What kind of gas do you use?

[monkeybear]

Hey all, I am one of the Versa owners here trying to figure out why I am getting 20-25mpg in my daily driving. I wonder if it could be because I am using the Octane 87 rated gas and not the 89 or 91.

Post the kind of gas you use as well as your mileage(as best you can) and maybe we can see if there is any correlation.

Thanks!

[Guat]

You should never have to use more than 87 on the Versa. I looked into it, and the only advantage of a higher gas (unless the manual asks for it) is a higher profit for the gas companies.

[lain]

Since day one I have always used 91 on my Versa and I get like 29mpg. But like Guat said it doesn't make a difference unless your manual asks for it. I just do it for fun.

[Rockhound]

Like Guat said, there will be no advantage to running higher octane gas in a stock Versa.

The only time you'd need higher octane is if you advanced the timing. It has been my experience with other Nissan engines (GA16, SR20) that my gas mileage actually decreased when I used higher octane gas. It did sometimes make my aging GA16 seem to run "smoother", but it was also needing an in-depth tune up before I let it go - since it would occasionally "ping" on 87. It had in excess of 160k miles at the time, too.

I just do it for fun.

So you needlessly spend more money at the pump for "fun"?

[coxcj]

My average mpg as of my last fill-up is 30.093. That's of the course of 12,025.9 miles. I used the cheapest gas I can find, so it's usually the 87, unless I'm driving through Iowa, where the cheapest gas is the 89 because of the extra ethanol they use.

[lain]

So you needlessly spend more money at the pump for "fun"?

Yup its only like 3 bucks more a tank. I fill up like twice a month...so thats like $72 a year...something like that more that I'm spending. Its not a big deal. I cook everyday so I save my money there instead of going out to eat. <---actually I lie...my gf cooks
Modified by lain at 12:55 PM 10/31/2007

[Rockhound]

I feel up like twice a month...

TMI buddy, TMI.

so thats like $72 a year...something like that more that I'm spending. Its not a big deal. I cook everyday so I save my money there instead of going out to eat. <---actually I lie...my gf cooks

Yeah, I hear you. That's why it's silly for people to avoid cars that "request" premium fuel - it's not going to cost you a whole lot more...and you can easily find ways to offset that expense (less eating out, for example). Of course, in this case, it's needless and you could just pocket that money and get the same gas mileage. But whatever floats yer boat.

[jdshift]

^ So agreed, why waste money? But this is America............and we get to make our choices living here, but I gotta say thats a bad one.

[matt_a]

I think it's kinda funny that some people will obsess about 1 or 2 MPG when comparing cars for purchase, but then they will use premium fuel when it's not required and makes no difference in performance or mileage. I just use 87 octane from any reputable station (I try to avoid the "Joe's Gas" type places that have had the same fuel tanks for 50 years).

[lain]

TMI buddy, TMI.

ROFL. I fixed it.

[falconxlc]

I always use 87 and have been consistantly getting 30 to 32mpg with 80% highway, no ac, windows rolled up and accelerates between 2-3.0k rpm

08 versa SL with CVT

[Ever Victorious]

87 octane Arco/BP (since "Tier 1" gas stations charge 20-25 cents more per gallon for the same grade of gas).

Slow to moderate acceleration to 3k before shifting.

50/50 highway/city driving.

31 mpg average on summer blend. Winter blend gas is shaping up to average only 29 mpg.

[Vahagn23]

I use 97% rating since day 1, and I have been getting VERY bad milage, like last fill up i went all through highways i got around 400 for the tank if not more, but this time im down to a little less than the half of the tank and I got only 89 miles, what happend lol?

[XterraVersa]

Sams Club gas!!! 10-20 cents cheaper than anyone else. 87 octane 33-39 mpg.

All gas here is the same, why pay Shell or BP more for the same crap?

[07blueversa]

I use Shell gas with no ethanol. There is nothing better than that gas. I tell the difference when i dont use it. When i do though, i get 31-33 in the city and even better on the highway. I use 93 octane, V-Power from the shell station. In all reality, in doesnt cost but maybe $4-6 more.

[07Vsdn]

we use costco gas. "contains up to 10% ethanol" i wonder how that affects gas mileage??

on road trips, when we get whatever is cheapest, we usually get 32 mpg with the cruise set at 75mph.

always 87 octane. cvt.

