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- Mercedes Benz C-Class: Fuel Economy and Type of Gas to Use
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Fuel type
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,108
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From: Dix Hills, New York
2012 C250 Coupe
The fact is that it has nothing to do with being a Ferrari, Toyota, Bently or Honda. It hsa to do with the compression ratios. Heck, cadillac's new cts run on 87 octane, and they are very luxurious. But with such a high compression our N/A engines use, the octane becomes more important. Now is it going to cause your engine to explode or force a piston through your cylider wall? No, at least not today with knock sensors that retard timing. But your car will not run as efficiently, there is always a trade-off for your decision, otherwise there wouldn't have been specific instructions to use premium fuel.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,128
Likes: 19
From: Acapulco Mexico
2010 C300 Sport
@RLE: You are absolutely correct, only the automatic transmission C300s are Flex Fuel compatible. Sorry to be a source of bad information on E85 premium. The rest, though, stands.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 411
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From: So-Cal
c350
Hey guys I was wondering if it's ok to put Cheap no name 87 fuel in my 40,000 Mercedes-Benz? I mean I always did with my Honda..what's the difference? Engine ping? What's that? I thought the CEL was suppose go be on all the time... Seriously don't put us other Benz owners to shame at the gas station by being cheap and using 87. Only fools use 87.
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
'09 C300 Sport (Manual)
My wife drives our C300 (leasing) most of the time and she was a life-long cheap gas buyer (87) up until we got married a few years ago. We had to reach a compromise so we've been running 89. I put 91 or 93 in when I go autocrossing. Notice a slight difference in the power, have seen no difference in the mileage at all going from one to the other though, oddly enough.
Super Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 543
Likes: 0
From: Fort Myers, FL
'09 C300 4Matic Sport
My wife drives our C300 (leasing) most of the time and she was a life-long cheap gas buyer (87) up until we got married a few years ago. We had to reach a compromise so we've been running 89. I put 91 or 93 in when I go autocrossing. Notice a slight difference in the power, have seen no difference in the mileage at all going from one to the other though, oddly enough.
When I had my corvette (owned not leased) I always used super. My fiance accidentally put regular in it one day and you could definitely notice the difference. With my '05 Jag and '07 C280 (both leased) I used regular from the beginning and never had any problems
Super Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 543
Likes: 0
From: Fort Myers, FL
'09 C300 4Matic Sport
Hey guys I was wondering if it's ok to put Cheap no name 87 fuel in my 40,000 Mercedes-Benz? I mean I always did with my Honda..what's the difference? Engine ping? What's that? I thought the CEL was suppose go be on all the time... Seriously don't put us other Benz owners to shame at the gas station by being cheap and using 87. Only fools use 87.
Only fools think using a certain kind of gas makes a person look bad
Super Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 543
Likes: 0
From: Fort Myers, FL
'09 C300 4Matic Sport
Exactly. Once you bring a supercharger or a high performance engine into the discussion then people may have an argument...but with today's modern engines and sensors, using regular grade gas will not harm your car. It's all marketing hype. Sure using Super may get a little better performance...maybe half a second faster from 0-60...but how many people can actually notice that small of a difference unless we're talking drag strip cars. It's just a placebo effect
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,128
Likes: 19
From: Acapulco Mexico
2010 C300 Sport
@blue00r6 - the C300 engine´s compression ratio is 11.3:1. It used to be that anything over 10:1 was 90+ octane territory. Not anymore, now many current engines with 10.5:1 recommend regular gas. (Nine of my other cars use regular, only the Merc and the V12 use premium).
The BMW 328i has a 10.7:1 compression ratio and specifies premium unleaded. For this truly refined Mercedes engine with an 11.3:1 compression ratio, that´s high enough for me, so I will keep using the 93 octane rated Pemex Premium, the only premium unleaded available in Mexico (I´m sure its true octane is lower, though).
The BMW 328i has a 10.7:1 compression ratio and specifies premium unleaded. For this truly refined Mercedes engine with an 11.3:1 compression ratio, that´s high enough for me, so I will keep using the 93 octane rated Pemex Premium, the only premium unleaded available in Mexico (I´m sure its true octane is lower, though).
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,601
Likes: 28
From: Atlanta, GA
2008 C300 Sport 6 Speed Manual, 1953 Chevy Bel-Air, 2015 Audi allroad, 1963 Chevy Apache
Exactly. Once you bring a supercharger or a high performance engine into the discussion then people may have an argument...but with today's modern engines and sensors, using regular grade gas will not harm your car. It's all marketing hype. Sure using Super may get a little better performance...maybe half a second faster from 0-60...but how many people can actually notice that small of a difference unless we're talking drag strip cars. It's just a placebo effect
Of course, if you plan on passing it along to some one else on a two year lease, I guess Karma will have to take care of you...
