Premium vs Regular gas?
04-07-2006, 10:59 AM
#21
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Originally Posted by corvette-pilot
To go from medium grade to super is only $.10 a gallon. Put in 15 gallons and it is only $1.50 more to put in what it was designed to use. I would think after spending 50-60k another buck is no big deal !
04-07-2006, 11:14 AM
#22
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You bought a $50k+ car and are worring about a 20 cent a gallon difference? 
Get serious. If you were really empty and took 14 gal. that would have saved you 2.80. Is $2.80 a week worth it? Switch to tap water from botteled water & save $20.00 a week, then you could put premium gas in your Vette. Or skip one trip to Starbucks.
Yes the car is reported to run OK on regular gas.
Get serious. If you were really empty and took 14 gal. that would have saved you 2.80. Is $2.80 a week worth it? Switch to tap water from botteled water & save $20.00 a week, then you could put premium gas in your Vette. Or skip one trip to Starbucks. Yes the car is reported to run OK on regular gas.
04-07-2006, 11:18 AM
#23
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Originally Posted by AFR VETTE
Where could one obtain that type of gas in the US? I have never herd of it.
Mike
04-07-2006, 11:38 AM
#24
Team Owner
Using 87 octane you'll lose somewhere around 10-15 peak HP. It will not be noticable to 90+% of drivers in 90+% of situations. Even that said, it does seem a little silly to scrimp.
I use 12 gallons of 91 octane + 4 gallons of 100 octane no lead at each fillup. That equals a tank of 93 octane. That's even a few more bucks, as the 100 octane is about a dollar a gallon more than 91.
Anything over 93 octane is a waste, and may actually reduce output slightly.
I am confused if 93 octane even does anything better than 91. The manual recommends 91, but Chevy website 93 octane. Anyone really know or have some ideas here?
I use 12 gallons of 91 octane + 4 gallons of 100 octane no lead at each fillup. That equals a tank of 93 octane. That's even a few more bucks, as the 100 octane is about a dollar a gallon more than 91.
Anything over 93 octane is a waste, and may actually reduce output slightly.
I am confused if 93 octane even does anything better than 91. The manual recommends 91, but Chevy website 93 octane. Anyone really know or have some ideas here?
04-07-2006, 11:43 AM
#25
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About a year ago, there was a thread where people were bragging about using regular gas and doing ok. To which most of us responded, if you can afford a 50K sports car, you can afford the premium gas.
04-07-2006, 11:52 AM
#26
Team Owner
Originally Posted by jazzlove
About a year ago, there was a thread where people were bragging about using regular gas and doing ok. To which most of us responded, if you can afford a 50K sports car, you can afford the premium gas.
Then revisit this issue.
04-07-2006, 12:21 PM
#27
Pro
Well, there's one in every crowd! Been using midgrade in my Z51 MN6 C6 for the past 6 months. Absolutely NO pinging, plenty of performance (for me at least), and no discernible problems. Decided to go this route when gas prices started hitting the roof and haven't gone back. The bottom line: to each his own...it won't hurt the car, and I really defy anybody to drive a C6 on midgrade and then on premium and actually be able to TELL the difference in performance. Just my 2 Cents.
04-07-2006, 01:04 PM
#28
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Originally Posted by maxp
why buy a premium performance car and the try to save a few $$ per fillup with gas that will lower performance?? I use Shell V Power 93
04-07-2006, 01:10 PM
#30
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Originally Posted by Irv
Higer octane ratings are all about controlling the initiation of combustion in higher heat conditions. (Higher compression ratios and advanced timing increase the heat the fuel-air mixture is subjected to before controlled combustion occurs.) If your engine gets hot or the ambient air temperature gets hot the fuel needs a higher octane rating to resist pinging. If you tool around town at low rpms and small throttle openings in cool weather all of the time you may never notice the difference between 87 and 91-93 octane. Get a hot day or get the engine all worked up and performance and/or drivability is likely to suffer.
I haven't heard the LS2 ping yet, because I got the car in October, but the LS1 and LS6 were infamous for pinging on the best premium you could buy in hot weather with the a/c on. I'm still investigating ways to work that problem on my '03 Z06. I wouldn't even consider putting regular in my cars - once you've seen pitted piston tops and valves from an engine tear-down it makes premium look cheap. Sort of like curing the urge to smoke by taking a look at your tar-coated lungs.
