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View Poll Results: What grade gas do you use?
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Regular
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51 |
82.26% |
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Midgrade
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7 |
11.29% |
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Premium
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4 |
6.45% |
09-03-2008, 01:04 PM
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#1 (permalink)
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VIVA LA MPG RESISTANCE
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Brownsville, Tn
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Fuel Grades
Ok, who uses regular gas, and who uses premium? If you use premium have you noticed an FE difference in the two?
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09-03-2008, 01:27 PM
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#2 (permalink)
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Master EcoModder
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Mirabel, QC
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It depends. I buy regular for the Elantra and Shell V-Power (premium) diesel for the TDI.
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09-03-2008, 01:42 PM
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#3 (permalink)
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EcoModding Lurker
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Exton PA
Posts: 35
Whitey - '03 Chevrolet Cavalier base 90 day: 37.01 mpg (US)
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i choose regular for my cavalier, but when i had my focus i had the ecu flashed and could only use premium.
im going to on the next two tanks however give premium a shot and see if there is any difference, but i look at it as regular is cheaper, so it would have to be a great difference in FE to make the complete switch.
__________________
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09-03-2008, 02:02 PM
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#4 (permalink)
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EcoModding Apprentice
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Pittsburgh
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I use 89 in my DD an 87 Turbo Volvo. The owners manual says 91 but since I hardly ever go into boost why should I spend the money on octane I'm not using. 87 makes the car run poorly and it has pretty poor pick up if you have to put the pedal down.
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09-03-2008, 02:08 PM
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#5 (permalink)
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EcoModding Lurker
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Glassboro, NJ
Posts: 88
Kawi - '04 Kawasaki Vulcan 800 Classic 90 day: 56.48 mpg (US) The Monte - '99 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Z34 90 day: 26.52 mpg (US) Mazda - '10 Mazda 3i 90 day: 35.15 mpg (US)
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I've used both premium and regular in my bike and have noticed no difference. The manual says use premium, but I have a small engine that just doesn't have the compression to completely burn premium.
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Goal one= 30mpg on The Monte by changing the nut that connects the steering wheel to the seat.
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09-03-2008, 03:03 PM
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#6 (permalink)
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Pokémoderator
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Southern California
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Will -
I ran Chevron 91 last year because of my HAI (hot-air-intake => lean-burn => higher octane is better to avoid knocking/pinging). I switched to 87 when the gas prices got too high, didn't notice a change, and never switched back.
I have a hankering to up the octane again because my car is *different* from last year. I also think it has been on 87 for so long that I might be able to detect a difference in the way it drives (big *shrug*).
CarloSW2
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09-03-2008, 03:11 PM
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#7 (permalink)
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EcoModding Apprentice
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Statesboro, GA
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Even if it did yield better FE, from a cost perspective it would have to make up for that 20 cents or so per gallon to truly make it economical. I wouldn't mind seeing some data on it. I'm not quite sure it's worth the gamble of higher fuel prices for few tanks, personally. I'm sure it's been looked at before somewhere.
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"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived."
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09-03-2008, 04:09 PM
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#8 (permalink)
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Hypermiler
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Texas
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Bailout at CleanMPG, with his commute up and over a rocky mountain pass in a Yaris, tested this.
regular was best
-4% mpg with midgrade
-9% mpg with premium
I think I'll stick with the cheap stuff.
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11-mile commute: 100 mpg - - - Tank: 90.2 mpg / 1191 miles
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09-03-2008, 05:07 PM
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#9 (permalink)
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Depends on the Day
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Kansas City Area
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When I had my HAI (160F) I used premium to prevent detonation, but the cost-benefit was off. Now, intake temps are 100-120F with full advanced timing and no ping with near-full load (some knocking at high RPM, so I don't go there much).
The TSX "requires premium", but runs just fine on regular. The savings add up. FE is the same too. There's a bit of stumble from time-to-time at 6k RPM with VTEC, but again, very rarely used.
Long live 87!
RH77
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“If we knew what we were doing, it wouldn't be called research” ― Albert Einstein
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09-03-2008, 05:36 PM
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#10 (permalink)
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X-Frenchy: very
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Toulouse, France
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In my 11 years old turbo diesel I used only regular and mid-grade during years.
One of the rules to eco-drive is to shift up soon, but it had difficulties to stay at 1500rpm. During the first premium tank I felt changes and now (at 4th tank) it can accelerate from 1200-1300rpm.
Because it permits me to improve my eco-driving style premium permits me to have a better mileage. Currently I'm staying with the premium as while I'm saving 33% of diesel, I'm saving 30% of money. May be one day it will be the placebo effect... My mechanic maintains my car, but premium seams doing things my mechanic doesn't...
Denis.
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Best Mégane tank: 1268.9mi @ 77.847 MPG(US)
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