[BUNCHAMASSEYSGOBMW]

I have read a lot of ppl say they don’t use premium fuel (89,91) in their bmw. For the record I have only filled up twice so far and HAVE used premium grade but wondering if anyone uses regular? Along with everything else, maybe a matter of opinion but I’d like to see everyone’s opinion and thoughts. I know all about the pinging and knocking they say happens if you don’t use premium. Some ppl say that’s not true. Thoughts?

[2022M550i]

If the car calls for premium, you use premium. If you want to “save money“ and use a lower octane fuel, you may have problems down the road. That knocking is detonation/preignition. That reeks havoc on rod and crank bearings….You also can do damage to the pistons/piston rings/head gaskets etc. All this is exponential if you have a force inducted engine… turbo/supercharged.

[Joe-BMW33]

The car calls for 91 octane or better. It's all over the manual. Pretty much all BMW's require 91 or better. Personally, I only use Mobil, Shell or Sunoco Premium. None of this no name cheapo gas where you are probably getting 87 Octane.

Side story - when I was picking mine up at delivery from BMW of Shrewsbury. The salesman stopped my delivery genius from taking it to the onsite pump to fill it up. Salesman new me pretty well at this point (OCD) and told me they only stock regular gas. I could not beleive it, they fill up every car, new and CPO with shit gas.

[AP]

Yeh manual states minimum and should be on the fuel flap as well

I use 99 octane here in the U.K. which I think relates to 93ron . The premium fuels often state extra engine cleaning aswell although how big of a deal that makes I have no idea

Take the view you buy an expensive car, don’t skimp on its running

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by AP

Yeh manual states minimum and should be on the fuel flap as well

I use 99 octane here in the U.K. which I think relates to 93ron . The premium fuels often state extra engine cleaning aswell although how big of a deal that makes I have no idea

Take the view you buy an expensive car, don’t skimp on its running

For a while here, we had 94 Octane from at least two of the companies I mentioned. Now it's 93 Ultra or something.

I pour this in with every fill up. Overkill, but it can't hurt. Carry it in the trunk.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LPW3E2I...sprefix=liqui+

Adds 30 horse power, lol.

[AP]

Never been myself but believe you can buy 102 octane fuel at the Nurburgring ring

[2022M550i]

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

For a while here, we had 94 Octane from at least two of the companies I mentioned. Now it's 93 Ultra or something.

I pour this in with every fill up. Overkill, but it can't hurt. Carry it in the trunk.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LPW3E2I...sprefix=liqui+

Adds 30 horse power, lol.

Your MPower boxers add an extra 15

[Graaf_Autowerks]

Originally Posted by 2022M550i

Your MPower boxers add an extra 15

Hey! Those were MY ///M power boxers.

[LogicalApex]

There is some truth to both sides I guess.

The car, like all modern cars, has a knock sensor and BMW takes it another step and logs the quality of the fuel as well. If the car detects poor quality fuel then it will react to retard performance and adjust timing to counteract it (all modern cars do this).

I always refuel with 91 or better though. As the car calls for it, but you’ll have lower performance and/or fuel economy using something else.

It seems like a weird area to penny pinch on IMHO. Definitely don’t tell me you’re one of those people who are doing oil changes more frequently then BMW OCI while considering penny pinching on the fuel…

I’d just buy a car that didn’t require premium if that was a factor.

[2022M550i]

Originally Posted by Graaf_Autowerks

Hey! Those were MY ///M power boxers.

You’re right, they were. I read that a week or two ago and had a good laugh. I have to give credit where credit is due

[Chappers 71]

I only use Shell V Power

[taskrov]

Back in the late '80 I designed and wrote the gasoline blending computer control system for a major oil company. During testing and subsequent support, I have observed many blending batches (both directly into pipeline and tanks) and have seen what components go into various grades of gasoline. I have since retired, but I don't think a lot has changed in how gasoline is blended today. Internally, we had a number of other blending property specifications besides octane. They were related to something one could call "driveablity." These specifications changed with the season, region, and even State, California being the strictest.

