Premium fuel - production car - required?

I'm considering buying a car where the manufacturer recommends premium
fuel. The car has an 11:1 compression ratio. A salesman told me I could
use regular gas without a problem; I would just sacrifice a small part of
the full horsepower potential of the car. But it wouldn't ping or cause
any other problems.

Was the salesman just trying to make a sale? I thought if you don't use
premium when you're supposed to, you get pre-ignition/pinging which is NOT
good for the engine.

Where I live the octane of the gas is 87 regualar, 89 silver, 93 premium.
(Using the mid-grade was also something I was considering).

Any comments?

On 2014-04-09 7:36 AM, WrongWayWade wrote:
> the manufacturer recommends premium

> A salesman told me I could use regular

Wow. That's a tough one.

WrongWayWade > wrote:
>I'm considering buying a car where the manufacturer recommends premium
>fuel. The car has an 11:1 compression ratio. A salesman told me I could
>use regular gas without a problem; I would just sacrifice a small part of
>the full horsepower potential of the car. But it wouldn't ping or cause
>any other problems.

Depends what the car was.

Most modern cars have detonation sensors that will retard the timing if
the engine starts to ping, and stop the pinging.

The thing is, running that way, although you won't damage the engine, you
also will lose a lot of power. So you're paying for a high compression
high performance engine and not getting the performance you paid for.

>Was the salesman just trying to make a sale? I thought if you don't use
>premium when you're supposed to, you get pre-ignition/pinging which is NOT
>good for the engine.

In the days before electronic ignition controls, that was the case. It
was a very quick way to destroy your engine. Today, we have controls to
keep you from destroying the engine. But, that doesn't mean using them is
a good idea.

And, if the car you're looking at buying is an Mustang with points and plugs,
then by all means be careful to prevent pinging.

>Where I live the octane of the gas is 87 regualar, 89 silver, 93 premium.
>(Using the mid-grade was also something I was considering).
>
>Any comments?

What does the owner's manual say? If the owner's manual says to use 93,
use 93.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

On 4/9/2014 7:36 AM, WrongWayWade wrote:
> I'm considering buying a car where the manufacturer recommends premium
> fuel. The car has an 11:1 compression ratio. A salesman told me I could
> use regular gas without a problem; I would just sacrifice a small part of
> the full horsepower potential of the car. But it wouldn't ping or cause
> any other problems.
>
> Was the salesman just trying to make a sale? I thought if you don't use
> premium when you're supposed to, you get pre-ignition/pinging which is NOT
> good for the engine.
>
> Where I live the octane of the gas is 87 regualar, 89 silver, 93 premium.
> (Using the mid-grade was also something I was considering).
>
> Any comments?

Difficult question.

I would research this thoroughly for the specific engine
you're considering. Every platform has experienced experts,
find one for this car first.

I have used products like this:
http://www.caltex.com.au/PRODUCTSAND...n.aspx?ID=1829

in a race environment but they're impractical for street
use, expensive, and limited in that you just will not get to
the old 110 Premium octane level with modern consumer fuel
using additives. Unless you have a personal connection at a
nearby airport, avgas is also impractical.

I have also added head height with different pistons to get
lower compression but that is involved and may obviate the
car's innate appeal, right?

--
Andrew Muzi
<www.yellowjersey.org/>
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

In article >, says...
>
>On 4/9/2014 7:36 AM, WrongWayWade wrote:
>> I'm considering buying a car where the manufacturer recommends premium
>> fuel. The car has an 11:1 compression ratio. A salesman told me I could
>> use regular gas without a problem; I would just sacrifice a small part of
>> the full horsepower potential of the car. But it wouldn't ping or cause
>> any other problems.
>>
>> Was the salesman just trying to make a sale? I thought if you don't use
>> premium when you're supposed to, you get pre-ignition/pinging which is NOT
>> good for the engine.
>>
>> Where I live the octane of the gas is 87 regualar, 89 silver, 93 premium.
>> (Using the mid-grade was also something I was considering).
>>
>> Any comments?
>
>Difficult question.
>
>I would research this thoroughly for the specific engine
>you're considering. Every platform has experienced experts,
>find one for this car first.
>
>I have used products like this:
>http://www.caltex.com.au/PRODUCTSAND...n.aspx?ID=1829
>
>in a race environment but they're impractical for street
>use, expensive, and limited in that you just will not get to
>the old 110 Premium octane level with modern consumer fuel
>using additives. Unless you have a personal connection at a
>nearby airport, avgas is also impractical.
>
>I have also added head height with different pistons to get
>lower compression but that is involved and may obviate the
>car's innate appeal, right?

