Damage from Regular Gas

I wonder if it's harmful to use regular instead of premium fuel in a turbo engine?

wrenden

Reply to
brody
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No. Probably. The car will use it's knock sensor to prevent damage, but the system does have limits. Under certain conditions, pinging will occur, and damage will result.

But why buy a turbo car if you're not going to run premium? If you've got the money to buy an Audi, don't have the money to fill it with the recommended grade of fuel?

E.P.

Reply to
Ed Pirrero

Generally no, but you will have reduced performance.

Reply to
PeterD

Actually I'm still shopping. I figure that after I spill for the car, I'll be so broke that I'll just only use cheap gas except for the high speed runs in the Nevada desert. Thanks for the replies.

brody

Reply to
wrenden

"wrenden" wrote

You're shopping for the wrong car then. If buying it will cause you such strain that you will have to buy regular as opposed to premium, then you cannot afford that car, realistically speaking. I'd hold off until your income situation improves.

Regards, Pete

Reply to
Pete

I am thinking of an Audi A4 wagon. Running on 87 Octane (US) without extra wear will be a requirement. Much of my driving will be commuting (~50 miles/day) where high octane fuel would be a total waste of money. I'd only put in higher octane fuel for road trips (1000 - 2000 miles).

Reply to
Kevin McMurtrie

"Kevin McMurtrie" wrote

Don't be so sure. Check your fuel consumption. You might just find out that you get better mileage on 91+ octane.

Pete

Reply to
Pete

Expelling gas regularly is less likely to cause damage than holding it in, according to Dr. Gillian McKeith.

Reply to
Marcus Redd

Pete is right: my experience is that my gas mileage and car performance is better with the mfr recommended octane (I run my A4 on

93 octane). This regimen has done my car well for 104,000 miles (98.5 A4 2.8Q).
Reply to
KLS

I also concur. My wife has a 2003 GTI with the 1.8T engine (upstate NY). She usually uses premium, but recently switched to 87 octane gas for a while as an experiment. The report was that, apart from the performance change, the gas mileage dropped by about 10%, such that premium was actually cheaper per mile.

-steve

Reply to
Steve Thompson

I agree with Pete. My experience with my 3 Audi's (1991 V8 Quattro 5 speed, 1992

100S, and 1997 A8) has been higher gas milage with premium.

Another thing to consider here: The difference between 87 octane gas and 93 octane gas is 20 cents. As gas prices go higher, this 20 cent difference decreases percentage-wise, making the premium gas a better value as the gas prices go higher, assuming that your car gets 5% - 10% better milage with premium as I have experienced. You also get better performance and less wear on the engine.

Reply to
berniepet

Exactly! My wife drives a Lexus RX330 and I told her to use 87 or 89 octane. She drives about 40 miles/day with it. Having nothing better to do, she experimented with three different octanes (she has a PhD in physics, so this is her nature d;o) ). She got much better mileage with the 92 octane and insists that the few extra pennies a gallon is worth it in mileage.

Dave RS6

Reply to
Dave LaCourse

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