Fuel additives

[Bigmike40]

I was talking to my friend who owns a 2005 BMW 745 and he said he runs regular gas with an octane booster additive with no pinging at all. He also said his gas mileage is the same. What do you guys think about that? I thought that you couldn't really do that. Can those octane boosters really raise the octane level by 3 points.

Mike

[maxnix]

Still cheaper and more effective to buy Tier 1 Premium.

Consider that ethanol itself is an "octane booster" but seldom results in better gasoline.

[BadQ45t]

So many people are talking about this now. How much does a good can of that cost? I bet it is about the same as it would be to fill up with Premium.

If your leasing your car or really don't care about the car that much, hell yes run 87. But if your car is a keeper, just pay the extra 4-6 bucks and fill it up with high test.

[Q45tech]

At the refinery premium octane adds about 6 cents per gallon, unfortunately the retail markup is 30-40 cents since the tanks cost the same and........................

"In 1997, high-octane garnered 16 percent of the nationwide fuel market share, according to figures from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Last month, premium had only 8 percent of the market. Last year, premium gasoline consumption fell to about 35.6 million gallons of gas per day, the lowest in 24 years, the agency said.

"We're down to the core, die-hard audience that believes they need 93," said Tom Kloza, publisher of the Oil Price Information Service, a New Jersey firm that provides petroleum pricing and news information.

Gas station owners say they are pumping so little premium that it can take three or four weeks to sell their high-octane inventory, as opposed to a couple of days for a delivery of regular gas."

Once premium sits for more than 3-4 weeks not sure it is still premium, as the chance of decomposition increases.

Pick a rapid turnover station!

The number of new models that manufacturers say should use high octane — mostly luxury sedans and high-performance sports cars — has risen from 166 in 2002 to 282 this year,

[Bigmike40]

At the refinery premium octane adds about 6 cents per gallon, unfortunately the retail markup is 30-40 cents since the tanks cost the same and........................

"In 1997, high-octane garnered 16 percent of the nationwide fuel market share, according to figures from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Last month, premium had only 8 percent of the market. Last year, premium gasoline consumption fell to about 35.6 million gallons of gas per day, the lowest in 24 years, the agency said.

"We're down to the core, die-hard audience that believes they need 93," said Tom Kloza, publisher of the Oil Price Information Service, a New Jersey firm that provides petroleum pricing and news information.

Gas station owners say they are pumping so little premium that it can take three or four weeks to sell their high-octane inventory, as opposed to a couple of days for a delivery of regular gas."

Once premium sits for more than 3-4 weeks not sure it is still premium, as the chance of decomposition increases.

Pick a rapid turnover station!

Thanks for the information, You would think that they would lower the price of premium to move more inventory! You would also think that some engineers would create a device that connects in-line with your ecm that could make the adjustments to run on regular unleaded fuel. They make controllers to extract more power from your engine, since fuel is so expensive you could probably make a fortune detuning a car these days. Of course you would lose some power but who really needs 300 - 500 HP for your daily commute.

Mike

[Q45tech]

The problem is detuning an engine by decreasing maximum low load ignition advance cuts the torque and thus on a mild grade [ac on] the tcu will down shift a gear................on an old Q the difference in 4th and 3rd is 44% the rpms jump up 44% and fuel consumption goes up during this downshift.On the newer 5AT the difference is only 20%

There is no free lunch.

The problem is the 90-95 Q was designed to be optimally efficient with premium gasoline available in the early 90 which is no longer available.

The O2 cannot deal with E10 well and the base gasoline in is SHORT BTU so you get a triple whammy.

[maxnix]

Of course you would lose some power but who really needs 300 - 500 HP for your daily commute.

Mike

Coming home on the toll way today, new Lexus LS460 was trying to catch up. He couldn't.

I use my 330 ft. lbs. once or twice a day merging into traffic and such.

[Q45dude]

Hey Maxnix,

Isn't that just the best feeling?? I always have these newer German cars and what have your approach me and try to piss me off which makes me realize they are intimidated by my Q-ee and I laugh inside because I don't have a Freakin high car payment like they do, our Qs cost a fraction of theirs and we beat the **** out of the car anyday