| Is higher octane gas worth the $208.00 increase in | | | | performance gain, there is the possibility that your |
| gas costs per year? Does the higher octane premium | | | | vehicle could show a little horsepower gain with |
| gas result in better mileage? Is better fuel economy | | | | premium gas as opposed to regular gas but it would |
| attained by using premium gas? Does higher octane | | | | be so small that it would be almost impossible to |
| gas enable your car run better? | | | | notice. This small increase in horsepower really only is |
| It will cost you $208.00 annually if you fill your car | | | | there because it can give car makers a little extra |
| with premium gas instead of regular. The difference | | | | marketing fodder by using a claim on horsepower as |
| between regular fuel and premium fuel is about | | | | part of their advertising. |
| twenty cents per gallon. Therefore it will cost you | | | | Car manufacturers utilize this slight horsepower gain |
| $4.00 more per tank if you use premium gasoline | | | | to market their cars claiming more horsepower by |
| instead of regular gasoline. This assumes you have a | | | | optimizing and designing their cars to take advantage |
| 20 gallon tank and you fill up about once per week. | | | | of higher octane premium gasoline's anti-knock |
| Looking at the higher octane question of increased | | | | properties. Engineers and car experts agree that if |
| fuel economy, does it help? The bottom line answer | | | | you opt to use regular gasoline in your car designed |
| is emphatically no!! High octane premium gas does not | | | | for premium gasoline, the loss of horsepower is so |
| increase fuel economy one bit. The octane rating is a | | | | small, you will not be able to detect any difference. |
| number that has nothing to do with how efficient it is | | | | There is a misconception that you can void your |
| in creating energy to run your engine. | | | | warranty or harm your car if you use regular gas and |
| The octane rating of gasoline is a relative number | | | | your car maker suggests that you should use high |
| showing the amount of isooctane in the gasoline as | | | | octane premium gas. Most car makers admit that |
| opposed to the amount of heptane in the gasoline. | | | | using regular gasoline even when the owner's guide |
| To make it simple, the octane rating is a | | | | suggests the use of premium gas won't void your |
| representation of how much energy it takes to ignite | | | | warranty. They also stipulate that using regular will |
| that gasoline. This octane measurement does not | | | | not damage the engine. |
| indicate the amount of energy the gasoline produces, | | | | When you next stop at the gas station, try regular |
| which would be an indicator of fuel economy. The | | | | gasoline instead of premium. Your immediate benefit |
| final answer is:octane rating and increased fuel | | | | will be saving $4.00 right away on that tank of gas. |
| economy have no relationship whatsoever! | | | | Pay attention to how your car runs with regular |
| The next question, does premium gas make your car | | | | octane gasoline. If it seems to run fine, if you cannot |
| gain performance, does it run better? The answer is | | | | feel any difference and if you do not hear your |
| the same as the fuel economy answer, no!! It has | | | | engine knocking, then continue to purchase lower |
| been shown that there is no significant difference in | | | | octane regular gas. You will see a savings of over |
| the way your car runs if you use premium gasoline. | | | | $200.00 per year! |
| I have to add this one caveat, in regards to | | | | |