# Premium Gas



## BDWREDZ (May 3, 2006)

Just out of curiosity, how much more is 93 octane premium vs. 87 where you all live. I've noticed around here in Connecticut, some stations it's 20 cents more, others more like 45 cents. 87 octane is going for $1.99 at my closest station.


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## e46_platform (Nov 6, 2008)

about 20 cents to 25 cents for the gas stations i pay attention to in SF bay area here... and this is independent of the gas price. i.e. no matter when it was over 4 bux per gal. or under 2 bux per gal. this difference remains roughly fixed. and i m sure a lot ppl. here can explain why. the additives


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## jburns (Sep 24, 2007)

In Little Rock, Shell V-Power is 1.93 in town and 7 miles north of town, it is 1.80 or so. Regular is about 1.60.


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## Solidjake (May 10, 2007)

the price difference is like 10 cents. so premium at shell 93 octane is 2.39 and i only buy premium for my car since i got it. why not spend $2 more a fill up to get better gas


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## jcatral14 (Aug 4, 2003)

I notice 10 to 15 cents difference between grade levels.


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## Zchild (Oct 11, 2008)

:blah: I just filled up today with Shell V Power at $1.85 a gallon. Regular Shell unleaded is $1.57. Gas prices are really falling in this area. Just my two and a half cents worth. Happy Motoring...
:stickpoke


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## ZHPEE (Apr 24, 2008)

better to run premium anyway......you'll get better fuel consumption from it. The extra $4 per fill is well worth it.....IMO.


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## Kamdog (Apr 15, 2007)

Run's around 20 cents per gallon, up here.

For all those who spend umpteen thousands of dollars more on a car than they need for basic transportation, who then go and try to save twenny cents a gallon, I gotta give a big, are you effin kiddin me?


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## rehostman (Feb 10, 2008)

Solidjake said:


> the price difference is like 10 cents. so premium at shell 93 octane is 2.39 and i only buy premium for my car since i got it. why not spend $2 more a fill up to get better gas


That's not very smart. You should fill your car with gasoline with an octane rating equivalent to what's recommended in your owner's manual. If they recommend octane 91 then use 91. Using octane 93 will not hurt your engine but you will gain nothing in terms of performance.


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## rehostman (Feb 10, 2008)

ZHPEE said:


> better to run premium anyway......you'll get better fuel consumption from it. The extra $4 per fill is well worth it.....IMO.


No, that is not true. the octane rating describes the ability for a fuel to resist early detonation. If your engine is built for an octane 91 fuel then using octane 93 brings you nothing more. Have you really checked if you were getting better fuel consumption with an higher octane gasoline? :dunno:


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## rehostman (Feb 10, 2008)

Kamdog said:


> Run's around 20 cents per gallon, up here.
> 
> For all those who spend umpteen thousands of dollars more on a car than they need for basic transportation, who then go and try to save twenny cents a gallon, I gotta give a big, are you effin kiddin me?


Again, somebody who does not know what octane rating mean.  You should fill your car with gasoline with an octane rating equivalent to what's recommended in your user's manual. Using an higher octane rating just for the fun of it does not improve your fuel consumption.  Of course, if you have no choice it won't hurt your engine.


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## Kamdog (Apr 15, 2007)

rehostman said:


> Again, somebody who does not know what octane rating mean.  You should fill your car with gasoline with an octane rating equivalent to what's recommended in your user's manual. Using an higher octane rating just for the fun of it does not improve your fuel consumption.  Of course, if you have no choice it won't hurt your engine.


Generally, my choices are 87 regular, 89 midgrade, or either 91 or 93 super, depending on the brand. I only use Shell, which is 93. No other top tier brand is nearby. There are lots of people who go and say that they can use the lower grades and it doesn't hurt performance too bad. To them is who I direct the are you kidding me remark.


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## rehostman (Feb 10, 2008)

Kamdog said:


> Generally, my choices are 87 regular, 89 midgrade, or either 91 or 93 super, depending on the brand. I only use Shell, which is 93. No other top tier brand is nearby. There are lots of people who go and say that they can use the lower grades and it doesn't hurt performance too bad. To them is who I direct the are you kidding me remark.


Ha, thanks for the explanation. I had understood your post upside down. Indeed, if you use a fuel with an octane rating lower than the minimum recommended to save a buck than that is not very wise.

Cheers.


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## ZHPEE (Apr 24, 2008)

rehostman said:


> No, that is not true. the octane rating describes the ability for a fuel to resist early detonation. If your engine is built for an octane 91 fuel then using octane 93 brings you nothing more. Have you really checked if you were getting better fuel consumption with an higher octane gasoline? :dunno:


Yes, the octane rating describes the ability for fuel to resist early detonation....ALSO, if you run a higher grade of gas (I'm not talking Ultra Supreme)... you will get better fuel economy......I've done it in ALL my cars. Running a full tank of Premium over a full tank of regular or mid-grade...... gets you further. Anotherwords.....you get better fuel consumption with a higher octane fuel. I've never tried Ultra Supreme or whatever it's called.....but the others I have. Your performance will drop with regular or mid-grade over premium.

Tried to say that you get better performance out of premium than with regular or mid-grade..... Car uses the fuel better.....performance increases and your fuel consumption will decrease a bit........ Yes..I really checked.... The higher the octane, the better the fuel consumption. I get 18L/100kms with regular in the city......and I get 14L/100kms with Premium in the city. Same route taken.....2 tanks each for comparison. Same results every time. My sister gets 7L/100kms in her mini on regular.....and 4.4L/100kms on Premium ...... Running your car on an octane less than recommended by your manual=poor fuel consumption/performance/possible early detonation problems. But most new cars have the early ping detonation thing in their cars to avoid harm incase you run the run octane.....maybe that could explain why fuel consumption rises with a lower octane. Dunno.

Like I said....I have not tried the Higher than premium fuel. Just the regular...mid-grade.....and premium fuels. Cars companies that recommend supreme......do it cause it improves the way the car uses that particular fuel mixture.


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## vocalthought (May 5, 2008)

Cars are designed to retard timing if premature detonation occurs, but they are not designed to advance timing to take advantage of higher octane gas. Use the manufacturer recommended octane rating. It's in the manual, it's on the stickers on body panels. The recommended octane is the best grade to run the car on. It's not the price difference, it's the right grade to run the car on. Using gas of the correct grade is like using the proper engine oil. It makes your car runs as designed.

Tuned and modified engines excepted.


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## PhillyNate (Jul 27, 2008)

BDWREDZ said:


> Just out of curiosity, how much more is 93 octane premium vs. 87 where you all live. I've noticed around here in Connecticut, some stations it's 20 cents more, others more like 45 cents. 87 octane is going for $1.99 at my closest station.


They are pulling the same kinda crap at some stations here in Philly too. I am only patronizing stations where the difference is 25 cents or less.


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## vocalthought (May 5, 2008)

Woohoo!!! 91 is 1.99 today at my favorite Shell!!!!! quick quick.... any pointers on how to burn more gas?


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## DJ_INHALE (Mar 15, 2006)

anyone else like the smell of gas here? I hate when I get it on my hand if I need to be somewhere important (very rare) but overall I like the semll of gas


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## Test_Engineer (Sep 11, 2004)

DJ_INHALE said:


> anyone else like the smell of gas here? I hate when I get it on my hand if I need to be somewhere important (very rare) but overall I like the semll of gas


Racing fuel smells even better. 105-110 octane.


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## Vitacura (Jul 22, 2005)

The norm around here is a 10 cent difference between grades. So 20 cents difference from regular to premium. Although some gas stations mark it up more, I just avoid those.


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