In Part 1 of the 15 Ways to Save Money on Gasoline article, I suggested buying lower octane fuel as a way to save money. Well, Kristen would disagree with me and it looks like she’s done her research to back that up. Here’s what she emailed in:
We’ve heard that by upgrading your fuel octane lever, you can get better gas mileage. Since one of our vehicles is a truck, we are always looking for ways to cut back on our gas costs. We actually spent a month calculating the miles we got at octane level 87 and 89. We found that while 89 was on average $0.03 more per gallon, we actually get better gas mileage with it.
My husband gets 11.6 miles per gallon on our truck with 87 and 12.6 miles per gallon with 89. We have a 26-gallon tank, so basically we get one more mile per gallon when using 89. That means we get 26 extra miles per fill-up! Looking at our mpg, we save about two gallons’ worth of gas each time we fill up (the amount will vary depending on gas prices; it’s anywhere from $6-$8 per trip).
For example:
26 gallons at $3.50 per gallon of 87 = 301.6 miles for $91.00 ($0.302 cents per mile)
26 gallons at $3.60 per gallon of 89 = 327.6 miles $93.60 ($0.286 cents per mile)This might not sound like much, but when you purchase 100+ gallons of fuel per month, it adds up quickly. Depending upon gas prices and mileage, we will save at least $100 to $120 per year by using higher octane fuel.
I’m curious: have any of the rest of you calculated whether or not you save money by buying higher octane fuel?
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I just wanted to share that according to the US Dept of Energy, you SHOULD user a higher octane if your engine is knocking and pinging (ours does this on lower octane):
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/autos/aut12.shtm
Wow, hot topic! I actually read thru all the comments and had to add my $.02. We mainly drive diesel vehicles, so I have no opinion whatsoever on octane levels.
) and turn off your overdrive when you’re driving under 45 mph (I don’t know if this will actually save fuel, but it’s better for your transmission because at lower speeds like that, your vehicle will actually shift back and forth between the two highest gears).
– If you drive alot, I would strongly urge you to consider a diesel vehicle. The VW Jetta (2006) that we had got 40+ mpg. It was sporty, responsive and roomy too!
– In ANY vehicle, as part of regular maintenance, check your air and fuel filters! Your engine has to work harder to pull air thru a dirty air filter and will burn more fuel to do so. Your fuel filter is there to protect your fuel pump. Filters are easier to change and cost much less than a new pump!
– The best way to save on fuel is to really watch the way you drive. Don’t floor it every time you take off, stay around 60 mph (as long as the posted speed limit isn’t 55
We had an 02 jetta TDI. No savings what so ever once you consider how EXPENSIVE they are to fix when something breaks down. And the low sulfur diesel they have gone to is junk. We are so glad to be rid of that car and now I have an 01 Honda 5-speed manual (gas). I get just as good of mileage in it and it is so much cheaper to maintain! just my .02…
It really depends on your car, I know that all german vehicles it is better for but for most japanses normal octane is fine. So I’d ask the car dealer, also if it is better for your car in the long run it will cost you less. so gas stations have better deals on higher octanes look for those.
We have a Ford Expedition.
My husband has done detailed calculations (he has a spreadsheet even) and says that he gets better mileage with the higher octane. I still cringe when I with him and he fills it up though, despite logic!
LOL my husband did the same thing when he figured this out. He’s very into his spreadsheets!
I drive a 96 Volvo, and find that I get ten, yes 10, miles a gallon better mileage (31 as opposed to 21) buying non-ethanol gas as what is regularly sold, even over premium. I often have to pay as much as $0.10 a gallon more, but it is well worth it.