[Ever Victorious]

I use 97% rating since day 1, and I have been getting VERY bad milage, like last fill up i went all through highways i got around 400 for the tank if not more, but this time im down to a little less than the half of the tank and I got only 89 miles, what happend lol?

Try low octane gas. You might be surprised. Every time I use premium, my mileage drops by 3 MPG.

That, and you'll save yourself a ton of money from buying gas that you don't need.

Sams Club gas!!! 10-20 cents cheaper than anyone else. 87 octane 33-39 mpg.

All gas here is the same, why pay Shell or BP more for the same crap?

Funny that you should say that... Shell is the most expensive out here (local station is $3.25/gal for 87 octane), but Arco/BP and Costco fight it out for cheapest gas. They're both currently at $2.93/gal for 87 octane... but you need a membership to buy the Costco stuff, go figure.

[XterraVersa]

Funny that you should say that... Shell is the most expensive out here (local station is $3.25/gal for 87 octane), but Arco/BP and Costco fight it out for cheapest gas. They're both currently at $2.93/gal for 87 octane... but you need a membership to buy the Costco stuff, go figure.

Sams is cheaper because they don't advertise. I get a free membership as part of a work benefit, but what is it, $35 per year. And Walmart has made a name for selling quantity for low profit.

[XterraVersa]

There is a Shell in Goodland, Kansas I will never buy from again. I filled my Xterra with 18+ gal and drove my normal way and ran out of gas in ~150 miles. The low fuel light came on, 5 miles later the engine sputtered to a stop, 1/2 mile from the next exit. I think that gas was watered down big time.

The next tank got ~300 miles before needing to be filled.

[drummernamedpat]

I am thoroughly amazed that noone on here knows why people are supposed to use higher octane fuels?

You should not put anything above 87 in the Versa. Over the long term it is actually worse for the car.

Higher octane is used for engines with a higher psi on their engine. It combusts better and therefore has a "cleaner," more efficient burn (but only at a higher pressure level)(edit: also a hotter burn, if you have a real good electrical firing system). If you look at some of the higher end model acura's and such, you will notice that they recommend or require premium. My sister had a Mazda MX-6 that was this way, it required premium.

Anytime that I have used any gasoline (87 octane) that is mixed with a small amount of ethanol, I have seen a noticeable drop in mpg. I try to avoid places that mix that in, corn sucks.

So the government has this car that runs on water...water, man!
Modified by drummernamedpat at 10:20 AM 11/1/2007

[Rockhound]

I am thoroughly amazed that noone on here knows why people are supposed to use higher octane fuels?

You know what they say about assumptions, right?

Who said no one here knows that? That wasn't the question. The Versa needs nothing over 87 to run properly and that's the answer to the OP's question.

Anyway - I recall Car & Driver doing a test with a BMW (M3 maybe?) rated for "premium fuel only". They dyno'ed the car with different octane fuels - and it turned out that the M3 only lost about 4 hp switching to 87 octane, and it ran fine without 'pinging' (detonation). Of course, not every car will be the same - but their point was that the premium fuel "only" tag was a little overblown for some vehicles.

[07Vsdn]

Of course, not every car will be the same - but their point was that the premium fuel "only" tag was a little overblown for some vehicles.

a few car companies are changing their wording to: "premium fuel recommended"

for full performance.

[XterraVersa]

You know what they say about assumptions, right?

Who said no one here knows that? That wasn't the question. The Versa needs nothing over 87 to run properly and that's the answer to the OP's question.

Anyway - I recall Car & Driver doing a test with a BMW (M3 maybe?) rated for "premium fuel only". They dyno'ed the car with different octane fuels - and it turned out that the M3 only lost about 4 hp switching to 87 octane, and it ran fine without 'pinging' (detonation). Of course, not every car will be the same - but their point was that the premium fuel "only" tag was a little overblown for some vehicles.

It makes a huge difference on my supercharged Xterra. I tried 87 once, and only once. The power was gone & it got 12 mpg vs 18.

[nissantech06]

a few car companies are changing their wording to: "premium fuel recommended"

for full performance.

That's how Nissan words it on EVERY car that "requires" premium.