Which octane do you use?
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 19,574
Likes: 167
From: Frederick, MD
Our regular in Utah is 85. I don't care about higher altitude, I'm not putting that in any of my cars that recommends 91 or higher, our prem is 91 (won't find anything higher here). I noticed a lot of gas stations back east now charge $0.30 more for 91 over 87. I still went with 91 or 93 and that was with my Yukon Denali XL so it was about $7.50 or so a tank more.
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 150
Likes: 0
From: Dallas TX
Whoever was the marketing genius that decided instead of simply selling gas at different octane levels so people could get what their car was made to use they would instead label those octane levels with catchy names like "regular", "plus", "premium", and "super premium" is sitting on a mountain of cash by now I'll bet.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 25,013
Likes: 80
From: Manitoba/San Jose del Cabo
Cruise-In III Veteran
St. Jude Donor '11
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,355
Likes: 3
From: Maple Grove MN
You shouldn't here pinging because detonation is detected through harmonics before pinging occurs. The timing is retarded and so is your performance a bit.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,305
Likes: 5
From: Schererville Indiana
Ditto! 
Mine is strictly a pleasure vehicle and I shamelessly waste every gallon of gas I pump in it. Saving a few bux per fill up at the cost of some performance is not even on the table.
I just came back from a three hour drive just cruising around the region. My wife said "you were gone a long time". I replied "it's a perfect summer night and I'm cruising around in a vette... sometimes it's just hard to come home"!
Enjoy the ride!
Mine is strictly a pleasure vehicle and I shamelessly waste every gallon of gas I pump in it. Saving a few bux per fill up at the cost of some performance is not even on the table.
I just came back from a three hour drive just cruising around the region. My wife said "you were gone a long time". I replied "it's a perfect summer night and I'm cruising around in a vette... sometimes it's just hard to come home"!
Enjoy the ride!
Lifetime NCM Member #2482
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 2,996
Likes: 1
From: West of Houston Texas
St. Jude Donor '11
Sure you can use regular gas, but when the engine knock sensors sense even the slightest amount of detonation (from the low octane gas), the PCM will pull timing out of it and you will lose HP.
The problem will worsen in the hot sumertime when engine cylinder head temps go way up.
Not a great idea ... stick to what the owner's manual tells you. GM knows a little more about these engines than some guy at a Chevy dealership.
The problem will worsen in the hot sumertime when engine cylinder head temps go way up.
Not a great idea ... stick to what the owner's manual tells you. GM knows a little more about these engines than some guy at a Chevy dealership.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,987
Likes: 9
From: Citrus Heights CA
St. Jude Donor '12
Pro
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 578
Likes: 2
From: River Ridge LA
Hi All
Last month I was on a trip following a friend. He was driving his 2006 C6 auto coupe I was in my 2005 C6 6manuel convertible.
At a gas stop he filled up with regular I thought he made a mistake.
He said he has run the car on regular almost always since first got it " 130K miles "
He said it has a slight bet more power on 91 or 93 but very slight
The next fill up I tries 91-E10 and the car ran the same Except I drooped
a little less then 1 MPG on the highway.
One other thing i have found is if i can find and run Pure Gas
" No ethanol " I pick up 1 plus MPG on the highway
Not taking sides just passing on my experance
Michael
Last month I was on a trip following a friend. He was driving his 2006 C6 auto coupe I was in my 2005 C6 6manuel convertible.
At a gas stop he filled up with regular I thought he made a mistake.
He said he has run the car on regular almost always since first got it " 130K miles "
He said it has a slight bet more power on 91 or 93 but very slight
The next fill up I tries 91-E10 and the car ran the same Except I drooped
a little less then 1 MPG on the highway.
One other thing i have found is if i can find and run Pure Gas
" No ethanol " I pick up 1 plus MPG on the highway
Not taking sides just passing on my experance
Michael
Cruising
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
From: Southern NJ
93 is about as good as gets around here. Occasionally you will find 94... and of course down by the track they have 100, etc. But 93 is what I used in all my cars and motorcycles.
Also, the dealer did tell me not to top off the car when fueling, said something about saturating some charcoal filter??? It wouldn't hurt anything, he said, but could create a gasoline smell that could last for about 20 minutes or so...???
Also, the dealer did tell me not to top off the car when fueling, said something about saturating some charcoal filter??? It wouldn't hurt anything, he said, but could create a gasoline smell that could last for about 20 minutes or so...???
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 919
Likes: 30
From: ST.PETE BEACH FL.
I'll pay a little more and use what's recommended rather than do possible engine damage and lose performance.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 937
Likes: 70
From: Ponte Vedra Florida
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 1,655
Likes: 15
From: Jeffersonville In
Cruise-In I Veteran
Cruise-In II Veteran
Cruise-In III Veteran
I suspect you will find you get better mpg with higher octane. On my Hemi Ram, I get 2mpg better, using Shell regular versus independant stations. Thats not saying much, lol, 13mpg versus 15 mpg city.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,075
Likes: 6
From: Wilmington NC
Actually it is saying a lot. That is over a 15% increase in gas mileage which translates to the equivalent of paying $.60 less per gallon (assuming $4.00 per gallon) for a premium fuel which should make your cost lower than the cheaper stuff and you get the benefit of the additional additives of a Top Tier fuel.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 2,886
Likes: 173
From: Scottsdale AZ
St. Jude Donor '11
Hello From Rip Van Winkle!
Hey, guys. Just woke up. Fell asleep a few months ago reading a "What octane?" post. Woke up today, and found I'm on the same post... NO! Wait a minute. The date has changed!!! Where have I been!!??
Seriously, OP, no offense, but do a search. This comes up Sooo often. And the responses NEVER change.
SEARCH is YOUR friend.
My octane? Answered months ago...
Seriously, OP, no offense, but do a search. This comes up Sooo often. And the responses NEVER change.
SEARCH is YOUR friend.
My octane? Answered months ago...