Since we get so many posts from people asking if “regular” is OK for their “preminum” auto I wonder what makes this issue so important to people, as if they did the math it does not appear (at least to me) that there is so much money involved, so any idea on just what the issue is?
In many cases there is no money involved. Using regular when premium is recommended, may well costing more because you likely will get fewer miles per gallon. It also is possible that using regular when premium is required, can damage you engine.
There is nothing to gain by using premium when it is not specifically required or recommended and it can even be bad fro your car.
I think it’s a decision they have to make every time they pull up to the pump…‘should I???’. They should just decide once, and quit worrying about it.
I think it may have to with people trying to live beyond their means. They like the idea of driving a nicer car, but they don’t want to spend the money to properly maintain such cars. It’s no coincidence that BMW’s have first two or three years of maintence/service on the house.
IMHO if you can’t afford to properly maintain your car, then have no business buying such a vehicle.
Interesting side note, in MN last week 91 octane at the pump was listed as no ethanol and for off road vehicles only. The price included regular taxes, as you can find marinas with no road tax thus cheaper gas. Anyone else seen that note and know what it means?
Because larger numbers are scary. 
I knew my Mazda was gonna take 91+ before I even bought it, and haven’t had any trouble remembering to hit the button for it. The only down side is my last fill up cost almost $50 with $3.05/gallon fuel. The only thing I really miss from my Civic is that little 11.9 gallon fuel tank, but then I wouldn’t be able to go very far with it.
It means Minnesota’s gas laws are screwed up. Royally.
They’re even talking about mandating E-20, which will damage many engines, including ones in some newer cars.
My car gets 40-44 mpg on 87 unleaded. Even so, I estimate that it will burn $18,000 of gas during its projected 300,000 mile life. I buy about $1500 of gas a year to commute to work and do the needed weekend driving.
It’s funny how trivial mediocre gas mileage and the need for premium seems when you pay for it in weekly $40-50 dollar installments.
For me, mediocre gas mileage and needing premium are deal breakers when I shop for a car.
The guys at work wonder how I can afford an annual ski vacation, on the other hand, I wonder how they can afford to commute to work in 15 mpg SUVs.
I commuted to work (25 miles each way) for 8 years in a SUV that averages 9-11 MPG, it wasn’t a big deal. I knew what the fuel mileage was going to be before I bought the vehicle and it was acceptable to me. Contrary to popular belief fuel costs are one of the lesser expenses in automobile ownership.
I was going to say the same thing…
From personal experience, I used to put a tank of premium in my 1997 Taurus (only needs regular) every great once in awhile out of force of old habit (extra detergents story).
Then I noticed that I was averaging about 22.5 mpg city with premium vs. 21 mpg with regular… meaning the cost for premium was about the same at current prices, and LOWER when gas was $3+ per gallon.
But it’s still an expense, along with the thousand dollar set of tires that a big suv needs, the depreciation, and insurance and maintenance. I think I’ll keep my small car.
When I was a young adult, I lived paycheck to paycheck because I thought it was no big deal to drive thirsty cars, eat out all the time, ride my motorcycle to nowhere in particular on the weekends, etc., and individually, they are no big deal, but together they add up.
I drive an economy car, I brown bag my lunch, watch old fashioned “wireless” TV, and my cell phone is just only a phone. We spend ourselves into debt the same way we eat ourselves fat, one small bite at a time.
Just an idea, but do you think it is posible that people feel embarassed in a way to drive a “preminum required” car? something like not wanting to flaunt their wealth, an exit from the days of consumption, if just for a short time.
Well, I’m in my early 30’s and my house is already paid off, My cars were paid for in cash, and now my commute is 4 miles. I’m fortunate enough to have been taut about money and how to invest it properly from an early age by my grandfather, who incidently is a pretty wealthy guy. I do live somewhat beneath my means, it’s a habit that’s served me well thus far. I have friends that overextended themselves and have had a rough go at it recent years. Frankly I don’t think anyone should have to tell you that if you bring home 55k a year, then you shouldn’t buy an 800k house and have two BMWs in the driveway. But some people, mainly young people, don’t seem to get that.
I don’t understand what the big deal is with people not wanting to spend an extra 20 cents a gallon to fuel an expensive car. If you buy 20 gallons of fuel, it ends up costing four dollars more than regular would have, and you will get worse fuel economy and may even damage your engine, either way more than negating your ‘savings’ by using fuel your car was not designed to use. Could this be called penny wise, pound foolish?