Definition of "Premium" fuel

[Ozarkirish87]

I have been pondering this for awhile now, but with gas approaching $4/gallon I wanted to finally ask the experts around here.

I have faithfully gone out of my way to fill my SSEi with 93 octane fuel since I bought it 3 years ago. My question to the panel is this...does 91 count as "Premium" or is it in the same class as the "Mid-Grade" fuel? I'm just curious and I would appreciate holding back on the "Buying premium gas was part of the deal when you bought the car" argument. I realize that and if 93 is the only way to go, I will continue to do so. I just wanted to know what exactly constituted the designation of "premium" fuel.

Thanks fellas!

[J Wikoff]

I think the manual says 91 or better. Premium is whatever the station has as its highest grade. I don't think I've seen anything lower than 91 called premium. I've seen 90 around, but it was a midgrade whenever I saw it.

[bonnevillain]

91 should be fine unless youre pretty modded.

[Adeianos]

Depending on what gas station you go to, you may want to stick with the 93 just due to the fact that most top tier stations put more detergents and such in the top grade. Chevron and BP do this the most.

[lowrider0308]

You say that, but most of the time the same trucks from the same refineries fill up almost every station around here. The same truck that fills up the Winn-Dixie Quickcheck (yes, my winn-dixie has a gas station) is the same truck that fills up the Shell accross the street and the Kangaroo down the road. I have even chatted with the driver of the truck before because he was talking about which stations around here havent switched to 10% Ethanol. If the same truck fills up the winn-dixie (no name brand of gas), the Shell (with their so called additive), and the Kangaroo, you think there really is something special in the Shell gas? All three have the same gas.

[01bonneSC]

I thought about this months ago and decided its only 20 cents more(well, supposed to be unless the gas station jerks jack up premium to make their regular cheaper) and in the end, really its only a couple bucks more than filling up with regular. I want to protect my engine so its ALL PREMIUM ALL THE WAY!!

[bonnevillain]

premium here is about 40 cents more

[BillBoost37]

In many parts of the country 91 is the highest octane they can get. Being from the NE part of the country and never really paying attention previously it was a shocker when I took a cross country trip. One place we hopped off the highway for "premium" it was a nice drive through a cornfield to see 89 called "Ultimate". I tossed in two gallons and smiled because overall that mixed with the 2 gallons of 93 in the tank, I was good.

[Adeianos]

You say that, but most of the time the same trucks from the same refineries fill up almost every station around here. The same truck that fills up the Winn-Dixie Quickcheck (yes, my winn-dixie has a gas station) is the same truck that fills up the Shell accross the street and the Kangaroo down the road. I have even chatted with the driver of the truck before because he was talking about which stations around here havent switched to 10% Ethanol. If the same truck fills up the winn-dixie (no name brand of gas), the Shell (with their so called additive), and the Kangaroo, you think there really is something special in the Shell gas? All three have the same gas.

Typically, the additives are added at the station and aren't part of what the truck delivers. The main reason to use top-tier in the first place is that a lot of low end and local stations tend to do things such as use regular even in the premium tank or "water down" the premium with lower-grade gas.

[01bonneSC]

premium here is about 40 cents more

They do that so they can lower the Regular fuel price.

They should do away with Mid-Grade.
I think EVERYTHING should run on premium then there is only one kind of gas for all the motorized things.

Does PREMIUM burn CLEANER THAN Regular?