A different way to think about Premium Gas

"Stupidru" (Schm1an) 11/23/2016 at 09:29 • Filed to: None

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!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

Story for reference: So a few weeks ago my wife and I bought a large SUV to replace her tiny little wagon. Since everybody seems to forget how to drive when the roads are frozen, and this will be the first winter with our baby riding in the back seat, we thought it was an appropriate time.

The point of this post: We’ve filled up the tank 4 times so we have a little bit of data, but this massive Abrams tank is getting a little over 17.5mpg. Not terrible considering this pony is 4600lbs. But let’s take a step back and pretend we can get 300 miles per tank (that’s another conversation for another time)... the vehicle came with new tires, which, according to Tire Rack roll 716 times per mile. The OEM tires roll 693 times per mile, meaning I’m actually traveling 3.21% less distance than the odometer reads. So that 300 miles is actually 290.4 miles. Then let’s factor in the extra $0.65/gallon you pay to put the good stuff in the tank. So let’s just for argument’s sake say we put in 16.5 gallons. At $2.60/gallon it’s going to cost me $42.90. For that same $42.90, I could have put in an even 22.000 gallons of regular unleaded gas at $1.95/gallon. That 22 gallons of regular unleaded on a brand new Tahoe for instance where there’s no odometer discrepancy and no premium gas requirement, would have taken me the same 290.4 miles, resulting in 13.20 mpg. That’s marginally better than a Ferrari FF or Lamborghini Aventador.

So next time you’re thinking of buying a car that takes premium gas, prepare yourself for the consequences and remember that you did it to yourself. And that you can kind of afford an exotic Italian car which definitely explains the Murcielago in the background of the picture above at the top

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > Stupidru 11/23/2016 at 09:38

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I dunno if a FWD-based Honda CUV is qualified to be called a tank

Milky > Stupidru 11/23/2016 at 09:50

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When you switch to premium you need to get better gas mileage. That way its not even noticeable. 16-20mpg in my case.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Stupidru 11/23/2016 at 09:52

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A brand new Tahoe should get you better than 13.2 MPG.

Source:

http://oppositelock.kinja.com/2016-ford-expedition-el-and-2016-gmc-yukon-xl-compariso-1789013983

Stupidru > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/23/2016 at 09:59

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Based on your assessment of it being a CUV I’m going to assume you’ve never driven one or seen it closer than in your rearview mirror. They’re unassumingly large inside.

Oh and by the way, SH-AWD has been rated as one of the best, regardless of its bias on dry pavement

Stupidru > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 11/23/2016 at 10:00

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It was an example of something that could hold more than 22 gallons of fuel

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Stupidru 11/23/2016 at 10:01

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I call 17.5 mpg fantastic.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Stupidru 11/23/2016 at 10:02

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I’ve been thinking of an MDX as a replacement for the Outback. One gets spoiled with 25-30 mpg’s. Also one gets frustrated with 170 hp and poor build quality and reliability.

Stupidru > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 11/23/2016 at 10:03

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You’re missing the point of the story: I’m really only getting 13mpg

nermal > Stupidru 11/23/2016 at 10:03

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I’m a fan of using what the engine was designed for. Need regular, use that. Need premium, use that.

Also, the $10 / tank you would save from buying a Tahoe would be quickly negated by the $10 - $20k / yr depreciation for the first few yrs of ownership.

Stupidru > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 11/23/2016 at 10:06

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It really is a fantastic vehicle with my only complaint being the cost to keep it gassed up. We used to be a Subaru family and had nothing but bad luck with 3 Subarus so we have become a Honda family now. I drive a TL that gets 30mpg (albiet also on premium) but it’s a good balance. One is for around town errands and the other is for family trips when we actually need to pack bags and take the dog along

Stupidru > nermal 11/23/2016 at 10:08

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Agreed. I’m not going to chance any future ill effects just to save a few bucks on every tank by downgrading the fuel quality. The Tahoe was just an example of something that could actually hold more than 22 gallons of fuel

Pistol Whipped Cream > Stupidru 11/23/2016 at 10:08

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my mom has a 2012 MDX. It’s lucky to get 14 MPG... but in 4 years it only has 20k miles on it. So she doesn’t spend much on gas.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > Stupidru 11/23/2016 at 10:09

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I’ve sampled the Honda AWD in my mom’s CUV and it’s pretty capable. But in my archaic mind, SUV’s will always be body on frame, RWD-biased vehicles.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Stupidru 11/23/2016 at 10:09

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I’m starting to think that the reason so many subaru’s are still on the road is just plain owner loyalty. We keep dumping money into them to keep them running.

