Regular Vs. Premium Fuel

[Brooksie365]

Where I'm at its like 10 cents more for the next grade above 89 (91 or 93, both at least the Si's recommended octane).

160 miles a day at say approx 32 mpg highway = 5 gallons a day. So 5 gallons times the difference in price (10 cents) = 50 cents. You should get better than 32 mpg though, more like 34 mph (that's what I get while cruising all highway).

Anyway, that's how I got 50 cents or less. I could be wrong about your regions gas prices though, but i have always seen about 10 cents higher for each grade of gas incrementally. But if you're cruising all highway and not getting 32+ mpg then something is wrong, as 34 ish is about what everyone is getting for highway in an Si. The EPA numbers are way off.

Sorry to hear about your situation though, hope things get better for you

From 89 to 93 is usually 15 to 18 cents difference. 395 into Connecticut is extremely hilly I usually get 29.8 mpg.
And thanks it seems money usually gets tight for everyone at least once in life

 

[trustdestruction]

From 89 to 93 is usually 15 to 18 cents difference. 395 into Connecticut is extremely hilly I usually get 29.8 mpg.
And thanks it seems money usually gets tight for everyone at least once in life

Oh you guys don't have 91? We don't either really around here except a couple stations. But that's where I buy, for that reason.

 

[RippSpeed]

I see this is the smoke and mirrors thread about gas is different...

 

[Brian Klimathianos]

premium is daa best

 

[Brooksie365]

i am the worst i only use shell v power nothing else

 

[Adam]

Hey guys I am just wondering if any one runs regular in there si. Here premium is around .30$ more per gallon than regular. I don't want to damage the car but I am willing to sacrifice some performance during the winter to save some coin. Any input is appreciated.

I have been running regular in my SI since new and it's just fine. In Toronto today, premium is $5.44 per gal & regular $4.83 - That is quite a difference. I have done as careful checks as I can between regular & premium and to date have not seen ANY difference in mileage (contrary to popular belief). OK, so on regular I may only get 190hp instead of 200hp (or something like that). I have yet to hear any metallic noises or any 'pinging' - you can trust the car's computer to sort all that out. Yet, I will admit that I do perceive that somehow the car just seems that extra tiny bit smoother and nicer on premium; so the moment I cross the border into the US, I look for the first gas station and fill up with premium (You US types are so lucky with reasonably priced fuel!). On odd occasions, if away in Canada on a weekend where there is some driving to do, I will treat myself to premium but not for my daily dredge to work and back (where I seldom get a chance to wring it out anyway) particularly in winter. Incidentally in the car's manual and on the gas cap cover, Honda states that its OK to run regular or higher grade! (I only use Tier 1 fuels to try to keep the engine as clean as possible to try to prevent hot spots for pinging etc.)
[OK so now I will sit back and wait for the mockery - but wait till you have to pay $5.44/gal......]

 

[squiggy]

I have been running regular in my SI since new and it's just fine. In Toronto today, premium is $5.44 per gal & regular $4.83 - That is quite a difference. I have done as careful checks as I can between regular & premium and to date have not seen ANY difference in mileage (contrary to popular belief). OK, so on regular I may only get 190hp instead of 200hp (or something like that). I have yet to hear any metallic noises or any 'pinging' - you can trust the car's computer to sort all that out. Yet, I will admit that I do perceive that somehow the car just seems that extra tiny bit smoother and nicer on premium; so the moment I cross the border into the US, I look for the first gas station and fill up with premium (You US types are so lucky with reasonably priced fuel!). On odd occasions, if away in Canada on a weekend where there is some driving to do, I will treat myself to premium but not for my daily dredge to work and back (where I seldom get a chance to wring it out anyway) particularly in winter. Incidentally in the car's manual and on the gas cap cover, Honda states that its OK to run regular or higher grade! (I only use Tier 1 fuels to try to keep the engine as clean as possible to try to prevent hot spots for pinging etc.)
[OK so now I will sit back and wait for the mockery - but wait till you have to pay $5.44/gal......]

No mockery, but as I have stated in a previous thread:

DO NOT put anything other than premium in it. Why would you buy a performance car that says to use premium and put regular in it?

To quote the owner's manual:

Unleaded gasoline with a PON of 91 or higher is recommended.
If premium unleaded gasoline with a PON of 91 or higher is not
available, you can temporarily use the gasoline with a PON of
87 or higher.
This will result in decreased engine performance, and can cause
occasional metallic knocking noise in the engine.

Seriously, why do people think they know better than the engineers who design these vehicles? If any of you are worried about the cost of fuel, why the hell would you buy a car that requires premium?!

 

[RippSpeed]

Oohhh ok we're talking about octane not which gasoline is better...

Actual octane makes a difference but brand gasoline doesnt. Only the gasoline stations maintenance program does affect your fuel.

 

[Brooksie365]

Oohhh ok we're talking about octane not which gasoline is better...

Actual octane makes a difference but brand gasoline doesnt. Only the gasoline stations maintenance program does affect your fuel.

Yea but the top tiers usually have better maintenance there for making in a whole those brands better...

 

[RippSpeed]

Yea but the top tiers usually have better maintenance there for making in a whole those brands better...

