Labeled for use only in off-road vechicles, boats or vechicles registered as classic.

Go figure that I keep accidentally grabbing the wrong pump handle...

:grin:

Hm.

I wonder if that is even legal around NY and where to buy that stuff.

Same here! :thumbsup:

"
The efficiency gains are best when the engine is at incipient knock, that's
why knock sensors ( actually vibration sensors ) are used. Low compression
ratio engines are less efficient because they can not deliver as much of the
ideal combustion power to the flywheel. For a typical carburetted engine,
without engine management [27,38]:-

Compression Octane Number Brake Thermal Efficiency
Ratio Requirement ( Full Throttle )
5:1 72 -
6:1 81 25 %
7:1 87 28 %
8:1 92 30 %
9:1 96 32 %
10:1 100 33 %
11:1 104 34 %
12:1 108 35 %

Modern engines have improved significantly on this, and the changing fuel
specifications and engine design should see more improvements, but
significant gains may have to await improved engine materials and fuels."

Quoted from the MOST academic, true understanding of gasoline I have ever seen.

http://www.faqs.org/faqs/autos/gasoline-faq/part3/

Read the whole thing.

The mini could easily benefit from the highest octane sold at a regular gas station.
It says that knock isnt a matter of performance only, it actually destroys the engine. Ofcourse, our engines have management aka, computerized stuff to balance things. However, that has nothing to do with optimal engine conditions which means... 91 octane is like the bottom of the barrel in considerations for octane ratings.

Cheap gas = dumb owner

Thanks everyone for the info in this thread. My parents were considering gas options for our new MCS. I'll be sure to pass on this thread to them for furter consideration.:thumbsup:

That is not correct. The owners manual for the MC states that Premuim fuel is required. You may be losing some power and just not know it because the ECU compensates for the lower octane.

According to science, which is like what one must consider, the MC's 10.6:1 compression ratio would love to have over 100 octane.

intriguing right? And that is in winter and on top of a mountain. boom.

added cost for premium gas
 

I think this is a point well taken. The amount of money spent for premium fuel per fill up is minor. $2.50 or so a tank is not what I would call breaking the bank. It may be a budget item for some drivers, if $$ is tight. However, if I fill up 4 times a month I add $10 a month to my gas bill and recoupe some of that in better fuel efficiency and performance - as stated in the other postings on this thread.

If gas prices is the reason not to own a MINI then it's not enough of a con to outweigh the pros (snazzy looks, lots of features, great stability etc.)
---

I try to look at it this way. I work three jobs to keep the wolf away. I don't do drugs, don't gamble, don't drink much, and don't have a big expensive house. I don't have a boat, or SUV or airplane or go on expensive vacations. No mistress or any bad vices, so you now have figured out I am a pretty boring guy. My mini is my reward and toy for working my butt off all the time. If gas goes to $5/gal, I figure I'm still OK.

Whatever it costs is what it costs. And I plan on enjoying the hell out it as long as I can. Hummm, wonder who will get it when I'm six feet under????? Maybe I better make a better plan. hehe

YD

Well, you could arrange to be buried in your MINI....:grin:

Hey, I hadn't thougth of that.... that's a great idea. Sitting in the seat, left hand on the wheel, right hand on the shifter..... tach locked at 7K.

thanks

YD

When I picked up my new MCC last week (6 weeks to the day from ordering) my MA confirmed that the tank was full of 89 octane from their tank out back. And told me that that was what was used in all the big BMW's for the dealer around the corner. So I'm filling up with 89 now which is a big step for me from the 87 I have always used in my Miata, Outback and Dakota. FWIW

vaporlock
 

I'mnew, so if I'm repeating someone else, sorry. If I topped off my Harley, I would get vapor lock in the gas tank, so it was always better to leave some airspace in the tank. Not sure how MINI's respond to this, I'm still breaking mine in, no 1k trips...yet.

Jason

er.

dont.

91+

your car especially needs it with its 10.6:1 compression ratio. thats an obscene ratio for a modern car.

