More cars use pricier premium gas

[RamboLiberal]

Source: USA Today

At a time of record pump prices for regular gas, automakers are introducing more cars that use even costlier premium.

The number of new vehicle models that need — or at least run better on — the priciest gasoline has steadily risen from 166 in the 2002 model year to 282 this year, shows an analysis by Kelley Blue Book at the request of USA TODAY.

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•General Motors. Besides for big engines such as the 6.2-liter V-8 in the GMC Yukon sport utility, premium is recommended for the miserly 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine on the Chevy Cobalt compact and Chevy HHR small SUV.

•Mazda. Premium is recommended on the MX-5 sports car and CX-7 crossover, and it's required on the RX-8 sports coupe and racy Mazdaspeed 3. Failure to use premium in them could invalidate a warranty if it were found to cause a problem, says spokesman Jeremy Barnes.

•Volkswagen. Premium is recommended for even the new compact Eos convertible, along with various versions of GTI, Jetta, Passat, R32 and Touareg. "People who buy VW are looking for a more sport-drive experience," says spokesman Steve Keyes, and premium is part of the "trade-off."


Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2008-04-13-premium-gas_N.htm#uslPageReturn

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Oh brilliant - and Hillary wants to bailout GM!

[LibDemAlways]

1. Two years ago I bought a new 4-cylinder Acura TSX.

The salesman assured me the car took regular gas. I drove it off the lot with a full tank and didn't give it another thought until it was time to fill up again a couple of weeks later. I opened the gas cap lock and was pissed to discover that I'd been lied to. There was a sticker on the inside of the gas cap door cautioning that premium was required.

It's my fault, I know, for not investigating further and believing what I was told. Lesson learned - never make any assumptions and never believe that a car salesman is telling you the truth.

[ingac70]

4. Your car will run OK on regular...

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2003-07-30-premiumgas_x.htm

[Nite Owl]

9. I have a TSX too and

while it does use the premium the mpg is pretty good. I can push 40mpg on the highway and that's pretty good.

[Warpy]

11. My Korean car requires an octane rating midway between

regular and mid grade. I use mid grade in winter, when it's gasohol. I use regular in summer when the formula changes to pure petroleum. The car seems to cope with it just fine.

[LiberalFighter]

19. Did you make sure to let everyone you knew the name of the salesperson that lied to you?

[LibDemAlways]

23. I called the dealership and spoke with the manager whose

stance was that regular gas could be used in the car even though the manufacturer recommended premium. He wouldn't budge from the view that it was my responsibility to determine for myself what grade of gas was recommended before I signed on the dotted line.

Anyhow, I have bad-mouthed the dealership to numerous people, and am relieved that another Acura dealership just opened nearby so I have another option for service.

[flvegan]

2. Yup, required in mine.

I have the mentioned Mazdaspeed 3. Knew it long before I bought it, and I don't mind. I also use the pricier synthetic oil.

I also telecommute, so I don't drive all that much.

[TrogL]

3. I've got a Subaru that takes it

I don't particularly mind - it gets double the gas-mileage of my previous vehicle.

[SharonRB]

5. I'm going to be picking up my smart car (not literally)

on Saturday and it, too, takes premium. But, as with your Subaru, it will get double the gas mileage of my current vehicle.

[Xithras]

15. I have a Subaru too. You can run cheap gas, but you'll take a mileage hit.

I run "mid-grade" in mine without any problems, but I don't have a Turbo model. I passed it up specifically because of the stricter fuel requirements.

[awoke_in_2003]

16. I have an '04 F-150

And run plus. Like you say, when I run regular, I take an 8% mileage hit. Regular causes engine pinging, too.

[PittPoliSci]

6. hey if you want to buy a car with a turbo charger...

you pay extra for the gas, period. if you don't want to pay extra for extra octane, might i suggest a mazda 6. mine gets 25 mpg city and runs on 87.

[Lance_Boyle]

12. if you want to buy a GASSER with a turbo, sure ;-)

n/t

[kestrel91316]

7. I wonder how much Big Oil paid the US auto makers to do this......

[CRF450]

22. All auto makers (not just the US) go to forced induction/higher compression...

For better power and effeciency, especially for smaller engines. This is where the need for higher octane fuel come. Most motorcycles need premium BTW.

[melm00se]

29. my bike

does require a higher octane fuel and if I don't feed it properly there is a significant knock that goes away as soon as the right fuel is used.

