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2.5 hybrid engine requires Premium Gasoline?

DryHeat

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this is a good representation of how little return you get for the extra outlay that premium fuel costs (which is .70c more per gallon in GA).
When I hear someone say, "You get better fuel economy with premium," I always wonder if they really mean more miles per gallon or more miles per dollar (which is what "economy" means to me).

It seems likely they mean miles per gallon, because generalizing about miles per dollar is much more complex. I looked at the averages today and premium is $0.32/gallon more than regular in California, but $0.65/gallon more in Florida.
When it comes to higher octane fuels and why it costs more, the answer is basically... CRACK!
I find that the answer to most of life's pressing issues is... CRACK.

It's an old drug, but a good one...:devilish:
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MLowe05

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It seems likely they mean miles per gallon, because generalizing about miles per dollar is much more complex. I looked at the averages today and premium is $0.32/gallon more than regular in California, but $0.65/gallon more in Florida.
.65-.70 is the norm here, too. I have never looked into it but that explains why so many on car forums, presumably from the west coast, say "it's not that much more" when they justify why they're advising fellow members to run 93 octane in cars designed to run on 87.

15 years ago it was 10c intervals, so premium was only .20c more. It's basically a scam, but the marketing people have a large number of drivers convinced that premium is something more than just a resistance to knock.. and so they continue to waste money pouring premium into their tanks, but hey at least that makes them feel good.
 

Naranjita

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DryHeat

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Those were the days!
In Houston in the 60s there was an intersection with gas stations on three of the corners and a Toddle House on the fourth.

During a gas war (remember gas wars?) one of the stations dropped its regular gas price to 9.9 cents per gallon. I filled up my 1950 Ford Fordor for a little over a dollar.
 

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FloodingdowninTX

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In Houston in the 60s there was an intersection with gas stations on three of the corners and a Toddle House on the fourth.

During a gas war (remember gas wars?) one of the stations dropped its regular gas price to 9.9 cents per gallon. I filled up my 1950 Ford Fordor for a little over a dollar.
Yes, I also remember a guy would raise the hood and check stuff, inflate all tires, and squigee the glass and mirrors all while the tank was filling. The squigee looked fun when you were a bored kid in the car.
 

Romanhawk

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Reviving an older Octane discussion…

My local Sheetz station now offers Unleaded 88 and Flex fuel. This is my (limited) understanding:

Unleaded 88 increases the the standard 10% ethanol up to a max of 15%. This dilution brings the 87 octane up to 88. (88 of course sounds better to the buying public at the “cost” of an additional 5% ethanol). It is currently almost 50 cents cheaper per gallon than 87

They are also selling Flex. Flex fuel is between 51% and approximately 75% ethanol. This is obviously (and clearly stated at the pump) intended only for Flex fuel vehicles and May cause damage to standard engines. It is currently 80 cents per gallon cheaper than 87.

Ethanol does attract water and this would be an obvious reason that folks would avoid it.

Unleaded 88 is currently being marketed and it sponsoring various sporting events recently. They say any engine built after 2001 can handle it.

Here’s my personal garage:

Dodge Ram with Flex engine. I use Flex fuel in this vehicle because I drive it a lot and the tank is always being refilled. (Never has the chance to attract water as it’s being burned constantly) I would fill it with 87 if it were to sit for a while. 80c per gallon is a very large amount of $ savings for this inefficient engine

Jeep Wrangler. I have just recently tried out the 88 in this car. I have noted no adverse effects. It also gets driven a lot. 50c per gallon is also a very large $ savings.

1985 Celica. Under no circumstance will I allow ethanol anywhere near this car. (Nor would I use high ethanol in any of my small engine yard machines.) I’m not looking for $ savings here.

So…

- Knowing full well a bunch of responses will be anti-Unleaded 88 due to the 5% increase in ethanol….

- Knowing that old school minds are resistant to change (Which is perfectly okay. I am commonly in this category)

-Knowing that this is potentially A LOT of $ savings…

Q: Would you consider using Unleaded 88 in your EB Maverick? In your Hybrid Maverick?

