Is 93 octane a scam? Regular VS Premium Fuel / Which gives better MPG?
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- čas přidán 6. 08. 2024
- 87 octane Vs 93 octane, Is premium fuel a scam ? Let's find out!
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I see a lot of questions regarding elevation, what direction the wind was blowing, more hills one way vs the other e.t.c.. I did this test the best way I know how, the states around where I'm from have a lot of mountains... up and down.. I drove the same route to Virginia and took the same one home, I went up the same hills and down the same hills, I don't know how more accurate I could make it lol. Hope everyone still found some value in this video, thanks for watching!
AutoVlog I can't believe you actually drove 10 hours to test octane ratings!!😵 Lol Can't wait till you start driving your C63 AMG!!!👍
Most likely he had some other things to do where he went to, and would have driven there anyway. Otherwise he'd have driven until the tank is empty or something. He probably just took the opportunity to shoot this video additional to it, which however only has entertaining value, as his measurement were completely flawed for many, many reasons.
The route from Pittsburgh to Richmond was more downhill than the route back up to Pittsburgh. Richmond is at a lower elevation than Pittsburgh.
A couple extra hills or some wind might make a half mpg difference over 300 miles of highway driving, not 2-3 like we saw. In other words, in this car, the 93 octane isn't worth it. Perhaps for a little power or engine knock, but not for millage.
when you have another 10 hours to kill, it may be interesting to do this again with 93 to start then 83 for the return. But then questions would be air temp, weather, traffic. Who knows???
Very interesting topic, but the way you tested is not accurate. You could get a lot of down hill driving one way, and then of course you will get lots of up hill the other way. To test this accurately, you have to drive from point A to B and Back to A using regular gas, and then drive the same route with premium gas.
I agree
I am pretty sure he did that. He went away and came back and then he did the same trip again. Of course his second trip he could have been more tired from driving and maybe have used more fuel due to having a different posture behind the wheel. Also the weather schange might have played a part in drag and such.
Richmond is at a lower elevation than Pittsburgh. So the trip down to Richmond was - on average - downhill, while the trip back up to Pittsburgh was - on average - uphill.
this is just wasting your car mileage for nothing. You dont really need to do this test.
Only use whatever octane rating your engine needs. It is written in the manual. Ofcourse you can use higher rated octane but if your engine doesnt need it, it is waste of money.
It is more important to use fuel with good detergents from brand name stations (top tier gas). I always use 87 octane for my honda accord v6 from shell or exxon/mobil or bp and never from cheaper gas station.
I did, but he insisted so much on doing the same route. I would asume he was that smart. I do not have ADHD.
Pittsburgh elevation: 764 feet
Richmond elevation: 161 feet
Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what's going to happen.
Watch the video.. I spent as much time in both places.. driving the same distance.. with BOTH octanes..what's the difference..??
Walter Black He went to Lexington, VA which is still in the mountains of Virginia. Richmond is in the VA Piedmont. VERY different as far as elevation.
Walter Black lol. 603ft elevation change is nothing!
Well, if you have to lift your car 603 feet into the air, you can calculate the amount of joules of energy needed to do that and divide it with the energy content of fuel. You will see that it is noticeable.
@@AutoVlogOfficial wouldnt you also have to at least use the gas from the same station? Different stations have different levels of ethanol and additives. I can tell by trip computer if ive filled up with good gas, or poor gas. I get different results, depending on where I fill up, and what gas I use.
The only way I see to test accurately, is to put it on a Dyno, and drain the fuel tank. Then, put 5 gallons of 87 in the tank, and run it for 2 hours at 60 MPH. Drain fuel tank again, put in 5 gallons of 93 and run for 2 hours. Compare the MPG readings on the computer. It is really the only way to eliminate wind and elevation changes, etc. Then you have a very accurate comparison.
Good advice.....but.....
few people have access to a dyno an draining a fuel tank is not fun.
Stress Belden you can also empty the tank with a pump. can be done at home. or you start the experiment right before you would have to refill anyway
Jon Smith only too realise it makes a difference but not a HUGE ONE! use your common sense people.
