Does using expensive gas actually give you better fuel economy?

Question

Does using expensive gas actually give you better fuel economy?

Answer 1

flat no...

most cars ,pickups and suv run just fine on the low octane or 87 or something... buying the higher octane is tossing money to the oil companies...

just a left over fad from the muscle cars days...different grades of octane for more hump...

as long as people believe it will .. they will keep buying.. if they keep buying it.. the oil companies will keep selling it

Answer 2

If you're talking higher octane vs. lower octane fuel, then no.

Answer 3

Only if your car is designed for the higher octane fuel, otherwise no, in fact premium fuel is slightly harder to ignite so in in an older car with weak ignition you might get worse mileage.

Answer 4

Unlike the previous answerers, I think you're asking if using a better brand of gasoline makes a difference and the answer is absolutely yes.  

People say gasoline is gasoline, which is partially true.  What we know as gasoline is a blend of petroleum products.  The blend primarily contains light paraffinic oils and an oxygenate, typically ethanol.  It also contains, a detergent to help remove buildup from your engine.  This is a federal law, all gasoline contains detergent.

The difference comes in the type and amount of detergent additives.  Discount gasolines add the federal minimum of generic detergent packages.  Brand name retailers develop their own detergent packages and as a general rule, these are more efficient and present at higher levels than discount offerings.

The Top Tier program was developed by auto makers who found that most gasolines did not meet the needs of their engines.  To qualify as a top tier fuel, all grades of your product must meet top tier standards, not just premium.  Buying regular gasoline from a top tier producer is a guarantee that you're giving your car the product needed to burn efficiently and clean itself for longer life.

I work for a top tier producer, but will recommend any brand on the list.  There are some major brands that do not appear on this list, so don't think because they're a name brand they're on the list.  Take a minute to check and find a brand you know and trust on there.

Octane is a measure of burn time, a higher number meaning a longer burn time.  If your car is designed for 87 octane, then adding 89, 91 or 93 octane only means that some of the gasoline is exiting your combustion chamber before it's completely burned.  You're actually wasting money.

Answer 5

As said, most cars run at peak on 87 octane. A FEW performance/sports cars may need a higher rating but most cars don't. One catch, if your old beater is pinging (misfiring) going up a rating (89) can prevent misfire which can help save a tiny bit of gas...but if you're driving a beater I doubt you'd shell out for the higher octane anyway. Additives are another joke not worth paying for. Just get 87 at a cheap station. All gas has the same standards, both the cheap and pricey stations.