my wife wants a lexus...

My wife has an '05 RX330. This is what the manual says:

"Fuel Selection: Select Octane Rating 87 (Research Octane Number 91) or higher. For improved vehicle performance, the use of premium unleaded gasoline with an Octane Rating 91 (Research Octane Number 96) or higher is recommended."

So, I have her put premium in it.

It's not premium. It's simply higher octane fuel.

And have you documented this "higher performance"? Does she need "higher performance"?

Where is this "engine damage" that you're talking about from using 87 octane fuel? Toyota says 87 octane fuel is fine.

Face it: you have bought into this "premium" fuel thing hook, line, and sinker. The manufacturer specifies 87 octane fuel, yet you go and put what--93 octane?--into the car.

That's where you're wrong. I did my own research. I don't fall for advertising or marketing techniques. I see right through them.

Face it. You are being cheap.

What research did you do? Read the owner's manual?

You even admit it: your owner's manual says "use 87 octane fuel. For better performance, use 91 octane fuel." Yet you use 93 octane fuel. Why?

And what research did you do on the "better performance" statement? What do they mean by "better performance"? You don't know; you're taking this vague statement to the bank (and withdrawing your money) without any details.

I studied engineering in College. I used to race in rallies. I work on my own cars. What is your expertise? What research have you done?

Here's where your lack of information is very apparent. In my area, we don't have 91 octane. We have 93 octane instead. In California, octane is not allowed to be higher than 91. So, Toyota obviously would use the 91 to refer to the United States' higher octane.

Think about it.

Ummmm....you didn't answer the question.

In fact, you used an old lawyer's trick--you responded to a question by asking questions, thereby avoiding answering the question.

What research did you do regarding the "better performance" part of what the owner's manual says? What do they mean by the very vague "better performance" statement? Faster acceleration? Smoother engine running with the AC on? Higher gas mileage?

So far, it's nothing more than marketing speak.

Bullshit.

Crappy tranny in the Lexus cars "Jay Somerset >" My 2006 GS300 also has the "jerk" when it changes down from 2nd to 1st going

It's like arguing with a child with you. Go home and study before you make any comments next time.

The fact is that you insist on spending more on gas than you have to, even by Toyota's reckoning--and that's plainly so that you can show the world that you have money to burn.