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 11/23/2016 at 10:13

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Besides oil burning, what kind of reliability issues have you had with the Outback? Our 2013 hasn’t had any problems yet, but we’re only at 60,000 miles. Something does seem funny with the steering recently, though, so I’m probably going to be taking it in soon. Seems to snap back to center very aggressively when you let go of the wheel, but turning itself is OK. I’m thinking alignment, though I just had one done recently - but that doesn’t mean my wife didn’t nail a curb and not tell me. I’ll agree on build quality. The amount of dents, paint scratches, and interior scuffs from very minor things is worse than I’m used to. But I find them acceptable. Considering the price, the competitive set has issues to.

Stupidru > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/23/2016 at 10:13

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Agreed. I’m a bit of a purist in that fashion: I wanted her to drive a 4Runner but the wife wasn’t having it. The MDX is a better vehicle in nearly every regard for the type of driving it will be doing (to home, work, daycare, grocery store, church, etc). When it comes time for me to upgrade, I’ll be getting the T4R because it’s one of the last body on frame 4x4s left

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Stupidru 11/23/2016 at 10:16

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But you should still use an accurate MPG estimate and say “X fuel would have taken me Y miles further”. Here’s the issue I have:

would have taken me the same 290.4 miles, resulting in 13.20 mpg.

To me, this should either read

“ if it took me the same 290.4 miles, would have average no more than 13.20 MPG, which is far less than it should be”

or

“at X MPG would have take me Y miles, an improvement of Z”

Basically I take issue with the wording. You are in essence saying “Here’s two vehicles that theoretically could do the same thing with the same money but in different ways” while the overall tone seems to be more along the lines of “it’s not worth it to get this kind of mileage while shelling out for premium.”

But hey, I’m a pedant. Take from it what you will

Stupidru > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 11/23/2016 at 10:16

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Ha, yes! We dumped $3k into our little Impreza to get the HGs, Timing Belt, Water Pump, etc done (yes, we got bent over by the stealership when we were young and stupid). At that point, we almost totaled the vehicle due to the cost of the repair, but it was in tip-top shape so we kept it for another 5 years

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Stupidru 11/23/2016 at 10:18

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But tanks are big on the outside and small on the inside. The exact opposite.

Sorry... being a pedant again

Stupidru > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 11/23/2016 at 10:18

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I’m an enginerd— as you may have guessed. English was never my strong suit :)

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Stupidru 11/23/2016 at 10:21

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OK, now I get it... ignore me, “Tahoe” threw me off.

Still... I think the wording could be better. I don’t think you really need a vehicle to use as an example on this.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Stupidru 11/23/2016 at 10:23

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Oddly, neither was I... Unless I got pissed off or irritated at something. Then I could become quite eloquent.

TRIGGERED, apparently.

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > nermal 11/23/2016 at 10:25

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On my Taurus SHO I can run regular, no problem. But premium does generate a bit more power and better mileage. But probably not to the extent that it’s worth the extra money. Where did the days go when grades in fuel were only a 10 cent jump in price? Or even 15 cents.

190octane > Stupidru 11/23/2016 at 10:26

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Gets an Acura... bitches about having to put premium in it.

I’m just busting your balls but most Japanese luxury cars I’ve seen normally require premium. The real shitty part about it for you is premium costing .65 more a gallon. Here it’s only .20 more a gallon normally, but it is only 91 octane.

Stupidru > 190octane 11/23/2016 at 10:40

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I’ve always had cars that require premium so that part doesn’t bother me. The cost to keep it running and keep my family safe doesn’t bother me either. It’s the fact that when you break it down, it’s only marginally better than a Lamborghini is on gas

And yes, it used to only be $0.20 more, but in the past years they’ve cranked it up because there’s such a demand for premium in our area

190octane > Stupidru 11/23/2016 at 10:46

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Look at the bright side, our truck only gets around 10-11 mpg and my G37 only gets 16 mpg so things could be worse I guess.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com 11/23/2016 at 10:55

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Oil burning, rear brakes at 30k, door handle broke twice, loose trim on the rack. Oil leak from the cam seals (fixed three times under warranty). Oil level indicator. OEM tires lasted 20k. Rear hatch struts blew out at 3 years. Just a lot of little things. The biggest thing right now is the oil consumption. IMO 1 qt/3,000 miles is not acceptable on a car with 30k on the odo.

