Unleaded vs Premium: Which car fuel type should you use?

Picture this: You’re on your way home from work and your gas light blinks on. So you pull into the closest gas station to fill up. You get out of your car, open your gas tank, insert your payment, and then the screen asks you to choose a fuel grade before you start pumping. You know which one you normally choose for your car, but you get to wondering what the difference is between each car fuel type. Your local Toyota of Orlando dealership has got the facts on what’s what in terms of gassing up your ride.

Let’s Talk Octane

First thing’s first━what is octane and why does it matter? The level of octane in fuel is what determines the affect the fuel combustion has on the engine. For example, the lower the octane grade, the more engine knocking will occur. Some think that the main reason for using premium gasoline is because it keeps the engine cleaner, but in reality it’s all about the amount of octane being used for the purpose of increasing engine efficiency.

For reference, there are generally three or more car fuel types offered at any given Orlando gas station. The different types usually include:

Regular Unleaded with an 87 octane level

Mid-grade with an 89 octane level

Premium with a 91-93 octane level

It is safe to say the higher the octane level, the more efficient the gas burning will be in the car’s combustion chamber.

Unleaded

The unleaded Orlando car fuel type is undoubtedly the most popular of the grades. It’s no secret that costing about $0.15-$0.20 less per gallon than it’s premium counterpart makes the regular option a favorite among car owners. It’s always good to check with your vehicle’s operating manual, but if your car’s manufacturer didn’t specify that premium is required, then there is really no reason to shell out the extra money on the higher grade. We have come to the point that additives are now included in the regular grade that helps protect the engine, so there really isn’t much difference between the two.

Premium

The main difference between the Orlando premium and unleaded car fuel types is the octane levels. Premium offers a higher amount of octane, which will give off a more efficient burn and will provide a slightly better fuel economy. Unless the manufacturer says that your car requires premium fuel grade, feel free to use the cheaper option. A manufacturer’s recommendation in this case is just that...a recommendation, so if you would like to use regular gas to save on money, by all means go for it. However, if you purchase a luxury brand vehicle, be sure to feed it the fuel it needs in order to avoid decreasing the fuel efficiency of its high-compression engine.

Our Orlando Toyota car specialists are more than happy to help you with any questions you may have about your car’s fuel type and other maintenance concerns. Give our service center a call at (407) 298-0001 or come visit us at your convenience━3575 Vineland Rd just off of I-4 near the Millenia Mall.