Thanks for the answers. My brother said if you're buying a high
performance car, you have to feed it in order to get the performance. Good
answers from each, thank you.

Basically I would save about $230 a year (assuming only the difference
between buying premium and regular). And if I'm willing to actually spend
the extra bux to buy this car for the performance aspects, I should be
willing to spend the money to fuel it.

I was a little spoiled as my last car was a 2005 Civic SI with the 2.0
liter engine, that was pretty zoomy and I liked it a lot, but only required
regular. When I had to replace it, (it was stolen, YOU *******S!), I got a
2012 Civic EX which has been great on the fuel, (33mpg) but doesn't have
the oomph I got used to with the SI. The current Civic SI has a 2.4 liter
with 11:1 compression, more HP than the 2005, but it now asks for Premium.
I'm probably going to get a 2015 SI when I save up the cash.

On Wednesday, April 9, 2014 2:36:52 AM UTC-10, WrongWayWade wrote:
> I'm considering buying a car where the manufacturer recommends premium
>
> fuel. The car has an 11:1 compression ratio. A salesman told me I could
>
> use regular gas without a problem; I would just sacrifice a small part of
>
> the full horsepower potential of the car. But it wouldn't ping or cause
>
> any other problems.
>
>
>
> Was the salesman just trying to make a sale? I thought if you don't use
>
> premium when you're supposed to, you get pre-ignition/pinging which is NOT
>
> good for the engine.
>
>
>
> Where I live the octane of the gas is 87 regualar, 89 silver, 93 premium.
>
> (Using the mid-grade was also something I was considering).
>
>
>
> Any comments?

It's probably not a good idea to put much faith in what a salesguy says. Chances are they're giving you a standard response to your question. Mostly, you have to experiment with the car in question. If you're not sensitive to engine knock, don't try it cause it's not good to run and engine under such conditions.

OTOH, back in the 70s/80s light engine knock was supposed to be acceptable. My experience has been that the ethanol blends will allow you to use one grade lower grade gas just fine. I used to run my Hyundai Sonata V6 on regular grade gas and that had a lot of get up and go. Possibly, it would have had even more power with premium but I'm a cheap kind of guy and not all that power hungry.

On Wed, 9 Apr 2014 08:36:52 -0400, WrongWayWade >
wrote:

>I'm considering buying a car where the manufacturer recommends premium
>fuel. The car has an 11:1 compression ratio. A salesman told me I could
>use regular gas without a problem; I would just sacrifice a small part of
>the full horsepower potential of the car. But it wouldn't ping or cause
>any other problems.
>
>Was the salesman just trying to make a sale? I thought if you don't use
>premium when you're supposed to, you get pre-ignition/pinging which is NOT
>good for the engine.
>
>Where I live the octane of the gas is 87 regualar, 89 silver, 93 premium.
>(Using the mid-grade was also something I was considering).
>
>Any comments?
>
>

A lot of new cars these days come with an owners manual. You might
look in the glove box for one. It will tell you in there whether you
MUST burn premium or not.

In article >,
says...
>
>On Wed, 9 Apr 2014 08:36:52 -0400, WrongWayWade >
>wrote:
>
>>I'm considering buying a car where the manufacturer recommends premium
>>fuel. The car has an 11:1 compression ratio. A salesman told me I could
>>use regular gas without a problem; I would just sacrifice a small part of
>>the full horsepower potential of the car. But it wouldn't ping or cause
>>any other problems.
>>
>>Was the salesman just trying to make a sale? I thought if you don't use
>>premium when you're supposed to, you get pre-ignition/pinging which is NOT
>>good for the engine.
>>
>>Where I live the octane of the gas is 87 regualar, 89 silver, 93 premium.
>>(Using the mid-grade was also something I was considering).
>>
>>Any comments?
>>
>>
>
>A lot of new cars these days come with an owners manual. You might
>look in the glove box for one. It will tell you in there whether you
>MUST burn premium or not.