[CRF450]

32. Yup, and unlike a regular vehicles...

Motorcycles ussually dont have knock sensors or anyway to adjust spark timing. So running any octane less than required for them will surely destroy the engine.

[TomInTib]

8. Yep. And premium hit $4.20+ here (Marin) in the last few days.

Almost enough to make one want to sell the Porsche.

[Lance_Boyle]

10. BWAHAHAHAHA!

If you buy a VW with a gasser in it, you deserve to pay the "premium penalty." Spending the extra $2K up front for the TDI doesn't look so bad these days, does it?

[girl gone mad]

14. with deisel prices..

20 to 30 percent higher than gas and climbing at a faster rate, it's a bit troubling.

I'm considering a diesel for my next car, but I'm watching the trends pretty closely. If the differential continues to move in favor of gas, it won't make as much sense to buy a diesel.

[NutmegYankee]

17. Actually, some VW engines use regular.

And, when I bought my Jetta 2.5L, the diesel was not offered in the US due to failing to meet our emissions standards. The 2.5L uses 87 Octane gas.

[LeftyMom]

13. I love my boring little shitbox that runs on regular gas.

My baby sister drives a two seater Mercedes convertible. Sure, it's great fun to drive, but it runs like chunky corn-studded shit on anything less than premium gas, and it gets mpg that would make a Hummer blush.

I do love having a cheap, reliable car. Sure, I'd like something a bit more fun to drive, but I really can't afford to be a slave to my car.

[OneBlueDotBama]

24. MB High Compression Engines

I drive two Benz's, both old and both pristine. One has a large twin cam V8, the other an inline 6. I have listened to those who suggest running these on less than 92 octane and found the average mileage dropped and they ran very roughly. Modern engines have knock sensors. When the ECU determines the engine is knocking, it retards the timing. Engines with retarded timing produce lower fuel economy numbers than engines with the factory recommended timing specs. As for saving money, lets do the math. Assuming regular gas is $3.30 a gallon, premium gas is $3.50 a gallon, and the car in question gets 25 miles per gallon. This means, premium fuel costs 14 cents per mile. If 2 miles per gallon are lost due to the timing adjustment for substandard gas, regular then costs 14.35 cents per mile. It's a losing proposition, and if the pinging (yes, even with knock sensors the engine will ping) happens to cause something expensive to give way, the couple of bucks saved may cover bus fare.

I would ask as to the cost of rebuilding one of todays high tech engines, prior trying to save a few bucks at the pump. You may be shocked.

[CRF450]

26. Exactly right!

Their is hardly any savings in running regular in a premium required vehicle because it will get lower milage. It doesn't kill to spend a few extra dollars.

[KillCapitalism]

18. Premium prices suck!

Here they average $.30-$.35 more than regular.

It was enough to make me trade in my 2004 Jetta GLI on an '08 Mazda 3 that runs on regular.

[CreekDog]

20. often because the car has a turbo

well if you buy a turbo, cry me a river if it costs you more.

in VW's case, there's a non turbo option

in Subaru's case, there's a non turbo option

and the list goes on.

[hamerfan]

25. My non-turbo Subaru needs premium

I have a 2002 Subaru Outback wagon. Since I camp a lot in the Rockies, I went with the 3.0 liter 6 cylinder model. Even with no turbo, it requires premium fuel due to the high compression. It sucks, but it is what it is.
dumpbush

[CreekDog]

30. The Car Talk guys say that unless it knocks you don't actually need premium

go figure.

[CRF450]

31. Car Talk guys are wrong on this issue.

[CreekDog]

33. NO!

:wow:

i'm tellin!

[high density]

27. No kidding

Most of those Mazda vehicles mentioned have turbos. The people buying those cars are obviously not focused on fuel costs when selecting a vehicle.

[CRF450]

21. Its not just forced induction that make a vehicle require it...

Its ANYTIME an engine has a resulting high compression ratio in the combustion chamber that creates the need for the higher octane. Pretty much all premium required cars can run regular fine, but it wont run as effecient. The computer has to pull the spark timing to keep the lower octane fuel from pre-igniting, resulting in lower fuel milage and power. My Trans Am and my dirtbike uses premium, because they both have a high compression engine. My Dakota takes regular, it doesn't have a high enough compression to need premium.

[AngryAmish]

28. My wife's Mini runs on premium

Damn Germans....the supercharger is nice, tho.