Blending premium fuel (93 R+M/2) called for the most "expensive" components, typically only four blending streams could be used. The other grades were more tolerant and one could blend "cheaper" components. The last one, regular (87) had to take the rest since all the streams had to be blended. Thus the regular blend got all the heavy components which are the ones that tend to "coke up" in the combustion chamber. Regular gas is a commodity. One cannot tell who actually produced it. It all goes into same shared pipelines.

I don't know if anyone has noticed, but Shell in the US (and maybe other majors) have been selling their refineries. At this point Shell is down to just one plant near New Orleans. So the chance of getting Shell refined and blended gasoline at any Shell stations are small. They probably still supply the additives which are added at the terminal after pipeline shipment. Additives do make a difference in reducing engine deposits, for example in Top Tier.

My advice is to avoid regular, even Top Tier and use at least Mid grade, but ideally Premium.

[MelbourneFinn]

Originally Posted by AP

Never been myself but believe you can buy 102 octane fuel at the Nurburgring ring

100-102 octane is reasonably broadly available in Germany, and from memory when I lived in London 17 years ago it was available there, too (BP, I think). But the price is usually pretty astonishing, too - in “cheap petrol Euro countries” 98 octane these days is somewhere close to €2/l (not gallon, but appr 1/4 of a gallon), for 100+ octane add min 30-50%…

[G30EPE]

Doesn't it say something like 91 recommended, 89 minimum on the fuel door?

[Warp Ten]

Costco sells Top Tier gas, but only sells either 87 or 93, no 91. Since pumps with 91 normally provide it by blending the 87 and 93 at the pump, I am guessing Costco was just too cheap to buy the pumps. I have the unfortunate luck to have three cars that demand premium gas, so I use 93 for my Corvette Z06, my 540xi and our 328xi. And around us Costco is usually cheaper that other gas stations. While gas is not cheap in general anymore, when I filled my Corvette up yesterday 93 was $4.60 a gallon. In town it was $5.40. --Bob

[BMW012]

the recommendation for the 540 and 550 is different. the minimum recommendation that is, if i recall correctly.

[ezaircon4jc]

Originally Posted by Warp Ten

Costco sells Top Tier gas, but only sells either 87 or 93, no 91. Since pumps with 91 normally provide it by blending the 87 and 93 at the pump, I am guessing Costco was just too cheap to buy the pumps. I have the unfortunate luck to have three cars that demand premium gas, so I use 93 for my Corvette Z06, my 540xi and our 328xi. And around us Costco is usually cheaper that other gas stations. While gas is not cheap in general anymore, when I filled my Corvette up yesterday 93 was $4.60 a gallon. In town it was $5.40. --Bob

I'm jealous. I paid $6.10 at Costco last week. The local Chevron was $7.18!

[LogicalApex]

Originally Posted by Warp Ten

Costco sells Top Tier gas, but only sells either 87 or 93, no 91. Since pumps with 91 normally provide it by blending the 87 and 93 at the pump, I am guessing Costco was just too cheap to buy the pumps. I have the unfortunate luck to have three cars that demand premium gas, so I use 93 for my Corvette Z06, my 540xi and our 328xi. And around us Costco is usually cheaper that other gas stations. While gas is not cheap in general anymore, when I filled my Corvette up yesterday 93 was $4.60 a gallon. In town it was $5.40. --Bob

I was complaining that premium (93) was $3.83 at our Costco. I’ll shut up on that complaint now.

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by LogicalApex

I was complaining that premium (93) was $3.83 at our Costco. I’ll shut up on that complaint now.

I wouldn't put Costco gas in my car. You don't know where it comes from and it probably comes from all different suppliers, whoever is the cheapest. Key word - Cheap.

[BMW012]

costco gas is actually highly regarded and is in the list of the top tier gas like bp, shell exxon etc.

[HerkHealer]

Sunoco has a website that lists places you can buy pails of 95 and 98 octane if you're so inclined.
First learned of this from my local speed shop. He buys 55 gallon ethanol drums from them for his race cars.

www.sunocoracefuels.com

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by BMW012

costco gas is actually highly regarded and is in the list of the top tier gas like bp, shell exxon etc.

Really? I'll have to do some research on that before I go shootin my mouth off!

I always thought about it as the same as 711 gas, Cumberland Farms, etc. Convenience store gas.