Gasoline is sold with a price sign…Most drivers are very price sensitive when it comes to buying gasoline and paying more for it than you have to or need to will always meet a lot of resistance…Most cars will run fine on regular, regardless of what the owners manual says and that being the case, most cars get filled up with regular…Only if a problem is noticed will car owners press that “Premium” button…What I find amazing is how much “Mid-Grade” gets sold when not a single car maker recommends or requires it…There are probably a lot of older “Premium Fuel” cars struggling along on this 50-50 blend…
@cdaquila, thanks for the link. There is a lot of good information there, and after reading it, I’m rethinking my stance on high octane fuel.
Tom and Ray seem to think that, on most modern cars, most of us can get away with using 87 octane gasoline, even on cars that say they require premium fuel. This comes as a complete surprise to me. Tom and Ray also seem to think there is a cost savings in using 87 octane fuel in a high compression engine. That also goes against what I thought.
Against my advice, my mother has been using 87 octane fuel in her 2002 Toyota Sienna. It hasn’t caused any knocking or pinging, and she doesn’t seem to notice or care about the loss of performance. I do notice it when I drive her car, but it’s her car, so I don’t press the point.
@wesw Just about any drive-up or walk in espresso stand will get you for $5 or so for a venti latte with your choice of flavors, etc. Add in a scone, muffin, or whatever for a breakfast snack and you’ll easily spend $7-$9 a day on coffee.
A pack of Pall Mall non-filters costs me $9.79
Enough lunch to keep me from being hungry again at 3:00 will run me $8-$10 at Wendy’s, Subway, McDonalds, etc. Trying not to eat that junk every day, so a decent lunch at a coffee shop or whatever is easily $12 or more.
Welcome to the Seattle area, home of the $1800/month 2 bedroom apartment and the $15 minimum wage.
Truth is Caddyman I agree with you. But I just can’t see that a monthly budget that allows a BMW/Mercedes/Acura/Jaguar can in any way be affected by a difference of $5 per tank of gas.
But I suppose that implies that some thoughtful planning went into deciding to drive that kind of car.
To get me to pay Starbucks’ price for a cup of coffee you’d have to beat me senseless with a tire iron. Respect to those Starbucks fans among us.
I tried Starbucks coffee once, but the coffee tasted like they burnt their beans before they made the coffee. Did not care for it.
“I tried Starbucks coffee once, but the coffee tasted like they burnt their beans before they made the coffee. Did not care for it.”
I guess that this reality is why true authorities on coffee usually refer to that chain as “Charbucks”.
I will drink their overpriced brew if nothing else is available, but I always remind the “barista” to leave a lot of room in the cup for cream. And even then, I usually wind up pouring some coffee out of the cup–into their waste receptacle–in order to make enough room for the amount of cream that I feel is necessary in order to temper the bitterness.
Also this about starbucks(mild language):
I like strong coffee. The Starbucks blend is usually Pikes Place roast around here. It’s OK, but there are others I like more. I used to be a big fan of Einstein Bros. Euro blend, but it got so watered down that I stopped going there entirely. I don’t order coffee when I’m out these days. I make it at home. I’ve taken a shine to the Trader Joes coffees. Several are free trade and they deal directly with the farmers. The growers get more money and I assume that TJs pays less. The prices are good for the consumer, too.
its funny that we are still discussing premium over regular, just different liquid
I suppose in one respect debating the merits of Starbucks vs the others is about premium vs regular fuel…but that’s not really what we’re doing here. 
Could you bring it back to the original subject? Thanks.
@wesw, jinx!
I ll buy you a soda!
since coffee is off limits…
@Caddyman
…What I find amazing is how much “Mid-Grade” gets sold when not a single car maker recommends or requires it…
It has its uses. I used to have a '94 Geo Metro that started pinging on 87 when climbing hills and the mid grade made the pinging stop. I also used to use it in a '94 Suzuki DR650 motorcycle I had, it would ping on 87 but mid grade was enough in winter. On the hottest days of summer, it would need premium.
It’s also a good gasoline for old vehicles designed for leaded regular.
speaking of that. what is the best gas for and old car that used leaded gas? do they need an additive? I realize ethanol free is better for them
Anyone remember Amoco 100 octane lead-free premium gasoline?? Clear as water…This product was sold mid 1950’s through the 1960’s…
https://www.google.com/search?q=Oldsmobile+ultra+high+compression+picture&tbm=isch&imgil=kT5SRCyhL8HBGM%3A%3B0TdBq2zzPE7BIM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.rubbertherightway.com%252F1967-oldsmobile-restoration-parts-jetfire-66354-prd1.htm&source=iu&fir=kT5SRCyhL8HBGM%3A%2C0TdBq2zzPE7BIM%2C_&usg=__Ov1uQ0QknNLzruPVsjGl5L88O0Y%3D&sa=X&ei=gYcGVOXRGM3GgwT5_IHAAQ&ved=0CCYQ9QEwAw&biw=1024&bih=546#facrc=&imgdii=&imgrc=kT5SRCyhL8HBGM%253A%3B0TdBq2zzPE7BIM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.rubbertherightway.com%252Fimages_products%252F1967-oldsmobile-jetfire-ultra-high-66354big.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.rubbertherightway.com%252F1967-oldsmobile-restoration-parts-jetfire-66354-prd1.htm%3B260%3B256
I believe the old leaded regular was 89 octane so the mid grade is sort of a replacement for leaded regular.
There are additives available for the ancient cars that need something to help the valves seat properly.
Ethanol free is not just better for them, but old fuel systems contain parts that cannot stand up to the ethanol without suffering chemical attack.
Re: the question of “why do they sell midgrade”… that’s an excellent question. It’d be interesting to know how much midgrade stations actually sell relative to 87 and high test. I suppose there are those whose cars only need 87 that think mid grade is better and are willing to pay the extra cost, not realizing they’re just throwing away money. But, hey, if it helps them sleep better I suppose it’s a good thing. Sunoco’s approach of offering multiple levels is, I suppose, analogous to Dunkin Doughnuts selling a wide selection of doughnuts. If people want choice, it’s good business to give it to them, even if it’s meaningless.
I can’t speak for everyone, but I think the reason mid-grade came into being was related to the end of leaded gasoline. Back then many gas stations still had 3 pumps on each island, one for regular, one for unleaded, one for premium. No more regular. What do you do with the pump and hoses, not to mention the 10,000 gallon underground tanks and plumbing. Just let them sit there and rot away? No, find a product, create a need, and there you go.