premium fuel for H6 3.0?

[Joe]

Im thinking of getting an outback with the 3.0 liter motor. Book says
that it needs premium fuel, but a friend has one and he is using regular,
and has been since he got the car a few years ago...

What do you think? Is it OK to use regular or is premium needed...

Im in San Francisco, so driving at sea level with some trips to the
mountains.

Thanks, Joe

 

[mulder]

Im thinking of getting an outback with the 3.0 liter motor. Book says
that it needs premium fuel, but a friend has one and he is using regular,
and has been since he got the car a few years ago...

What do you think? Is it OK to use regular or is premium needed...

Im in San Francisco, so driving at sea level with some trips to the
mountains.

Thanks, Joe

If the manual says premium, that's what you should use. If that's a
problem consider a different car. Yes it will run on regular but with
reduced power and economy and increased possibility of detonation.

 

[jabario]

It's fine to use regular. You may lose some performance but will not
notice but no damage will result. Think about this: Premium may not be
available everywhere. If you filled up your car with regular and
damage resulted, the manufacturer would go out of business due to
warranty repairs. I know of a passat turbo that has only used regular
for 130k miles. It's a piece of junk but no problems can be attributed
to fuel. I'd stick with the 2.5 since the performance isnt that great
with the 3.0 and the cost in initial price and repairs is higher.

 

[Edward Hayes]

Why buy a car you feel uncomfortable feeding it what their engineers
recommend? Yes it will run on regular as an emergency when the proper
gas is not available. Lets see if I drive 10,000 miles per year and
the car get 20 miles per gallon that's about 500 gallons at an extra
?20 cents per gallon 10% addition cost. !0% fuel cost extra to
achieve extra power, smoother running and better performance. In
addition you will get lower gas mileage when using non recommended
fuel. So why buy the 30,000 dollar car?

 

[y_p_w]

It's fine to use regular. You may lose some performance but will not
notice but no damage will result. Think about this: Premium may not be
available everywhere.

You know - I've never seen a single gas station that didn't carry
premium.

 

[Joe]

Why buy a car you feel uncomfortable feeding it what their engineers
recommend? Yes it will run on regular as an emergency when the proper gas
is not available. Lets see if I drive 10,000 miles per year and the car
get 20 miles per gallon that's about 500 gallons at an extra ?20 cents per
gallon 10% addition cost. !0% fuel cost extra to achieve extra power,
smoother running and better performance. In addition you will get lower
gas mileage when using non recommended fuel. So why buy the 30,000 dollar
news:(e-mail address removed)...

Sure, but how much lower performance and mileage will you get? 10%?

I cant find a compression ratio number for either motor... Anyone know
what the specs are?

The manual, at least the part I can download says:
+++
For optimum engine performance and driveability it is recommended (for
3.0) that you use premium grade unleaded gasoline.
+++

Also note that its not that I feel uncomfortable about the premium. Im
trying to fine out if its possible. As I said I know 2 people who have
the 3.0 motor, one uses regular exclusively and the other premium. Both
are happy with their cars.

Thanks, Joe

 

[jabario]

Maybe driving in Mexico or some places in very rural areas. Plus a
station might be sold out for the day. Use regular.

 

[jabario]

Maybe driving in Mexico or some places in very rural areas. Plus a
station might be sold out for the day. Use regular.

 

[jabario]

Maybe driving in Mexico or some places in very rural areas. Plus a
station might be sold out for the day. Use regular.

 

[jabario]

Maybe driving in Mexico or some places in very rural areas. Plus a
station might be sold out for the day. Use regular.

 

[jabario]

Notice the manual doesn't say "damage will result" . So if something
does happen it's covered. Save money and use regular

 

[Bryan Lee]

I do'nt get why people get cheap when it comes to their gas.You save about
$3 a fill up. Why have people ask about cheap gas on WRX group all the
time. Most peple post that the gs mileage goes down about 4 mpg. So on on
a 15g tanks you lose about 60 mi a tankful. So are you really saving money.
When you use cheap gas the motor has to set the timming back and reduce
power. If you pull a grade, weight, step on the gas you will get
detonation. You may not hear it but, it does happen and it very bad for you
motor. The part that kills me is how people dont want to give their cars
what they nee. I have a '64 Pontica Grand Prix 389(10.5 to 1 comp. stock)/
Tri power. The manual says it needs 98 min and 100 recomended. So up until
2yrs ago. I would drive to Local private airport and buy 100 octane low
lead at $2.70 a gallon when 92 unleaded was still under $2. I would spend
$70 a fill up on a car that gets 10mpg if I'm lucky. I dove that car into
Downtown LA every day for 5 yrs. Now the EPA told the airport that I cant
buy fuel so now have to use octane booster and set the timming back. Do'nt
be cheap buy the right gas.

 

[Ragnar]

Im thinking of getting an outback with the 3.0 liter motor. Book says
that it needs premium fuel, but a friend has one and he is using regular,
and has been since he got the car a few years ago...

What do you think? Is it OK to use regular or is premium needed...

