Top Tier: Regular - MidGrade - Premium?

[TSO_NJ]

An improvement while local driving in NORMAL mode.

Went from 26.8 Avg MPG on Regular (87 octane) to 28.1 Avg MPG on Mid-Grade (89 octane).

The actual Shell Mid-Grade purchased at an increase of 70 cents per gallon for this trial period (2 full tanks):

Considering the purchase of Costco Premium at an increase of 50 cents per gallon:

 

[AndyMac204]

Shell V-Power here (91). Lucas fuel injector cleaner once a month as well.

 

[wiyeti]

Shell V-Power here (91). Lucas fuel injector cleaner once a month as well.

+1 on the Lucas product. Use it on the OB and both bikes.

 

[hellb0y]

Cheapest gas you can get - it’s a lease ?

 

[Cursed Bronco]

Depending on the price differential, I sometimes opt for mid grade. Not much scientific reasoning, but it's close enough to premium without being much more than regular. Some places have weird price differentials where mid grade is only $0.20-$0.30/gal more but premium is closer to $0.90 more.

With that being said, I usually just get premium for the most part. I use Upsides and value shop for premium.

 

[rocks]

Depending on the price differential, I sometimes opt for mid grade. Not much scientific reasoning, but it's close enough to premium without being much more than regular. Some places have weird price differentials where mid grade is only $0.20-$0.30/gal more but premium is closer to $0.90 more.

With that being said, I usually just get premium for the most part. I use Upsides and value shop for premium.

50-60 cents here difference at around $3.39 for top tier brands.

 

[21Broncosaurus]

Top tier 91 octane + seafoam a few times a year. I prefer premium because it makes the 1.5L a bit peppier compared to running 87.

 

[BravoAlpha]

I played with this last year.

3 tanks of 87 octane avg 23.8
3 tanks of 91 octane avg 25.2

I was not the only driver but drove more than 75%


conclusion:
A 5.88% increase in mileage is note-able. But I’m paying 16-22% more to get it. No thanks. I might throw on some premium when I race the Kia up the street.

this vehicle is designed for 87 octane. To put premium fuel in this type of vehicle is literally throwing money away. Also, I couldn’t feel any difference in performance…not saying there isn’t but I couldn’t tell.

also, buying premium fuel for the “health“ of the engine and components doesn’t jive. I ran regular fuel in a dozen vehicles for over 1 million miles and no issues there. I think the efforts are wasted trying to prevent a problem that isn’t likely to happen.

 

[BLUEOVALRACER]

Note the Horsepower Ratings from Ford for the 1.5 and 2.0 Eco Boost Engines are with Premium Fuel!!We have 93 Octane that's what i used last week when i filled up!!

 

[Robins21]

Regular & average 29.7 MPG.

 

[Summit]

There may be benefit to using the Premium but I think the Liquid Moly once a month is a good alternative.

 

[Robins21]

I played with this last year.

3 tanks of 87 octane avg 23.8
3 tanks of 91 octane avg 25.2

I was not the only driver but drove more than 75%


conclusion:
A 5.88% increase in milage is note-able. But I’m paying 16-22% more to get it. No thanks. I might throw on some premium when I race the Kia up the street.

this vehicle is designed for 87 octane. To put premium fuel in this type of vehicle is literally throwing money away. Also, I couldn’t feel any difference in performance…not saying there isn’t but I couldn’t tell.

also, buying premium fuel for the “health“ of the engine and components doesn’t jive. I ran regular fuel in a dozen vehicles for over 1 million miles and no issues there. I think the efforts are wasted trying to prevent a problem that isn’t likely to happen.

I do can not justify the higher price of gasoline for just 1 -2 MPG more.

 

[Blooey]

Depending on the price differential, I sometimes opt for mid grade. Not much scientific reasoning, but it's close enough to premium without being much more than regular. Some places have weird price differentials where mid grade is only $0.20-$0.30/gal more but premium is closer to $0.90 more.

With that being said, I usually just get premium for the most part. I use Upsides and value shop for premium.

I find it's a matter of the neighborhood. In wealthier neighborhoods, premium is a lot more (like almost a dollar more) because people tend to have cars that require premium. Currently around $3.19 for regular and $4.19 for 93 top tier premium where I live. (Some of my neighbors actually have money in the bank).

There's a Mobil in a more working-class area not too far from me where premium is only $3.89. I go there every other fill up using the logic that maybe it's legit, maybe they're pumping regular.

 

[The_Jimmer]

Do the math, it doesn't take long and you'll find that you would be far better off getting fewer miles and filling up with regular again. Using the OP's mileage and posted prices he got a total of about 20 more miles at the cost of mid-grade which if spent on regular gas would have netted them more miles of travel (cost of midgrade over regular $11.20) at the inconvenience of an earlier fill-up. That's 3.7 gallons of gas extra at the cost of regular which equals to 100.3 more miles on the road per dollar in your pocket.

 

[KidWiff]

I've started using the mid-grade (91) fuel recently, simply because it feels like i get a bit better performance than with the 87. Mileage seems to increase as well. (I select top tier fuels almost exclusively, regardless of grade, and have for quite a long time with no regrets)

I was thinking of adding Techron or Seafoam every 3k-5k miles but, in my reading, there seems to be a very mixed opinion on the need for using these types of additives in the BS. I'll do a little more research on my end and see what i decide. As long as it is not doing any harm, i'm leaning towards using every now and again.

Back to the 87 / 91 / 93 debate... i'd use 93 regularly but the increase in cost from 91 to 93 octane is simply ridiculous in my area.

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