Do I Need To FIll Premium Gas In My Car?

Last year, I got a 2005 model Acura TSX. The owners manual recommend filling it with premium 91 octane gasoline. But with premium gas selling for nearly $4.50/gallon, I was starting to wonder whether it was really worth it.



I tried filling the car with low grade gasoline and I immediately felt the drop in performance. The mileage also decreased slightly. However, with mid-grade, there was barely any perceptible difference in performance or mileage. According to CNNMoney, it shouldn't really make a difference.

With prices already over $4.00 a gallon, premium gasoline is a hard sell these days. But a lot of drivers think because their owners' manual recommends premium, they'll get better fuel economy if they stick with it. Really, they're paying more money for nothing.

Even cars for which premium is recommended won't suffer with regular fuel. Modern engine technology comes to the rescue again. When sensors detect regular instead of premium fuel, the system automatically adjusts spark plug timing. The result is a slight reduction in peak horsepower - really, you'll never notice - but no reduction in fuel economy.

There you have it. If you realize that you're 200HP TSX is now a 150HP Accord and are willing to drive it like one, you shouldn't notice any reduction in fuel economy!