I have now filled up HAL a total of 4 times. The dealer started me off with premium and I have alternated between regular and premium. I asked the dealer about the premium recommendation. I was told that most European car manufacturers recommend premium. When paying $5 per gallon, what is the little more to move up to premium.

Dealer told me regular is fine but the choice is mine. I have not seen any difference in perfomance between premium or regular.

What are the thoughts of the other MINIs in the world?

Fred (1100 miles, almost past the 4500 rpm break-in limit)

 

Well it's all about performance. Your ECU determines the amount of ignition advance to use from the knock sensor. At WOT the ecu will continue to advance the ignition until it detects knocking and then cuts it back a little.

It just all depends on if you want a little more power or a little more green backs in the wallet.

 

Without a doubt I get better performance with higher octane and I am willing to pay the difference it is worth to me

 

I would never think of putting regular gas in my MINI. It is only a couple of dollars difference that lends itself to better performance over time. A few gallons of regular may not seem a big deal now, but when you're out of warranty and have some problems, you may wished you had stuck with the manufacturing standards.

I went to the effort of custom ordering my car. It deserves to be given the best treatment now it's here at my place.

 

One of the companies here in Canada now only sells midgrade and super-premium. That is, 90 Octane and 94. Previously, I was using 91 octane premium. I filled with the 94 octane stuff last weekend and saw my gas mileage per tank go soaring way up. Usually, I put in a tank a week. This last week, I used barely more than 1/2 a tank. I drove more this week too as I had to make a few errand runs.

So I would recommend, if you can afford it, invest in the highest octane possible for your mini. You will probably end up saving.

In another car of mine, the car doesn't like anything higher than regular 87-89 octane stuff but the Mini seems to like the higher octane stuff.

 

I always fill up both MINIs with Citgo 93 Octane gas. If that is not available, the Chevron or Mobil.

The car can run with gas lower than 91 octane, but then again, why go cheap on a $20K plus auto?

This is the same type of conversation from folks that want to take their brand new cars to have the oil changed at Jiffy Lube...

 

Last week, we filled up our 2005 Corolla rental in Banff with "Husky" 87 octane while in Banff. What is the best gas brand up in Canada?

 

Where are you paying $5 per gallon? You must mean that's the difference in price for a full tank of premium vs regular?

Running regular will make your engine run hottter. I wouldn't do it... certainly not during the break-in period. That's kinda nuts. It you have some engine problem, all they have to do (if they know) is say the problem is not covered because you didn't follow the owners manual, and didn't run premium. To me, it's not worth the risk... let alone the performance issues.

 

And it's true that most modern cars with knock sensors will *RUN* on regular, but 99% of the owner's manuals I've read state that regular should only be used in an emergency situation and that higher octane fuel should be added as soon as possible. Yeah, the sensors will instruct the ECU to retard the spark to avoid detonation, but then your car's not running at optimum capacity. Has to do with spark timing, flash points, stoichometric ratios, and a lot of other stuff I don't really understand too well, but I look at it this way:

Tank of Regular:.................Tank of Premium:
10 gal...............................10 gal
$2.09/gal today..................$2.29/gal today
$20.90 to fill it....................$22.90 to fill it

Spark retarded,...................ECU at full boogie,
Maybe 130 or 135................All 163 hp present
of the original.....................and accounted for, sir!
163 hp?

At about one tank a week, I'll pay the extra $8.00 or so a month to get the full benefit of my MINI, thank you very much. Hell, with what people pay for pullies, CAIs, exhausts, etc. to wring out a few more hp, this is cheap power in my book. . .

 

especially on FI motors, I wouldn't want to put regular gas.

 

I believe that he was referring to what people in Europe pay for gas

 

I tend to go with the manufacturer's recommendations (weird, I know) - I run premium in my bike and the MINI (recommended) and regular in my FI 3.5L Honda Pilot (recommended) - they all run fine. Don't think I've ever tried premium in the Honda, but it runs and tows fine on regular, even on hot summer days in the mountains at 8,000-10,000' elevation. . .so I guess the automakers know what they're talking about!:smile:

 

Why would you alternate between premium and regular? Do you drink decaf coffee every other morning?

Seriously, calculate out the price difference for a year (say 12k miles, 30 mpg) between regular and premium, and I think you'll be surprised at the number. Ask yourself if that's worth risking making your engine unhappy.

 

better HP, better torque, better gas mileage, and regular gas avoid warrenty for my porsche and mercedes. they only allowed 93+ gas.

 

Thanks, now I feel better about California gas prices.

 

check here beginning with message #2063

http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX?13@@.eea6c81/2062

hugh

 

FI = Forced Induction (super charged, turbo, nitrous, etc).

 

Doh! And me thinkin' Fuel Injected. . .showing my age, I guess. . .

 

And out of curiosity, is NOS considered 'forced induction'? I mean, I know the juice is stored compressed, but you're still using engine vacuum to pull in the (enhanced) air/fuel mixture, no?

So much to learn, so little time. . .

 

Regular gas is for regular cars

If I had a baby, I would give him the best milk I could buy...

 

About 90% of todays cars run fine on regular and would see no improvement with higher octane. The MINI is one of those that recommends premium. I would like to see a controlled test using 87, 91 and 93 octane in the MINI to determine if there is really a performance or gas mileage advantage from using premium.

It may not be a lot of money but I can't see giving it to the oil companies unless I get something in return.

I agree that while your MINI is under warranty it is better to use the recommended fuel on the off chance the fuel in use could be used to deny a claim, whether or not it had anything to do with the problem.

 

Are there differences on how the octane is meassured in the US and Europe? In Norway, where I live, we choose between 95 octane and 98 octane. My mini has always gotten 98 :D

 

I believe so, since nitrous forces more oxygen per cubic centimeter into the intake while it turns into gas.

 

in general, you'll only notice a difference if the car requires premium fuel. i doubt the regular cooper needs premium, but you can guarantee the S does. the difference is that premium fuel can be compressed higher without exploding before the spark plug has a chance to do it. most new cars will tune down the car and reduce compression if it finds that the gas is igniting too soon. in a supercharged or turbocharged car, the horsepower directly comes from the high compression so reducing compression will reduce performance. i doubt the compression is high enough in the regular cooper to matter though.


i don't have my MCSc yet, but i will be using premium.

 

The cooper has a higher compression engine than the S does, fyi!