# Gas and octane **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [December 2, 2008, 12:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-and-octane/22826 "2008-12-02T12:45:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wdiewald](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/0ea827/32.png) [@wdiewald](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wdiewald)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 12:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-and-octane/22826/1 "2008-12-02T12:45:03Z")
I received this recently from a friend. He had watched Andy Rooney who noted that the pricing of the three grades of gasoline was disproportionate and the folks using Mid-grade fuel were getting ripped off. Since he drives a car requiring Mid-grade, he fills half his tank with Premium & half with Regular. He noted his price savings. My friend noticed recent the pricing at a station: Regular (87 Octane) - $1.83 Mid-grade (89 Octane) - $1.98 Premium (93 Octane) - $2.08 So, if you get 18 gallons of gas and use 2/3 Regular plus 1/3 Premium (optimal mix), you get the same octane as buying Mid-grade and save $1.20. A couple of months ago, the savings would likely have been double this amount. Is this a reasonable conclusion or is there something about ocance rating that confuses this result? ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 1:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-and-octane/22826/2 "2008-12-02T13:01:15Z")
If you knew how much gas you needed before you started filling the tank (and were good at fractions) I suppose this would work. Seems like a lot of hassle for a buck, though, especially on a cold, windy day. I just make sure I buy cars that run on regular. ---
**Author:** ![FoDaddy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/fodaddy/32/717_2.png) [@FoDaddy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/FoDaddy)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 1:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-and-octane/22826/3 "2008-12-02T13:15:43Z")
I agree, it sounds like going through a lot of hassle to save a few pennies. Also what vehicles today require mid-grade? I know the Dodge Hemi powered vehicles recommend it. But every other vehicle that I know of either recommends regular or premium. With that said, Andy Rooney has never struck me as a gearhead, so I’m not sure if I would put too much stock in his automotive advice. ---
**Author:** ![lion9car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lion9car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lion9car)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 1:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-and-octane/22826/4 "2008-12-02T13:16:47Z")
This works fine. It’s just a hassle. ---
**Author:** ![metal249](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/13edae/32.png) [@metal249](https://community.cartalk.com/u/metal249)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 1:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-and-octane/22826/5 "2008-12-02T13:50:53Z")
The new hemi will knock no matter what octane fuel you put in it, and Dodge says that is normal! ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 8:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-and-octane/22826/6 "2008-12-02T20:56:15Z")
The conclusion is reasonable, the inconvenience immense. I like Andy Rooney. But he has to be taken very lightly. His editorials are meant as very light entertainment, not advice for living. ---
**Author:** ![andrew\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@andrew\_j](https://community.cartalk.com/u/andrew_j)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 9:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-and-octane/22826/7 "2008-12-02T21:05:32Z")
The sad thing about all this octane business is at least my locale the difference between buying premium vs regular has always been $0.20/more for premium. So now the difference as a percentage is greater since premium retails for $1.91/gallon vs regular at $1.71/gallon. This past summer premium was $4.09 and regular at $3.89. Even back when fuel was $1.00/gallon I remember paying $1.20/gallon for Jetta GLI 16v which recommended it. Then I was really paying a lot more for it. Mixing is fine. My wife does it on occasion if she is at 2/3 full with 93 she asks for regular. Her vehicle absolutely requires 91 octane. ---
**Author:** ![Ranck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@Ranck](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Ranck)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 7:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-and-octane/22826/8 "2008-12-03T19:16:29Z")
Is Andy Rooney recycling his old commentaries? Or, is your friend just watching old ones on YouTube or something? I remember this rant of his from the early 1980s.