The Honda engine is a 1.8L and Cooper's is a 1.6L. I am sure that has something to do with it. I mean my 07 Accent had a 1.4L and 110 hp. With MINI you are getting a package designed one way. The Civic a package designed another way.

Took way to long to respond to this. Why does my boss bother me at work.

 

Previous (and only other) owner told me that he was having major issues when using premium gasoline in my S. He said that the car would stutter constantly. His mechanic told him to stop using premium, that it wasn't needed - and the issue went away.

I occasionally use premium in the car, but 90% of the time, I use 87. Not once have I had any issues, and I get about 29 MPG. I do not see any kind of improvement from using 91 or 93, either.

This topic will be debated until we all hit the grave. It's up to the person who owns the car what they want to do. I know the old story about compression ratios and everything else, but for this car, I have had zero problems with regular unleaded non-ethanol gasoline.

 

oh and by the way?

http://www.supercarsite.net/mini/cooper-s/2002

 

You're using regular unleaded....in a turbocharged engine? Whatever works for you I suppose, but that tells me that there was something more going on there if it was stuttering with premium, like not making boost or needs a tune or something.

Edit: sorry you'd be supercharged, not turbo, didn't see the year of your car at first.

 

Perfectly valid and clear question (to me, at least)! A quick and maybe over-simplified answer is that you can get more power and torque compared to a similar-sized engine that would use regular fuel (i.e., one with a lower compression ratio).

The MINI is a small car with a small space for the engine. So, a small engine is needed. How do you get more power and torque out of that small engine? Increase the compression ratio (i.e., increase the amount that the piston goes in an out of the engine cylinder). But if you increase the compression ratio, you will need premium fuel to prevent knocking (as others have explained).

So, really, the simple sweet answer to your question is that using premium fuel allows you to drive a small car (with a small engine) and still get reasonably good power and torque.

MINI could have used a lower compression ratio engine that uses regular fuel, but then we would all be complaining how under-powered the damn thing is.

 

Bingo - this makes sense. Thanks!!