One of our customers asked, does my car really need high grade gasoline?

With gas prices at near all time highs, people on tighter budgets want to know using lower octane fuel is OK.  If you ask the gas station you’ll get different opinions.  Some think that it does help a car’s engine to run better, but most think it just doesn’t matter. 

After polling a group of automotive gurus, it appears that most of them believe that using a lower octane fuel does little or no damage to the car. The consensus is that even if it is not recommended by the manufacturer, you can probably get away with using a less expensive fuel. 

A lower octane gasoline may cause a slight knock in the engine but it doesn’t necessarily mean the engine is struggling.  The knocking is actually a more violent detonation of more explosive gasoline. The lower the octane, the more explosive, the louder the knocking. 

Additionally, almost all cars marketed in the US over the past 10-15 years that operate with a fuel injection system have knock sensors. These sensors can sense when there’s lower octane fuel and adjust to it. 

These more complex systems can be expensive to repair so an auto warranty is more necessary than ever.  Used car warranties can be tricky so make sure you choose an aftermarket auto warranty that offers a close to bumper to bumper protection as possible.