What’s The Difference Between Premium and Regular Gas?

Whenever you pull into a gas station in the Boulder area to fill up the tank, you have a choice of several different types of gas, but the two most common options are – premium vs. regular gas. Premium gas is considerably more expensive than its less fancy sibling – plain old regular, but does more expensive mean better? Let’s learn more about the details.

Premium Gasoline

Premium gasoline typically has the highest octane ratings of gasoline that you’ll find at the pump – usually between a 91-93 rating. This means that this particular fuel is able to withstand a higher compression and is less likely to detonate at the wrong time (heard as a “knocking” sound in the engine). However, it can cost as much as 50 cents per gallon more than regular gas.

Regular Gasoline

Regular gasoline is the more common fuel that Denver drivers tend to use in their vehicles. It has a lower octane rating than premium gas – around 87 – and is the cheapest gas at the pump. Nevertheless, even though it is the least expensive of the two options, most fuel companies put the same engine cleaning additives in both regular and premium gas.

Which Fuel Option Should I Use – Regular vs Premium?

There are some general rules to obey where possible:

• If your car requires premium, fill up with premium – High-performance engines that run at high compression ratios need high octane fuel. Don’t skimp out if your owner’s manual stipulates premium gas.
• If your car only recommends premium, the choice is yours – Where premium gas is only “recommended”, then the likelihood is that your vehicle’s characteristics will only be slightly enhanced with premium gas, and that no engine damage will occur if you use the regular fuel option.
• If your car doesn’t require premium, fill up with regular – Why spend more money than you have to? Premium gas, in this case, is not required and so your vehicle doesn’t acquire any benefit from its use. Stick with regular.

If you have any additional questions about which gasoline is best for your particular vehicle, please don’t hesitate to call the experts in our service center who would be more than happy to help.

High-Performance Cars and SUVs at Fisher Acura

For Broomfield drivers looking to upgrade their current vehicle to a choice with more power and performance, we suggest browsing through our wide selection of new cars and SUVs that are guaranteed to up anyone’s level of driving excitement. You can even check out more helpful service features such as how often to change spark plugs, how to check car oil, or why is your car leaking. Call us today for a test drive!