Regular Vs. Premium: Who's using what?
10-03-2008, 04:51 PM
#1
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Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 172
Regular Vs. Premium: Who's using what?
When I got my Max, the dealer put regular in the car and said that it wouldn't hurt the car. I read in the review in USA today, the guy from Nissan said you can put regular in and it wouldn't hurt the engine, you'll just have a reduction in horsepower. I have 1K on the car now and I have twice filled up with regular and have not noticed any kind of "off" sounds from the engine. I will eventually put premium in though.
What are you guys putting in?
What are you guys putting in?
10-03-2008, 11:10 PM
#10
So funny you say that. My cousin used to fill up his 06 with regular and I always told him not to because the car feels like sh*t and decreases MPG. He didn't listen. Then, one day, a few weeks later we go out and he tells me he filled up his car with 93 and I was totally right (hell, I even felt the difference before he said something), and told me that his MPG went up.
10-04-2008, 02:34 AM
#11
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So funny you say that. My cousin used to fill up his 06 with regular and I always told him not to because the car feels like sh*t and decreases MPG. He didn't listen. Then, one day, a few weeks later we go out and he tells me he filled up his car with 93 and I was totally right (hell, I even felt the difference before he said something), and told me that his MPG went up.
Your friend is not correct on the MPG part. That was either an inaccurate measurement (there are 46 published reasons why measuring MPG anywhere but in a controlled labratory will not be very accurate), or an emotional reaction.
Some folks in some cars feel a performance difference between regular and premium octane. Sadly, I tried, but was not able to feel any difference. I would have expected a slight difference, but only in extreme situations, such as elapsed time to sixty, etc. I guess each car varies somewhat.
I have used nothing but reguilar in my 6th gen for several years, and it runs beautifully on regular. As did my 5th gen. I do use premium the first year or so, then midgrade for a year or so, then regular. The car seems to do the same with all three, and I am a moderately aggressive driver. The important thing is to avoid switching octanes frequently, as it takes the onboard computer and its sensors a tank or two to completely adjust to the new octane.
In areas where premium is only 20 cents higher than regular, I would used premium, at least the first year. But where I live, the difference is usually thirty to forty cents difference. In fact, late in August, the last time we had much fuel available, regular was $4.09 and premium was $4.49 at the stations around me. That is nearly $7 difference per 17 gallon tankful.
Not that it matters for me, because there has been no midgrade or premium gas (and almost no regular) available at the dozens of stations in the county where I live since around the end of August. The refineries that produce the special coctail gasoline the EPA requires be sold in north Georgia shut down as Gustav was churning through the Gulf in late August, and couldn't reopen for a month because they had no electrical service because of Ike.
I was finally able to catch a tank truck delivering gas at a station near me Friday. It was brought from Greenville Miss (on the Mississippi River) today - brought from over 400 miles away by truck - that is totally insane. I am so glad to be able to go somewhere in my car again. Sitting home gets old after about a month.
Yes, everyone in north Georgia is absolutely totally disgusted with this situation. We have already been under a crippling water shortage (I can't wash my Maxima) for years. Some folks lined up at gas pumps on the way home from work, and spent the night in their cars hoping that particular station would be the lucky one to get gas the next day. Commuter trains and busses have suddenly become packed like sardines, and car pools and van pools are forming everywhere. My wife and I had to cancel several trips that had been planned for months. This is definitely NOT what my wife and I had imagined our retirement would be like.
Last edited by lightonthehill; 10-04-2008 at 02:40 AM.
10-04-2008, 06:36 AM
#14
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 123
I have a 6.5G and my car will knock on regular. However, it runs great on 89 Octane Mid-Grade. BTW, gas stations only have two storage tanks. One for regular, the other for high test. Mid grade is a blend of the two formulations. I have found that BP (Amocco) brand 89 octane gas is by far the "best" mid-grade blend on the market. My car runs as if it were burning high-test when I fill up with BP mid-grade.
One thing is for sure, I would never run a new Maxima(low mileage) on 87 octane gas.
YMMV
One thing is for sure, I would never run a new Maxima(low mileage) on 87 octane gas.
