igxqrrl

AAA just did some experiments with using premium gas:
http://publicaffairsresources.aaa.biz/download/9262/

They tested several vehicles including a 2017 F-150 with a 3.5L Ecoboost. Findings:
Premium gas improved mileage by 5% and HP by 2.1%

Interesting read. While one might conclude that Premium gas isn't justified based on those results, It is nice to have some concrete numbers. Might be enough for me to use premium at least.

igxqrrl

For the 5.0L owners among us, they also tested a Mustang 5.0L and found a 2.3% mileage improvement and a 3.2% power improvement. Who knows how well that transfers to the F-150 of course...

Davesp

Around here premium costs 25% more than regular so not worth the expense.

idrive

iTrader: (3)

Going from 87 to 91 it's an additional (for me) $0.30 per gallon.

30 gal. X $0.30 = $9
18 mpg X 30 = 540 miles X 5% = 567 miles
27 miles more for $9 that would normally cost me using 87 approx. $4

So, for me an extra $5 for 30 gals. to run Premium. Guess that's why I run Premium.

Makes it easier for when towing also to already have Premium in the tank which is recommended.

Davesp

You're fortunate. Here in FL the cost difference is 60 cents and the land is very flat.

adammjarvis

I may try premium a few tanks.

I live a few miles from work and pretty soon we'll be living where I work at so the truck stay parked majority of the time. My lack of commute could justify the try as I don't burn through gas like a lot of you folks do.

We leased this truck for vacation/trip reasons. Not a daily driver..

Gas here in Oregon is 2.53/2.83 for regular/premium.

Eduskator

Premium fuel is a lot more than 5%, so still not worth it. Where I live, it's between 20 and 30% more expensive than regular.

igxqrrl

I think about it a little differently, more on a sliding scale; I might choose to use premium periodically without any illustrated mileage/power impact, because of a perceived impact to engine longevity. And if the mileage difference fully compensated for the price difference, I'd use premium exclusively.

Between those two points is a line, and it's probably not linear. And of course for every person it will be different. But from my perspective if AAA's data is true then the cost penalty of premium has dropped from 10% to 5%. And while 10% might be too much, 5%, for me at least, probably isn't.

Again, though, everyone's wallet-meter is calibrated differently on this front.

dajohu

I'm getting ready to run my first non-premium on my next tank. To me it's not simply a cost analysis alone. Normally I'm willing to pay more for longer range, and more power. However since I am getting 800 miles ot the tank, which is a bit more than I really need, I am willing ti give up some range if it saves me a bunch of money over time. I commute 80 miles a day to work so a buck or two a day adds up over time.

Crazy that my girlfriends tiny jeep gets like 2xx miles to the tank, and only 2mpg more than my full sized truck.

I don't like ethanol so only use non-ethanol fuels in my vehicles. I'm on 91 now, and will try 87 next.

acdii

There is a Mobil station near my work that sells 93 octane for less than all the others sell midgrade for, and sometimes even less. Been testing it out without any tune to see, and so far MPG is up a little bit, but since my truck was in the shop for 3 days, with more idle hours than I would like, it screwed up my stats. 87 octane was $2.47 2 weeks ago, 93 was $2.53 last week. Filling up again tomorrow so will see what the cost is, more than likely $2.32 for 87 and $2.57 again for 93.