About a year ago I posted a thread that I tried regular gas in my C-5, A4 Coupe to see what happened. The owner's manual said that the car's computer would adjust for the difference in octane so I gave it a try.

The result for my daily driver that I don't race on or off the track was that it ran fine on regular, even at WOT with no pinging or noticeable difference in gas mileage.

I considered that I am putting about 28,000 miles per year on the car at an average of 22 miles per gallon and use about 1,272 gallons of gas per year. I figured that with a price difference of 20 cents between low and high test that this would save me about $254 per year or about one half of one car payment.

Now I see that many gas stations have the prices set 15 cents higher for mid grade and another 15 cents higher for premium gas. The 30 cents price difference between low and high test yields an annual savings of about $381 per year.

Last week I stopped at a gas station on I-95 in Georgia that had a 20 cents difference between each grade. A 40 cents difference between low and high test would save me $508 per year in the cost of regular gas compared to premium. That is one car payment!

Even when towing my trailer with my rail speeder on it which is like pulling a parachute for wind resistance, the car runs fine on regular gas.



I don't know about you guys and gals but I like to brag about my Vette being an economy car. I get a lot of "grief" from people who think that Vettes are expensive gas hogs. I love to tell them that I can get 28 mpg at 80 mph when running on cruise control on the interstate highways. When you look at the other vehicles on the roads around you, what do you see? Pickups, vans, and SUVs. Our Vettes get better gas mileage than all of them.

I enjoy bragging about getting 28 mpg on regular gas. It goes back to the 1st rule of racing from the '60s, "A big engine loafing always out performs and out lasts a small engine straining."

Enjoy your Vettes my friends and consider bragging about your "economy car" and saving a few bucks by running on regular if your Vette is a high mileage daily driver like mine is.

 

i'll run it on super.. i'm not taking any chances

 

but it's not my daily driver.

 

another 5 bucks a tank is worth the peace of mind....good to know, but supah for me

 

For me and the way I drive it works.

It is probably not worth the change if your vette is not your daily driver. But if gas prices keep going up it might be worth considering.

 

Why don't you compromise and buy the one in the middle? Or at least buy a tank full of super once in a while and blow the soot out of it instead of ******* it around all the time trying to save a little gas.

 

I did this once when driving on a trip. Ran it on regular and the car felt like a slug. Yes it still ran, but there was a noticeable difference in throttle response. Probably cause the knock sensors were causing the retarding of the timing.

 

Ummm... No.

This thread is just wrong in too many ways.

 

Your logic assumes you are getting the same MPG for the same conditions for the different octane ratings of gas, and that may not be true.

 

More power to you! This is something I dont see happening with my car

 

It will not run near as well, no way. You might have better luck and performance running half of premiun and the middle grade. I'll stick to the higher octane personally.

 

would you feed your kids lower grade food just to save a few bucks?

 

Wait! Ahh... crap! You mean I'M supposed to feed my kids? What!?!? There was no manual! How was I supposed to know...

j/k

Yeah, my car is stickin with Premium... worth the extra $5 imo...


Dan

 

This thread reminds me of the cheap methods to maintain a vette. Like going to Lowes or Home Depot to find or make Corvette parts....

 

I tired a tank of 87 in mine. Could hear it start to knock a few times so back to 91 for me. (no 93 in California).

 

Good to know. If I'm ever stranded somewhere and all I can buy is regular fuel ... good to know. Until then, I'll stick with High Test.

 

do you really equate your love and affection for your kids to your liking a car ??

 

I posted a thread a while back about my car starting to stall out the same day someone backed into it. The stalling stuff started before the collision so it wasn't that. Anyhow the mech couldn't find anything wrong with it, no codes or anything expect the throttle body was dirty. It still didn't sound quite right standing behind the stock exhaust (maybe Borla someday). I had used nothing but Exon 93 for the few thousand miles I had the car. Maybe it needed to run more with that clean I don't know. I don't much about cars, just how to ruin them and my knack of memorizing facts which is half burnt out. Just had a bad feeling about the Exon, whether it was Exon gas or that station in particular. I tried Mobil 93, even though it's the same company it's a different division different station. Besides there oil is recommended from GM so if this don't work I give up. The car seems to be a lot better with the Mobil 93. I will take no chances going forward unless I absolutely have to. Even when I am on the road I will look for 93 from a top shelf kind of company, not that I can prove any one brand is better but I don't feel right buying from companies I never heard of or appear cheap. I am scratching Exon off my top shelf list just in case.

 

You can get away with albeit with some loss in performance. If you're that worried about saving $250 bucks a year why not buy yourself a little 4 cyl beater for work and keep the vette for fun.

FWIW my motorcycle is getting a lot of use so far; at 52mpg. I can afford to keep the good stuff in my vette and not worry about it.

2 cents deposited, Jer.

 

Hey, anyone can buy ****. Making stuff is cool.

And I like to brag that my supercharged Vette still gets 28 on the freeway.