I've resisted posting this for a while....but I couldn't resist any longer!

After five years of using NOTHING but premium 92/93 octane fuel in my max - I recently experimented with 89 midgrade, and more specifically 10% ethanol blended fuel avail. here in the midwest.

Given, I see about a 5-10% loss in avg. fuel ECONOMY, I don't seem to have ANY loss in power, driveability, or reliability.

I am astonished!

At this point - I'm seeing an avg. savings of .15 per gallon vs. the premium fuel, with no apparent ill-effects.
The other thing that has happened, is that my OIL CONSUMPTION has been cut IN-HALF.
I have no evidence supporting this....but I haven't changed ANYTHING ELSE in my driving habits or operating/service regimen.

I'd be interested in hearing if anyone else has any empirical data or evidence to support the efficacy of the performance of blended ethanol fuels in our vehicles??? Particularly in relation to operating temperatures, and burn/mix ratios.
I'm also curious to know what sort of short & long-term effects running this fuel might have on any other systems inmy car - like the catalyst and or EFI???
Okay - opinions are welcome as well....

I have to say - I was a staunch advocate of using ONLY Premium fuel in my Max - but now....I have 4 tankfulls that are telling me otherwise!

gr

 

I've been using the midgrade since the day I bought the car. Still drives good as new, granted I only have 28K miles on it (although over 6 years).

 

so you believe that saving the .15/gallon is worth it when considering the 5-10% loss in economy? I've got to investigate this in relation to our Canadian prices

 

Let's say you fill up with 14 gallons each time and averaged 22mpg using 93 octane.

22mpg x 14 gal = 308 miles/fill up

Using midgrade your mileage decreases 7%.

20.46mpg x 14 gal = 286 miles/fill up

That’s a difference of 22 miles or one gallon if you used 93 octane.

Does that justify saving $0.15/gallon or about $2.10/fill up? I’d rather use the good stuff.

Any math majors out there want to check my math? I hate math…

 

I use 87 an dthe car runs good..... it knocks but i don't race against my shadow...... still my car still gives 22mpg hwy with 150k miles on it.

 

seeing how gas prices are and you are just missing one gal opposed to filling up at the current ridiculous gas prices..i think i'd do the 89...this is my first tank of 89...but its mixed with 93..we'll see the results

 

Why, you are waisting money with the above math, you saved $2.10 and lost a gallon worth of gas (in regards to miles), not sure about you but gas here for 93 is $4.19, so simply you lose 1 gallon of gas yet save half a gallon of gas in cash... thus, you are losing $2.09.

 

well...i'm about to see how this tank works out..if i get the same 25-26mpg on this 89/93 mixture..i'm going to try the full 89 tank

 

if you cant afford the proper fuel for the car...sell it and buy something else

 

It's official: you have ascended to Douchebag status.

Get a life Sooner....seriously.

gr

 

WTF...what did i say that wasnt the truth

we are all sick of seeing threads about fuel....either pay or sell the car

 

SoonerFan please get a life.. if you hate these threads don't comment on them.

 

 

I am going to agree with Sooner here... There is a lot of things that should go through your head when you buy a car...

Insurance Rates
Gas Prices (Rise of Gas Prices)
Cost of Maintenance

It is the simple truth, if you want good gas millage buy a Civic, CRX, Hybrid etc... don't buy a 3.5L V6 and then try to figure out how to get better gas mileage, the car is not a fuel saver...

 

 

i will never put anything short of the best in my max

 

He can be a bit abrasive but he's right. You buy a "4 door sports car" and you are going to have to pony up the bucks to get the most out of the car.

 

he's right, if you complain about the fuel mileage of this car, then GTFO. I get 24-25mpg with all my mods.

some of us though have a timing advance and can't go back to anything less

 

+1 on sooner being a douche

 

ive got 142k on my 2000 se and if i dont use premium it knocks like a mother. considering the mpg decrease it doesnt make sense to not use premium. we dont really get good mpg to begin with, theres no point in lowering it further.