I have to say this stood out with me more than anything else. You have a mixture of fuels there. While I admire the dedication, I feel that you should ask for your 10 hours back. This test isn't technical at all.
MythBusters came up with a system where the fuel came from a a clear container mounted to the side of the car. They could carefully fill the container by hand and then clearly how much fuel had been used.
it's not about economy, it's about antiknock rating
This video was about the economy, If you watched it til the end you would know this
AutoVlog thanks for replying. i did watch until the very end. most people don't. even if they watched the first 11 minutes they would never have known the reason some cars need higher octane. just trying to get more information out.
But you can't asses economy without also considering what effect your fuel might have on the wear of your engine. For ex. you might save a few dozen cents per gallon by using regular fuel, but then your engine might end up in a worse state after the same mileage, or would need repairs more often, than if you'd have used premium. I'm not saying this is the way it is, but engine knocking is definitely a consideration you can't exclude when considering the economy of what fuel you should use in your car.
Gábor Bérczi great points. a valve job is not cheap if you get early firing and burn some exhaust valves. it happened to me using 91 octane in an aftermarket turbo system.
Yet we already know octane rating has nothing to do with economy. So what was the point, informing idiots? They likely aren't the ones watching, or so I thought until glancing at the majority of the comments... HAHA
your number for premium is not accurate you still had quarter tank of 87
I made the same observation so this long ass drive was a waste of fuel and time...
5:52 - Indeed
First of all,Sorry for my bad English.Some subs cannot believe how is it possible someone drives over 10 hours just only for making a usual video.I'd like to say "this is not just a usual video,this is enthusiasm,honour and LOVE,Love to make CZcams videos,Love to cars and LOVE TO SUBSCRIBERS,So Thank you Mike,You always try to do your best.
Thanks for the support Ali ! 👊
Thanks for doing this, that's 10 + hours you can't get back, but we do appreciate it! Keep up the great work!
I def appreciate the time & dedication you spent doing this experiment, and not to sound negative but I have to agree with others - I don’t think this is a very accurate test given the elevation changes going different directions and mixed octanes coming back. Your heart was in the right place though so good job attempting it 👍🏼👏🏼! Love your videos & editing, keep up the great work 😀!
Man! You worked for this video! I have driven this route many times going to my childhood home, and it is a grueling drive. Thanks for your time and hard work. I often have wondered about this gasoline question. Now I know.
Great Vlog, I should try this experiment with my 2016 Ford Edge Sport, keep up the great work on the Blog!
My '13 4Runner will will recalibrate based on octane. Consensus is that after about 5 tanks of premium (93), the ECU will re-calibrate to take advantage of the cooler burn to gain performance. After running premium I have seen a documented between 2 and 3 MPG. Does the difference pay for the premium up-charge? No. But, as I tow a 5500 lb boat, the extra power can be helpful.
very informative and well done,thanks buddy and keep these videos coming!!
👍🏻👊
in order to get an accurate result you would have to run a tank dry and then reset the ECU after you change fuel
Great job on the test and editing! Also love the sunglasses!
It depends on the car if you need premium or not.
biggranny000 exactly. My 96 Integra specifically says on the Gauge Premium only.
usually Turbos requires cleaner fuels
Exactly. If I run 87-89 my car knocks, pulls timing and runs like shit. 93 does not have that problem.
Exactly. My V6 makes rated power on 87 but a GT500 would run like crap on anything less than 91, 93 if it's getting driven hard.
BS, any Top Tier fuel has to have the same additives across the range of octanes. www.toptiergas.com/faqs/ What I think you meant is turbo cars usually require premium fuel.
I am an ASE certified master mechanic with over 30 years of experience and years ago GM sent out a service bulletin that said even though some makes and models recommended 93 octane it was only beneficial if there was knocking/detonation or pre-ignition taking place. If there were no signs of detonation then there would be zero benefit from using the high octane vs low octane. The quality of low octane vs high octane is exactly the same, meaning the only difference is one has more of the octane added and that's it. As far as higher octane being better or cleaner for your engine, I have a 1992 Chevy Silverado with 506,000 miles and have pumped the cheapest possible fuel in it for 25 years and have had zero engine problems so I will never believe pumping premium fuel is better for an engine. My wife drives a BMW and it says premium only but all we have ever put in it is low octane and that car has 90,000 miles with zero problems.
thank your for sharing
506000 miles!?!???!!?! 😲
I agree, the wind will have an impact on a trip going and coming. Also hills and elevation, too many variables.