Im in San Francisco, so driving at sea level with some trips to the
mountains.

Thanks, Joe

I don't really see why using regular unleaded in a car designed for
premium is in question. The car was designed for Premium, so use premium.

The cost differential if you cheap out and use regular actually supports
buying premium. Here's the details:

1. Premium gas is $2.20 a gallon where I live. If I get 15 gallons it
costs 15 x 2.20 = $33

2. On premium I get 24MPG, for a range of 24 x 15 = 360 miles per tank.

3. Regular gas is $2.00 a gallon. If I get 15 gallons it costs 15 x
2.00 = $30

4. The vehicle's ECU, which is tuned for Premium, will retard the
timing to prevent detonation when presented with lower octane fuel.
This will cause mileage to decrease. Some have reported a 4mpg
decrease, so that now you get 20mpg.

5. 20 X 15 = 300 miles per tank.

6. Ooops, I'm 60 miles short. Better buy more gas to make up for it.

7. OK, 60 divided by 20 = 3. So I need to buy 3 more gallons of gas to
make up the difference.

8. 3 x $2.00 = $6. Add to that the original $30 for 15 gallons of
regular and you get $36

9. So, to get 360 miles per tank from Premium costs me $33. And to get
the same miles per tank from regular costs $36.

Wow, I just spent $3 extra in an effort to save money by buying the
wrong gas.

Ooops . . . . . .

 

[jabario]

There is no mpg penalty. Most cars get better mileage with regular
anyway

 

[Steve]

*Subject:* Re: premium fuel for H6 3.0?
*From:* Ragnar <(e-mail address removed)>
*Date:* Mon, 06 Jun 2005 17:31:07 -0400



I don't really see why using regular unleaded in a car designed for
premium is in question. The car was designed for Premium, so use
premium.

The cost differential if you cheap out and use regular actually
supports buying premium. Here's the details:

1. Premium gas is $2.20 a gallon where I live. If I get 15 gallons it
costs 15 x 2.20 = $33

2. On premium I get 24MPG, for a range of 24 x 15 = 360 miles per tank.

3. Regular gas is $2.00 a gallon. If I get 15 gallons it costs 15 x
2.00 = $30

4. The vehicle's ECU, which is tuned for Premium, will retard the
timing to prevent detonation when presented with lower octane fuel.
This will cause mileage to decrease. Some have reported a 4mpg
decrease, so that now you get 20mpg.

5. 20 X 15 = 300 miles per tank.

6. Ooops, I'm 60 miles short. Better buy more gas to make up for it.

7. OK, 60 divided by 20 = 3. So I need to buy 3 more gallons of gas
to make up the difference.

8. 3 x $2.00 = $6. Add to that the original $30 for 15 gallons of
regular and you get $36

9. So, to get 360 miles per tank from Premium costs me $33. And to
get the same miles per tank from regular costs $36.

Wow, I just spent $3 extra in an effort to save money by buying the
wrong gas.

Ooops . . . . . .

Try running one in the UK with petrol currently around 85-90 pence per
litre depending on where you fill up.


- Steve

 

[Ragnar]

There is no mpg penalty. Most cars get better mileage with regular
anyway

Source?

 

[Edward Hayes]

Ragnar: Using 87 octane gas in an engine designed for 91+ octane not
only lowers the gas mileage(efficiency) but also the performance. This
has been documented several times in receient years in several auto
magazines. This thread is tiresome and if 3 dollars a week is to much
to feed the engine the recommended fuel then don't buy the g..d...
thing.

 

[Ragnar]

Ragnar: Using 87 octane gas in an engine designed for 91+ octane not
only lowers the gas mileage(efficiency) but also the performance. This
has been documented several times in receient years in several auto
magazines. This thread is tiresome and if 3 dollars a week is to much
to feed the engine the recommended fuel then don't buy the g..d...

I think you missed my point. Running *regular* gas actually costs $3
MORE to get the same miles per tank. Changing from Premium to Regular
is therefore fiscally unsound as it costs MORE to run Regular than Premium.

 

[Steve]

*Subject:* Re: premium fuel for H6 3.0?
*From:* "Edward Hayes" <(e-mail address removed)>
*Date:* Tue, 07 Jun 2005 01:15:21 GMT

Ragnar: Using 87 octane gas in an engine designed for 91+ octane not
only lowers the gas mileage(efficiency) but also the performance. This
has been documented several times in receient years in several auto
magazines. This thread is tiresome and if 3 dollars a week is to much
to feed the engine the recommended fuel then don't buy the g..d...
thing.

I think you missed my point.. you (collectively) think that your gas
is expensive at $36 per tank. My point was that if you come to England
you'll find it costs £36, that's quite a big difference. If I couldn't
afford it, I'd drive a Figaro !


- Steve

 

[JD]

Maybe driving in Mexico or some places in very rural areas. Plus a
station might be sold out for the day. Use regular.

OK. You posted it four times and it still doesn't make it right. Use
premium if that is what it says to use since the car is tuned that way.