[run2yoo]

Does premium gasoline get better mileage? just curious..

[VWtoBMW]

I use Shell Vpower which is 91 octane in Canada and does not contain ethanol.

BMW recommends premium, that's what I use.

I think you should search the topic as this has been discussed many times.

I just don't understand why someone would pay to drive a premium car but would consider cheaping out to save a few bucks per tank

[Lee]

Originally Posted by VWtoBMW

I

I just forget why someone pays to drive a premium car but would consider cheaping out to save a few bucks per tank

+1

[Boulder Bill]

These threads always crack me up. Yours is a reasonable question I think. Why bother pumping premium if you are only borrowing the car for a few years?

I think the answer likely is that if you perceive no performance drop off on your leased car, don't bother. I buy cars outright and tend to drive them for awhile. So I use premium. As many like to chime in, why not pay the few extra bucks per tank. Do I really need to? I'm not really sure frankly. I do as much out of habit as anything else.

But I don't think you are necessarily being cheap not to do so on a leased car.

Flame away premium snobs.

[Tuffyboy]

BoulderBill is right. When you travel do you fill up the car with premium?

I think I am Phil Hill at times and that the extra octane will enable me to dart into the space at the mall faster. That and I own the car but if I was driving a lease with zero intent on buying at the end and i drive it like more of a luxury cruiser than sports
Car I would pump the cheapest thing that was offered. Unless it bucked and kicked : )

[OzDriver]

In Australia Regular Unleaded is about 91 RON, Premium is 95 and Hi-Performance Premium is 98. I find that using Hi-P Premium does improve consumption by about 10%, the only problem is that it costs 15% more than Regular

However, the extra is worth it for the improvement in the way the car drives - more power and much better acceleration

[COBodom]

Originally Posted by Boulder Bill

These threads always crack me up. Yours is a reasonable question I think. Why bother pumping premium if you are only borrowing the car for a few years?

I think the answer likely is that if you perceive no performance drop off on your leased car, don't bother. I buy cars outright and tend to drive them for awhile. So I use premium. As many like to chime in, why not pay the few extra bucks per tank. Do I really need to? I'm not really sure frankly. I do as much out of habit as anything else.

But I don't think you are necessarily being cheap not to do so on a leased car.

Flame away premium snobs.

+1, exactly my thoughts !

I couldn’t care less about the longevity of the car after 36 months. I will allow BMW to figure out any possible longevity issues after 36 months.

Don’t care for premium gas, don’t care for some extracurricular oil changes and don’t care for rattles and hums in the car either. That’s the beauty of a lease.

Different story if I was ever to buy that car…

[The X Men]

Most people I know put in the cheap stuff if its a lease car. If I were buying a used car, I would stay away from the lease returns.

[BigKutta]

Originally Posted by COBodom

+1, exactly my thoughts !

I couldn’t care less about the longevity of the car after 36 months. I will allow BMW to figure out any possible longevity issues after 36 months.

Don’t care for premium gas, don’t care for some extracurricular oil changes and don’t care for rattles and hums in the car either. That’s the beauty of a lease.

Different story if I was ever to buy that car…

This is the stuff consumer behavior studies are made of!!

I dont lease, but if I did, I would want my car to operate as intended while I had it, and ensure that it was equally enjoyable for the next guy. $3 per week is not something I worry about while I am driving a $50k+ car

On the other hand, while I am pumping gas, I notice other MB and BMW drivers filling up with 87 OCT. So I suppose many people are penny wise and pound foolish

[Boulder Bill]

LOL. I agree I guess. If there was ANY difference in performance noted, why wouldn't you buy the premium fuel.

I don't want to launch a huge debate, but over the 10 years I owned my E39 540, I periodically used low premium gas - either by accident, availablility, or spouse. I never noticed any difference. This isn't to say that over time there wouldn't be or that the engine might not be harmed in some minute fashion. But I couldn't detect any decrease in performance.

I use the high octane gas in an abundance of caution. I don't feel very pound wise or foolish doing so. But I doubt very much that after 36 months, someone leasing a car has harmed the vehicle in any significant fashion for the next guy. I guess I just don't know.

But I love the consumer behavior study reference.

[BigKutta]

Originally Posted by Boulder Bill

LOL. I agree I guess. If there was ANY difference in performance noted, why wouldn't you buy the premium fuel.

I don't want to launch a huge debate, but over the 10 years I owned my E39 540, I periodically used low premium gas - either by accident, availablility, or spouse. I never noticed any difference. This isn't to say that over time there wouldn't be or that the engine might not be harmed in some minute fashion. But I couldn't detect any decrease in performance.

I use the high octane gas in an abundance of caution. I don't feel very pound wise or foolish doing so. But I doubt very much that after 36 months, someone leasing a car has harmed the vehicle in any significant fashion for the next guy. I guess I just don't know.

But I love the consumer behavior study reference.