737mechanic thank you for sharing your experience on this topic. It is so hard to find accurate information on this topic. This is kind of what I was looking for. Someone with years of experience in the industry who has said what you have.
Premium is mostly for turbo, tuned or high compression cars and is usually just an over all higher quality cleaner gas, If the car calls for a higher octane I would use it. Premium won't matter in your 92 pickup. Your wife's BMW will adapt to the lower grade gas and run fine, the tune adjusts for the lower octane and mostly if it's turbo you will lose power but that is not an issue unless you're racing the car. I've got better MPG with 93 vs 91 on my Saab 9-5 2.3L turbo and worse mpg it seems with my 8th gen Honda accord 2.4L N/A on 93 but more power over 87, I have yet to do the math on the Honda though because I don't really care about the MPG difference because it still gets 30+MPG😄
You need to fill your car up, reset your trip odometer, and run the tank out. Fill it back up and see how many gallons you’ve burned for that many miles. Divide the number of miles by the gallons of gas to get your ACTUAL mpg. Then do the same with premium.
You can’t trust the computer in the car. They are not correct, especially since they use information for an unknown amount of time and/or mileage.
Therefore, this video is probably not accurate.
Thank you for the long journey ! Your efforts are much appreciated !
You tried for all of us..I know there r show many variables in particular more uphill one way but hey I m sitting home watching for free.....so it's good to see the more research n efforts all of u guys putting to make such videos....i was entertained through out....nice view n good info.....
thumbs up just for driving that long
But this doesn't take into account the elevation difference, wind and so many other details. Of course it's impossible to account for everything.
oliver24x it doesn't matter.. octain rating is for detonation and flash point of the fuel and nothing whatsoever to do with fuel milage.
thanks av. .for the video. .and taking the time to do that long test to find out for us..I always wounded about the same thing..the test says it all..good day till next video and to learn more..
👍🏻
Your attention to detail in your experiments to me is what makes your channel so interesting.
All that scenery is making me miss my Virginia childhood
It's beautiful :)
Virginia is a shit hole
Gustav Graves come to LA I’ll show u what a real shithole looks like .....
Same, I see so many VA car youtubers lol, sorta miss it.
Lenny S compared to where. Virginia is one of if not the best place in the USA to live.
A more accurate way to do this would be to run 1 tank of regular and drive it until it is near empty and see the MPG results. Then fill it completely up with 93 and drive another week. This is a good test though. I noticed a tad more power and maybe .5 more difference in fuel mileage in my new 2017 Fusion Sport.
I put 91 or 94 (that's what we got in Canada) in my 2017 Fusion sport and the only thing I care about is power. I don't notice a difference in comfort mode but when it's in sport, 87 vs 91 actually has a noticeable difference in regards to power. You don't buy a performance car and hope it to be fuel efficient. However, might I say I do average 11L/100km combined city and highway. Roughly 25mpg
Ludiay Bouffard lmao .... do you actually think a fusion is a powerful performance car? .... bwahahahaha .... thats the best one ive heard yet!
Sure, not like it has any sort of sport tuning or any part designed for performance. It might not be a Ford GT but doesn't change the fact that by definition it's a performance vehicle. Guessing you never driven one? I'm interested in what you drive for performance car to know so much about them.
