MKenM

Does everybody pay cash for gas or use a credit card? If you use a credit card you should choose a card that has a cash back feature. Mine has a 5% cash back feature on gas. It adds up by the end of the year.

It's your car if you think that regular will work for you and you think that it won't hurt then by all means do it. But, when you have an engine problem and you bring to the dealer (under warranty) don't think you can tell the that you were burning premium. They will get you and you will be stuck. It's a cheap insurance policy when you come to think of it. You can always try to beat the odds.

If you are ever caught in a situation on the on ramp of a highway and you need some extra pep when you put your foot on the peddle and it's not there say thanks to good old regular.

Enjoy the drive.

PHML

I used Premium all the time...its only a few cents more per gallon....not worth taking a chance over $1 or so on a full tank.

venchka

Surely this is the deadest horse around.
Burn what you like. Like what you burn.

Wayne

TheBestOrNothin

Premium fuel will get you better fuel economy so down the road, you actually don't pay alot more

rmfnla

Only if your engine is designed for it, and even then only perhaps.

Higher octane gas has slightly less energy per unit than lower grades.

(Boy, was I surprised to see this thread resurface!)

Jlazer

If you cannot afford to pay for premium gas then stick with a car that only takes regular. The GLK is designed for premium gas, the pennies you save now can cost you dollars later. Even if it is a rental, the next owner will still pay a pretty penny for your returned lease car ... is it fair to the new owner that you could have possibly caused issues with his engine down the road.
There is something to be said about people who have leased cars that have no respect for car or the next owner..

Cyber GS

^^ I couldn’t agree more, premium all the time.

On average it costs approximately 0.15/gal more for premium over regular. So even if you fill it up from empty (18 gal) which no one would do because that means you would have run out of gas, it would cost an additional $2.70.

I never understood why people make such a big deal out of using premium instead of regular.

Koenig1

To answer your question, there are people driving GLKs that live outside of the USA! In Canada it's .18>.24 per liter.... in your dollars about .90 a gallon. So... USA $2.70 > Can $16.00. Oh, does that stir the pot! I use Premium, not happy about getting ripped by the oil companies here, as others are, and therefore possibly the OP's question. Everyone has different tastes, expectations, and reasoning s on how to save a buck. Add up .90/gallon x 16 each fill-up, over a year and it's just possible you might question the extra expense. It would be like getting your car insurance paid for! LOL! I'll be in Florida next month and looking forward to some 'cheap' Premium gas on the way down and back. And to the people who think that an engine designed to run on regular, will be beneficial to run Premium..... think again. It's been proven that you're providing more pollution, and killing your CAT faster!.... CBC Doc... 5Th Estate Program... even though you MAY get better mileage.
I can only imagine the price of gas going up $16./fillup in the USA and the outrage that would spark!

Jlazer

I'm in Mtl.. Don't know where you got your $16 extra for premium gas ... here it's about .06 cents per liter ( 3.75 L to equal 1 Gal ) .06 x 66 liters ( tank size ) if you fill up from bone dry only comes out to $3.96 .... Not a whole lot of money ... people spend more than that on coffees per day.

Koenig1

Really... well, I can offer a possible explanation to some of that. Did a snowmobile trip from Gatineau to Mt Laurier/return last W/E... Price for regular was $1.36/9 at every gas station. Here in Ottawa the price (regular) at the pump was $1.26/9 per liter. So it might just be the Quebec gov't gas taxes come before the petroleum fees. In any event, in Ontario anyways, the difference is huge between regular & premium! Funny how in the US the gas stations advertise all grades of gas, while in Canada(Ontario anyway), they 'sucker' you in with a 'low' priced regular and then ream your wallet for Premium. Maybe I'll go shoot some pics of our Ontario prices....
Note: I stand corrected in my conversion of liters > US gal at 3.75. I was thinking Can imperial gallon at 4.5l > USgal
Got caught up in my rant

Cyber GS

^^^^ Thanks for clearing that up for me!! I had no idea that MB sold vehicles outside the U.S. is this something new that they just started doing. What a great concept.

I guess I should have been clearer in my previous post. First off I wasn’t addressing the OP, who’s avatar BTW says he’s from the U.S. or anyone else here. I was simply stating what my experience has been here in the U.S.

There are a lot people I have come across over the years that purchased a vehicle that requires the use of premium fuel and they moan and groan about it. When in all reality the cost (IN THE U.S.) for premium vs. regular is not a big deal. I tried to explain this in my previous post, you know, the one you so condescendingly tried to tear apart.

