Premium and Super Gasoline
November 1, 2008 – 11:40 amToo many people think that premium and super premium gasoline was created to solve all of their car’s problems. Premium gasoline is at least 30 cents more expensive per gallon than regular gasoline. Experts report that these people are wasting their money.
So, how do you know if you should be filling up with premium gasoline, super premium, or the regular unleaded? Check your manufacturer’s recommendations. You can find these recommendations in your car’s owner’s manual. These recommendations are not just put in there to make you spend more or less money on gas. They are there to make sure your car gets the right fuel.
Although some manufacturers recommend using super premium or premium, many people still fill up using regular unleaded fuel. Many people see the higher octane fuel as a waste of money. Using the higher octane fuels can really add up. Does buying premium and super premium gasoline really help?
The answer is too simple. Buying the more expensive stuff does not affect the power and performance (or anything else for that matter) of your car, if your car was made to use the ‘cheap’ stuff. Your car will not run better on higher octane fuel if it was made to run on regular unleaded.
Experts used to recommend using the correct octane fuel to reduce the ‘knock’ in your engine. If you needed premium or super premium and only used unleaded, the piston would fire too early and cause a knocking sound in the engine. However, experts have changed their position. They say that modern technology has significantly reduced the need for high octane fuel.
Some cars definitely should use the higher octane gas. These models include the Dodge Viper and the Chevrolet Corvette. Although, other models don’t need the added octane. Many SUVs will be just fine using unleaded fuel. These include the Chevrolet Trailblazer, Ford Explorer and Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Higher octane fuel has contains more soap or detergents. Some experts believe that this detergent keeps their fuel carburetors clean. Read your owner’s manual to see what type of gas you should be using. If you are using fuel that has a higher octane rating than was it recommended, try using the lower octane fuel. Pay close attention to your car’s performance. Chances are, you’ve been wasting your money on nothing.