Gas

[BennyM]

I'm considering the idea that my routine fill ups at Holiday are at least a partial cause for my 525i's pinging. I recently heard a little about oxygenated fuels vs. non and it got me thinking. Someone in the local CCA chapter said that Holiday gas "is great for anti-knock but bad for
power" due to a high alcohol content. I liked Holiday gas cause it's that BluePlanet stuff that's supposedly better for the environment and it's also 93 octane. However, I am no expert and I was wondering if you guys knew any more about gasoline brands and what goes in them. What do you put in your tanks?

[BennyM]

I'm considering the idea that my routine fill ups at Holiday are at least a partial cause for my 525i's pinging. I recently heard a little about oxygenated fuels vs. non and it got me thinking. Someone in the local CCA chapter said that Holiday gas "is great for anti-knock but bad for
power" due to a high alcohol content. I liked Holiday gas cause it's that BluePlanet stuff that's supposedly better for the environment and it's also 93 octane. However, I am no expert and I was wondering if you guys knew any more about gasoline brands and what goes in them. What do you put in your tanks?

[ScottyWM]

I ran into a quality control woman at a refinery and we started talking about how I could tell where I bought my gas by the way it ran and sounded. She said that basically all gas is the same, it's the additives that f* it up.

I get 93 at the corner BP, my car pings - I get it at an old Exxon 5 miles away that is in the fuel oil business (the closer ones suck) and it runs like a champ.

Think most here will agree, you need to a) make sure your cars right (plugs, filters, no vacumn leaks) and b) find a gas your car likes.

[George Davis]

In Oregon we have the oxygenated gas, and most oil companies use ethanol as the oxygenate, which also boosts octane. They "compensate" for the increased octane by using lower quality base gasoline. The two companies here that don't do that are Chevron and Shell, so I only use those brands. This probably varies all over, but it may partially explain why some gas is good and some not so good.

[Joestancampiano]

We have to deal with oxygenated gas here in northern Virginia in the winter months and I always notice mileage dropping about 2 mpg with the stuff. Oxygenated gas has been shown to not help the environment at all and is all about helping farmers in the corn belt. Back before O2 sensors it did help some, but how many cars are on the road today without O2 sensors? Cars will run better without it.

Joe

[BennyM]

We have to deal with oxygenated gas here in northern Virginia in the winter months and I always notice mileage dropping about 2 mpg with the stuff. Oxygenated gas has been shown to not help the environment at all and is all about helping farmers in the corn belt. Back before O2 sensors it did help some, but how many cars are on the road today without O2 sensors? Cars will run better without it.

Joe