Alternatives to paying for premium gas?
05-21-2015, 10:40 AM
#1
Race Director
Thread Starter
Alternatives to paying for premium gas?
Hey All,
Not a question for the Vette, but looking at a new daily driver and the cars I like tend to run on premium gas (91) which is 17 cents/litre more expensive than regular (87) based on a quick look at a gas pump yesterday.
So - on 60 litres that's $10 more per tank full - say 4 tank's a month $40/month or approx. $500 a year. Not a huge amount of money - but it adds up to a few $K over the years...
So - has anyone toyed with octane boosters added to 87 pump gas as a cheaper alternative to paying the higher prices for 89 or 91 gas?
Thanks
Not a question for the Vette, but looking at a new daily driver and the cars I like tend to run on premium gas (91) which is 17 cents/litre more expensive than regular (87) based on a quick look at a gas pump yesterday.
So - on 60 litres that's $10 more per tank full - say 4 tank's a month $40/month or approx. $500 a year. Not a huge amount of money - but it adds up to a few $K over the years...
So - has anyone toyed with octane boosters added to 87 pump gas as a cheaper alternative to paying the higher prices for 89 or 91 gas?
Thanks
05-21-2015, 10:55 AM
#5
Race Director
Thread Starter
But seriously my car was tuned for 91 gas back when the pro-charger was installed and has not hiccupped once in 7 years of ownership - no codes, blips or anything...the tuner knew what he was doing I guess.
05-21-2015, 11:04 AM
#6
Safety Car
You're too much Dan - I like starting threads in here cause it's a ton of fun to jostle with you
But seriously my car was tuned for 91 gas back when the pro-charger was installed and has not hiccupped once in 7 years of ownership - no codes, blips or anything...the tuner knew what he was doing I guess.
But seriously my car was tuned for 91 gas back when the pro-charger was installed and has not hiccupped once in 7 years of ownership - no codes, blips or anything...the tuner knew what he was doing I guess.
J/K .... most mid/higher end imports require 91 octane now, they use smaller engines with higher output and are classed as ULEV - ultra low emissions vehicles as compared to LEV - low emissions vehicles... they run a lot of timing in a small engine to squeeze out the HP and low emissions hence the requirement for 91.... most higher end 'merican cars will say "91 0ctane recommended".... but will run well on 87... you'll just see a bit less km per tank than you would if running 91.... tried it, seen it, firends tried it, took courses in it etc....
even the C5 says "91 octane recommended".... most european cars will say "91 octane required"....
05-21-2015, 11:05 AM
#7
Race Director
Depending on which brand you buy, boost can be as low as $5 a bottle to as much as $100 a bottle. Wouldn't it be cheaper just to buy the 91? At least, right now anyways. Maybe when it's $1.60/litre for the 91, it might be less expensive to go with the 87 and boost.
Plus with 87, you will run into the whole ethanol thing, which could end up costing you down the road in engine repairs. Not sure if that matters to you for your DD.
Anyways, just throwing that out there.
05-21-2015, 11:22 AM
#8
Le Mans Master
TDI?
My wife drives a 2013 VW Passat TDI (auto), We use it on long trips and get 5.2 - 5.5 L/100km with it. @7L/100km in city driving. You'd pay a bit more up front for the diesel, but its worth that at trade in time. In the past 15 years we've had a VW diesel car for 11 of those (VW gasser for 4) and never had a diesel related issue. Actually, the ONLY issue we ever had was a wheel bearing went bad on the '06 Jetta. Most of them had 100k to 125k in the years we drove them.
90% of our driving in on the highway though.
Diesel up my way is about 1.13/L. 55L will take us about 975km on a tank.
Now my DD pickup is diesel as well. I don't drive it for fuel mileage. It weighs @7500lbs and 4x4, I get 13L/100km on the highway.
dodosmike
My wife drives a 2013 VW Passat TDI (auto), We use it on long trips and get 5.2 - 5.5 L/100km with it. @7L/100km in city driving. You'd pay a bit more up front for the diesel, but its worth that at trade in time. In the past 15 years we've had a VW diesel car for 11 of those (VW gasser for 4) and never had a diesel related issue. Actually, the ONLY issue we ever had was a wheel bearing went bad on the '06 Jetta. Most of them had 100k to 125k in the years we drove them.
90% of our driving in on the highway though.
Diesel up my way is about 1.13/L. 55L will take us about 975km on a tank.
Now my DD pickup is diesel as well. I don't drive it for fuel mileage. It weighs @7500lbs and 4x4, I get 13L/100km on the highway.
dodosmike
05-21-2015, 11:38 AM
#10
Burning Brakes
If you are near a Costco gasoline station...the premium price for 91 octane gasoline isn't too bad.
Costco premium 91 octane gasoline currently is at $1.159/L.
(87 octane gasoline is currently at $1.049/L.)
Major bands down the street are currently at $1.119/L for regular gasoline.
Costco premium 91 octane gasoline currently is at $1.159/L.
(87 octane gasoline is currently at $1.049/L.)
Major bands down the street are currently at $1.119/L for regular gasoline.
