compression ratio of your engine determines the octane rating of the gas you must use in the car. One way to increase the horsepower of an engine of a given displacement is to increase its compression ratio. So a "high-performance engine" has a higher compression ratio and requires higher-octane fuel. The advantage of a high compression ratio is that it gives your engine a higher horsepower rating for a given engine weight -- that is what makes the engine "high performance." The disadvantage is that the gasoline for your engine costs more."

 

[Sheep]

Originally posted by: Fenixgoon
if you use lower octane you may start experiencing knocking/pinging... if the engine is supposed to use 93, USE 93

Unless, of course, you live in California where the highest grade is 91 octane and our gas prices are STILL higher than places with 93 octane. :|

<--WRX owner.

 

[FrustratedUser]

Originally posted by: Taggart
what does the owners manual say?

 

[SupaDupaCheez]

My MiniCooper S manual says 93 or higher. I tried 91 (no ethanol added) and it ran like crap. When I asked the dealership mechanic about it, he said that with most engines, it really doesn't make much of a difference, but some engines (mine included as well as most BMWs) will run like crap and/or become damaged by using lower octanes. He also told me that if I was to continue using the lower octanes, my engine light would come on.

Now....the opposite is true with my '04 Corrolla. The mechanics at Toyota actually told me not to run HIGHER octane (calls for 89) because MPG would go down and it could damage the engine (I didn't ask how since I'm perfectly happy paying less for gas)

 

[SophalotJack]

You can afford a 5 series beamer and you want to know if 93 octane is worth it? an extra $100 or so a year to put better grade gas in an engine that needs the compression from the 93.

I don't know if I want you to die or not.

 

[Baked]

Originally posted by: SupaDupaCheez
Now....the opposite is true with my '04 Corrolla. The mechanics at Toyota actually told me not to run HIGHER octane (calls for 89) because MPG would go down and it could damage the engine (I didn't ask how since I'm perfectly happy paying less for gas)

Did he explain exactly why high octane gas would dmg a 4 banger like the corolla engine?

 

[amol]

Originally posted by: Shawn
DON'T USE ANYTHING DIFFERENT THAN THE MANUAL SAYS!

Fixed.

If your manual says to use 87 Octane, use 87 Octane. If it says use 91 Octane, use 91.

 

[Fritzo]

Every expert on the subject (even Jay Leno!) says to try it with 89 octane and see if you get any knocking. If you do, go up to the next highest. Most single turbo and supercharged cars can get by with 89. If it's really hot out you might need to go higher though.

 

[Cdubneeddeal]

Originally posted by: SLCentral
My dad's got a BMW 545i (V8), and we're wondering whether or not we really need to use Octane 93 gas, like the dealership told us. Could someone give me some insight? Thanks!

If you're engine is the same as the X5, 91 octane is the minimum recommended by BMW.
Text

 

[Fritzo]

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe

Originally posted by: Syringer
Try a lower grade, if you don't hear knocking or pinging you're fine.

This advice was applicable in 1970. Use the octane that the rock salt tells you to.

Btw, for a lot of cars, 87 is what the manual says, but they actually perform better with higher octane.

They didn't have knock sensors in 1970. Here's some links for all the know-it-alls here:

http://www.edmunds.com/advice/fueleconomy/articles/106293/article.html
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2003-07-30-premiumgas_x.htm
http://www.cartalk.com/content/features/fueleconomy (scroll down to Part 2)

 

[ballmode]

91 or higher