What Fuel Is Everyone Using?? 98 Octane?

[BMW86]

What fuel is everyone using for their 135i? I've been reading that some people are using 91 or 93 Octane?

Here in Australia the best fuel I can find is Premium 98 Octane which I've always used on all my cars. I think the lowest grade I've seen is 91 but they also offer a 95.

Any thoughts on what the differences are and how it affects the car?

Thanks in advance.

[scorcherjf]

Not an expert... but from what I read somewhere, as long as you use the recommended listed octane (on the fuel door or whatever) or higher, you'll be fine. It's when you use lower than the recommended octane is when the computer has to adjust and you have worse fuel economy I think.

Australia (and Europe I think) use a different octane rating (RON) than the U.S. so I'm not sure which you should use (North America uses AKI which is an average of the RON and MON I believe).

[Sephiroth]

^ Yes well said. I highly doubt you need to go beyond 98 RON to satisfy the 135 with stock tune.

In the US we don't get better than 91 or 93 (RON + MON)/2 at most gas stations.

[ExMX5]

The manual says the minimum you should be popping in there is premium (95 RON).

I always put Ultimate (98) in my current car anyway, that's not going to change!

[windmaker]

I always put V-power which I think its 97 here. Shell ONLY!!!

[bimmerfile]

I recently switched from Sunoco 94 (which has 10% ethanol) to Shell 91 V-Power (which has no ethanol).

[x97Melbourne]

The minimum for the 135i is 89 octane.
Recommended is 91.

I use 93 because no stations around me have 91. If they did, I'd use 91.

[imported_mega]

it's my understanding that the car is continuously adapting the timing/boost (maybe only 1?) to make the most power based on the fuel/detonation it's got

ie you put 93 in, it'll make more power than it would with 87, the engine adapts quickly

[1speedbike]

always 93. there's only one shell station sorta near me (~20 minutes away but on the road to my girlfriend's house) and i try to go to it whenever i can. otherwise i settle for exxon 93. there's no "top tier" stations near me except the one shell. there's no 91 either except at a single station an hour away. and why bother with that?

[esscolab]

And now I read in the newspaper (UK) that all these performance fuels to Jack S*&t to the economy and performance of the car. I'm gonna try the cheapo 95 octane stuff and see if I can tell....

[d3syd]

I only use BP Ultimate 98 RON.

[imported_mega]

Originally Posted by carnut

I recently switched from Sunoco 94 (which has 10% ethanol) to Shell 91 V-Power (which has no ethanol).

did you notice a difference in mileage ?

Also how did you tell the 91 has no ethanol? Around here all the pumps say "may contain ethanol" so you really don't know

[topvega]

I have used 93 since day one...

[tnawab]

I use 91 octane, but i found that if i use Shell V power the car performs better. Weird or Not?

[Jewpac]

As stated before, octane ratings are different in AUS/EUR than they are in the States. I use 91 as that is what the manual states.

[arrutled]

I have been doing a shitty job of getting good gas in my car, i might put some shell v-power in today and she how she reacts. Its been a crappy day so i need sometin to "pep" me up!

[Thud]

I normally use 93 octane. I live in Atlanta. So at this point I'm trying to figure out what other flammable liquids I can use, since trying to find a station that has any premium gas in stock is like trying to find a hooker without STD's.