ghaffar23

if Mercedes puts a "PREMIUM FUEL ONLY" sticker on the inside of the fuel door, I don't think that they're doing that for their health. Come on ppl...there is no debating. Yes, true, the majority of cars do not have that sticker on there and yes, ppl are wasting their money. However, trust the engineers when they put that sticker on. It's on there for a reason.

43fatman

+1 do the math 20cents over regular where im at =21 gallonsX.20+ 4.20. I on average spend 10 times that every time I go out to dinner. Dont be a cheap ******* that drives a Mercedes.

Matthew

Musikmann

I travel through Georgia from here getting to Savannah and Tybee Island a couple times a year. I'm glad to learn that state has the same law.

Musikmann

Same here Matthew; 93 is almost always 20 cents more than 87, and 10 cents more than 89.

Frugal1

The more expensive gas gets, the percentage of how much more premium costs gets lower and lower since it's always a constant 20 cents more a gallon (usually). In other words, when regular gas was $1.30 and premium was $1.50, that 20 cents difference was almost FIFTEEN PERCENT. That 20 cents only represents FIVE percent now. Of course I liked it a lot better when it was 15% !!

Phin

+1 Listen to the fatman singing!

43fatman

I hate to disappoint you guys im not fat its just a nickname.

Phin

I gotcha bro,I was just having fun with your "username".Clean looking car btw

ejsheltra

Nice looking ride fatman. Did you paint your own grill? If not where did you get it? looks nice.

MB>BMW

If my W210 was black, the first thing I would do is the black grill, looks amazing.

So as far as these companies go, which is better?

Shell (V Power)

or

Chevron (Techron)
???

I have been using Shell everytime to fill up, 93 strictly.

Musikmann

Both are listed as Top Tier Gasolines but I prefer to use Chevron. My sources tell me they have never added ethanol and Shell does, at least now. Texaco and Chevron both use the Techron additive package.

http://www.toptiergas.com/retailers.html

patrick_y

I strictly use only Shell or Chevron and strictly only premium. I've used 76 (Conoco Phillips in California) before, because it is considered a top tier gasoline, but I quickly succumbed to the marketing of Shell and Chevron.

No Mobil gasoline for me, even though the engine runs on Mobil oil.

I usually try to fill up with Shell prior to a long journey and with Chevron in local city traffic.

I once saw a BMW 750i at a Shell service station in Irvine that was being filled with mid-grade. I really wanted to go over and tell the man I would pay for the difference so the car could have premium. Poor car! A BMW 750i shouldn't have such a cruel life and have to run on mid-grade, my C230 has never seen anything but premium.

Musikmann

Right, neither Exxon nor Mobil are top tier and surprisingly, neither is BP/Amoco.

GGM

Ethanol content is now a matter of federal law and state law. I think federal law encourages the use of ethanol and sets standards. I know state law in Florida mandates the use of ethanol. Chevron in Florida (and Georgia, based on my experience this summer) contains ethanol. In Florida, the law became effective a few months ago. You cannot find non-ethanol gas at gas stations in Florida. There are signs on the pumps in FL and GA. I use only Chevron because both my C240 and my E350 seem to run better with it.

Musikmann

GGM, I was told that a couple of years ago and you're probably correct on all counts. WV also has that law and there are no "Contains 10% Ethanol" stickers on the local Chevron pumps so I am still able to avoid using it.

I was in Marietta GA a few months ago and refueled before leaving to return home. If they had ethanol content stickers then, I didn't notice them.

Robert Rogers

I'm not posting my vin# here since I don't ever plan on selling this car.

I was convinced using regular was fine until reading this thread today. I've put about 10k miles in regular 87octane the last 4 months. I've consistently put regular and plus since I've owned it (3 years now), and rarely premium. The previous owner told me he never put premium in, so I just kinda followed that. Car seems to run fine, but today I just filled up with 93 just to be safe.

The local gas station here is 3.839 for regular, 4.299 for super - 46 cents difference! I average about 21mpg, so that would be 476 gallons. 476 x .46 = $218, or about $654/year more for super.

Not a small amount of dollars to be sure. The "...It's only $3 more per week..." mentallity is what made starbucks rich. But I think the penny wise, dollar stupid applies here. Shopping around today I found super for about 15 cents cheaper, but that was generic gas.

Just sharing my experience, for what it's worth.

Anyway, the car has 115k miles on it now, runs smooth as silk.

here's a quick link that I'm using now to find cheap gas:

Northern Virginia Drivers - Preimium gas - Top Tier Stations (thanks Musikmann )
http://www.virginiagasprices.com/ind...&srch=0&list=0

Musikmann

Your MPG is likely to improve if you use 91 octane.

Robert Rogers

That will definitely offset some of the cost, even 1mpg more would be about 1.25 free tanks of gas every 10k miles.

f-rod

I use Sunoco 93 and am happy with it.

ggharek

If it says "Premium Fuel Only" you can only put super in it. Besides, although youre paying about 5% more versus regular, you get 10-15% more gas mileage (due to higher energy content). Result: you spend less on gas per mile. Just avoid exxon or mobil gas--its expensive and the gas mileage isnt good. Stay away from discount gas as well.
Acetone is OK, just dont put too much (no more than 1 oz for 5 gal).

ohlord

assetone user
plastic solvent,paint remover,does nothing for mpg.How about ok to use if used at 0 ounces per 5 gallon,that sounds perfect to me

SUGBOY

funny guy, kent! you don't even want them non-diesel mercs! hehehe

Figuero

Premium does not have any more "energy content" than regular. Just more octane. In fact...I'm going out on a limb here....but since premium has more additives to increase octane it might actually have less "energy content" because it would contain less actual gasoline per gallon.

h0rn3t920

when i first started to drive the car, i used regular. I always had some other problem coming up. Then i switched to super, ran better and dont seem to be having these problems now.

Untertürkheim

Running premium fuel ALLOWS your engine to extract more energy from the fuel, any engine can be tuned to run on premium and it will develop more power and use less fuel.