87 octane

[11]

Any else fill up their car with 87 octane?

[chris_flies]

I did before my car was tuned. Worked just fine, ran with no issues, got better fuel economy, and cost less.

I'll still fill it with 87 if I'm just driving on the highway, no point in paying extra if I'm just going to burn it all off in one drive at light throttle.

[JimVonBaden]

Yes, regularly. I really can't tell the difference.

[N54Yankee]

No

[b1aze]

For the FI/DI guys, its probably a bad idea but for the NA guys, it probably doesn't matter much. I have been filling 93 because my only options are 87, 89 and 93 but I will probably start using 87 especially in the winter with the "winter blend" fuels.

[NVHoo]

The engine is designed to have more HP and torque running with premium fuel. Assuming 10,000 miles a year and 25 MPG, you use 400 gallons of gas a year. Assuming a 40 cent difference between 87 and premium, you are saving a whopping $160 a year! About $3 a week! That won't even buy you a Starbucks coffee!

[fun2drv]

Originally Posted by NVHoo

The engine is designed to have more HP and torque running with premium fuel. Assuming 10,000 miles a year and 25 MPG, you use 400 gallons of gas a year. Assuming a 40 cent difference between 87 and premium, you are saving a whopping $160 a year! About $3 a week! That won't even buy you a Starbucks coffee!

AMEN to that!!! If you can't afford to pay, don't play!


BMWs are a lot of fun on the road, but they are not cheap to operate and maintain.


Previously owned a '10 135i and after the warranty ran out I was spending between $3-4K in repairs per year.

[Soterios]

Give it the good sauce if the car can benefit from it. It's not that much more.

[MightyMouseTech]

The car will adjust to the lower octane and run more or less unnoticed. You will have less power though.

Fun fact. When we hook up with ISTA, we can see a record of the quality of every tank of fuel used since new.

This was from my E90 I bought. Previous owner was putting in crap.

On the 1er with the N55, there is a forth, higher fuel rating for 93 octane and higher.

[swunder]

I only put in 93 or 94, last time I drove up to New York '90' was premium... embarrassing.

[N54Yankee]

Originally Posted by swunder

I only put in 93 or 94, last time I drove up to New York '90' was premium... embarrassing.

Where and when was 90 premium in NY? 93 has been premium here for as long as I can remember and I’ve lived here most of my life. I don’t think I’ve ever seen 90 here. You can get 94 at select stations also.

[swunder]

Originally Posted by N54Yankee

Where and when was 90 premium in NY? 93 has been premium here for as long as I can remember and I’ve lived here most of my life. I don’t think I’ve ever seen 90 here. You can get 94 at select stations also.

Was southern border on rt 17 while driving to Watkins Glen from Jersey -- couple stations admittedly in the middle of nowhere only had 90. Was 87/89/90.

[N54Yankee]

Been up to the Glen numerous times in my C6 which needs a min of 93 and never saw a station up there with a max octane of 90 but I guess you ran into an anomaly up there. Rest assured that 93 oct is available in 99% of stations here. I wouldn’t have tuned my S/C C6 for a minimum of 93 if it wasn’t readily available.

[JimVonBaden]

Originally Posted by NVHoo

The engine is designed to have more HP and torque running with premium fuel. Assuming 10,000 miles a year and 25 MPG, you use 400 gallons of gas a year. Assuming a 40 cent difference between 87 and premium, you are saving a whopping $160 a year! About $3 a week! That won't even buy you a Starbucks coffee!

Yeah, so just because it says BMW on the car you should toss unneeded money at it? Do what you like, it is your money.

BTW I do the same on my BMW motorcycle, and hear the same nonsense arguments.

Unless you are driving it hot on the gas all the time, that extra octane does nothing.

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by JimVonBaden

Yeah, so just because it says BMW on the car you should toss unneeded money at it? Do what you like, it is your money.

BTW I do the same on my BMW motorcycle, and hear the same nonsense arguments.

Unless you are driving it hot on the gas all the time, that extra octane does nothing.

The higher octane is mostly needed at steady highway cruising when the engine is trying to run as lean as possible, and running at its highest temperature.

[gjm120]

Originally Posted by MightyMouseTech

The car will adjust to the lower octane and run more or less unnoticed. You will have less power though.

Fun fact. When we hook up with ISTA, we can see a record of the quality of every tank of fuel used since new.

This was from my E90 I bought. Previous owner was putting in crap.

On the 1er with the N55, there is a forth, higher fuel rating for 93 octane and higher.

Interesting. A bit like Porsche over rev reports (although not as useful).

[JimVonBaden]

Originally Posted by MightyMouseTech

The higher octane is mostly needed at steady highway cruising when the engine is trying to run as lean as possible, and running at its highest temperature.

This is counterintuitive. It is the lowest load, so low octane should give the best bang for the buck. Lower octane fuel is actually giving a better BTU than high octane fuel. High octane allows for a more advanced ignition, so more power.

https://www.appropedia.org/Energy_content_of_fuels

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by JimVonBaden

This is counterintuitive. It is the lowest load, so low octane should give the best bang for the buck. Lower octane fuel is actually giving a better BTU than high octane fuel. High octane allows for a more advanced ignition, so more power.

https://www.appropedia.org/Energy_content_of_fuels

Yes, by about 3%. Unless you use fuel with ethanol, which reduces the energy content by about the same. So ethanol free high octane is the same as 87 with ethanol added.

[NVHoo]

Originally Posted by JimVonBaden

Yeah, so just because it says BMW on the car you should toss unneeded money at it? Do what you like, it is your money.

BTW I do the same on my BMW motorcycle, and hear the same nonsense arguments.

Unless you are driving it hot on the gas all the time, that extra octane does nothing.

but folks who think they are saving big bucks need a reality check. Again, you'd save more money buying 1 less coffee a week.

[Gangplank]

Originally Posted by NVHoo

but folks who think they are saving big bucks need a reality check. Again, you'd save more money buying 1 less coffee a week.

True, true.

There is a noticeable difference when it's hot in FL & also when I get the 1/4 tank. Better gas the engine runs smoother.

[Tommm]

Originally Posted by NVHoo

The engine is designed to have more HP and torque running with premium fuel. Assuming 10,000 miles a year and 25 MPG, you use 400 gallons of gas a year. Assuming a 40 cent difference between 87 and premium, you are saving a whopping $160 a year! About $3 a week! That won't even buy you a Starbucks coffee!

Its more like $1.00 difference at Shell stations, at 15,000 miles a year that's a "whopping" g $600 a year. How many hours does the average person who doesn't drink starbucks have to work to net a "whopping" $600.

Originally Posted by fun2drv

AMEN to that!!! If you can't afford to pay, don't play!
BMWs are a lot of fun on the road, but they are not cheap to operate and maintain.
Previously owned a '10 135i and after the warranty ran out I was spending between $3-4K in repairs per year.

My mamma often said a fool and his money are soon parted.

[NVHoo]

Originally Posted by Tommm

Its more like $1.00 difference at Shell stations, at 15,000 miles a year that's a "whopping" g $600 a year. How many hours does the average person who doesn't drink starbucks have to work to net a "whopping" $600.
My mamma often said a fool and his money are soon parted.

and about the same I see when I travel to the mid-Atlantic states and Florida for top tier gas. Your mama should have taught you how to shop.