I'm getting my truck tomorrow (5.2L). I would like to use regular, but does anyone use mid grade or high test? If so, is it to prevent pinging or to increase mpg?

I ask because I also own a 240sx, and it runs fine on 87, but I get +2mpg when I use 93. This is 100% consistent with this car and many Nissans for some reason.

Here are some rough figures: in NJ, 87 costs about $3.30/gal, 93 is $3.60
At these rates, you break even if 87=16mpg and 93=18mpg. The cost is $0.20 per mile. So in this case, you would be better with 93. If the difference is only 1mpg, 87 costs $0.01 less per mile.

But still, let me know what everyone here uses. Thanks.

 

I run 89, because it is the cheapest here in SD. They add 10% ethanol to it, which gives it tax breaks, which makes that grade the cheapest here. I get approximately 11 mpg in town with a heavy lead foot.

If your 87 doesn't cause pinging, and is the cheapest, I'd just run that, unless you needed a tad extra power for towing or something, then I'd run the high grade.

 

The price spread from 87 to 93 is getting ridiculous. It wasn't even an issue when 93 was 10 cents more. But now it's at least 25-30 cents. On our trucks, thats over $7 per tank.

btw I did read somewhere (car and driver I think) that ethanol blends tend to increase HP slightly, but also lower mpg slightly. May only be +1 or +2 HP, but also -1 or -2 mpg. Just something to think about.

 

i use premium in everything,car,truck,van,suv,weedeater,4-wheeler. i think it just makes everything run better and cleaner.ive run premium for years now.

 

i use 91 only because im using a high performace setting on my tuner

 

I run 89 in mine. On 87 I get around 9-11 and on 89 I am getting 13-16, depending on what I'm hauling or how I'm driving. I haven't noticed much of a difference in the 91 range, at least not enough to justify the added cost.

 

87 Octane.
Doesn't ping, and I get about 12.5-13.5 city.
Highway 15.5 or so. (rarely on the highway).
I drive with a light to meduim lead foot.
Quote taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octane_rating

There are tons of articles based on that misconception.

 

87 oct... with 10% etho.. and 4oz. of MMO per 10 gal.

once in a great while.. i'll run super 93 thru her....only about once a month

 

93 octane only

 

I ran 89 octane when it was stock. Well, as close to stock as it's been since I've had it. As in just exhaust. Anyway the previous owner told me it pinged badly with 87 and I'm not sure that I've ever tried it. I ran 89 like he said he did for quite a while. Then back probably not quite a year ago I added the Hypertech and put it on the performance setting so have to run 93 octane for that.

In the newer Honda I run 93 octane also as it's supposed to sense when you do and advance the timing or something and add 10hp or so. Quite a few guys and things claim it does this and it seemed to get slightly better gas mileage on 93 than 87. It runs fine on 87 so I can go back to it if I ever need to I just will lose the extra 10hp or so.

In our old Honda we run 87 as do we in the Chevy Caprice. They run fine on regular. In the motorcycles and dirt bikes they all require 93.

93 is $.20 more at one place I get gas in a town over sometimes they go up slightly more than that but not a ton, but at our local station I get gas at here they are jacking it up like $.40-45 over 87. It's a darn rip off. They are expensive in this town with regular too. As in a town well like 2 or 3 towns over but where I travel often I can sometimes get premium for under what regular costs here.