YMMV
10-05-2008, 07:30 PM
#17
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 22
i had the same discussion with the salesman at the dealership. He said they use 89 in all of their vehicles. I asked about knocking and he said that they don't knock with 89. So I was surprised. we test drove. everything was cool. as we were walking out the door, he chased me down and said, 'Hey, I was wrong....it does use premium and we don't use 89 on the maximas. only the others'....I thought it was kinda telling about how much he knew about his product. I understand that some features on the car are new and would be tough to know about right away, but its been out 3 months in my area...he should know the basics plus by now. needless to say, i probably won't be using his advice anytime soon. I will likely not be buying from him either! But if he comes through with the best price, I will ignore his ignorance! 
10-06-2008, 01:32 AM
#20
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Location: a meadow south of Atlanta
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Good news for premium fans! Premium is now reappearing in the Metro Atlanta area! The three local stations where I gas up (Chevron, BP and Texaco) all say they expect their first premium fuel since August to arrive sometime this coming week. I will continue using regular in my 6th gen, which works very well. But when I get my '09 Maxima (probably before Thanksgiving), I will be able to get premium. I am relieved!
10-06-2008, 08:47 AM
#21
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 86
Good news for premium fans! Premium is now reappearing in the Metro Atlanta area! The three local stations where I gas up (Chevron, BP and Texaco) all say they expect their first premium fuel since August to arrive sometime this coming week. I will continue using regular in my 6th gen, which works very well. But when I get my '09 Maxima (probably before Thanksgiving), I will be able to get premium. I am relieved!
10-06-2008, 09:27 AM
#22
For the people who can not get premium fuel add 32 ounces of Xylene you can get it at Loews or paint stores. You need also a metal funnel. It cleans and adds octane you will notice the difference. This is until you get your 93 octane back. It is better than an octane booster and cheaper per gallon.
Last edited by x8ver2007; 10-06-2008 at 09:30 AM.
10-06-2008, 10:28 AM
#23
NINE-time Maxima Owner
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Charlotte
Posts: 680
I found it very odd during the whole ordeal that, while virtually every other station in Charlotte seemed to be closed for the duration, the Crowne Point WalMart always had gas (albeit with long lines - sometimes as long as 5 hour wait). I last went there two Saturdays ago at 4:30 am and waited only 15 mins - for regular only. But I was happy to get it because I had been driving around with DTE reading --- for three days (still only took 16.3 gallons, lol).
Last edited by jcalabria; 10-06-2008 at 10:37 AM.
10-06-2008, 11:16 AM
#24
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Location: Greenville, SC
Posts: 45
I picked mine up on 9/17. The salesperson drove up in my Max just as I got there and showed me the receipt where he had put a full tank of premium fuel in my Max. He said that's what it called for and he wasn't putting anything else in the car. I, like lightonhill live in a place where any fuel is hard to find. I scout the station near my house on the way to work and on the way home when I get to half a tank. Never used anything but premium in my 02 Max and won't use anything else in this one unless it is an emergency. If if use 1 tank a week it would be about $200 more for the year, I think it's worth it.
10-06-2008, 06:07 PM
#26
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Location: a meadow south of Atlanta
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91 is absolutely fine, 09lee. After a year or so of premium, and a year or so of midgrade, I always end up using regular in all my Maximas after a few years, and I have never had even the slightest hint of a problem, and have noticed no performance difference in fairly aggressive driving.
I once put over 206,000 miles on a Maxima (the last 150,000 using regular gas) with the engine still purring beautifully when I let it go, and I still sometimes see that Maxima tooling around town.
I read somewhere that Nissan actually tunes the Maxima to the 91 octane level (which is, after all, premium gas), so, believe me, the Maxima will perform just as well with 91 octane as it will with 93. I have long felt any octane over 91 is more an emotional boost for the driver than something that will make a difference in the car.
I once put over 206,000 miles on a Maxima (the last 150,000 using regular gas) with the engine still purring beautifully when I let it go, and I still sometimes see that Maxima tooling around town.