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 432
Likes: 2
From: Chicago
2018 E300 4MATIC Sedan
I filled up my car after work and it made me think about this thread...
My car took about 15 gallons of premium. General price difference between regular and premium here in Illinois is $0.20 a gallon.
If I chose to fill up with regular I would have saved a whopping $3.00 - now let's say I fill up once a week - that's $150 a year in total savings for putting the WRONG octane of gas in your car.
If you are that concerned about spending an additional $150 a year on gas, you should not be driving a Mercedes Benz in the first place !
Nick
My car took about 15 gallons of premium. General price difference between regular and premium here in Illinois is $0.20 a gallon.
If I chose to fill up with regular I would have saved a whopping $3.00 - now let's say I fill up once a week - that's $150 a year in total savings for putting the WRONG octane of gas in your car.
If you are that concerned about spending an additional $150 a year on gas, you should not be driving a Mercedes Benz in the first place !
Nick
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 247
Likes: 0
2011 C300
u still dont get it, the BIG question here is for a LEASED CAR, not an owned car, the question is since the car is leased is it still worth to fuel it with premium or regular will do for fine the 36 months that it will be used for, after that its the dealer's problem.
If the car is owned there is not a single doubt in my mind it should be fueled with premium.
If the car is owned there is not a single doubt in my mind it should be fueled with premium.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,601
Likes: 28
From: Atlanta, GA
2008 C300 Sport 6 Speed Manual, 1953 Chevy Bel-Air, 2015 Audi allroad, 1963 Chevy Apache
u still dont get it, the BIG question here is for a LEASED CAR, not an owned car, the question is since the car is leased is it still worth to fuel it with premium or regular will do for fine the 36 months that it will be used for, after that its the dealer's problem.
If the car is owned there is not a single doubt in my mind it should be fueled with premium.
If the car is owned there is not a single doubt in my mind it should be fueled with premium.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 247
Likes: 0
2011 C300
When u lease a car, the car is not yours , u just pay to use it , then u return it to the dealer, its the dealer's car. My salesman himself told me to fuel whatever i want in the car since its a lease and it doesnt really matter, i told him that in the manual it says premium REQUIRED and he just smiled at me and said to just relax because its a lease. he knows what a perfectionist i am since its the salesman i BOUGHT my 06 C230 from and i ONLY put premium in that car.
Now thats what the dealer told me and it shows that they really dont give a damn about how the car is maintained as long as its returned in a good condition.
Besides , u have a couple of ppl above me that said they used regular and they are just fine so dont go around calling people pathetic because if you do then you are pathetic yourself. I wont even go down to that level with you if thats how you chat on forums.
Last edited by lamonsas; Mar 2, 2011 at 10:27 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,601
Likes: 28
From: Atlanta, GA
2008 C300 Sport 6 Speed Manual, 1953 Chevy Bel-Air, 2015 Audi allroad, 1963 Chevy Apache
Considering dealers try to screw costumers in every possible way , i dont see why i need to take care of the dealer problems.
When u lease a car, the car is not yours , u just pay to use it , then u return it to the dealer, its the dealer's car. My salesman himself told me to fuel whatever i want in the car since its a lease and it doesnt really matter, i told him that in the manual it says premium REQUIRED and he just smiled at me and said to just relax because its a lease. he knows what a perfectionist i am since its the salesman i BOUGHT my 06 C230 from and i ONLY put premium in that car.
Now thats what the dealer told me and it shows that they really dont give a damn about how the car is maintained as long as its returned in a good condition.
Besides , u have a couple of ppl above me that said they used regular and they are just fine so dont go around calling people pathetic because if you do then you are pathetic yourself. I wont even go down to that level with you if thats how you chat on forums.
When u lease a car, the car is not yours , u just pay to use it , then u return it to the dealer, its the dealer's car. My salesman himself told me to fuel whatever i want in the car since its a lease and it doesnt really matter, i told him that in the manual it says premium REQUIRED and he just smiled at me and said to just relax because its a lease. he knows what a perfectionist i am since its the salesman i BOUGHT my 06 C230 from and i ONLY put premium in that car.
Now thats what the dealer told me and it shows that they really dont give a damn about how the car is maintained as long as its returned in a good condition.
Besides , u have a couple of ppl above me that said they used regular and they are just fine so dont go around calling people pathetic because if you do then you are pathetic yourself. I wont even go down to that level with you if thats how you chat on forums.