I work for Volkswagen, and after reading this I went out to our shop to talk to one of our Master Certified techs to get facts based on experience. He says that the biggest advantage of using higher octane fuel is that it does burn cleaner, therefore creating less wear and tear on your engine. He also said that it does save you money on your gas mileage, and while you really do have to factor is cost per gallon versus savings per gallon, overall it’s better for your engine. I can tell you from seeing so many astronomically high repair bills coming across my desk (I’m an extended warranty administrator) that anything you can do to save wear and tear on your engine is worth it. I own a 2005 Jetta GLI 6-speed turbo, and it was recommended that I use higher octane, and I did..at first. I switched to lower because I was trying to save money and the knocking began and my car was not accelerating like it did on higher octane – meaning I had to step harder on the gas, using more. With my car already being in the 160k range, I’m going to do what I need to do to take care of it. We have so many customers who do regular maintenance, use higher octane, and they drive their cars into the 400k-500k range. That’s amazing. But if you do choose lower octane, be sure to use fuel injector cleaner. Also, when purchasing a car, especially a newer model, make sure you are clear from the beginning on what kind of oil your car uses. Volkswagens MUST have full synthetic, and a lot of newer Nissans I know use full synthetic. We have a lot of frustration around here when people buy a VW from an individual or a small used car lot, and don’t know to use full synthetic. They have their cars towed here, and 90% of the time need an entire new engine because they either changed the oil themselves using standard, or took it to a 10-minute oil change location who didn’t know the difference. Even if they bring it into us for their first oil change after buying it from one of these places and not knowing about the oil, when they find out the price of a synthetic oil change versus a standard oil change, they go through the roof. In short – be an informed buyer!
I can’t say myself whether the octane affects mileage – the amount of ethanol surly does. However, if anyone wants to “experiment” to see if they get better mileage with a higher octane, be sure to also not WHERE those miles were. My husband keeps up with my gas mileage – I give him my receipts and he keeps a spreadsheet. He’ll occasionally tell me that I got better mileage in a particular week; every time it’s been in a week when I had some highway mileage. Most of my driving is in town with a lot of red light, picking up kids, etc. But every now and then, I have a shopping trip up the interstate 20 miles, and that one trip increases my MPG significantly. Idling at red lights is definitely wasteful!
Around here 89 octane gas has ethanol in it. That lowers your mileage. 87 doesn’t have ethanol so we get better milage with it. It is also 10 cents more expensive. But the gain in mileage we get we come out ahead. I actually have found no gain in mileage with the 91 octane over the 87 in my car. Yet my husband does get better mileage with 91 over 87 in his vehicle. You just need to make sure it doesn’t have ethanol it. Not only will it lower your milage but it is actually bad for your car.
If you use fuel that is too cheap, depending of course, on the needs of your type vehicle’s engine, you WILL PAY FOR IT BIG TIME, in car repairs. We have friends here with a nearly identical make car to ours and they will drive MILES to find gas a penny cheaper (is this what is called pennywise and pound foolish)…and they have had to have so much work done on their car engine too! We have not. My hubby used the mid level octane, and sometimes adds a bit of the higher level as well as some marvel mystery oil in both gas and oil, every so often…helps keep things running cleaner. Our 2000 model intrepid still gets nearly as good gas mileage as when it was new. He does frequent oil changes, too….everything he can do…changes filters, etc. These are not expensive items, but they will make a difference in the long run for your engine. Another thing we try to do, is to let the engine warm up a little before leaving the driveway…engines will last longer if you take good care of them. Both hubby and I come from families who have done car repairs for their living…hope this helps.
A friend who lives in Charlotte, NC where like most big cities today, all the fuel has some ethanol in it, said his friend who works on car engines said that since this change in the fuel, their work to replace filters, fix gummed up engines, etc. has gone up 1000%! Something to think about. When we were on a long trip recently and that was the only fuel available, hubby made sure to go to Walmart and get some of the additives that are to help your engine NOT get gummed up from that stuff…
I concur with Kristen. I have an older 3/4 ton truck, and the difference in mileage is enough to be worth higher octane fuel for me. I don’t have exact numbers to send in, but all of my tests have indicated that the difference was worth it.
I appreciate the tip. I am inspired to do the math on my own vehicles with our local prices to see what works best for us.
My car requires 91, but it does seem like 89 can go a long way more in the average car than 87. $0.10/gallon isn’t that much, as Kristen’s calculations prove. For similar reasons, I would suggest higher quality gas such as Chevron (Texaco) and Shell over Arco (BP). Your will last longer, and the money you save on maintenance and repairs outweighs the small increase in gas costs. Elizabeth and others put it well.
You get what you pay for, and if you go cheap for the short-term you have to pay in the long-term, and this applies to many areas of life.
I would suggest that this issue be approached with extreme caution… please read and confir with your vehicle’s manufacturer. Many engines are designed for the lower octain. Mine is. When you use a higher octain gas in an engine, like mine (Prism), it can actually damage your engine. No one wants repair costs.
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