05-21-2015, 11:57 AM
#11
Race Director
Thread Starter
Good input guys - Tx
I am thinking of an ATS - the I4 Turbo....
The gas thing won't keep me from buying one, but just thought I would ask around to see if anyone does anything creative.
I am thinking of an ATS - the I4 Turbo....
The gas thing won't keep me from buying one, but just thought I would ask around to see if anyone does anything creative.
05-21-2015, 12:53 PM
#13
Race Director
If you are near a Costco gasoline station...the premium price for 91 octane gasoline isn't too bad.
Costco premium 91 octane gasoline currently is at $1.159/L.
(87 octane gasoline is currently at $1.049/L.)
Major bands down the street are currently at $1.119/L for regular gasoline.
Costco premium 91 octane gasoline currently is at $1.159/L.
(87 octane gasoline is currently at $1.049/L.)
Major bands down the street are currently at $1.119/L for regular gasoline.
I found out last week that Costco gas does contain ethanol, as much as 10%. For those avoiding ethanol, stay clear of Costco. And not only ethanol, but up to 5x the EPA detergent requirement for the amount of detergents than other fuel suppliers. I know some detergents aren't good for the injectors
http://www.costco.com/kirkland-signature-gasoline.html
http://www.toptiergas.com/deposit_control.html
Drivers should consider long term costs associated with oils and gas, detergents, ethanol, etc. While you may save money at the pump, it may end up costing you more down the road.
05-21-2015, 01:01 PM
#14
Le Mans Master
i been using costco gas for years, reg and premium, with no issues, i was told a few years ago, ethanol really doesn t matter, only when you leave it in a container or tank for longer than 3 months.
05-21-2015, 03:11 PM
#16
Race Director
Most of the time I fill up at Canadian Tire, as it's only 13 cents more per liter above the cost of 87, compared to Shell which now charges a whopping 20 cents more! Yikes! But whenever I can I try to fill up at Costco, there just isn't one near my house, but I always make it a point to stop at the one in Etobicoke on the way to a Jays game (and I'm going to 18 of them this season so I'll have lots of opportunities from now until September)
As far as adding octane boost to regular, even the best stuff out there will only add one or two points at the most, so you're only going to raise it to 88 or 89, and it will end up costing you $10 or more per tankful as well, so it's not cost efficient anyhow.
05-21-2015, 03:17 PM
#17
Race Director
Where did you find this out? If it contained ethanol they would have to list it at the pump and the last time I filled up there it only said ethanol was in 87 octane but not in 91. Also, they get their gas from Shell, just like Canadian Tire does, and Shell does not use ethanol in their premium.
One for Costco and the other for TopTier.
4.3.1.2 Base Fuel. The base fuel shall conform to ASTM D 4814 and shall contain commercial fuel grade ethanol conforming to ASTM D 4806. All gasoline blend stocks used to formulate the base fuel shall be representative of normal U.S. refinery operations and shall be derived from conversion units downstream of distillation. Butanes and pentanes are allowed for vapor pressure adjustment. The use of chemical streams is prohibited. The base fuel shall have the following specific properties after the addition of ethanol:
Contain nominally 10.0% ± 1% by volume ethanol as measured by ASTM D 4815 or D 5845.
Contain no less than 8 volume percent olefins as measured by ASTM D 1319 or D 6729.
Contain no less than 28 volume percent aromatics as measured by ASTM D 1319 or D 6729.
Contain no more than 80 mg/kg sulfur as measured by ASTM D 2622 or D 5453.
Produce a 90% evaporated distillation temperature no less than 290°F as measured by ASTM D86.
Produce IVD no less than 500 mg averaged over all intake valves.
Contain nominally 10.0% ± 1% by volume ethanol as measured by ASTM D 4815 or D 5845.
Contain no less than 8 volume percent olefins as measured by ASTM D 1319 or D 6729.
Contain no less than 28 volume percent aromatics as measured by ASTM D 1319 or D 6729.
Contain no more than 80 mg/kg sulfur as measured by ASTM D 2622 or D 5453.
Produce a 90% evaporated distillation temperature no less than 290°F as measured by ASTM D86.
Produce IVD no less than 500 mg averaged over all intake valves.
Last edited by Zeeman28a; 05-21-2015 at 03:21 PM.
05-21-2015, 03:48 PM
#19
Safety Car
[QUOTE=Patman;1589676535]Where did you find this out? If it contained ethanol they would have to list it at the pump and the last time I filled up there it only said ethanol was in 87 octane but not in 91. Also, they get their gas from Shell, just like Canadian Tire does, and Shell does not use ethanol in their premium.
I think Shell is the last holdout to not add ethanol to their premium... ethanol is the cheapest way to add octane, plus it keeps the farmers subsidised producing grain and corn distillants.... it's a throwback to years ago when the guv a mint decided we need to develope an alternative to foreign oil...
it can produce more hp if tuned for it but also less mpg....
I think Shell is the last holdout to not add ethanol to their premium... ethanol is the cheapest way to add octane, plus it keeps the farmers subsidised producing grain and corn distillants.... it's a throwback to years ago when the guv a mint decided we need to develope an alternative to foreign oil...
it can produce more hp if tuned for it but also less mpg....