Darren Davenport Its a performance car for the family man. This car pretty is the new SHO. Runs 13s and 5 sec to 60. It's not a mustang or a focus rs by any means but this car is fun to drive and yes the characteristics of the car DOES change when the sport button is pushed. There's already guys in the mid 12s with just a tune nothing else. I would consider this a performance car...to a point
Ludiay Bouffard he doesn't know sh!t. He's a keyboard cowboy. I have 02 Honda accord that's not even a sports car and 93 makes my car feel noticeably more responsive and I always use it because I don't like when my car feels sluggish
i swear you passed us on a road trip this past week!
looked exactly like your car we drove through west virginia on our way to florida
Thanks,it was really informative for me,Good job
I stop at that Maryland rest stop on my way to Florida!
If you mix one part 87 with 3 parts 93, you don't get 93 octane in the end...
It's videos like this is why I subscribed! Great video!
Hey, I found this video interesting. My Mercedes E350 (300hp V6) gets 33.6 mpg (91 Octane) on the highway at its best, I find it interesting how a smaller engine with less power got a worse result. Anyway, keep up the good work Mike, trying to support as much as I can 👍
1. You should go and come back to the same petrol station when refilling
2. You should get your vehicle at almost empty when refilling
3. Same time of the day also weather condition
4. You should count the gas volume by the meter on the station not on your vehicle, Full tank to Full tank. I mean really full tank, you could see the gas right below the top most of the tank.
5. You should use the cruise control for driving at the same speed as much as you can
Yes, other than more up/down hill on one way or another, he also turned on the headlights at night for hours, and that must've consumed some fuel to produce the electricity needed
On daytime that A/C also runs more frequently than at night, putting more engine load. Thus, we can't confirm whether the fuel economy is the same or not, when he was changing a lot of variables at once. This should be done on a Dyno in a controlled environment, mainly programmed accelerations/decelerations.
Sorry this is really stupid for a automotive channel, MPG is not what octane is for, there is no additional potential energy in 93 octane vs 87 octane. Octane is added to fuel to resist detonation(which is igniting of fuel before the spark plug fires due to engine heat and pressure) this happens when the engine is pushed hard. Some engines such as this ford detect that detonation when you have lesser fuel such as 87 octane and retards the timing at higher engine loads, decreasing horsepower. So you will not see any change while cruising when the engine is under no load and in this case the turbos are producing any boost. If you wanted better MPG you want non-ethanol fuel (often marked as offroad or motorsport fuel at the pumps) you will get about 15-20% more range from that fuel, but they also charge more for it because they know this fact. So much misinformation. Please look up how gasoline works and what octane actually means.
Amen brother, amen!
So is motor sport fuel the vPower at the pump?
@@chigozienwachukwu4786 no
Nice video. I think gradient will have something to do with the trip so a route thats more level would probably give a better understanding. What i do notice is that my G37s requires 91, but i mainly see 93 on NY which is more expensive. What's the difference?
awesome videos man regardless of what the haters say your videos actually swayed me to go buy my 2017 sport keep up the good work neighbor in p.a.
More power = less MPG
You aren't told to use premium for better mileage. It reduces knock and provides more power.
Also contains more detergents to clean the wngine better
And modern v8s can get better gas mileage then some 90s camrys that get close to 30 mpg highway lol. Its amazing what technology can do
Thank you! I have wanted to know for so long..
My dad would get a nice car (Cadillac, Lincoln, Mercedes, BMW..) but 2 things stop him,
-Having to use premium fuel
-maintenance (especially on a Mercedes or BMW..)
Awesome video. I would love to see the same exact experiment but with 87 and 87 at 2 different gas stations like Shell and BP or something like that
Excellent video! Keep them coming.
And by the way, I thought this video was very informative.
Wow, I hope you had some people to visit or business to do in West Virginia. I can't imagine taking 10 hours out of my day being stuck in a car just to drive around and make a youtube video. Thats requires some real dedication. But your video was very informative and I appreciate your efforts. Keep up the good work!
Thanks ;)
The only "accurate" way to measure this is to do this test in an indoor facility driving in laps without other cars and use cruise control. This would minimize traffic, weather, elevation, distance factors, etc.
Love your vids Bro. Up here in Ontario Canada I run ultra94 occasionally in my 2016 f150 5.0. I notice about 60 km (30 miles) more than when I run regular 87. Not really enough to justify price difference though (approximately 25 cents/L). No diff in power or response that I can notice. Again, really enjoy your vids and appreciate what you do. ✌️
nice video bro
Thanks !