I've had this conversation with more than a few people b*tchin' about fuel costs while they are sipping a starbucks while filling up their car (we have many of the S'bucks in the gas stations around here). They pay close to $4 for that 12 oz cup of coffee, which equates to approx $42/gal FOR COFFEE!!!

Or I have pointed out to an acquaintance who bragged about having 2-3 S'bucks/day, equaled out to almost $60/wk, which at the time was two tankfuls for her Honda CRV - and perhaps if gas was crunching her budget so much that a reduction in Starbucks consumption might be worth considering.

Sometimes an adjustment of perspective is necessary....

After reading this thread last week, I swithed from Mid-Grade (89) to Premium at my last fill-up (a week ago, exactly).

I don't think the additional zippiness (word?) coming from under the bonnet is my imagination. I'm also seeing improved mileage: 29+ mpg to now just a shade over 31.

Sticking to the premium, regardless of what the gas prices do in the future.

The zippyness is from the engine turning down its safety system. It is making up for a negative, not actually a positive above regular power.

Engines retard timing by a huge chunk for cruddy octane gas. 90 or below will have an obvious lack of power. 100 octane for a humid sea level place where I live probably is ideal for the S. I havent seen it anywhere and I do not yet know which are the best /most effective octane boosters. I am going to post in mini talk about that

Let us know what you find. I would love to see what my car could do w/ 100 of those little octane dudes pedalling like crazy. Let's see 7/93, that's 7.5% and I ddn't have to install anything.

I just put vpower in my mothers 1998 toyota Camry. It is 93 around long island.

I went on a trip with it for an hour and half drive on hills and expressways. The car behaved completely different by the middle of the trip. the engine never lagged on accelerating on hills like it normally does.

crap gas really sux for any car.
even a car without a high compression engine. vpower is some freaky good stuff!

After all, our cars have one function. To burn gas. That's all they do. not to be neglected!

Oh, man, here we go again. =o)

Cars that do not call for high(er) octane gas do not benefit from it.

100 octane in a MINI would do nothing for the engine. As the octane number gets higher, there is _less_ energy per molecule, not more. This is to resist detonation at higher compression ratios. You want gas with an octane ratong that matches its requirements. Too much higher, and you're spending more $$ for less performance. That's the short of it.

Do not CALL for it, or cannot utilize it. Mini calls for 91 as it is corporation wanting to sell you their product it. It uses with flair up to 98 octane without modifications.

the camry? no word on that, wont bother looking it up, it's a boring car. Apparently it uses way more than "regular" which toyota claimed it was "made for". It wasnt. 2-5% gain in power? it was more than that on hills with some travel equipment and 2nd passenger.

the claim that cars do well on crap octane is a misnomer to sell cars to people who are paranoid of spending 200 dollars a year more for the best.

I have actually had vehicles that 'call for' regular that I've put super into, and they ran better with the regular. I also had a Goldwing that, although regular was specified, pinged on it and needed super. But I wouldn't upgrade 'just because.' Each vehicle is different, but I don't automatically assume that super is better _no matter what_.

Go to www.toptiergas.com for info about recommended gasolines.

True, there is less energy per molecule in the higher-octane gas, but if using higher-octane gas allows the engine management computer to avoid retarding the ignition timing, the added power and efficiency could more than make up for the lower specific energy.

Also, don't forget that many Mini owners have 15%, 17%, or even 19% overdrive supercharger pullies installed on their cars. The added boost increases the cylinder pressure and the potential for knocking/detonation.

What we need is a way to figure out when the the anti-knock feature of the engine management computer is being activated, and then gradually adjust the octane until the engine just barely pings under heavy load. That would be the "sweet spot" for that particular engine under those specific atmospheric conditions.

Scott

I look at it from that article's data. It says that a 10:1 compression engine which a mini has more than that, that over 100 octane is optimal. The computer only exists to safeguard the engine against improper fuel.

someone noted that the MINI's computer understands up to 98 octane. Well, it can adjust for it. That doesnt mean the ENGINE can't use more, just the computer might not know what to do with it.

people arguing against the use of 91 octane need to realize that the mini wants a heck of a lot more than that. the argument should be 91 vs 98 octane.