Premium Gas: Worth the extra cost??
Feb 22 '00 (Updated Mar 19 '00)
With the advancement of the automotive in the last 15 years, one thing has remained quite steady, what level of octane gas to use on my vehicle? Because of habit, more than anything else, I always use 93 level octane on my vehicle. There are +'s and -'s on using the same octane every time. With a high octane level, your engine will burn hotter which will give you a tad, not even measurable, but a increase in engine response and performance. Less engine noise under the hood is partly due to the increased "efficiency" inside the engine.
With every plus there is always a minus, and in this case, there's more than one minus. With the more efficient burn and increase engine heat, an increase in oil changes will be required. The engine will naturally burn hotter which means oil will be more likely to burn quicker as well. Also, increased engine wear is also a possibility when your engine's performance is increased. Increase engine wear in the long run can reduce the longevity of your vehicle if oil is not changed regularly. In my case, I change my oil on my vehicle about every 2500 miles, instead of 3000 miles, for "safe" measures.
A fairly simple solution is to change your octane periodically during refuels. A technician who has approximately 33 years behind his belt explained that using a high octane is good, about 1 to 2 times a month. If you refuel often, about 33% to 25% of the time you will want to use a high octane, and the remainder of the month use a lower octane. Always keep in mind that your vehicle was develop for a particular octane level, either regular or premium. If still in doubt, always use the recommended octane level for your vehicle. If pinging or 'knocking' occurs frequently, you may need a good healthy tune-up. Although some will agree that using higher octane does reduce the amount of pinging in the engine, it should never be used as a repair item if maintenance is required. In the end, you can always go to 89 octane which still works well, like premium, and will save you some change at the pump.
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Epinions.com ID:
Kyrn88
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Location: Atlanta, GA
Reviews written: 12
Trusted by: 10 members
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