My point was that for $3 a week I don't need to bother with wondering if it does any harm or not. BMW knows that people dislike paying extra for premium fuel and wouldn't recommend it for no reason. They have a reason and I have no reason to not follow their recommendation

[The X Men]

Putting in low octane gas for 36 months will not damage the car to the point where it will need service, I have seen many people done it. My brother put in the cheap stuff in his BMW for 5 years with no ill affect except some lost of power and smoothness.
BMW recommands premium gas because their advertised horsepower, gas mileage and torque numbers are generated with premium gas. I do believe there is some truth to getting better gas mileage with premium gas if your car is design for it such as the F10, but not to the point where the gas saving will offset the additional cost.

[COBodom]

Originally Posted by BigKutta

This is the stuff consumer behavior studies are made of!!

I dont lease, but if I did, I would want my car to operate as intended while I had it, and ensure that it was equally enjoyable for the next guy. $3 per week is not something I worry about while I am driving a $50k+ car

On the other hand, while I am pumping gas, I notice other MB and BMW drivers filling up with 87 OCT. So I suppose many people are penny wise and pound foolish

The price of the car has nothing to do with this. It’s the principle.

There are many different opinions on what gas to choose. Some may feel the difference in acceleration and some may not. However, to go through a lease with the idea of ensuring the car will be “equally enjoyable for the next guy” is just an absurd!

Of course it’s the stuff from consumer behavior studies and there is nothing wrong with it!

Every month I choose to pay premium for driving a BRAND NEW car and I use the car as I please NOT as "the next guy" would like the car to have been used. I don’t care about “the next guy”. Lease is not a 36 months community service to babysit the car for “the next guy” so that he can get it a discounted used car price. If a “next guy” wants a nice car he can get a new one or pay to get the used car certified. No free ride.

BMW can recommend whatever they want as long as premium is not required the car gets bare minimum that is required. If it breaks they need to fix it.

[COBodom]

Definition of “premium” can vary greatly. BMW manual states - “BMW recommends AKI 91 or 89”. AKI 89 is what I have always used with any VAG or BMW turbo engine and don’t see a reason to ever use 91.

Naturally aspirated engines can typically take whatever grade.

[BigKutta]

Originally Posted by COBodom

The price of the car has nothing to do with this. It’s the principle.

There are many different opinions on what gas to choose. Some may feel the difference in acceleration and some may not. However, to go through a lease with the idea of ensuring the car will be “equally enjoyable for the next guy” is just an absurd!

Of course it’s the stuff from consumer behavior studies and there is nothing wrong with it!

Every month I choose to pay premium for driving a BRAND NEW car and I use the car as I please NOT as "the next guy" would like the car to have been used. I don’t care about “the next guy”. Lease is not a 36 months community service to babysit the car for “the next guy” so that he can get it a discounted used car price. If a “next guy” wants a nice car he can get a new one or pay to get the used car certified. No free ride.

BMW can recommend whatever they want as long as premium is not required the car gets bare minimum that is required. If it breaks they need to fix it.

This is exactly what I mean. I dont think saving $3 a week is worth the effort for me to get into all this justification and rationalization. I follow the manual, because I am not a automotive engineer. I fill it and enjoy the car.

[VWtoBMW]

Originally Posted by BigKutta

This is the stuff consumer behavior studies are made of!!

I dont lease, but if I did, I would want my car to operate as intended while I had it, and ensure that it was equally enjoyable for the next guy. $3 per week is not something I worry about while I am driving a $50k+ car

On the other hand, while I am pumping gas, I notice other MB and BMW drivers filling up with 87 OCT. So I suppose many people are penny wise and pound foolish

Exactly. Many people are modding their cars to get all the power they can yet others want to put in 87.

Lease or buy, I got premium all the way. If I was worried about fuel cost and consumption I would have bought a different car.

[pharding]

yes.

[shoei]

I see both sides of the coin, if its a lease that is... Me personally, I've always only used premium, I do it for the engine / turbos and for my own piece of mind... Peace of mind because I drive my cars HARD, and this is where higher octane gas comes into play... High compression engines do NOT like lower grade fuel, it's really quite simple... If you drive with a lead foot, or live somewhere there's large uphill roads, hauling a heavy load (a mother in-law or obese significant other is not what I'm talking about by heavy loads btw) or its summer time and you live somewhere much warmer than average, your car would benefit from higher octane...

Maybe not so much in cars, because I can't remember the last time I out regular gas (with the exceptional of rentals and loaner cars) but on my motorcycles, I know right away if its not premium... Holy crap can you tell a difference, but again, it might have a lot to do with the way I ride as well... =P

[raleedy]

We don't pumping.

[COBodom]

Originally Posted by VWtoBMW

Exactly. Many people are modding their cars to get all the power they can yet others want to put in 87.

Lease or buy, I got premium all the way. If I was worried about fuel cost and consumption I would have bought a different car.

Not 87, but BMW recommended 89. Try running a German turbo engine on 87 for a while. I guarantee you gonna get a "check engine".

[bobblehead]

for alll those who do not care much for the leased vehicle, if gas cost is your concern, then why not just lease the cheapest Honda or Toyota or Kia.

[lincvert]

I agree - buy a Corolla if you don't want to put premium in your car. Knock sensors will retard the timing and effect the performance. The sensors detect knock, so it is already occurring even though you can't hear it.

Stop being cheap with your BMW over a few hundred dollars a year in additional fuel costs