Does your car really need premium gas or can you get away with the more affordable 87 octane fuel? This is a question that many drivers ponder.

Most vehicles take regular gas and don’t ever require premium fuel. There’s only a small difference in octane ratings between regular and premium, which makes it sound like running on regular is the way to go most of the time, but that’s not always the case. Some cars require higher-grade fuel to operate correctly, but which gas should you use?

Why do some cars require or recommend premium fuel?

The octane rating of gasoline determines the compression level at which the fuel can withstand before detonation. Technically, all cars could benefit from using higher-grade fuel because the higher the octane, the lower the likelihood that detonation happens at the wrong time. Still, most vehicles don’t require premium fuel, which means the engine’s performance isn’t improved with more expensive fuel.

Engines with high compression ratios or turbochargers often require high octane fuel. This is a tradeoff for driving a vehicle with a smaller engine that’s turbocharged. Its also the tradeoff for driving motorcycles, which have high compression engines and operate most effectively using premium gas.

Should you use premium gas anyway?

The automaker is the expert on your vehicle. This means you should follow the recommendations in your owner’s manual. If it says you should fill your car up with regular 87 octane fuel, then that’s what you should do. Why would you want to pay good money for something you don’t need? Using higher-grade fuel when its not required is a waste of money and doesn’t improve your engine’s performance. Typically, premium fuel costs about fifty cents more per gallon than regular and has no positive or negative effect on your vehicle: meaning you’re literally burning money for no good reason.

What about the detergent additives?

Does higher-octane fuel contain more detergent additives than lower-grade fuel? For the most part, that’s not the case. The Chevron Techron additives are found in the brand’s fuel at regular and higher-octane levels. These additives help clean your engine and optimize performance, giving you the clean-burning and long-lasting engine you need. Nearly all fuel stations meet or exceed the EPA minimum requirements for these additives, which means you won’t need to think about the fuel too much.

What if your car requires premium gas?

Simple answer: if your car requires premium gas you need to fill it up with that fuel. Ensure you’re using the right level of higher-octane fuel. If you only need the midgrade, which is typically 91 octane, you’ll save a little bit of money compared to vehicles that require 93 octane fuel to operate correctly. The use of higher octane fuel allows the vehicle to achieve its intended level of performance, fuel efficiency, and emissions. Don’t skimp out and put lower-grade fuel in your car when you need premium gas.

What if premium fuel isn’t available?

Although its not recommended that you run so low on fuel that you’re stuck with whatever a station has available, it can happen to the best of us. If you pull into a gas station on fumes, or it’s the only locations around for miles, and they don’t have premium fuel, what are you supposed to do? If you have a modern vehicle, you can use regular fuel during this single fill-up. The engine’s computer can adjust the ignition timing to the fuel. If you have an older vehicle that requires premium fuel, you might have an issue. This vehicle could be susceptible to engine knock because it doesn’t have modern engine programming to adjust the timing and prevent knock.

What should you do if premium is recommended but not required?

In this case, the choice is yours. These vehicles will operate with better performance when premium fuel is used but can work perfectly fine without it. You can safely run on regular gas and never have an issue with the engine or its performance. Of course, if you want to unlock the full potential of that vehicle, you’ll need to put premium gas in the tank and do so most of the time.

When should you use premium gas and when should you use regular fuel? If your car requires premium, you’ll need it all of the time, but if its not required, you should be able to get away with using more affordable regular 87 octane fuel in your vehicle.