I read somewhere that Nissan actually tunes the Maxima to the 91 octane level (which is, after all, premium gas), so, believe me, the Maxima will perform just as well with 91 octane as it will with 93. I have long felt any octane over 91 is more an emotional boost for the driver than something that will make a difference in the car.
10-06-2008, 06:50 PM
#27
NINE-time Maxima Owner
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Charlotte
Posts: 680
True, but the choice (at least here) is made for you... premium around here is 93... haven't seen 91 at all.
10-07-2008, 12:52 AM
#28
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Location: a meadow south of Atlanta
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Must be nice to have the option of premium. Still nothing but regular in the area where I live. Since midgrade is actually a mixture of premium and regular, with the mix taking place as the gas is pumped from the two (premium and regular) underground tanks into our vehicles, that means no midgrade around here, either. That is supposed to change later this week.
I knew the only gas I had been able to purchase in recent weeks was trucked in from the banks of the Mississippi River 427 miles away. I found out today that, even though Atlanta is on two large major interstate pipelines, most of the miniscule amounts of gas available on the north side of Atlanta since August was trucked in from Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania, and on the south side of Atlanta, the gas was trucked in from Alabama, Mississippi, Florida and Arkansas. What a miserable and convoluted mess our entire energy system is in. And I used to think banana republics were poorly managed . . .
10-07-2008, 03:03 AM
#29
NINE-time Maxima Owner
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Charlotte
Posts: 680
Must be nice to have the option of premium. Still nothing but regular in the area where I live. Since midgrade is actually a mixture of premium and regular, with the mix taking place as the gas is pumped from the two (premium and regular) underground tanks into our vehicles, that means no midgrade around here, either. That is supposed to change later this week.
I knew the only gas I had been able to purchase in recent weeks was trucked in from the banks of the Mississippi River 427 miles away. I found out today that, even though Atlanta is on two large major interstate pipelines, most of the miniscule amounts of gas available on the north side of Atlanta since August was trucked in from Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania, and on the south side of Atlanta, the gas was trucked in from Alabama, Mississippi, Florida and Arkansas. What a miserable and convoluted mess our entire energy system is in. And I used to think banana republics were poorly managed . . .
I knew the only gas I had been able to purchase in recent weeks was trucked in from the banks of the Mississippi River 427 miles away. I found out today that, even though Atlanta is on two large major interstate pipelines, most of the miniscule amounts of gas available on the north side of Atlanta since August was trucked in from Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania, and on the south side of Atlanta, the gas was trucked in from Alabama, Mississippi, Florida and Arkansas. What a miserable and convoluted mess our entire energy system is in. And I used to think banana republics were poorly managed . . .
10-07-2008, 01:03 PM
#30
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: a meadow south of Atlanta
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I getcha. I don't ever remember seeing 91 octane anywhere in the southeast. But then I haven't been everywhere in the southeast.
10-07-2008, 02:01 PM
#32
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91 is absolutely fine, 09lee. After a year or so of premium, and a year or so of midgrade, I always end up using regular in all my Maximas after a few years, and I have never had even the slightest hint of a problem, and have noticed no performance difference in fairly aggressive driving.
I once put over 206,000 miles on a Maxima (the last 150,000 using regular gas) with the engine still purring beautifully when I let it go, and I still sometimes see that Maxima tooling around town.
I read somewhere that Nissan actually tunes the Maxima to the 91 octane level (which is, after all, premium gas), so, believe me, the Maxima will perform just as well with 91 octane as it will with 93. I have long felt any octane over 91 is more an emotional boost for the driver than something that will make a difference in the car.
I once put over 206,000 miles on a Maxima (the last 150,000 using regular gas) with the engine still purring beautifully when I let it go, and I still sometimes see that Maxima tooling around town.
I read somewhere that Nissan actually tunes the Maxima to the 91 octane level (which is, after all, premium gas), so, believe me, the Maxima will perform just as well with 91 octane as it will with 93. I have long felt any octane over 91 is more an emotional boost for the driver than something that will make a difference in the car.
Last edited by MONTE 01&97 SE; 10-07-2008 at 02:03 PM.