Unsure how the smarminess is necessary here. Notice I said I was
CONSIDERING a new car (i.e. no access to the glove compartment or owner's
manual) and that I already KNOW the manufacturer recommends premium fuel.
That wasn't the question. Thanks to the people that actually had answers.

"WrongWayWade" wrote in message
t...

In article >,
says...
>
>On Wed, 9 Apr 2014 08:36:52 -0400, WrongWayWade >
>wrote:
>
>>I'm considering buying a car where the manufacturer recommends premium
>>fuel. The car has an 11:1 compression ratio. A salesman told me I could
>>use regular gas without a problem; I would just sacrifice a small part of
>>the full horsepower potential of the car. But it wouldn't ping or cause
>>any other problems.
>>
>>Was the salesman just trying to make a sale? I thought if you don't use
>>premium when you're supposed to, you get pre-ignition/pinging which is NOT
>>good for the engine.
>>
>>Where I live the octane of the gas is 87 regualar, 89 silver, 93 premium.
>>(Using the mid-grade was also something I was considering).
>>
>>Any comments?
>>
>>
>
>A lot of new cars these days come with an owners manual. You might
>look in the glove box for one. It will tell you in there whether you
>MUST burn premium or not.

Unsure how the smarminess is necessary here. Notice I said I was
CONSIDERING a new car (i.e. no access to the glove compartment or owner's
manual) and that I already KNOW the manufacturer recommends premium fuel.
That wasn't the question. Thanks to the people that actually had answers.

You came to a newsgroup for answers, did you ever try the
manufacturers website? My owners manual and maintenance schedules are
available online and the site has FAQ and blogs for added information.

On Monday, April 14, 2014 4:50:39 AM UTC-10, Bluto wrote:
> "WrongWayWade" wrote in message
>
> t...
>
>
>
> In article >,
>
> says...
>
> >
>
> >On Wed, 9 Apr 2014 08:36:52 -0400, WrongWayWade >
>
> >wrote:
>
> >
>
> >>I'm considering buying a car where the manufacturer recommends premium
>
> >>fuel. The car has an 11:1 compression ratio. A salesman told me I could
>
> >>use regular gas without a problem; I would just sacrifice a small part of
>
> >>the full horsepower potential of the car. But it wouldn't ping or cause
>
> >>any other problems.
>
> >>
>
> >>Was the salesman just trying to make a sale? I thought if you don't use
>
> >>premium when you're supposed to, you get pre-ignition/pinging which is NOT
>
> >>good for the engine.
>
> >>
>
> >>Where I live the octane of the gas is 87 regualar, 89 silver, 93 premium.
>
> >>(Using the mid-grade was also something I was considering).
>
> >>
>
> >>Any comments?
>
> >>
>
> >>
>
> >
>
> >A lot of new cars these days come with an owners manual. You might
>
> >look in the glove box for one. It will tell you in there whether you
>
> >MUST burn premium or not.
>
>
>
> Unsure how the smarminess is necessary here. Notice I said I was
>
> CONSIDERING a new car (i.e. no access to the glove compartment or owner's
>
> manual) and that I already KNOW the manufacturer recommends premium fuel.
>
> That wasn't the question. Thanks to the people that actually had answers..
>
>
>
> You came to a newsgroup for answers, did you ever try the
>
> manufacturers website? My owners manual and maintenance schedules are
>
> available online and the site has FAQ and blogs for added information.

The manufacturer's website and the manual will give the standard stock answer. My experience is that you have some leeway and you just have to test each vehicle to get the real, correct, answer. There's a lot of times where I like to ignore the manufacturer's stock answer.