- Oct 22, 2000
- 24,514
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Just heard the following in a local news report, they interviewed a mechanic at a high-dollar import shop:
"Low octane gasoline will carbon up your engine and wear it out much faster. The best thing to do is to buy Premium from the lowest-price station you can find. There's no difference in gasoline from one station to another."
Well, he's wrong on both counts. If your car doesn't require premium, you shouldn't run it. Running premium in a car designed for regular is actually what can increase carbon deposits, though that won't wear the engine out faster, just make you lose power and economy. And gasoline from different stations' pumps is indeed different. The base (raw) gasoline is the same, but the additive packages vary great from brand to brand. Cheap gasoline contains fewer detergents and does leave more deposits than name brand gasoline. I can't believe a mechanic gave the advice on the news, but at least I know where not to ever take one of my cars.
ZV
"Low octane gasoline will carbon up your engine and wear it out much faster. The best thing to do is to buy Premium from the lowest-price station you can find. There's no difference in gasoline from one station to another."
Well, he's wrong on both counts. If your car doesn't require premium, you shouldn't run it. Running premium in a car designed for regular is actually what can increase carbon deposits, though that won't wear the engine out faster, just make you lose power and economy. And gasoline from different stations' pumps is indeed different. The base (raw) gasoline is the same, but the additive packages vary great from brand to brand. Cheap gasoline contains fewer detergents and does leave more deposits than name brand gasoline. I can't believe a mechanic gave the advice on the news, but at least I know where not to ever take one of my cars.
ZV
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