10-10-2008, 06:34 PM
#33
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: a meadow south of Atlanta
Posts: 8,143
Well, that sounds good. It might even be true in some places and with some Maximas. But my last three Maximas have run beautifully on regular, which I have used in each one after the first few years of babying with premium. I noticed no difference in performance between premium and regular on any of these three vehicles.
Those here near Atlanta who were watching the local news (WSB) at 6PM Thursday were in luck; they showed a picture of my local Shell station. If you looked, you saw the DIFFERENCE IN PRICE BETWEEN REGULAR AND PREMIUM WAS SIXTY CENTS per gallon. This station just got their first shipment of premium since August, and is the only one of the stations near me that has even has premium.
For a 17 gallon fill-up, that means OVER TEN DOLLARS MORE PER FILLUP FOR PREMIUM, and with a car that has always run the same for me on any octane, PREMIUM FOR ME IS TRULY A WASTE.
If your car shows a difference with premium, or premium makes you feel better, fine. Use premium. But it is not automatic that premium is the best choice for all Maximas. Especially in these very traumatic economic times.
10-10-2008, 06:38 PM
#34
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: A T L
Posts: 264
the guy at the dealership told me "regular" is fine, but they said that to "sell" the car better, but when you open the gas tank door it clearly says "Premium Fuel Only" LOL but yea I use premium, but with the gas shortage and ****ty economy it wont hurt to put in regular just to get by until the next fill, but use premium man, it's your baby
10-10-2008, 06:41 PM
#35
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Location: A T L
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10-10-2008, 08:41 PM
#36
Love my '09
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Tampa, FL
Posts: 1,013
I know what the manual says, I also know that it matched what the dealership service center told me. (again, possibly quoting the manual)
Is there any other "official" documentation from Nissan that says it's ok, other than the word of a magazine, or word from "other" folks?
I'm NOT a mechanic so I don't know the pros and cons and knew when I bought the car it said PREMIUM ONLY, not just recommended like the 07 did.
Is there any other "official" documentation from Nissan that says it's ok, other than the word of a magazine, or word from "other" folks?
I'm NOT a mechanic so I don't know the pros and cons and knew when I bought the car it said PREMIUM ONLY, not just recommended like the 07 did.
10-10-2008, 08:53 PM
#37
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 6
i just filled up with a tank of 93 here in des moines for $2.96 a gallon! Thank god the prices are crashing. I run 91, 2, or 3 depending on what station I stop at. I can tell you my mileage IS better with premium so that alone is enough to offset the price. Besides the power gains and less chance for detonation, just spring for the premium. Not only that, I ride the metro bus to work daily so my car runs a month on a tank so I say run the good stuff.
10-11-2008, 03:51 AM
#39
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: a meadow south of Atlanta
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Urban myth. All controlled labratory tests prove that, as long as the car is running with no pinging or knocking or preignition, OCTANE IS NOT RELATED TO MPG. There is a list floating around (appeared on maxima.org several times over the past six years or so) giving 46 reasons it is impossible to get a truly exact MPG measurement through driving on public highways and filling up at service stations.
The reasons for considering premium are:
1 - In some Maximas, in extreme accelleration situations, premium may give a touch more power.
2 - In some situations, premium may help somewhat to keep the engine a tad cleaner.
3 - Some drivers just feel better giving their baby premium.
4 - By far the most important - In some Maximas (the higher compression ratio on the '09 may put it in this category), the engine may suffer pinging or predetonation in hard accelleration with lower octane fuels. In this situation, do not even consider using regular.
10-11-2008, 03:57 AM
#40
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Location: a meadow south of Atlanta
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Premium is not related to MPG. Several folks have gotten 30-32 MPG on long freeway trips in their '09s. Around town/city driving will probably give around 19 to 23 MPG, with 24-25 being normal in suburban driving. Aggressive driving will lower this. Sometimes, MPG may improve slightly after the first few thousand miles of breakin.
The '09 is a 3600 pound car with a 290 HP engine. The MPG we are seeing here so far is very good for a fairly heavy car with a strong engine.