I haven't heard the LS2 ping yet, because I got the car in October, but the LS1 and LS6 were infamous for pinging on the best premium you could buy in hot weather with the a/c on. I'm still investigating ways to work that problem on my '03 Z06. I wouldn't even consider putting regular in my cars - once you've seen pitted piston tops and valves from an engine tear-down it makes premium look cheap. Sort of like curing the urge to smoke by taking a look at your tar-coated lungs.
04-07-2006, 01:16 PM
#32
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Originally Posted by JFTaylor
You bought a $50k+ car and are worring about a 20 cent a gallon difference? Get serious. If you were really empty and took 14 gal. that would have saved you 2.80. Is $2.80 a week worth it? Switch to tap water from botteled water & save $20.00 a week, then you could put premium gas in your Vette. Or skip one trip to Starbucks.
Yes the car is reported to run OK on regular gas.
Get serious. If you were really empty and took 14 gal. that would have saved you 2.80. Is $2.80 a week worth it? Switch to tap water from botteled water & save $20.00 a week, then you could put premium gas in your Vette. Or skip one trip to Starbucks. Yes the car is reported to run OK on regular gas.
04-07-2006, 01:19 PM
#33
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Originally Posted by fenderowner
Well, there's one in every crowd! Been using midgrade in my Z51 MN6 C6 for the past 6 months. Absolutely NO pinging, plenty of performance (for me at least), and no discernible problems. Decided to go this route when gas prices started hitting the roof and haven't gone back. The bottom line: to each his own...it won't hurt the car, and I really defy anybody to drive a C6 on midgrade and then on premium and actually be able to TELL the difference in performance. Just my 2 Cents.
04-07-2006, 01:21 PM
#34
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Originally Posted by LAPDVET
I have never put anything in my baby but premium gas. But after a $50.00 fill up today, I was wondering if premium is a must or a myth. Has anyone noticed a difference between regular from premium.
Last edited by ghostRder; 04-07-2006 at 01:28 PM.
04-07-2006, 03:43 PM
#36
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Originally Posted by ghostRder
Even Premium Gas has "gades" to them they are not all equal. There is a list of "Top Tier Gasolines ," because of the detergents in them to keep your engine clean and running at peak performance. Gasoline Shell's V power is an example of just one of them, yeah you are going to pay more, but then again it's a Corvette....
04-07-2006, 05:01 PM
#37
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Originally Posted by LAPDVET
I was asked by a friend why I put regular gas in my Mercedes and only premium in my Vet. I told him one is a car the other is a Corvette, but I could not provide a technical answer until I read some these replies. Thanks to all.
He’d have to own one to find out.
04-08-2006, 07:17 AM
#38
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Nothing incorrect has been posted, but some answers are incomplete. Several have said European octane is different, and 98 is equal to our 93. True. But the exact thing that is different is that they post octane determined by the R method, and we post (R+M)/2. R numbers run about 10-12 higher than M. So our 93 (R+M)/2 is about 98-99 R and 87-88 M.
There is lots of talk about knock sensors adjusting the engine to cope with lower octane, and it causing a small performance loss. True. What it does is retard the spark advance, and this loses small amounts of both power and mileage. You may not be able to feel it in the seat of your pants, but if you measure acceleration with a stop watch, it is there. Is it worth the extra price of premium. Only you can decide that. It's probably about 0.1-0.3 seconds on 0-60 time.
And on the issue of 91 versus 93, all references I've seen in all places except for the web site say 91. I would assume the web site is probably incorrect. The Z06 is 93, but as far as I know, all others are 91.
There is lots of talk about knock sensors adjusting the engine to cope with lower octane, and it causing a small performance loss. True. What it does is retard the spark advance, and this loses small amounts of both power and mileage. You may not be able to feel it in the seat of your pants, but if you measure acceleration with a stop watch, it is there. Is it worth the extra price of premium. Only you can decide that. It's probably about 0.1-0.3 seconds on 0-60 time.
And on the issue of 91 versus 93, all references I've seen in all places except for the web site say 91. I would assume the web site is probably incorrect. The Z06 is 93, but as far as I know, all others are 91.
