My Sales rep said I don't need high octane like my 02. What are most people using and with what results?

 

I run 91 in my MCS - the highest octane "premium" gas available in California/Nevada/Arizona for years now.

Who are you going to believe, your sales drone or the manufacturer? In an S, you truly NEED to run premium, thanks to its high compression ratio (for a turbo, enabled by the presence of direct injection). The sales guy is a knuckler.

 

this

 

Your sales rep is mistaken. I only use 92 octane from a tier 1 supplier only. I use Chevron 99% of the time. The owners manual says to use premium. I would recommend that you do. Some people claim to use mid-grade fuel with no ill effects. I prefer to use what the factory recommends.

Pat

 

We don't have our Mini yet but it's going to be drinking Premium from Chevron every time.

 

I think that is wise. Your car will thank you and it will lead to trouble free motoring.

 

Sometimes I buy some of the good stuff (unleaded only). Mix to 98 Octane.

 

Hahaha, that stuff is awesome. I wonder if they also make energy drinks?

I live in CA so yeah, I do the 91 octane. I try getting Chevron whenever possible but most of the time it's Shell since they're more conveniently located for me.

 

Use 91 that is the highest available in UTAH. $3.31 a gallon this week, ouch!

 

same here....

 

Well, I would call THAT a consensus

I always used 91 in my 02, I just didn't know if things had changed and hadn't read through the manual.

So, 91 it is.

Thanks

 

Shell - 93 octane & 0% ethanol

 

Shell 93 Octane only!!

 

Texaco 93, and I save every receipt... just in case there's ever a question.

 

The amount of money you would save by using a lesser grade of gas [about 2.50 in my case] comes out to about 150 dollars a year if you fill up once a week. A small price to pay for your best performance. I'm not a gear head so I do not know the results of using lower greade of gas but I would do yourself a favor and just spend the small amount of extra money a month a buy one less dinner out!

 

At our local Mini Dealer that have a list of the good and the bad fuels. Per that list in Greensboro NC I use only Shell premium

 

93 usually because I got to Sheetz and they only have 87, 89, 93. 91 if the station has it.... I saw a place with 92 once?

 

BP/Amoco 92, mainly because there are BP stations around my work & home (and because I like BP's overall environmental record, the tragedy of Deepwater Horizon notwithstanding).

 

Someone needs to get the approved and unapproved latest list of companies that Cooper publishes and put it on this forum.. BP in our area is on the bad list per the dealer in Winston Salem NC.

 

Shell 91. We don't have 93 in Canada. :'(

 

I live in southwest VA and we have 93 almost everywhere here.

 

Maybe it affects the turbos differently but I'm over 100k mi. on my R53 (original supercharger still but I have my New Supercharger Fund ready) -- 70k of that is on BP/Amoco 92 (which does have ethanol, correct?).

 

I use 91, but I usually avoid my neighborhood Chevron in my little town. That Chevron station looks like it is a VERY low volume dealer. I wouldn't be surprised if not more than 4 or 5 people use the premium fuel every month.

Instead, I usually use the very busy Flying J store which sells Conoco (a top tier suppier) gas.

 

Shell V-Power 91, I think, there is a station on the corner. I had been filling up every Friday whether Molly wanted to get Drunk or not. But the Poor Girl has been the Garage Queen since March 23rd, the day before my surgery.

 

I live in Denver and my sales guy told me to use midgrade because the fuel specs are written for sea level. any truth in this? btw denver is 5600ft above sea level.