Does premium gas really help?

Justin Scholten
Student #784781
Career Life Connections 11
Miles Koshman
April 12, 2019
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Introduction

Determining whether Premium Gas is better than Regular Gas has many people wondering which should I

choose? Premium fuel and Regular fuel have many differences which can change the operation of your vehicle.

Differences such as the octane grade, refining process and price are just a few items to keep in mind.

Determining which fuel is right for you and your vehicle relies on many factors. Some of the many factors to

look at would be the type of vehicle you own, the kind of performance you want out of your vehicle, and what

kind of overall driving habits you have. Using the wrong type of gas than what your vehicle should be using can

have negative effects on your vehicle. Some of the things that can go wrong because of using an incorrect fuel

are things such as fuel efficiency, power loss, and damage to your engine. Whether or not you choose Premium

gas or Regular gas for your vehicle depends on what you believe is the best for your vehicle and its

performance.

Differences

There are many differences between vehicle fuels or gases, some of which you might never have known about.

One obvious difference between gases, is that they have different octane grades. At most gas stations that you

go to, they will have three different levels of gas. The first one is 87 Octane, the most commonly used fuel,

which is your regular run of the mill gas. The next level of gas has an Octane grade of 89, and this is your mid-

grade fuel. This gas is not used as often as the other levels of gas. Premium gas, which has an Octane level of 92

or 93, is the highest level of gas and is usually used in high-end vehicles or Super Cars. The higher the octane

level you use in your car, the more “boom” you will get meaning you get more power using less fuel.
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There are so many differences in gases that you probably never think about when you fill your vehicle up at the

pump. For instance, the higher the octane level of the fuel you are using, the better fuel economy you will get.

You will get slightly better fuel economy using Premium gas than you would using Regular Unleaded gas.

Premium fuel contains a detergent and additives that help the engine perform better as well as decrease the

emissions or pollution your vehicle expels. Engines that run on Premium fuel will usually run more efficiently

and produce less emissions and exhaust than an engine that uses regular fuel. Premium gas typically costs about

20 cents more per litre than regular gas. There are no advantages to your vehicles performance if you use high

octane fuel when it only requires regular gas, however if you use regular gas in a vehicle that requires Premium

fuel, you will ruin the engine and your vehicle’s performance.

What is the right gas for you

Knowing what the right fuel for your vehicle is, should be something you investigate prior to filling up your

tank. If you don’t already know which gas to choose, you should check the sticker inside the fuel door as it is a

mandatory requirement for the manufacturer to put that information on your vehicle. If for some reason your

vehicle does not have that sticker, you can also check the owner’s manual. Another way to find out which type

of fuel to fill your tank with, is to see what the manufacturer recommends for the best performance and fuel

economy. If your vehicle requires premium fuel, the sticker inside your fuel door will say Premium unleaded

fuel only, which tells you that that is the required fuel for your vehicle. “Cars are designed to run best with a

specific type of fuel.” (Prischak, 2017). You must ask yourself what kind of performance you want out of your

vehicle. You also must decide whether you want better mileage or just an average vehicle. This will help you to

make your fuel decisions as well as what the recommended fuel is.

Using the right fuel can lead to long term effects which will help your vehicle live a longer life. When using the

right fuel meant for your car, it will help your car achieve maximum engine performance. Using the correct
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level of octane in your vehicle will allow for the most horsepower and torque the engine can offer you. If you

want to help the economy when choosing which fuel to use, then a lower grade octane is recommended.

Choosing the right fuel for you also depends on your spending budget, as premium gas is more expensive than

regular gas. "Some luxury brands, such as BMW and Mercedes, have high-compression engines and require the

use of premium gas to prevent the engine from knocking." (Moor, 2016). Using the right fuel in your car is not

only the right thing for your car, but it will also help to increase the lifespan of your car and decrease repair

expenses.

Effects of using the wrong gas

The worst thing to happen, is when something goes wrong with your vehicle and you must spend a lot of

unexpected money to have it repaired. If you use a gas with an octane level too low then what is meant for your

vehicle, it may combust too fast for your engine and cause extensive damage to your car. Using fuel with a

lower then recommended octane level for your vehicle may also reduce the power and fuel economy your

vehicle once had. Your engine might start to make a knocking noise, which is never a good thing. With the

wrong fuel in your engine, it can lead to overheating, which can also lead to extremely costly damages. With all

these different things that could occur due to an incorrect fuel choice, your vehicles performance is an added

headache as well.

Some of the effects of what happens to your vehicle due to incorrect fueling habits can cost you far more money

than you expected to spend on vehicle upkeep and maintenance. If you put a fuel in your car that has a higher

level of octane then required, it is okay, but it just costs more. Filling your tank with a fuel that has a lower than

required octane level can really damage your engine. If you put a high-octane fuel into a regular octane vehicle

thinking it will increase the performance and speed of your vehicle, you will soon learn that this actually slows
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your vehicle down because it has less energy. If you ruin your engine because you put a fuel in with the wrong

octane, you may also void your warranty. The acceleration of your vehicle will decrease over time if you use

regular gas in a car that requires Premium fuel. When running regular gas in a vehicle that is meant for

Premium gas you can also end up damaging the pistons, valves and spark plugs causing more frustration and a

lot of unnecessary expenses.

Conclusion

Choosing between Premium gas and Regular gas all depends on what you feel is right for your vehicle and what

type of performance you want out of your vehicle. You must consider the differences between Premium fuel

and Regular fuel and which one is recommended for your particular car. When determining which fuel is right

for you, take into consideration the budget you have, the type of vehicle you own, and your driving habits.

When fueling up your vehicle, it is very important to use the correct fuel, so that you don’t do any damage to

your car or its engine. You want to use the fuel meant for your car, so that you can achieve the best fuel

efficiency, the most power your vehicle is meant to give, and have your vehicle last you a lifetime. Remember

when you gas up, do what’s right for your car.

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References

Moor, T. (2016, January 22). What Is the Difference Between Regular and Premium Gas? Retrieved from
https://www.angieslist.com/articles/what-difference-between-regular-and-premium-gas.htm.

Gold, A., & Gold, A. (n.d.). The Best Type of Gas for Your Car. Retrieved from
https://www.thoughtco.com/what-kind-of-gasoline-to-use-532752.

Prischak, A. (2017, May 23). The Difference between Regular and Premium Gas. Retrieved from
https://www.erieinsurance.com/blog/regular-and-premium-gas.

Economist, T. (2012, September 17). Here's The Real Difference Between Premium And Regular Gas.
Retrieved from https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-premium-gas-2012-9.