# Octane enhancement **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [September 29, 2008, 2:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/octane-enhancement/20123 "2008-09-29T02:25:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![barrdu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e5b9ba/32.png) [@barrdu](https://community.cartalk.com/u/barrdu)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 2:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/octane-enhancement/20123/1 "2008-09-29T02:25:54Z")
Atlanta is out of premium gas. Can an additive be added to regular to raise octane to 93 to operate my BMW M3? ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://community.cartalk.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 2:32am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/octane-enhancement/20123/2 "2008-09-29T02:32:39Z")
First off, read your owner’s manual. If it only says premium recommended as opposed to premium required, you’ll be fine with regular and that’s what I’d do. If it is required, you can use an octane booster BUT be sure you read the directions carefully-- some brands will require a LOT of octane boost to bring a whole tank of gas up to the correct octane. ---
**Author:** ![oldschool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e19adc/32.png) [@oldschool](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldschool)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 2:38am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/octane-enhancement/20123/3 "2008-09-29T02:38:27Z")
Just “google” octane booster and you will have a evenings reading and your will understand that any answer from CT must be framed correctly. ---
**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:** [September 29, 2008, 12:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/octane-enhancement/20123/4 "2008-09-29T12:24:39Z")
This is a BMW M3 the ultra performance model for BMW, it is required. If you look in the manual it likely will state something like you can use 87 octane if premium is unavailable(all my cars which required premium stated this) for a temporary period. Drive easy and it won’t effect the engine. It is really under extreme conditions that using premium actually matters.