When I picked up my MINI, my salesman told me to put 92 octane gas in it. Is that necessary, and if so, why? Just wondering as it's almost .30 more per gallon.

Also, I'm thinking of getting the Union Jack mirror caps for the side mirrors. Do they have to be installed by MINI or are they something that can be installed myself? Also, what about the one that goes on the rear view mirror?

Thanks,
Carole

 

Hi Carole do you have a S? if so, you probably should be putting in 93 octane. As for the caps for the side mirrors you can do it yourslef; if you search for how to install them on here you should find tons of posts. Also the cap that goes on the rear view mirror is really easy to install and is something you can do yourself. The cover has double sided tape that is already applied to it. All you have to do is pull off the backing (while the cover is over the mirror) and the cover will stick. The rear view mirror cover should have directions showing this. However, I have found that you do not need to use the tape at all. Just put the cover over the mirror and it fits very snug. I really did not want to stick anything to my mirror so I figured I would give it a try. It's been almost 3,000 miles and my cover hasn't moved! My advice is apply the rear view mirror cover first withouth the tape and see how it goes. It if stays on and doesn't rattle-leave it.

 

Due to the high compression ratio of the engine, you have to run the premium octane to avoid potential damage to the pistons. The computer will retard the timing by way of knock sensors if you accidentally put a lower octane fuel in, but performance and miles per gallon will suffer. It's best to use premium.

The mirror caps are not hard to install, but it requires that you remove the mirror themselves to get to the screws. If you don't feel like this is something you can do, then you should probably find a local MINIAC to help you or let the dealer install them. The rearview mirror cover just snaps on over top. You can easily do that one yourself. Hope this helps.

 

No, I don't have an "S". Just the regular MINI. Thanks for the explanation. I put 92 octane in it the first time I filled it, which is considered super premium. The premium was 89 or 90. So the 92 will make her run the best then?

Thanks also for the advice on the mirrors. I'm kind of handy with tools, so first I'll see how much the dealer charges, and if it's a lot, then I'll probably give it a go myself

Carole

 

Carole -

The octane question comes up periodically; the manual for your car says something like regular unleaded will not damage the car, but 91 octane is recommended. Many people (including me) find that they get better mileage with the 91 octane fuel, so even though it costs more per gallon, you get more miles per gallon. A few people have reported that their cars actually don't run as well using regular; others have had good experience running the mid-grade gas. My suggestion to you is to try each, and see how your car responds. I'd suggest running a couple of tanks of each grade for more consistent results. You'll want to keep an accurate record of how many miles driven and how many gallons pumped; the pump receipt is how I keep track. Let us know what you find, and enjoy your new MINI!

 

Also, iirc, the compression ratio on the Justa is higher than the S.

 

Thanks, Charlie. I am getting great mileage with the 92 octane, so I think I'll just stick with it. I bought a little notebook to keep track of my mileage. so I'll see :-)) Right now, driving around town I'm getting 34 mpg.

Carole

 

Yeah just put the 92 in it, we have 93 as our premium around here and thats what I've always used. You get better gas mileage and your car is made for that. I don't skimp on gas and oil changes, no sense in saving a couple bucks now and being out a couple hundred or thousand if something breaks or dies prematurely.

 

True, the "static" compression ratio is higher, but the cylinder pressure is much higher in the "S" due to its forced induction. All the more reason to use premium, especially in the "S".

 

research what "octane" means

understand what "octane" means

then you will have an informed answer to your question

Wickapedia has a decent answer and if you doubt it (as many do doubt Wick') search the web for more answers . . .

IMHO when you understand what the term means you will gain an appreciation for the manufacturer's recommendation.

If you want the bottom line - if you run lower octane than the recommended, the computers in the car "de-tune" the car to compensate. A few years ago we'd change the timing to a less efficient setting to compensate for "cheap gas". The car ran OK but we'd loose acceleration. (circa 1975 . . . .)

 

Welcome to the forum, well I think we have run the fuel grade debate back into the ground yet again. If you want to save some money and risk poorer performance and the chance of problems over the long haul, run regular or midgrade, if you don't mind the extra 1 cent a mile and avoiding the worries, run premium.