What fuel grade (octane) do you use in your Mini?

I've been putting in mid grade (89).

 

If it's an S, pretty sure it's 91 or higher.

 

Definitely not 89, 91 minimum. I use 93 ethanol free.

 

91+
And with a pulley, step up to 92-94, the premium....
Cheaper than a $2200 valve job to save $2 on a full up.

 

Have you guys seen issues with using 89? I have no issues stepping up to higher octane if I need to - but if I don't need to, then I don't see the point.

Incidentally, the reason I have been using 89 .. I was informed that it didn't need anything more than 89.

 

I don't have an S. The first few tanks I used premium 91-93 octane. Eventually I tried a tank of 89 (mid grade). I have not heard any pinging, and I'm quite sensitive to it, and I haven't noticed any loss of power. Gas mileage hasn't been affected either.

In summary, I haven't found a reason to get premium. No bad effects from mid grade which is the minimum octane listed in the manual.

Since then I've been running mid-grade.

 

Only thing I'll add is make sure you're using Top Tier fuels.
What are 'Top Tier' fuels you ask...
http://www.toptiergas.com/retailers/

 

At least 91. A buck a tank difference, I'll take a happy engine and run the grade it was designed to run on.

 

Premium, as per page 85 of the owner's manual.

 

I been running 93 or if i cant find it 92 on all my MINIs, the r52 has 263K+ miles. So I just stick with it.

 

As a MINI guru from Chicago once told a seminar at MINI in the Ozarks, for every penny you save using less than 91 octane, you will more than spend on repairs later down the road. If can afford the MINI, you can afford the fuel grade recommended by the oem.

 

I cant tell if this is a troll post or not

 

I don't understand those who purchase performance cars, then cheap out on gas, just to save $2.50 (Half the price of a Big Mac) on a fill-up...

 

Let's put it this way....
If you put a pulley on the motor...the sc is making more heat...so more octane is needed.
Yes...performance has it price. Psy up now at the pump...or unpredictability in the next 20-40,000 miles with a head and valve job, maybe less....

Issue is lower octane fuel can experience pre-ignition...the motor dies things like retard timing when intake temps are Hi, running extra rich, etc to combat this ..but even if it works, the byproduct of it is the valves get extra hot...this can cause the alloys they are made if to change...soften...then they wear...
Folks start getting misfires... It get what worse...car is underivable in a few hundred or thousands miles...
Drives ven gently in cool weather, no pulley, folks did get away with 89...
Well...summer is coming...you have a pulley if I recall, and the reason to get one is to hammer down....nuff said
Your $$.

 

Thanks for the input everyone - again, I'm going off of things I've heard and seen in the past. With this specific car, the dealer - and the PO (from what I'm told), used 89. Also as previously stated, I'm not against stepping up if I need to.

Zippy, thanks for the details.

 

Different Mini, but I use Premium all the time, except when the moron filled it with regular. Here in OR we don't do self serve gas pumping. To make it run better I shoved half a big mac in the tank. jk grateful deadhead.

 

Nah...

Big Mac would've certainly led to clogged arteries, er, I mean injectors!

 

I'm confused as why anyone would argue with what MiNI says it needs, you wouldn't put conventional oil in it would you?

 

I use 91-93, usually 93 ethanol free.
I did a bluefin ecu flash that advances the maps a little, and
figure that warrants the 93 octane. Plus, the R50 has a fairly
high compression ratio.

 

Thanks for sharing the list Brick, good to know!

 

The engine control unit will retard the ignition when regular gasoline is used, so no damage will happen to the engine. Performance will suffer, however.

I drove a MINI exactly like mine, except it was pepper white. The owner used only regular grade gasoline. It had noticeably less pep than mine, I use only 92 octane premium.

Top tier gasoline is a marketing tool. I have always used Costco gasoline. When I first got my MINI, Costco was not top tier. They paid to call it top tier, their gasoline didn't change. They have always put top tier levels of detergent in their gasoline.

 

No.

Gen1 is REQUIRED......lots of burnt valves...do a search...folks getaway with it for a bit...but...

Gen2 it's optional for best performance.
Different computers, motors, etc...
Yes...gen1 cars will retard the timing....yes it will reduce power...but they still get damaged.

 

FWIW, I will be switching to 91.

I broke out the manual and here is what it says on page 101 / 102:

Required Fuel

Super Premium gasoline AKI / 91

This gasoline is highly recommended. However, you may also use gasoline with less AKI. The minimum AKI rating is 87. If you use gasoline with this minimum AKI rating, the engine may produce knocking sounds when starting at high outside temperatures. This has no effect on the engine life.

 

OMG

someone read the owner's manual!?!?!?!

everyone KNOWS this is lies lies lies!!!!!!

 

Yea, our big trip last year took us up the coast highway thru OR. First time I stopped for gas, I got the cap off and was reaching for the spigot when this guy comes running out and grabs it away from me. Dang near started a fist fight. Asked him if he thought I was too dang old and crippled up to pump my own gas.