Have you ever stood at the gas station trying to choose the right gas? Your wallet begs you to go with the value, but you wonder if the higher-priced fuel will help your ride drive better. It’s a conundrum—one that many people struggle with. And while it’s not always tempting enough to research the information, it’s important to know the basics of gas and its different levels and attributes.
Gas Pump 101
When you see those numbers on the gas pumps—87, 89, 92, 93—those are not years, they are octane levels. Octane is: A measure of how much compression a fuel can withstand without igniting. And yes, that means exploding, which of course would damage your engine. The higher the octane level, the less likely you’ll have to deal with ignition, or as mentioned above, an explosion or engine damage. The average car is okay with regular octane levels—the kind that saves you money at the gas pump (i.e. 87), but there are some vehicles, namely performance, that require higher octane.
Can High Octane Fuel Benefit your Average Car?
The answer is super simple. Look at the manual for your car (or look it up online if you can’t find it in the glove box). If it states that your car is good with 87, then investing in premium gas doesn’t really benefit you. There’s a myth that higher gas grades mean more energy—that high octane will transform your vehicle into a supervehicle! But no—it won’t. It simply means higher octane gas is more resistant to pre-ignition, or that it will prevent your engine making a funny noise. Of course, that won’t likely happen if you use 87 in your everyday, average car. If you use it in your high compression engine luxury or sport car, well that’s a different story.
When Do I Need High Octane Fuel?
Again, pull out the manual or look at the inside of your fuel door. It should specify if your car needs premium (or higher octane) fuel. Some obvious premium users include Corvettes, Audi, Jaguar, BMW, Porsche; do you see a theme here? Your most likely benefactors are fast cars and luxury cars—otherwise known as cars with a high-compression engines. Make sure to check though, sometimes a surprise vehicle is thrown in, like the Subaru BRZ or the older Chevy Volts.
A Quick Rundown of the Downsides/Upsides of Premium Fuel
Here’s your quick list of who/what/why you should or shouldn’t use premium fuel:
- If you use mid to high octane fuel in a car that only needs regular, you’re wasting money
- If your car says premium fuel, always opt premium, not mid (89)
- If premium fuel is recommended, you have options, meaning you can probably select the budget-saving option from time to time
- If you use regular in a car that requires premium, you’ll lose power and efficiency (lowering your mpg), and you run a very, very slight risk of engine damage
- If you hear a pre-ignition knock in your average, everyday car, get it serviced before investing in more expensive gas
- Who knew? The mountains only have lower octane fuel choices, so if you need to fuel up your premium-guzzling car, only put enough of the lower octane stuff in to get you back to the higher-octane stations
- European cars will have different numbers—it breaks down like this—95 RON=91 octane and 98 RON=93 octane
But Wait, There’s More: Other Fuel Options
Today’s technology has given drivers wider needs for fuel. The other options you’ll run into is the classic diesel, which has been around for a while. However, you can now choose biodiesel. Biodiesel has a lot of advantages, and a few disadvantages. The bottom line is it’s cleaner, you can typically switch between biodiesel and diesel at will if your vehicle has been converted to run on biodiesel, and you should never try to put biodiesel in a car that runs on regular gas.
The other fuel people need these days is E85. E85 is used for flex fuel vehicles. The fuel is comprised of 85% ethanol/15% gas. If your bright yellow gas cap says E85, you can use it. But note, not all states have it yet. If they don’t, simply use regular gas. The biggest advantage of E85 is its low cost.
Gas doesn’t have to be a complex decision. In fact, once you have the knowledge it’s pretty straightforward. All you need is your manual and this article.
