Gas prices and switching octane
Thread Starter
VIP Member
iTrader: (14)
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 8,675
From: Wherever Sucks the Most
Car Info: 2003 WRX, 2008 Camry
Gas prices and switching octane
At what point are you going to switch from 91 to 89 or 87 if you haven't already? I paid $4.10 yesterday for 91 so I'm beginning to wonder if 87 and driving like granny will be better for my wallet. Is my reasoning is flawed?
VIP Member
iTrader: (3)
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 3,648
From: SBAIC-South BayArea Impreza Club-Campbell, CA-Thur
Car Info: 2003 PSM STi
What I'm gonna do is go from paying 4.10-4.29/gal for 91 octane, to just running 100 octane all the time....I don't think it's that much more expensive anymore, I haven't checked in awhile though.
Warm Fuzzy Admin
iTrader: (45)
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 13,799
From: Sacramento, CA
Car Info: 97 LOB, 05 FXT, 03 Tundra
Honestly, yes. You're saving what, $2.50 per tank?
One bad round of detonation from crappy gas can ruin your whole day.
If per-tank prices went from 25 to 50, ok. The difference on a Subie is like $50 vs $52......I have a non-turbo Subie that runs on 87 and a turbo that runs on 91 (and gets the same mileage, :cry
and that's honestly aobut what you'll see. Not worth the risk.
One bad round of detonation from crappy gas can ruin your whole day.
If per-tank prices went from 25 to 50, ok. The difference on a Subie is like $50 vs $52......I have a non-turbo Subie that runs on 87 and a turbo that runs on 91 (and gets the same mileage, :cry
and that's honestly aobut what you'll see. Not worth the risk.
Warm Fuzzy Admin
iTrader: (45)
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 13,799
From: Sacramento, CA
Car Info: 97 LOB, 05 FXT, 03 Tundra
Theoretically, yes.
If I wanted a slow car, though, I'd drive my wagon
I, personally, will keep running 91 because the cost difference isn't enough to make me want to cut my performance. If you only have one car, and it's paid off, I can see going to 87 if you don't really care about the performance loss (I've known Eric for a long time and know his WRX is a DD, not a toy), but if you've still got something relatively new and you want to get away from 91, I'd be looking at a different car for a cheap DD before the value tanks on the current car.
If I wanted a slow car, though, I'd drive my wagon

I, personally, will keep running 91 because the cost difference isn't enough to make me want to cut my performance. If you only have one car, and it's paid off, I can see going to 87 if you don't really care about the performance loss (I've known Eric for a long time and know his WRX is a DD, not a toy), but if you've still got something relatively new and you want to get away from 91, I'd be looking at a different car for a cheap DD before the value tanks on the current car.
VIP Member
iTrader: (7)
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 25,095
From: Funtown
Car Info: A limousine with a chauffer
Disability ins from work + state ended up paying more due to taxes and stuff, even if you factor in the minimal amount I paid for my repairs.If you really wanted to get technical, the injury also happened on the mountain bike, not on my road bike that I ride mostly on the paved trail with no motorized traffic
You're still looking at worse mileage and less power so that extra $2.50 91 or that extra $x.xx for having to fill up sooner due to the crappy mileage you're going to get from 87. Price of admission to drive a Subaru varies anyways depending on how you drive. Pay to play.
I actually made money breaking my leg
Disability ins from work + state ended up paying more due to taxes and stuff, even if you factor in the minimal amount I paid for my repairs.
If you really wanted to get technical, the injury also happened on the mountain bike, not on my road bike that I ride mostly on the paved trail with no motorized traffic
Disability ins from work + state ended up paying more due to taxes and stuff, even if you factor in the minimal amount I paid for my repairs.If you really wanted to get technical, the injury also happened on the mountain bike, not on my road bike that I ride mostly on the paved trail with no motorized traffic

iClub Silver Vendor
iTrader: (25)
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 15,494
From: Participating in some Anarchy!
Car Info: 2005 LGT wagon
In most cases there is no reason to use and pay for expensive high octane gas. Unless your car was designed for such gas:
High octane gas does NOT improve gas mileage
High octane gas does NOT improve power output



