Let's start with the easy one. Most cars on the road recommend a standard grade 87 or 89. Premium gas 90-93 is completely okay to put in a standard vehicle. Car experts say
there is no risk of damage to a standard car using premium
fuel.
What happens if I use 87 octane instead of 89?
If you usually fill your tank up with 87-octane gasoline and you accidentally put in a higher octane blend (say, 91, 92, or 93), don't worry. You're actually
filling your car or truck with a different blend of gas
, which means it will burn differently in your engine.
Can I put 87 octane in my car?
Most cars on the road recommend
a standard grade 87 or 89
. Premium gas 90-93 is completely okay to put in a standard vehicle. Car experts say there is no risk of damage to a standard car using premium fuel.
Can I mix premium and unleaded gas? Yes,
drivers can mix the two types of fuel
. The combined gas types will result in an octane level somewhere in the middle — something the vehicle “will survive,” according to The Drive.
Other things to consider: failing to use high-octane fuel in your premium vehicle could
cause engine knock or pinging
, which sounds like there's a large woodpecker under your hood; you could experience damage to your components; and using the wrong octant level could even void your warranty.
Sadly,
there's nothing in premium gasoline that would make it last longer than other fuels from the pump
. Since the distinguishing feature is the higher-octane levels, the only real benefit you gain is lowering the chance of engine knocking, which isn't much of a threat on most modern fuel systems.
Because premium gas has a higher octane rating than midgrade or regular gas, it produces a little more power when burnt. Designed for performance cars with large, powerful engines, premium also helps minimize the risk of preignition inside highly-stressed, hot engine cylinders.
- Buick Envision (with 2.0L turbo)
- Buick Regal (all models)
- Buick Regal TourX (all models)
- Chevrolet Equinox (with 2.0-L turbo)
- Chevrolet Malibu (with 2.0-L turbo)
- Fiat 500L (all models)
- GMC Terrain (with 2.0-L turbo)
- Honda Civic (with 1.5-L turbo)
In a consumer notice, the Federal Trade Commission, notes: “In most cases, using a higher-octane gasoline than your owner's manual recommends offers absolutely no benefit. It won't make your car perform better, go faster, get better mileage or run cleaner.”
Most luxury car makers require (or recommend) premium gas not because they're trying to be difficult but due to
the requirements of high performance engines
. The car makers maintain that engines that contain a high compression ration benefit from high-octane fuel.
Mixing premium and regular gas is not generally recommended
, but doing so will have minimal impact on a vehicle's immediate performance. Only premium cars that require higher octane gasoline may see a minor performance decrease or engine knocking.
Nope
. Regular, plus, and premium gas all come with detergents to mitigate against carbon deposits in your engine. Plus and premium don't come with special powers for cleaning out the engine. If you're interested in cleaning out your engine, you're better off taking it in for service.
What gas last the longest?
93 octane
fuels are more refined and contain more stable hydrocarbons. These stable hydrocarbons can last 2-3 times longer than 87 octane fuel. Even in proper storage 87 octane gas can start to degrade in 3 months, 93 octane fuel should last closer to 9 months before degradation is noticeable.
In a consumer notice, the Federal Trade Commission, notes: “In most cases, using a higher-octane gasoline than your owner's manual recommends
offers absolutely no benefit
. It won't make your car perform better, go faster, get better mileage or run cleaner.”
- BP.
- Chevron.
- Conoco.
- Costco.
- Exxon.
- Holiday.
- Kwik Trip.
- Mobil.
Does 95 octane give better mileage?
With today's modern fuel-injection systems however, that
shouldn't make much difference
. Because premium gas has a higher octane rating than midgrade or regular gas, it produces a little more power when burnt. … In the real world, it barely affects performance, or fuel economy.