Since I don’t live in Canada I won't comment on what people there are paying for gas or what the price difference is between the grades. But I will say that when I read your post it didn’t make sense to me that there was such a big difference in the cost between grades. But again, since I don’t live in Canada I’m not going to question it.

Although I wouldn’t be happy paying an additional $16.00 more per tank for premium I would still do it, if that is what my vehicle required. If I thought this was going to be an issue every time I was fueling up I would have bought a vehicle that runs on regular.

If it is such a big deal to use premium due to all of the government taxes and surcharges that go along with it, maybe you should consider only purchasing vehicles from now on that use regular fuel.

Have a nice weekend.

Koenig1

Koenig1

1st) to 'cyber' and anyone else I've offended.... My APOLOGIES... never did I intend to 'condescend', but after rereading my posts, yeah... bit of an ***! Sorry!

The previous pic was taken today in Ottawa, Ontario. It has the 3 grade pricings, from reg($1.273) mid-grade($1.369) & premium($1.439). These prices are for a litre of gas.

I will leave this thread as I has obviously offended some..... again, Pls accept my apologies.

chikoo

some popcorn

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money...emiumgas_x.htm

Cyber GS

No need to leave this thread.. Let's just move on, your apology wasn't needed but it's accepted.

Thanks..

chikoo

I think this answers all doubts

sylus

The general feeling as I understand it and it is discussed in most parts of mb world forum is this

Despite having more oil/gas than Europe we are way behind in the refining and purity of our gas. As a result European fuel is cleaner and is more efficient (and nearly 3 times more Exspensive).

So something that is a certain gas star rating in europe will have a higher rating need in the u.s. i.e. in europe it would be regular and in the u.s. it would be premium

I won't be annoying and say why buy/lease a mercedes if your worried about a few cents per gallon but it does highlight when you are considering a purchase/lease car why you should research the running costs as well as the purchase/lease cost

mac911

I use Premium & Top Tier Brands (example, Shell, Chevron, Mobil, 76, etc).

You never know if you might want to keep the vehicle after the lease, and you will want it to have been treated nicely should you choose.

The correct octane allows the engine to operate at its published performance and economy.

Some manufacturers will give you the option, Mercedes does not. The car clearly says 91 minimum. Therefore, follow that.

Premium was more of a psychological financial premium when gas was $1 and premium was $1.20.

Now, that percentage extra is much more minimal.

Furthermore, premium normally has more cleaning additives, therefore you could potentially prevent annoying issues/breakdowns later on as well.

For me, I psychogically like having a car that needs premium. It makes me feel good to give the car what it requests. Now, I also have an old Japanese sedan that requests regular, it gets regular.

chikoo

read post #66 above. MB specifies 91 RON, not 91 (R+M)/2

https://mbworld.org/forums/5550040-post66.html

B5chung

How do you explain this?
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/...emium-gas.html

B5chung

Here is the video on premium vs regular
http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/episod...mpfiction.html

RedlineAZ

I have a friend who just bought a 2013 x3 and his dealer recommended 87 instead of 91 or 93. Not really sure what the reasoning was, but that was what he told me. Either way, this is an old thread but thought I'd share!

venchka

Has anyone bothered to look at the information clearly printed on the inside of the fuel filler door? Right below the tire inflation information. Our 2012 GLK 350 says the following:
USE RON 95 (RON 91 minimum). Or words & numbers to that effect. I suppose if I cared, I could take a picture of the instructions.
Subtracting 4 from the RON numbers to convert to (R+M)/2 numbers we get 91 and 87. Clear as mud.
Here in Texas, premium is 93 octane by the (R+M)/2 method. 91 octane premium is usually found outside Texas.
To the OP: My wife has decreed the opposite to your wife: "The book says Premium. Don't use anything else."

Wayne

Fung63

Wife uses premium for her GLK
I use premium for my C63 AMG

trust me, my fuel expense is massive (I clock 30k kms minimum per year)

both cars work well, runs well, no hassles.

There is a ton of argument on this topic for both sides and it will keep going on for years (on this forum and pretty much all car forums). the way i see it is, it is not worth my time and potential anxiety of pumping a lower grade fuel and wondering if my engine will be affected by this.

I rather kill those brain cells working and making some additional money or just spend it playing with my kid

RedlineAZ

^ agreed!

Like I tell my patients at work, your body and your car are similar in some aspects. You want longevity in your car, so you use premium fluids. You want longevity in your life, yet you consume junk? Not worth the risk!