How long since the last Premium fuel vs Regular fuel question?
11-30-2012, 11:41 AM
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: 02-19-2008
Location: Los Alamos, NM
Posts: 129
This is far from scientific, but if you look at my mpg graph here:
http://ecomodder.com/forum/em-fuel-l...vehicleid=5460
The first two mpg measurements were done driving my car on the freeway back home to NM (purchased in Phoenix, AZ) averaging 72 mph. The first tank was almost all 87 octane because the seller filled it for me (great guy!) and he was like many here who assumed premium didn't make enough difference to matter. (The reason I say "almost all" is because when I got the car, before I got on the road, I stopped and topped it off to ensure a similar fill as the next time...yeah, I'm obsessive about mpg measurements...but it took less than half a gallon.)
The second tank was with a mixture of 87 (~4.5 gallons left in the tank when I refilled) and 11.8 gallons of 91 (the highest we can get in the southwest). The improvement, ((34.86 mpg - 31.34 mpg) / 31.34 mpg) x 100 = 11.2%, is more than enough to pay for the octane price difference.
Add to that the fact that you're probably getting a little more power and a smoother running engine and I think premium is well worth it.
http://ecomodder.com/forum/em-fuel-l...vehicleid=5460
The first two mpg measurements were done driving my car on the freeway back home to NM (purchased in Phoenix, AZ) averaging 72 mph. The first tank was almost all 87 octane because the seller filled it for me (great guy!) and he was like many here who assumed premium didn't make enough difference to matter. (The reason I say "almost all" is because when I got the car, before I got on the road, I stopped and topped it off to ensure a similar fill as the next time...yeah, I'm obsessive about mpg measurements...but it took less than half a gallon.)
The second tank was with a mixture of 87 (~4.5 gallons left in the tank when I refilled) and 11.8 gallons of 91 (the highest we can get in the southwest). The improvement, ((34.86 mpg - 31.34 mpg) / 31.34 mpg) x 100 = 11.2%, is more than enough to pay for the octane price difference.
Add to that the fact that you're probably getting a little more power and a smoother running engine and I think premium is well worth it.
was with 100% premium fuel in the tank. Note this is also colder temps than my original trip a year ago (which was in September).
11-30-2012, 01:05 PM
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: 09-11-2007
Location: Palm Bay, Florida
Posts: 1,378
I've done a few 2000 mile trials of using nothing but 93 octane in my 06 2.4L auto vs 87 octane and saw NO mpg gains. The car seemed to run the same with either types of gas and premium was $0.20-$0.25 more per gallon and not worth the extra costs. I've run pure gas ($0.60 more per gal) and saw only minimal improvements and not worth the added expense. I have over 103K miles on my HHR.
12-04-2012, 02:37 AM
#15
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 09-08-2012
Location: Vancouver. B.C.
Posts: 143
Myself. I have yet to try high octane. I have only ran 87 since we got our 07.
Its a whopping 15 cents a litre more for the 92 over the 87. Its hard to justify an extra 8 bucks a fill.....even though its only 8 bucks...lol
I am one of those who would drive 5 miles more to the next station to save a penny a litre.......
Its a whopping 15 cents a litre more for the 92 over the 87. Its hard to justify an extra 8 bucks a fill.....even though its only 8 bucks...lol
I am one of those who would drive 5 miles more to the next station to save a penny a litre.......
01-08-2013, 07:17 PM
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: 03-19-2011
Location: 1000 Islands N.Y.
Posts: 140
The only thing a higher octaine fuel does for a motor is it prevents detenation or ping. If the motor is designed with a compression ratio timing etc to run 89 oct. there will be no benefit to run a higher octaine. No more power, no better start.
We have had race snowmobiles that ran VP 16 that is a man made race fuel. They would only start on a squirt of cheap ol 89 oct.
Just what I think my 2 cents.
KK4 [ Mr. gTx ]
We have had race snowmobiles that ran VP 16 that is a man made race fuel. They would only start on a squirt of cheap ol 89 oct.
Just what I think my 2 cents.
KK4 [ Mr. gTx ]
01-08-2013, 08:06 PM
#18
Platinum Member
Join Date: 05-09-2006
Location: "Upland" Mesa, Arizona
Posts: 6,804
The only thing a higher octaine fuel does for a motor is it prevents detenation or ping. If the motor is designed with a compression ratio timing etc to run 89 oct. there will be no benefit to run a higher octaine. No more power, no better start.
We have had race snowmobiles that ran VP 16 that is a man made race fuel. They would only start on a squirt of cheap ol 89 oct.
Just what I think my 2 cents.
KK4 [ Mr. gTx ]
We have had race snowmobiles that ran VP 16 that is a man made race fuel. They would only start on a squirt of cheap ol 89 oct.
Just what I think my 2 cents.
KK4 [ Mr. gTx ]
01-08-2013, 09:32 PM
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: 03-19-2011
Location: 1000 Islands N.Y.
Posts: 140
Hi Dog
Yup I know it's kind of hard to forget that. With that stupid flexfuel badge stuck on the rear. Doesn't that mean you can run e85 etc? That stuff is to get less mpg and less power? I would guess that the best performance the HHR will get is on good ol 89 oct. Bang for the buck that is. My bud's 2000 hp street car got more hp on e85 but no mpg.
Maybe this ol dog can learn new tricks?
KK4
Yup I know it's kind of hard to forget that. With that stupid flexfuel badge stuck on the rear. Doesn't that mean you can run e85 etc? That stuff is to get less mpg and less power? I would guess that the best performance the HHR will get is on good ol 89 oct. Bang for the buck that is. My bud's 2000 hp street car got more hp on e85 but no mpg.
Maybe this ol dog can learn new tricks?
KK4
