Most cars on the road recommend a standard grade 87 or 89. Premium gas 90-93 is completely okay to put in a standard vehicle. Car experts say there is no risk of damage to a standard car using premium fuel.
No matter your model, BMW recommends using only premium-unleaded fuel. That’s not to say your BMW won’t run on lower-grade fuel, but premium-unleaded fuel will maintain its quality in the long run, letting you drive at peak performance consistently.
Can a BMW 320i take 87 gas?
The short answer is: NO! We do not recommend running low grade fuel in BMW’s. While a few models might present this as a viable option when reading the owner’s manual, Triangle Imports does not believe in that philosophy. The possible negative effects on your car from using regular fuel simply aren’t worth it.
What happens if you put 87 in a BMW?
The short answer is – nothing. Most BMWs can run on regular gas so you aren’t at any risk of causing damage to your brother’s car. When you put regular gas in a BMW as opposed to premium, the car will recognize this and may run with a little less power and less timing but all components will work properly.
Can I put 89 in my BMW?
BMW recommends that their drivers only use high-octane fuel, such as 91+ octane. This will help ensure you BMW performs at its best, though, as with any fuel option, there are some pros and cons to 91+ octane fuel.
Can I use 93 octane instead of 91 BMW?
BMW requires 91-octane fuel at a minimum, with 93 recommended, so we did just that, switching between the common forms of premium gas depending on which state you’re in.
This makes high-octane fuel better for engines that create higher cylinder pressures during the combustion cycle. We call these “high-compression engines” for obvious reasons, and while some BMW engines do use very high compression, not all of them do.
What happens if you fill 87 instead of 91?
“Use premium unleaded gasoline with a posted octane rating of 91 or higher. If the octane rating is less than 91, you could damage the engine and may void your vehicle warranty. If heavy knocking is heard when using gasoline rated at 91 octane or higher, the engine needs service.”
Other things to consider: failing to use high-octane fuel in your premium vehicle could cause engine knock or pinging, which sounds like there’s a large woodpecker under your hood; you could experience damage to your components; and using the wrong octant level could even void your warranty.
What to do if I accidentally put 87 instead of 93?
It shouldn’t cause your vehicle any harm. The ECM (Engine Control Module) will compensate for the lower octane fuel. You might notice a drop in engine performance and possibly lower fuel economy; but nothing detrimental. Just run the tank down and then fill it with 93 octane.
Is it worth putting 91 instead of 87?
The main difference with premium is its octane rating — 91 or higher compared with 87 for regular octane. The higher octane gives premium gas greater resistance to early fuel ignition, which can result in potential damage, sometimes accompanied by audible engine knocking or pinging.
Can you mix 87 and 91 gas?
Yes, drivers can mix the two types of fuel. The combined gas types will result in an octane level somewhere in the middle — something the vehicle “will survive,” according to The Drive.
What happens if you put 89 instead of 93?
In most cases, the vehicle will run fine, but you may experience less power and a decrease in gas mileage. In more serious cases, you may hear engine knocking or valve chatter because the fuel isn’t burning right. These things could damage your engine and you should take it to your mechanic.
Why does BMW recommend Shell fuel?
It’s all about the marketing dollars and has nothing to do with the product being good, bad, or better. Because Shell paid more money to be the official fuel recommended by BMW. It’s all about the marketing dollars and has nothing to do with the product being good, bad, or better.
Does 93 or 87 gas last longer?
No, premium gas does not last longer than regular gasoline in a fuel tank. A car owner might only consider the longevity of a car’s gas if the vehicle has been sitting unused for an extended period.
What happens if I use 98 instead of 91?
It can’t hurt your engine if you use a higher octane fuel. So, for example, if you use 95 or 98 in an engine designed for 91, that’s OK. However, it’s not acceptable to put in a lower octane fuel than the minimum recommended by the manufacturer.
What happens if you put 93 instead of 95?
DON’T MAKE A HABIT OF USING THE INCORRECT FUEL RATING However, if you keep on running your car on 93 octane petrol instead of the required 95 octane petrol, your engine could start to knock. This, in turn, could cause serious engine damage.
However, remember this: when a premium fuel engine runs on regular fuel, there’s a risk of combustion of the fuel mix before the spark plug even lights up. This causes a phenomenon called knocking, which is likely to damage the engine. Although Mazda recommends using premium fuel, they don’t require it.
Citing World Toyota’s Service Center, 11Alive reported drivers should not put regular gas in a vehicle that takes premium because the lower octane levels found in unleaded gas could create “knocking” that damages the vehicle’s motor. It may also void your warranty.
Premium gas — that is, gas with an octane rating of 91 or more — is required for some high performance and luxury vehicles. Gasoline with a high octane rating is more difficult to ignite, which helps prevent pre-ignition and knocking in high performance engines.
In today’s automobiles, advances in engine technology mean that even if the owner’s manual recommends premium gasoline, the car will typically run on regular without issue and won’t damage the engine in any way.
Is it OK to mix 87 and 89 gas?
It won’t hurt the car at all to put a mix of 87/89 in, or straight 89, but your wallet may feel a bit lighter.
Con: Premium gas can be much more expensive. Because of premium gas benefits, this fuel is typically far more expensive than standard gas which, for the average American, can be a pain-point.
What happens if I fill 91 instead of 95?
It won’t hurt your engine if you use a higher octane fuel. For example, if you use 95 or 98 in an engine designed for 91, that’s fine. However, avoid using a lower octane fuel than the minimum recommended by the manufacturer. Using 91 in an engine designed for 95 or 98 is potentially destructive.
Is 87 the same as 91?
The main difference between 87 and 91 octane gas is just the additive that they add to it. They are still the same unleaded gasoline that will work on your car. The purpose of the additive is to make the gas more resistant to pre-detonation, more commonly known as pinging or knocking.