using regular gas

My owners manual states 87 octane minimum while the dealer mechanic recommended 91-93 octane (I'm not biting the semantics thread of premium/super/regular). I have run both 87 and 91-93 and have let the car decide which one and it prefers the 91-93 octane. It gets slightly better mileage (both city & highway) and did not have the hesitation problem which thread was so prevalent the past couple of years. The RPM's are also lower for equivalent MPH.

I don't know about the other posters in this thread but I agree with you in that many people I know driving the "upscale" autos cannot afford to maintain them or don't know how to maintain them. I am seeing many more posters asking for help and having responses telling them to read the owners manual. A good friend who is a BMW mechanic (he specializes and dealers go to him when they get the tough ones) will not service a new customers car without reviewing their service records for oil changes and other periodic required maintenance. No records, no service. I asked him why and he said if they could not afford to perform the required maintenance then they did not know how to properly maintain a car and he did not want to have them as customers.

I've followed the thread, and even with all this personal information, I still don't understand what makes you so resentful.

On Jul 15, 1:42 am, "Ray O" wrote: snip

Thanks for all your very professional replies to this and other newsgroups.

FYI-

YMMV

As a member of ASME, I know for a fact that "Senior Engineers" don't make anywhere near what would be consider "wealthy". As far as his "direct reports", four isn't that much, nor is 16 "people under them". Anyway, I've owned five late model Lexues (2 GX's, 1 ES, 1 LS and an RX). And with the exception of the GS's, the only difference I've seen in everyday driving between 87 and 91 octane was in my wallet.

I'll add the caveat that is in *my* area under *my* driving conditions. As always, YMMV.

Thanks for all your very professional replies to this and other newsgroups.

************

FYI-

YMMV

My weakness is when I am following a vehicle that blocks my view, like an SUV, van, or truck. Rather than drafting a vehicle that is probably doing a good job of cutting the air ahead of me, I just have to get around them in order to have a clear view of the road ahead.

you just don't get it, it is not about being able to afford the gas, it is about not buying into the marketing hype that premium is better for your car, in the case of a lexus it just isn't true and spending the money for premium is just a needless waste of money. and nobody gives a hoot about your resume! __________________________________________ Never argue with an idiot. They'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

Oh, come on now! That is ridiculous. There is no relationship between engine performance and/or octane and the ratio of engine revolutions to tire revolutions.

Perhaps you also upped the tire pressure by 5+ psi? That might make a very slight difference due to the greater tire circumpherence, but I doubt if you could even notice it.

I am now driving a 2007 GS350 so I'm interested in your statement "except for the GSs". How was your experience different with different fuels in the GSs?

I believe it was stated in this thread that using regular instead of Premium will not "harm" the engine. Is that known to be true?

Also, why would Lexus make their cars potentially less attractive to buyers by saying they require premium if they do not really and can work just as well with regular? Is it true that they say regular fuel for cars bought in Euope?

Jeff

You may want to reexamine your premise, Jeff. The requirement for premium fuel makes the Lexus *more* attractive to some buyers.

..sportier car = lead foot. ;-). Seriously, I think the engine in the GS's are more "sport tuned" and I *do* notice less knocking and better throttle response. Top end speed or anything else? Probably not much difference.

Having said all that, I think the *quality* of the fuel, regardless of the octane level is probably a better indicator of drivability and knocking than anything else.

..every car manufactured since..oh gawd..mid 80's have anti-knock sensors. Timing is automatically adjusted by the computer to adjust for varying levels of octane.

...marketing?

They're not making their cars look less attractive to buyers. They're actually making the cars look MORE attractive to buyers. "Oh, look at me and my car! It REQUIRES "premium" fuel!!! See? I must buy premium everything! Therefore I must be a premium human being!"

It's all psychology.

Note the Honda Accord, aimed at the average Joe. Spec in the owner's manual says regular gas--but engineers claim the fuel map is such that using premium gains you 10hp.

But they can't say that, because they want the Accord to be the midrange car. Then they put the same engine into the TL, and say "must use premium".

It's all a mind game.

Hee hee hee. That's a good one!

Sure, Lexus can't compete with true luxury brands if they don't charge $130 for an oil change ($25 across the street at Toyota) or just say their engines use cheap regular gas just like the Corolla. Too many Lexus owners are clueless that they're driving the likes of nicely dolled-up Camrys. Some strangely are actually proud of it!

Lewis Gibbs, consulting engineer at Chevron doesn't think premium is necessary.

Full article at:

"My wife runs midgrade (89 octane) in her car, and it's a turbocharged engine" meant for 91-octane premium, he says.

You're becoming a caricature of yourself, john. Let's recap:

Elmo posts that Honda are putting the identical engine in a Honda and an Acura and requiring different fuels.

Your natural conclusion? That this is more evidence that Lexus owners are clueless!

You are nothing if not consistent. You even found a way to slip the "dolled-up Camry" in there. You must be really proud of that one to use it so often, even when it has nothing to do with the thread you post it to.

What do you drive, john?

A dolled up blow up doll.

Sure, only clueless buyers purchase cars based on "premium fuel."

"I personally use regular even though my owner's manual says you'll get better performance with premium," says Lewis Gibbs, consulting engineer and 45-year veteran at Chevron oil company. He's chairman of Technical Committee 7 on Fuels, part of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Fuels & Lubricants Council. Gibbs knows gas.

"My wife runs midgrade (89 octane) in her car, and it's a turbocharged engine" meant for 91-octane premium, he says.