In Europe we have 95 and 98 RON. I use in my Mondeo 98 RON - mainly beacuse it feels better in terms of power.
You can actually get even 100 octane on some fuel stations.
America...
98 is like 93.
In Germany we can get 102. And I think the fuel economy is a little bit better but the cleaning addives are more important. My Passat 1.8t has now 470000km on it with the First engine and mostly i drove with the 102 fuel.
Different rating system in the US. Their 93 is about the same as our 98.
One month ago I bought myself a 2016 ford fusion an I enjoy your videos! ...Hello from Kentucky!
respect my man! lol you make it alot easier on the rest of us. and the fact that you sacrifice your time like that. you deserve the respect.
You need do this with Mercedes
It's better to come early, than never at all! 😜
Late*
I love this dude, keep up the good work
Thanks !
Thanks for making this video I have a 2017 2.0 fusion. I noticed a difference in power and gas mileage and now I only use premium.
Hi AutoVlog!!
Hey !
AutoVlog have a nice night :)
AutoVlog have a nice fight :)
Premium gas are just a scam
I have seen many negative comments...but this guy delivers us with interesting content always.. guys see how much attention to detail is there..I love this guy!
Hi Mike ,
I discovered your vlogs today and enjoyed watching them, you have done many things I wondered about myself. I heard your accent and thought it was a strange Pittsburgh accent, as I am from the poconos. Then I realized you are from Sweden. To funny. I am 61 and I have owned 70 cars. I had the first year fusion with all the bells and whistles with the v6 loved the car. So now you now a bit about me I think I would be doing vlogs like you had we had the capability back when I was your age.
The reason for my comment here is I had a 2009 Volkswagen Eos and I now drive. 2014 Cadillac ATS 4 2.0 turbo luxury. I loved both cars. I found in both if I didn't use premium I could feel it in throttle response. In the VW it was very noticeable if I didn't use a specific brand of gas. I was in California at the time and 93 octane is as high as you can buy. It was definitely dawgy.
Withe the Cadillac it's not as brand specific but it definitely needs premium or I feel it in performance.
For what's it's worth I have read that premium is made by adding alcohols to boost the octane. As we know regular gas has more btu's than premium due to the alchohol added. Also in the winter we get a different blend with alcohol and other things added for pollution reasons,. So if you can use regular great your saving money but in the long run for the 2.00 more per tank full I'll use premium if my car says recommended. Thank you for your great vlogs I will continue to watch. Tom
you need premium fuel for high performance high compression engines. if you dont use it in these engines the computer will reduce timing, less power. Please do some research on how engines work
It would have to be a personal decision on whether one wanted to spend the extra money for just a little bit more power and if that power difference is like in the video, it would be a total waste of money. At the track, logging 1/4 mile times, then 93 for sure, for those precious hundredths of a second. Driving in hilly areas and getting a knock, might have to spend the extra cash.
kcotte59 -Depends on who you're talking to.
kcotte59 all modern cars have an ECU, since 1985, unless you are driving a 32 Ford? all high performance cars have knock sensors. take a class
In sweden we have 95 and 98 octane only!
TheSniperDude damn dude that's awesome!!! Isn't he from Sweden
+the34beast64 yeah i know but it's damn expensive it's like 6.5 dollars per gallon here in sweden (converted)
TheSniperDude here in Greece diesel is 1.2€per liter
Euro 95 petrol is at 1.5€ per liter
Euro 98 petrol is at 1.80€ per liter
+Icpd26 Yeah it's about the same in sweden
You have RON system. In the US, its AKI. 95 RON=91 AKI
AutoVlog, hi! It's your subscriber from Russia here! Nice video! Just wanted to hear your opinion about other side of your test. I'm driving previous generation Mondeo ( pretty much same Fusion), but with exactly same engine as yours. 2.0 ecoboost 240bhp, and I'm filling it up only with Shell V-Power Nitro+ fuel, which is 99 octane. I'm getting exactly same mpg numbers as from your test, so no difference in fuel consumption, but what about all those tests, that premium fuels clean the engine from gunk and prevents any corrosion?
