Never, ever......

 

Funny, I've never seen that. 89 says "Cleaner air for Iowa" and 10% ethanol, which is the government mandated blend. Of course we also have specific E85 and E15 pumos at some stations (newer Kum & Go stations mostly), but the 89 at regular pumps is 10%.

I say that everyone should follow the manual. Mine says premium, so my car gets premium. If the price difference is that much of a factor to you then you probably wouldn't have spent the money to buy a MINI, you would likely be in something cheaper.

 

They're selling 15% blends in Iowa??? I didn't think that was happening yet. Those fools. The EPA and our president are beyond stupid.

 

It's not common, I've only seen it at one chain of locally owned stores, and it is in addition to the regular 10%, not a replacement. What's funny is that this is one of the few places where there is no ethanol in the 87 and 91 octane gas pumps. It's only in the 89 (and the 89 is the cheapest). My gas mileage is much better running the more expensive unblended stuff, if you do the math it's less money to run the straight gasoline vs the ethanol trash.

 

I wish we could get ethanol free here in SW FL :(

 

You guys have gas without any ethanol?? I'm moving.

 

Trust me, not worth it. Lol.

 

Google "pure gas" and you'll get a site listing by state and city all the ethanol free stations in your area. Since I started using preiimum ethanol free gas I get better mileage and very little black carbon deposits on the exhaust pipes ('09 MCS).To me it is worth it ---carbon deposits on the tailpipes must signal same in the engine. You can go cheap and pay in the end for using 10% ethanol or pay a few dollars more per fillup and get cleaner burn.

 

Great tip, but guess what? I live in CT and it friggin figures--not ONE Damn station! We pay the highest gas taxes, have probably the highest electric and energy costs in the U.S., and I have to put GMO corn flakes in my gas tank!!!
All to subsidize gigantic farming monopolies that don't need the money, while driving up the cost of corn!!!!
Not to get on my soapbox, but vote this sucker in the white house OUT!!
(That feels better.)

 

Question for you guys.. I usually go to Maverick (not sure if those are in every state), which is the cheapest gas here in Utah. Is there a difference between using a higher priced, name brand gas such as Chevron and a cheap substitute such as Maverick? Just curious, as I filled my car up today with Premium gas from Maverick. Wondering if I should give Chevron a try next time, and compare the results.

 

I spend the extra money when I have the option. BUT, there are a TON of stations here in Iowa where you can't get better than 89 Gasohol... So I put the highest in I can get and go with it.

But if given the choice, I'll spend the extra 20 cents a gallon for 91.

 

Better brands often have better additives. They keep the engine cleaner and maintain performance better than the cheapo brands and lower octanes.

 

The additive help is your gas flows over the intake valves. The DI engines don't have that benefit.

 

There is a difference, but make sure it says "Top Tier Gasoline" then you know it is approved by the car manufacturer.

Read this wiki article for more info:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Tier_Detergent_Gasoline

 

So, I'm trying to do more research on this beyond anecdotes.

https://youtu.be/FPPkPAbzwbU

Obviously, a MINI (I have 2016 F55) is not a Chevy Cruze, but I found it interesting that the auto expert puts 87 is his Corvette, noting premium would only be good for track days.

I'd love to see actual tests done on a MINI measuring HP, torque, emissions, and gas mileage in controlled settings with 87 versus 93.

I've only used 91 or 93 (as available) for my first four fill ups, but I am curious.

The search for data continues...

 

The "auto expert" is consistent with the 2016 Corvette owner's manual:

"87 octane or higher can be used, but acceleration and fuel economy will be reduced, and an audible knocking noise may be heard. If this occurs, use a gasoline rated at 91 octane or higher as soon as possible. Otherwise, the engine could be damaged. If heavy knocking is heard when using gasoline with a 91 octane rating or higher, the engine needs service."

Your manual says 89 will not damage your engine but 91 is recommended (93 for JCW) for best performance. For the gen2 normally aspirated base models 91 is recommended and 87 is recommend as a minimum.

I suspect both companies have an incredible amount of data supporting their recommendations for design, marketing, and warranty purposes.

 

There is good data, however all of it I'm aware of is confidential proprietary.

The glossy overview is; current engines, even n/a ones, achieve the highest HP and FE on available 93 octane, and going any lower is detrimental to both. How detrimental to longevity is extremely variable depending on the exact engine, to the point that you're on your own whether the risk of long-term damage is worth the at-the-pump savings. If you need a TL:DR, pumping premium gasoline is cheap insurance to have your engine run optimally.


The separate issue of determining financial efficiency of the lost fuel economy of 87 is debatable, depending on the actual delta of the FE and the $/gal. In the real world, people's feet are far too variable to have an educated argument.

 

I definitely intend to continue using 91/93 unless there's conclusive data indicating otherwise.

This is definitely one of the odder topics my brain has locked onto as "fascinating", but there it is.