Disclaimer: Many of us will “baby” our new Mavs of course. How about after she’s well enough broken in?

(This is my first hybrid. I am a hybrid NOOB)

Cheers…
 

WesM

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Reviving an older Octane discussion…

My local Sheetz station now offers Unleaded 88 and Flex fuel. This is my (limited) understanding:

Unleaded 88 increases the the standard 10% ethanol up to a max of 15%. This dilution brings the 87 octane up to 88. (88 of course sounds better to the buying public at the “cost” of an additional 5% ethanol). It is currently almost 50 cents cheaper per gallon than 87

They are also selling Flex. Flex fuel is between 51% and approximately 75% ethanol. This is obviously (and clearly stated at the pump) intended only for Flex fuel vehicles and May cause damage to standard engines. It is currently 80 cents per gallon cheaper than 87.

Ethanol does attract water and this would be an obvious reason that folks would avoid it.

Unleaded 88 is currently being marketed and it sponsoring various sporting events recently. They say any engine built after 2001 can handle it.

Here’s my personal garage:

Dodge Ram with Flex engine. I use Flex fuel in this vehicle because I drive it a lot and the tank is always being refilled. (Never has the chance to attract water as it’s being burned constantly) I would fill it with 87 if it were to sit for a while. 80c per gallon is a very large amount of $ savings for this inefficient engine

Jeep Wrangler. I have just recently tried out the 88 in this car. I have noted no adverse effects. It also gets driven a lot. 50c per gallon is also a very large $ savings.

1985 Celica. Under no circumstance will I allow ethanol anywhere near this car. (Nor would I use high ethanol in any of my small engine yard machines.) I’m not looking for $ savings here.

So…

- Knowing full well a bunch of responses will be anti-Unleaded 88 due to the 5% increase in ethanol….

- Knowing that old school minds are resistant to change (Which is perfectly okay. I am commonly in this category)

-Knowing that this is potentially A LOT of $ savings…

Q: Would you consider using Unleaded 88 in your EB Maverick? In your Hybrid Maverick?

Disclaimer: Many of us will “baby” our new Mavs of course. How about after she’s well enough broken in?

(This is my first hybrid. I am a hybrid NOOB)

Cheers…


So there are several things at work here. First the Hybrid has a pressurized tank, which should lead to better fuel longevity and reduce the propensity of ethanol to separate out as water from the gas. My question would be, how effective is the pressurized tank? if it works really well, higher ethanol fuel should not really be a problem.

On the flip size, since the Hybrid is so efficient, hypothetically fuel will stay in its tank longer, maybe even a few months for a tank for someone who lives in the city. Thats a long time for fuel to sit without a stabilizer and more ethanol would make it worse.

Finally, I have not seen unleaded 88 fuel around here... so its kind of a moot point for me :p
 

STARCOMMTREY1

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Reviving an older Octane discussion…

My local Sheetz station now offers Unleaded 88 and Flex fuel. This is my (limited) understanding:

Unleaded 88 increases the the standard 10% ethanol up to a max of 15%. This dilution brings the 87 octane up to 88. (88 of course sounds better to the buying public at the “cost” of an additional 5% ethanol). It is currently almost 50 cents cheaper per gallon than 87

They are also selling Flex. Flex fuel is between 51% and approximately 75% ethanol. This is obviously (and clearly stated at the pump) intended only for Flex fuel vehicles and May cause damage to standard engines. It is currently 80 cents per gallon cheaper than 87.

Ethanol does attract water and this would be an obvious reason that folks would avoid it.

Unleaded 88 is currently being marketed and it sponsoring various sporting events recently. They say any engine built after 2001 can handle it.