What's your opinion on that?
Thanks again for video! :)
Ed
very interesting, very thorough and very helpful, thank you.
Well in Sweden we run 95 as standard.. :P
US Octane is calculated differently. 93here is 98 in rest of the world.
95 euro is like 93 or 91.
Oh okey! You learn something new every day!
Yeah in Europe, its RON. Here in the states, its AKI. 95 RON= 91 AKI
That's part of the reason why in Sweden you guys also pay more than folks in the US for Gas. Your country doesn't sell regular unleaded as most countries do. So you are driving a ton load of cars that easily can run just fine on 87 octane gas as those same models do here.
Also Tesco in the UK has 99 Ron Premium. It's the exact equivalent to 93 octane in the US. 99 Ron is tested to 87 Mon. (R+M)/2 = 93 octane.
The US uses an average of Ron and Mon, as it's a better metric for determining real world burn under atmospheric conditions. The US has 100 octane too at some stations and VP racing fuels are also sold in most towns at area locations if you want to go all out. Keep in mind most of these fuels aren't actually real gasoline though. There closer to mineral spirits in nature.
Some places in the US also have 94 octane gas. That's 100 Ron.
A Marathon gas station buy me sells 100 (R+M)/2 octane Gas. Its street legal and is the equivalent of 110 Ron. :D
hi mike
Hello Austin
Eureka! I figured out why the MPG was worse with the premium gas. Its a Ford Fusion. Two of the hamsters got tired on the way back and jumped off their spinny wheel for a break (just a joke). AV: enjoyed the video. Love the intro.
Hello just watched this video and I must ask these two questions. It appears that 87 octane is fine for a Ford Fusion. But would it be recommendable for a Lincoln MKZ? And also if Ford “recommends “ 93 octane and you run 87 octane in it could it result in engine issues?
I have watched you videos for some time and I am glad to know a fellow Pittsburgher is on here too!
Good try but this test is bogus you diluted the premium fuel, plus weather, speed and traffic all played major roles. From my understanding you need to run a tank or two of premium to let the ECM re-calibrate. I run premium with decent results in my '14 fusion titanium. Is it worth the extra money to everyone?! probably not. But most us car guys will appreciate it.
Enjoy watching the channel keep up the good content.
So you're saying that because there was a little regular left in the tank that would actually make the mpg worse ?? I drove the same route home with the same speed and traveling time.. it does not make sense
A quarter tank is significant, but no I didn't expect you to get worse numbers, that is puzzling. I'm simply stating it flaws the actual test plus tail wind/weather and traffic would have been major factors. Just don't want to see you base your results on this one test. I would like to see you try again after running through a couple tanks of 93 octane and comparing those numbers to your original 87 octane numbers.
Indeed, for this test to be actually halfway reliable or conclusive he'd have had to do it on a closed off track - like going rounds on a race track or something. This would have also had the nice side effect of minimizing any effect changing wind or weather could have had on the performance of his car. Also, he should have not mixed the fuels in the first place, but run the tank till it's empty, and the refill it with the other kind of fuel. Probably not full just a few gallons. Even then ECU adaptions probably would have not enough time to kick in, which could have also affected the results.
Exactly. Non the less I still enjoy this channel and his attempt. Looking forward to the new Benz.
The car probably only requires 91 octane fuel for max power anyway, so that shouldn't be a problem.
GM says on flex fuel vehicles says it takes 3 tank fills of the same fuel to notice a difference. That's switching from 91 octane to E85 (115 octane)
You was so close to me where I live. hoped you enjoyed Va. loved the video. my Car Requires premium I'm afraid to try a lower grade gas.
I for the most part have gotten the same results. In some cases, I have felt like HP (as well as milage) has dropped using "Premium", but not as bad as when I use E85.
I own a 2000 Bonneville SSEI and its supercharged V6 requires premium fuel. If I run it on regular unleaded it pings badly. If I run it on premium the ping goes away and the power difference is very noticeable.