If you don't like that, maybe your should re-evaluate your position on what you are comfortable doing to others.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 247
Likes: 0
2011 C300
you still dont get it do u, using regular doesnt damage the car lol, people told u in this thread a couple of times already, it gives lower mpg and slight performance decrease and yes if the dealer itself doesn't care then i wont stress myself over it.
Regarding with you biting on people's words in this thread, i still havent decided if im going to use premium or regular, something inside me tells me to use premium just for the heck of it but something else tells me to do what the dealer told me it doesn't matter what fuel i use because its a lease.
Regarding with you biting on people's words in this thread, i still havent decided if im going to use premium or regular, something inside me tells me to use premium just for the heck of it but something else tells me to do what the dealer told me it doesn't matter what fuel i use because its a lease.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 411
Likes: 0
From: So-Cal
c350
Why not just pay the extra 20c? Why treat the car like crap just because your not keeping it? Id treat any benz being a rental, lease, purchase, like my own. 91+, oil change every 6000, etc. Leave things better off then how you found them..
Super Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 543
Likes: 0
From: Fort Myers, FL
'09 C300 4Matic Sport
u still dont get it, the BIG question here is for a LEASED CAR, not an owned car, the question is since the car is leased is it still worth to fuel it with premium or regular will do for fine the 36 months that it will be used for, after that its the dealer's problem.
If the car is owned there is not a single doubt in my mind it should be fueled with premium.
If the car is owned there is not a single doubt in my mind it should be fueled with premium.
Some of you guys really crack me up...DAMAGE a car by putting regular gas in it?! The worst thing that can happen is slightly poorer performance or fuel economy...YOU WILL NOT DAMAGE THE ENGINE BY USING REGULAR GAS IN THIS CAR! You know how the next owner can "fix the damage" when they get it? By putting a higher grade gas in the car...problem solved!
As for being pathetic...uhm sorry it's the rest of you that are being pathetic...OMG I HAVE A C CLASS MERCEDES I HAVE TO PUT PREMIUM GAS IN OR I'M MAKING OTHERS LOOK BAD! Give me a break. If you want to **** money away by putting in a higher grade when you don't have to...be my guest. But to try to bash others that realize it's not a necessity is showing your ignorance...not mine
Super Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 543
Likes: 0
From: Fort Myers, FL
'09 C300 4Matic Sport
Oh yea...one more thing...for those of you worried about the person that's going to end up with my car once my lease is up...how many times have you floored it from a dead stop, or accelerated too aggressively, or slammed on your brakes too hard? One could certainly argue that you are "damaging" your vehicle just as much...if not more...than I am (which I don't believe I am...nor has research shown that I am)
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,286
Likes: 62
From: eNyCe
Steel Grey Metallic C63!!
Guys...If the Troll wants to use regular, let him. It's his choice. He asked our opinion and he didn't like what we had to say. He thinks it helps his case by stating that it's a lease. If that .20cents is too much for you, you shouldn't really be driving a benz to begin with.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,108
Likes: 7
From: Dix Hills, New York
2012 C250 Coupe
I don't really have any idea if it harms the car or not. But for me, its not worht saving a possible $150 a year to drive a car that feels sluggish and underpowered on regular and puts a smile on my face with premium. I definitely feel the difference between regular and premium, and sometimes I can feel the difference between fill-ups of gas brands. Heck, I can even notice a difference at my next fillup at the same station.
Also, it doesn't help that the one time I put regular in my c300 and went to start it, the engine misfired and the cel was blinking. I had to turn it off and turn it back on and all was fine. But apparently accoding to my service advisor this can happen where the pistons and the crank become out of sync. He seemed to think that the knock sensors or the misfire from regular gas has caused this. But I'm no mechanic.
Also, it doesn't help that the one time I put regular in my c300 and went to start it, the engine misfired and the cel was blinking. I had to turn it off and turn it back on and all was fine. But apparently accoding to my service advisor this can happen where the pistons and the crank become out of sync. He seemed to think that the knock sensors or the misfire from regular gas has caused this. But I'm no mechanic.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,601
Likes: 28
From: Atlanta, GA
2008 C300 Sport 6 Speed Manual, 1953 Chevy Bel-Air, 2015 Audi allroad, 1963 Chevy Apache
Ding Ding Ding! Ladies and gentleman we have a winner! Def not worth it if you have a leased car...end of story
Some of you guys really crack me up...DAMAGE a car by putting regular gas in it?! The worst thing that can happen is slightly poorer performance or fuel economy...YOU WILL NOT DAMAGE THE ENGINE BY USING REGULAR GAS IN THIS CAR! You know how the next owner can "fix the damage" when they get it? By putting a higher grade gas in the car...problem solved!
