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Wasting money on ignoranceApr 21 '02 Write an essay on this topic.
Popular Products in Cars
The Bottom Line Buy the gas with the octane rating that your car needs.
The differences between the grades of gasoline could perhaps be one of the most uneducated subjects out there. I say this because I have found very few people know what the actual differences are between the grades of gasoline, other then price that is. And the fact that you really don't have to know much about cars to understand what grade gas you need. So there is not need to plead ignorance here, you should know because if you are choosing the wrong one, you could be paying way to much. Most people seem to go by advertisements about gas or by reading any information about the differences between the gas while at the gas pump. I don't know about you, but I would not listen to a word said by a company that is always trying to maximize profits. So no matter what, they are going to make the more expensive gas sound better. Luckily you are reading this so you will know the difference now and will never be fooled by anything they ever say. Most gas stations offer three different grades of gasoline to choose from. There is the regular unleaded that is usually 87 octane. Moving up, there is the silver or whatever jazzy name the gas station has given it, that is usually 89-91 octane, depending on the gas station. And finally at the top there is the super gold premium plus, again whatever cool name it is given, that is usually around 91-93 octane. To the consumer, the only visible differences between these gasoline is price, usually 10 cents. However, there is actually a huge differences between the different grades. First, I will address the octane rating of the gas, as this is the most important factor. As stated above, each grade has a different octane rating. But, what exactly is octane? Well octane, simply put, is the gasoline’s resistance to burning. Yes, its resistance to burning. So basically 87 octane requires less to get it to start burning and the higher 93 octane requires more to get it to start to burn. High performance cars usually require higher grade gas and lower performance cars such as minivans, family sedans, and economy cars usually require lower 87 octane. This may be where some people think that higher octane gas helps them, as like a high performance car, they will get more power. This is not true. High performance cars actually take advantage of the fact that 93 octane is harder to burn. These cars are able to have higher compression ratios and more performance oriented ignition timing curves. Where as in most cars that just require 87, no real benefits can be had from using higher octane gas and actual harm may occur. The second difference in some of the gasses is the additives that are added to gas. That is, some brands add there own special blend of cleaners and such to help keep your fuel system clean, or whatever bogus reason they give. Really most everything they add does not make a difference that makes up for buying an unneeded grade of gas. Everything that they add can be made up for with a simple bottle of fuel system cleaner every few oil changes. Now that you know the basic differences, you should know the consequences of using higher octane gas when it is not required. Putting higher grade gas in your gas when you don't need it kicks you in the butt twice. First, you end paying about 20 cents more per gallon then you need to, which can add up to astronomical figures if you drive a lot. And secondly, you can end up clogging your engine with harmful carbon deposits and possibly lower your gas mileage. This is because the higher octane is harder to burn, and lower performance engines may not be able to completely burn all the gas, which causes carbon to build up. Now that you know what the differences and the consequences are, there is just one more thing you need to know, and that is what octane your car requires. To find this out, look in the owners manual, it will tell you. If you cannot find it there, search the internet you should be able to it there. Put in what is required, that is what the engine was designed to use. So next time you need to fill up your tank, spend more time picking a high quality gas station instead of deciding what grade gas you need to get.  |
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