Did you use air conditioning the whole time both ways? How about the radio? Were the windows up or down either way? Did you check your tire pressure to see if they were properly inflated both ways? How about idling/traffic? There are a lot of variables in this that you didn't really get into
I wonder how long the premium has been in the tanks at the stations and at the distributors. I wonder how many folks buy it?
Did you take into account whether you had a headwind or tailwind in either direction, could have a noticeable impact on mpg.
Mike, Good review. The only difference I have noticed on my Fusion Sport is maybe a little more throttle response on 93 octane. Gas mileage in our city is about 17.5 to 18. On highway at 70 mph I get same on both grades right about 27.7 to 30.0 depending on wind.
One night drive I got 31.3 at 70 on highway. Have not been on any trips above 150 miles yet. Watch yourself on the red drink it could keep you from attaining GEEZERDOM. Hope you enjoy the new AMG buddy. Let me know what octane you use in that LOL.
You are the best. Well done. Respect from Montreal))))
You could do a 0-60 with GPS to measure your actual speed to see if it does increase performance or even connect an simple obd reader to see if you're able to measure any change.
I do really appreciate the effort you've made. Although elevation does have an big influence, at the end of the day the practical application is important.
Hi,
Love your vids, for the common man I say. I have a 2017 MKZ 3.0T. Went from Boston area with less the 200 miles on it to Tampa Florida. I got the mileage that they claimed on the window sticker. Cruised at 72 mph. all on regular. The manual says hi test needed for heavy loads like a trailer. Great car!!! No pinging.
Keep up the good work.
Dave
You have a great channel! Love those what if videos. I have a GLA and 91 is required, I don’t think you would put anything lower than premium/93 in your C63.
A few years ago, I burned a LOT of fuel on the midwest, have drove well over 100k miles thru the Great Plains of Nebraska, and states around, from the Dakotas to Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas and Ohio. Used all kinds of fuel: from Ethanol to pure, Ethanol free gas, the Colorado 85 octane gas and anything in between until 95 octane. From triple digit hot summer days to double digit negative temperature nights, I can tell octane rate is not a true factor for economy or consumption.
Aside of the knocking effect you get on high performance vehicles by NOT using high octane gas, getting high octane gas on a regular engine does, well, not much. What does something is the fact premium gas also tends to - please note keyword "tends to" - carry more cleaning agents than a standard gas would, and this is what makes it worthwhile. However, while it does actually makes a small increase on your MPG numbers, it doesn't warrant always filling your tank with it: price per gallon versus regular one makes it not worth. Unless you follow the instructions on those fuel cleaners and get a bottle every so often, then using better gas more often will make you save money as you won't need to buy these fuel cleaners anymore.
Now, most standard gas do carry a good amount of cleaning agents and are usually pretty clean (unless you fill your car in a shady station, who knows what else was added to sell you more cheap liquids and less gas), so you outta regularly using the recommended octane rate as per your owner's manual, and once or maybe twice in between every oil change, fill your tank with the one with more cleaning agents, just to free up some of the gunk that will be in your engine.
You won't be wasting money, you won't be wasting gas and you will keep your engine healthy.
Aside of that, while the video is helpful, it has a too small sample and too many variables to consider a proper statement. He left a quarter tank of unused gas before filling with higher octane rating gas, so the computer had to make adjustments and it does change consumption. Also going thru hills, traffic, accidents/stops, mileage differences, all this changes the pattern of how much your engine will burn fuel. All in all, following the manual is still your best bet.
I think to have an accurate test the destination point and the start point need to have the same elevation, or at least really close.
Nice and informative video.
Great Video. Thanks for uploading.
Do you recommend using cruise control when climbing up hill? regarding fuel efficiency
Looked like a rough day at work....haha! Ive tried a similar experiment in our 1.6 Escape ecoboost and noticed absolutely no difference in power feel or MPG. I'll stick with the 87 cause I'm cheap!
I enjoyed your video. Thanks!
Great job I try the same test and got better mileage than I did with 93 octane I will stick to 87 octane and my car still running great thanks for the video.
