I saw an old discussion about using Hi-test - or not. There are a couple of stations (in upstate NY) that sell ethanol free gas. I was told to put it in my lawnmower – but what about the car? Does it provide higher mileage or better lubrication - or anything? (Currently have a 2001 Subaru Outback w/6 cyl. engine - oh, and a rusted out rear crossbar support)
It may be Ethanol Free…then it probably contains MTBE. I’m pretty sure ALL gas sold in NY has to have some form of oxygenater (Ethanol or MTBE).
You don’t need Ethanol free gas in your lawnmower if you use a good fuel stabilizer, which you should probably use either way. Regarding your car, it is made for fuel containing up to 10% Ethanol, so there really is no benefit from Ethanol free fuel for your car, other than slightly higher fuel economy, which will be negated if you have to drive out of your way to get it.
Newer motorized equipment will tolerate ethanol without any problems…Older small engines with diaphragm (pumper) type carbs have had problems… But by now all of this stuff has been exposed to E10 fuel and has been repaired or replaced…
You might get a little better mileage, but probably not enough to justify the extra cost of premium.
IMHO, the whole ethanol-free premium thing should be illegal (unless there is an ethanol-free regular offered as well). This is basically the same thing as back in the old days when gas stations only used to put the “good” additive package in the premium gas. The FTC made them stop doing this around the same time as they made them stop trying to sell premium gas to people who didn’t need it.
How did the FTC know a gas station was trying to sell someone preminum gas “that didn’t need it”?
Are you concerned about higher gas mileage for your car, or better grass mileage from your mower? I’ll bet you won’t notice a differnce between the cheap stuff and the expensive stuff in either case.
Exactly how old-school are you? The basic premise of a large portion of vintage gasoline advertising was that your car, no matter what you drive, would benefit from using such and such Premium/Ultra/Super. Which, as we know, isn’t true.
It wasn’t even that long ago that the Oil companies were advertising this…I’m pretty sure less then 10. Deceptive advertising.