Here’s my personal garage:

Dodge Ram with Flex engine. I use Flex fuel in this vehicle because I drive it a lot and the tank is always being refilled. (Never has the chance to attract water as it’s being burned constantly) I would fill it with 87 if it were to sit for a while. 80c per gallon is a very large amount of $ savings for this inefficient engine

Jeep Wrangler. I have just recently tried out the 88 in this car. I have noted no adverse effects. It also gets driven a lot. 50c per gallon is also a very large $ savings.

1985 Celica. Under no circumstance will I allow ethanol anywhere near this car. (Nor would I use high ethanol in any of my small engine yard machines.) I’m not looking for $ savings here.

So…

- Knowing full well a bunch of responses will be anti-Unleaded 88 due to the 5% increase in ethanol….

- Knowing that old school minds are resistant to change (Which is perfectly okay. I am commonly in this category)

-Knowing that this is potentially A LOT of $ savings…

Q: Would you consider using Unleaded 88 in your EB Maverick? In your Hybrid Maverick?

Disclaimer: Many of us will “baby” our new Mavs of course. How about after she’s well enough broken in?

(This is my first hybrid. I am a hybrid NOOB)

Cheers…
All fuel today has ehtanol unless specifically stated. Also careful with 88. Many many studies show modern cars have long term issues with 15% ethanol. Flex is 75% moonshine with 15%fuel to make it undrinkable
 

nikorasu

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Regarding 88 Octane or E15. Page 167 of the manual... The engine is designed to run on E15, same as the 2.5L in my other Ford hybrids.

Can I put E15 or E85 in my vehicle, and how will it affect my fuel economy?

Your hybrid vehicle can use E15 (15% ethanol, 85% gasoline) fuel, but you may notice slightly reduced fuel economy because ethanol contains less energy per gallon than gasoline. Your hybrid vehicle is not designed to use E85 (85% ethanol).
Next; outside of high elevation areas one should not find 85 octane gasoline at retail. When filling my truck, and by truck I mean a fuel tanker truck at a pipeline terminal, I use ether 90% 85 octane base gas with 10% high octane pure ethanol to make 87 octane E10, or 50% 85 octane base gas with 50% 91 octane premium to make 87 octane pure gas no ethanol. The latter is more expensive obviously but is mostly what I deliver. Note I don't deliver to gas stations that the public fills at, rather private bulk tanks.
 
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Sjbuck2021

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That's every car forum, unfortunately. Even the Ford guy from the KS dealer said something like "premium gives you better fuel economy" in one of his videos, even though that is not a blanket truth for all - or even most - cars.

Our G70 has a 2.0T GDI with 255hp. The G70 says "premium recommended" but there is zero difference. We've tried. There is no detectable difference in performance or MPG with premium, but there is a detectable and significant increase in cost per fill up.
Same with my 2018 rdx. Premium recommended. Runs just fine on 87. Don't waste money on premium. I occasionally run a can of sea foam with a full tank of 87 to clean out the carbon. No issues. 87 is fine for the hybrid. It needs no more or no less.
 

Decayed

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Sorry, I spent 5 hours this morning standing in line in front of best buy for a video card. I am fried right now. Too old for this shit.
did you get one? We went through something similar trying to get a ps5 - what a pain in the ass!
 

jwilson

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did you get one? We went through something similar trying to get a ps5 - what a pain in the ass!
I'm still trying for the Xbox Series X - for over a year now. Ridiculous.
 

bombast

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did you get one? We went through something similar trying to get a ps5 - what a pain in the ass!
No, and unfortunately I never will. It's too demoralizing to get in line at 1 am so I can listen to people half my age talk about scalping their cards to buy more meme coin and nfts while their moms who are in line to get them an extra nap in camping chairs. I'm too old for this.
 

Decayed

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No, and unfortunately I never will. It's too demoralizing to get in line at 1 am so I can listen to people half my age talk about scalping their cards to buy more meme coin and nfts while their moms who are in line to get them an extra nap in camping chairs. I'm too old for this.
The worst part is you know at least one of those little bastards will cash in by buying on the ground floor of some crypto and wind up a multimillionaire without ever having to work a day in his life. :LOL:
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