It puts me in a corner because the car is the “perfect” car for my family. There really isn’t anything out there that is equivalent and costs the same.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Stupidru 11/23/2016 at 10:58

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Our old Impreza (2002) needed head gaskets, timing belt and a valve job. At the same time the car was eating CV axles and wheel bearings. I polished it up and sold it at 105k on the odo and don’t regret that at all.

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 11/23/2016 at 11:17

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Thanks. Looks like ours is doing better. We replaced all 4 tires at 40k, but ifnit weren’t for a puncture they would’ve gone about 60k. Do different trims get different tires? I just got another set of the OEM Continentals. FYI my 2014 Forester is burning a quart every 2500-3000 miles. It’s at 48k but has been since 30k. As long as the motor doesn’t explode it doesn’t really bother me that much.

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 11/23/2016 at 11:17

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I always get strangely articulate when I’m mad. Funny how that is.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback 11/23/2016 at 11:31

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Kinda cool, actually. In school, if I wanted to do well on anything that involved writing, my best bet was to pick something controversial.

Anything that involved a lack of bias and no room for opinion generally left me way behind the pack... I guess I just never saw any point in sharing. I mean, it’s right there in the book/other person’s research paper/uncle google, I can see it, I understand it, why the hell should I waste my time regurgitating stuff “in my own words”, when it’s right there for all the world to see and when “in my own words” would do nothing more than take away from what someone else has already said better than I could ever say. And citations? Sure, I get that. Give the credit where it belongs. But to my mind, it just reinforces my opinion that it’s a load of idiocy and wasted time. You want to find out about topic X? Go find it yourself. Look, I even gave you the fucking citations that I had to mangle in order to turn in this steaming pile of shit. You just want to be sure I absorbed the material? Well, F this and give me a damn test, then.

Well whaddya know, triggered again. Imma stop myself there...

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > Stupidru 11/23/2016 at 11:40

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So the moral of the story is “Don’t buy an Acura,” I guess. Most luxury cars are tuned to run on premium fuel. It’s part of the cost of having it.

Or you could just buy a diesel Benz, because then there is only one type of diesel at most US pumps. (We don’t have multiple grades available in most of the US)

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 11/23/2016 at 11:42

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Pretty much haha, any argumentative piece I wrote pretty much always would get my best writing, any story or something creative would usually be subpar to others. I am not a writer so I don’t care about that though.

Batman the Horse > Stupidru 11/23/2016 at 12:04

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I bought this damn Ferd hatchback and it wants 93! >:——]]]]]]

Stupidru > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 11/23/2016 at 12:14

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Right on. I just sold our 2003 Impreza Outback Sport with 138k on it. Spent a week detailing it at night and it sold in a day. Don’t regret selling that or the time it spent to detail it

Stupidru > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 11/23/2016 at 12:15

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Moral of the story: Buy an Acura because it’s still cheaper than owning a Bimmer

Stupidru > 190octane 11/23/2016 at 12:16

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Woof. What kind of truck, if you don’t mind me asking?

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com 11/23/2016 at 12:21

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I think we might go to 5,000 mile oil change intervals and just plan on adding a quart at 3k. They will warranty the motor with a new short block it you are at 1/2 qt per 1500 miles. I’ve heard that this solution has variable results. I just hate to think of major motor work at this point.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > Stupidru 11/23/2016 at 12:26

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Er...Okay. My BMW gets 23.3 MPG including thrashing it at the track. Just sayin.

Stupidru > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 11/23/2016 at 12:43

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Equivalent Bimmer is the X5. At the end of the day I’m willing to bet the total cost of ownership for the Acura will be less by the time 250k miles hits, which is how long I’d like to keep the MDX

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > Stupidru 11/23/2016 at 12:49

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The diesel X5 gets low 20s for fuel economy. Roughly equivalent to an old E90 330i. Diesel is also equivalent in price to 89 AKI or (in some places in GA) 87 AKI unleaded.

Honestly, for something that’s X5 sized and larger, diesel is the way to go. I had an old Merc E300 Turbodiesel, and that thing was a great commute/road trip car.

190octane > Stupidru 11/23/2016 at 12:53

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GMC 2500 HD, it has the 6 liter V8 and my wife likes to push the pedal down at green lights, despite the fact that she’s not going anywhere fast in that thing.

We both suffer from lead feet except mine is worse because my car is rated for 19-27 mpg. Part of the problem is that neither one of us has a daily commute on the freeway so that brings down those mpg significantly.