As for being pathetic...uhm sorry it's the rest of you that are being pathetic...OMG I HAVE A C CLASS MERCEDES I HAVE TO PUT PREMIUM GAS IN OR I'M MAKING OTHERS LOOK BAD! Give me a break. If you want to **** money away by putting in a higher grade when you don't have to...be my guest. But to try to bash others that realize it's not a necessity is showing your ignorance...not mine
Some of you guys really crack me up...DAMAGE a car by putting regular gas in it?! The worst thing that can happen is slightly poorer performance or fuel economy...YOU WILL NOT DAMAGE THE ENGINE BY USING REGULAR GAS IN THIS CAR! You know how the next owner can "fix the damage" when they get it? By putting a higher grade gas in the car...problem solved!
As for being pathetic...uhm sorry it's the rest of you that are being pathetic...OMG I HAVE A C CLASS MERCEDES I HAVE TO PUT PREMIUM GAS IN OR I'M MAKING OTHERS LOOK BAD! Give me a break. If you want to **** money away by putting in a higher grade when you don't have to...be my guest. But to try to bash others that realize it's not a necessity is showing your ignorance...not mine
It's funny how you are the only one that brings up the fact this is some sort of almighty Mercedes that we want to over maintain...it's simply a car...and like any other car, there are recommended ways of maintaining and caring for it.
Post 35 explains how and why low octane fuel can damage an engine. If you disagree, tell me just how the pistons, valves and rings like those premature ignitions that need to occur before for the computer acts to retard the timing.
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 432
Likes: 2
From: Chicago
2018 E300 4MATIC Sedan
From the owner's manual :
To maintain the engine’s durability and performance,
premium unleaded gasoline must be
used. If premium unleaded gasoline is not available
and low octane fuel is used, follow these
precautions:
- Have the fuel tank only partially filled with
unleaded regular gasoline and fill up with
premium unleaded gasoline as soon as
possible.
- Avoid full throttle driving and abrupt
acceleration.
- Do not exceed an engine speed of 3000 rpm
if the vehicle is loaded with a light load such
as two persons and no luggage.
- Do not exceed 2/3 of maximum accelerator
pedal position if the vehicle is fully loaded or
operating in mountainous terrain.
To maintain the engine’s durability and performance,
premium unleaded gasoline must be
used. If premium unleaded gasoline is not available
and low octane fuel is used, follow these
precautions:
- Have the fuel tank only partially filled with
unleaded regular gasoline and fill up with
premium unleaded gasoline as soon as
possible.
- Avoid full throttle driving and abrupt
acceleration.
- Do not exceed an engine speed of 3000 rpm
if the vehicle is loaded with a light load such
as two persons and no luggage.
- Do not exceed 2/3 of maximum accelerator
pedal position if the vehicle is fully loaded or
operating in mountainous terrain.
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
c300
I do use Premium in my c300. My best friend has a Nissan Armada. I also have a Infinity QX-56. Same engine in both SUVs. Nothing is different from one to the other except the engine cover. Nissan requires 87 octane Infinity requires 91 octane. The reason is, better performance and better gas mileage rating and some hype. Things that make you go HMMMMM. To each your own. Use whatever gas you want. It's your money. But in the big picture you are saving what? 87 octane where I live is $3.39 91 octane is $3.69. So you are saving about $5.22 per fill up assuming your tank is completely empty. So is a $5.22 savings worth it to you. Only you can answer this question. Not us. No one here is an Idiot, We did buy a Mercedes.
Last edited by navyjetmech; Mar 3, 2011 at 05:38 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,601
Likes: 28
From: Atlanta, GA
2008 C300 Sport 6 Speed Manual, 1953 Chevy Bel-Air, 2015 Audi allroad, 1963 Chevy Apache
I do use Premium in my c300. My best friend has a Nissan Armada. I also have a Infinity QX-56. Same engine in both SUVs. Nothing is different from one to the other except the engine cover. Nissan requires 87 octane Infinity requires 91 octane. The reason is, better performance and better gas mileage rating and some hype. Things that make you go HMMMMM. To each your own. Use whatever gas you want. It's your money. But in the big picture you are saving what? 87 octane where I live is $3.39 91 octane is $3.69. So you are saving about $5.22 per fill up assuming your tank is completely empty. So is a $5.22 savings worth it to you. Only you can answer this question. Not us. No one here is an Idiot, We did buy a Mercedes.