That is really surprising to find out. I would have expected that the results would have been just the opposite. I do know that I get worse fuel mileage using E85 fuel VS regular gas because I tried it when I first got my 2011 Silverado. Great job on the video Brother.
Hey there. Interesting results. I had the same weird results when comparing my car with my parents. I have a 2011 Opel Astra 1,4L Turbo 140hp with 9,5/1 compression ratio. I get ~7L/100km on 95oct, 98oct and 100oct. It does not make any difference and surely doesn justify the extra cost (1,5€/L for 95, 1,7€/L for 98 and 1,9€/L for 100). My parents have a 2007 Opel Zafira 1,8L N/A 140hp with 11/1 compression ratio. It gets ~12L/100km on 95oct, ~10L/100km on 98oct and ~9L/100km on 100oct although its an older car. From what I understand, the higher compression ratio takes advantage of the higher octane rating.
Very enlightening. 👍🏼
Since you didn’t empty the regular gas all the way going to Richmond, isn’t the 93 grade going to mix with the regular?
The big question is when you pumped in Virginia did you get the 10% ethanol blend gasoline? Because the 10% ethanol blend gets about 15% fewer miles per gallon in my turbo charged motor when I run premium I see an average of 4 miles per gallon better depending on driving conditions I get around 34 miles per gallon premium and around 28 on regular give or take of course 6 miles per gallon on the leading end but 4 miles per gallon Improvement consecutively except whenever the ethanol blend gasoline is purchased then I see my miles per gallon Crash and Burn
Very Interesting, probably wont use premium again. Thanks for the video!
still a good videso it's a topic it to think about!! my 2006 chryler Sebring converable say regular fuel recommend but if I use 89 I get slighty better pick up and and better gas milage... I also noticed Sheetz fuel Burns alot faster then other gasolines out there......I get worst gas milage on 93 myself... I get 19 miles per gallon on 93 and about 23.5 miles per gallon on 89 so I say you did a pretty good job with this videso!!!
My Mercedes C300 requires 91 or higher (owner's manual says that), I use 93, no knocking, no detonation issues, better fuel economy and power. Could one use 87 if that is all that is available? Yes, the owners manual does say that you can (in a emergency) but it is best to use 91 or higher. The ECU will adjust to prevent any damage from low grade fuels
what grade gas will you use in the Benz when it comes?
I've read somewhere that the engine computer needs time to adapt to the different fuel. It doesn't know the octane of the fuel you just pumped into it and doesn't switch immediately. So you might need to go through a few tanks of the same fuel before it fully optimizes the fuel/air mix for the fuel type you are using. Not sure if that is true, but that was what I have read in the past.
Compression ratio, engine timing and tuning play the part in witch octane your engine needs in order to run effectively.
I actually did this test before on my truck. Except I did one trip round on 87 and the other loop on 93 and found out that from Dallas Fort Worth area and Houston are I got 18mpg on 87 and 22mph on 93 gas and it's not that it's cleaner it's about how hard the explosion is in the cylinder too by the way. But yeah I only used it in that truck because it was modified and not in any other normal car that says recommended it'll drive the same
Thank You So Very Much , got a new Chevy Spark 2017 last month , I have put almost 2,000 miles on it so far , going to be driving a lot , the problem I am having is , the MPG should be 30/34 , about the same as my last car , but it feels like since the gas prices have gone down , my area is so sporadic , it will be $2.15 at one station and about 1/2 a mile down the road it will be like $2.09 and then another would be $2.30 , no joke , but since the prices have dropped I feel as if , I have to fill my car more often , as if I am getting around 20/24 MPG , a lot less of what I should be getting in MPG , is this my imagination , or is there something going on with the actual gasoline that is dropping my MPG , I use regular , at multiple brand name locations in FL, thank you.....
What do you think about ethanol-free 90 octane in a 17 Jetta that asks for 87 octane?
What about the altitude changes? Was your stop point in VA a lower altitude that your home in PA? Could that be accounting for some of the difference in 87 vs 93? I'm not surprised that it wasn't better but I was surprised it was worse.