Once again that's a misconception. Gas stations are not own and maintained by the Oil Company. Its maintained by the owner of the franchised location. Ive seen some run down and beat up top tiers gas stations.

 

[Brooksie365]

Oohhh ok we're talking about octane not which gasoline is better...

Actual octane makes a difference but brand gasoline doesnt. Only the gasoline stations maintenance program does affect your fuel.

Once again that's a misconception. Gas stations are not own and maintained by the Oil Company. Its maintained by the owner of the franchised location. Ive seen some run down and beat up top tiers gas stations.

so does top tier gas make no difference what about the additives? i see you say maintenance matters but how does the average person know? there are three shell stations within 1 mile of each other and prices are always different. i go to the one that is always the cleanest but i can't see there tanks!

 

[RippSpeed]

Additives does it really matter ??? Its about a scope per tanker. And theyre all pretty much the same.

For example ... You go to a shell station. This month its actually shell next month it could be mobile due to their refineries being down. Gasoline is a commodity.

And heres another thing to think about. Is there a shell refinery near you ??? If not how can they be soo competitively price when they have truck gasoline so far ... Think about it.

Here SoCal the refinery I work for supplies all the Arco and Shell stations. And shell supplies all the Arco stations in NorCal.

Walmart and costco gas stations on the other hand buys from the cheapest seller. Gasoline could be bought from Mexico or Canada.

I personally only fill up at the stations near my house. Where I can learn their fill up times and if their pumps are functional. This is what I mean by maintenance.

You can usually tell a bad station that has bad filters and poor maintenance if you get at least 2 bad tanks at that location. I.e. bad gas mileage and pinking

 

[Nix]

Just cause a station doesn't look shiny and new doesn't mean they don't put the money into maintaining their top tier status or their equipment. Sometimes the best ribs/bbq comes from the guy down at the corner with his own smoker and not the chain restraunt. Right?

 

[RippSpeed]

Just cause a station doesn't look shiny and new doesn't mean they don't put the money into maintaining their top tier status or their equipment. Sometimes the best ribs/bbq comes from the guy down at the corner with his own smoker and not the chain restraunt. Right?

This very true...

This what Ive always done it this way.

-I only gas up in the morning when its cold and less heat.
-I dont gas up when theres a tanker truck filling the station. I'll come back 2 to 3 days later.
-I usually fill up my gas tank slowly to let the pump to meter correctly.

- And if a station fails on giving me 2 decent tanks I dont go back there...

 

[Nix]

It would be neat if someone could come out with a rapid octane purity test you could do pump side with just a couple drops. I dunno if people would really waste the time to do it though.

 

[andre12dbsi]

When I was considering the car I wanted to buy, I factored in what the manufacturer recommended for fuel. As someone already said, how do we know more than the Honda engineers? I mean wouldn't they want to advertise the Si as capable to use regular fuel if they thought it could or should? Seems like good marketing....a sports car that takes regular fuel. If they say premium, I figure it's for a reason.

Here is the numbers I used when figuring how much more it costs to run regular fuel. I'll use Canadian numbers.

Premium is normally 10 cents a liter more than regular.

The car averages 9 liters per 100 kms (I actually do better than that...but I'll use this for an average)....so 90 cents more per 100 kms to use premium.

I normally travel 24k kms a year.

At the end of the year, using those numbers, it works out to $216 more a year to run premium than it does regular. I figure $18 a month is a relatively small price to pay for the car to perform as it should. I realize everyone's situation is different. All I'm saying is that it should be something to consider when thinking about what car to buy.

 

[Brooksie365]

Those are good points about filling up. It's so hard to tell a difference in mpg cause my car fluctuates between 23 and 19 mpg depending how I drive. So it's hard to tell a bad fill up. Any other obvious signs besides pinging and mpg?

 

[Nix]

A lot of newer cars have knock detection sensors and will retard the timing to not damage the engine. You may not notice a decrease in mileage but your car will be under performing. Loss of power sort of thing.

 

[trustdestruction]

A lot of newer cars have knock detection sensors and will retard the timing to not damage the engine. You may not notice a decrease in mileage but your car will be under performing. Loss of power sort of thing.

Octane matters, brand and additives not so much. They all have additives, they just call them by different commercial names like Techron and V-Power. The cheap stations have additives too.

It all boils down to how well the gas stations maintains the equipment and whether or not they are trying to scam their customers by not giving you the octane you paid for

 

[2013SiSedan]

This thread has definitely been refreshing. Most gas stations I've been to have up to 91 octane, and I read my "reference guide" the other day after filling up at Canadian Tire Gas Bar where premium was WAY cheaper than all the other gas stations around. Now I'm keeping in mind the 3 gas stations from the 4 in the list (as I've never seen a "Chevron Canada" anywhere I've been, or on GasBuddy for that matter).

Octane matters, brand and additives not so much. They all have additives, they just call them by different commercial names like Techron and V-Power. The cheap stations have additives too.

It all boils down to how well the gas stations maintains the equipment and whether or not they are trying to scam their customers by not giving you the octane you paid for

Yes, however the amount of and kinds of detergents (additives) different gas stations put in varies.