6000 miles and I’m still buying premium gas

[Tricky Dick]

Still trying to understand the milage claims I ran regular gas for 9000 miles from Alabama to Colorado and Utah then back to Alabama. I averaged 16.5 mpg. At highway speeds. Got 20.1 in Colorado mountain driving at 35 to 45 mph lot of downhill coasting. I started running premium at 4$ gal and see 17.1 mpg at highway speed. Badlands 2.3l.

IDK what to tell you, but the trend has been very clear in my usage.

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[Horse]

IDK what to tell you, but the trend has been very clear in my usage.

Me either, I will give it a few more tanks to evaluate

 

[Tricky Dick]

Me either, I will give it a few more tanks to evaluate

I had one tank of premium that I only got 15 mpg on at 65, 12 at 75. As soon as I filled up again elsewhere it went back up to normal so I'm saying I got some bad gas.

 

[Fmuguira]

Top Tier Premium seems obvious to me based on what these things cost.
Sure you can run 87 octane and ECU will make on the fly timing changes ( retard the timing) due to any detonation sensed but if you run higher octanes, engine (ECU) will allow more timing (advance) before sensing detonation which gives higher cylinder pressure, which gives more power. This was no different on 50 year ago engines that had high compression; if you tried to run cheap/low octane then you had to run less timing. (Unless you were a fan of detonation, what the old timers called engine clatter, and liked burning piston tops. )
Everyone gets to decide; like the old commercial said “You can pay me now, or you can pay me later ! “

 

[Bronco21fan]

I run nothing but 93 octane so far 4.05 a gallon

 

[JoeSpeed]

No, 6k today and 93 since her first fill up

 

[KrazeeEyezKilla]

I used premium to start, tried a tank or two of 87, thought it felt a touch more sluggish so back up to premium. I spend most of my days at 7,000' or higher, which shouldn't matter for a turbo engine (and may actually help from what I understand.) But I did notice a subtle difference with the gas.

Then again, my engine blew last week so probably best to not listen to me.

 

[Bradnewt]

I have been running premium, but I tried a couple of tanks of 87 octane on a recent 2000 mile road trip. I could tell a drop in power and fuel mileage immediately. I found a station that had 93 octane non ethanol and filled up at the start of my return trip home. I averaged 3 mpg better fuel economy over the 87 octane gas on the return trip going over the same route. (no headwinds or crosswinds either way). I averaged 20 mpg hand figuring my mileage. I could definitely feel an increase in power. It is hard to justify paying 60 cents a gallon more for premium, but I think it is worth every cent. (I have a 4dr Badlands 2.3l auto)

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