 

using lower octane than recommened can cause a lot of problem especially engine sensors.

 

i get about 27 mpg all highway i only run sunoco 93 it ain't that bad and i do 100 miles a day my opinion is stay with 93 octane

 

nissan does recommend 93 for a reason.

 

I've used 87 octane in my 2000 max since day one and it is at 149,000 miles. Sure it may not have all the power of 91 or 93, but it doesn't hurt the car. The knock sensor compensates for the lower octane changing your timing. Don't tell someone they shouldn't by the car b/c they don't want to get premium when the car will run just fine. Obviously if you have the money or don't mind to spend the money on premium gas(which I will on my new max) then it is recommended, but not neccessary

I don't get why you even post sooner. You never have anything informative to say other then short common sense answers. You say you are sick of these threads...MAYBE YOU SHOULDN'T OPEN THEM AND POST

 

I also have used 87 since buying my Max (2003). I just rolled over 80k miles and no knocking, good power, and about 300+ miles to a tank. It all depends on driving habits, specific vehicle mechanical condition and location. I've ran 91 quite a few times to determine any advantages, I noticed nothing. I can't justifiy paying $3.90/gal for 91. IMO

 

I have used both 87 and 91/93 octane. If I use 87 then my hwy is 26 mpg. If I use 91/93 then my hwy is 29 mpg which is 10% better. At current fuel prices 91/93 costs 5% (20 cent/gal diff @ $4/gal) more so it costs me less per mile to use 91/93 than 87. In town the difference is not as much so using either is a wash.

 

wow, a lot of replies in this thread show that nissan engineers are stupid especially when designing engines.
this kinda thread has been talked to the hell, why don't these people who use 89 trying to put some 83 and see what will happen in order to "save" more money?
oh, btw, using mobil1 can gain more mpg than using castrol gtx.

 

when i fill up, i always put 93 in. if i fill up once a week, i don't mind spending the extra $2.00 over the cost of 87, knowing that my car will run optimally.

 

even comparing the various grade prices at this point is totally pointless, I know my car requires 93 so it's not even a question and I'm going to put it in no matter what.

 

you know sooner is right. i cant believe im taking his side bcus he usually **** me off but when you think ab8 it he is kinda right.

i really wanted a maxima but here in ny, a 2k maxima with the same mileage cost more than a 2k i30 so i had to get an i30. but it gets horrible gas mileage and starting to get tranny problams and i think its not worth it to fix it. so as sooner said im silently looking for a 4cyl car ( something like a sentra spec-v, civic si or reguler civic, prelude, celica, rsx) with a manual tranny.

i really think, if you cannor afford 93 to put in your maxima why bother its engine by putting something low grade? get something with a smaller engine ( you will go just as fast around town but will just rev more)

 

Couldn't agree more.

 

I dont really care, ive usually used mid grade fuel. Didnt really notice much different, it has a knock sensor .

 

o no...people dislike me...what will i ever do.....

but cant provide anything to prove that I'm wrong...thats standard around here....

 

cry in a corner maybe....but I still like you sooner

 

just got back from crying..im ok now



send me my muffler

 

once its off my car its all yours, I'm ordering the exhaust pipes in a couple of weeks

and guess what, I'm gonna loose MPGs but do I care, **** no

Power>MPGs

 

my gas millage went up when I switched to mobil1 ep, what a great choice.

 

That is all I've used since I got mine. Mobil1 and 93 octane premium. Last two tanks on my trip to Kentucky and back were 27.2 and 27.6 (doing the math) which is pretty good for a car the EPA rates at 26 mpg freeway. Kept the cruise on around 75 mph, kicked it up to 85-90 a few times to get around trucks before they started passing each other on hills.

 

the other thing we can do to get better gas millage is what you can do best, Scottwax, detailing. clearner the car is, less friction the air will produce when doing high speed

 

I guess I should mention I only pay for half my gas and my company pays the rest, plus I have a work truck too....

so I can usually do 2 weeks on 16 gallons which is about 380-400 miles for me