oldbrandy

Hi,
I cannot get an answer to this question. I have an Acura 3.2 TL , 2002 model, which I bought new in 2001. I was told at that time to use ONLY premium grade - 91 or above -gasoline. Since day one I have only used that grade. A friend of mine has a 2003 model of the same car and I just found out that he uses REGULAR gas in his. His manual actually says that he should use 93 octane gasoline? He told me that he saw an expert on TV saying that using premium grade in an Acura was a waste of money. I have asked a dealer and his answer was that since my car has given me no trouble I should stick to what I'm using now. This doesn't tell me much. I have no technical knowledge about cars. Thank you for your help.

shabacash

Your friend doesnt know what he is talking about. difference in 87 and 93 octane isnt like old navy and banana repubic. Each type of gasoline is refined in a different way from the others. Premium gas is the way to go., and I only drive an Integra.

av8or

The Acura dealer where we bought my wife's 2002 RL sez using 89 or 90 octane E-10 Ethanol will not hurt the engine. He said that there might be a slight loss of performance, but that it would not be noticable to most folks. In these parts, Ethanol (E-10) sells for a dime less than REGULAR, no ethanol, which is only 86 or 87 octane. There's a net savings of thirty plus cents between premium and E-10. Just learned this two weeks ago.......haven't had the opportunity to try it yet, but I plan to.

shabacash

there is a reason why race car drivers have stuff like 112 octane in their gas tanks.

av8or

Well, yes, there is a reason why race cars use super high octane gasoline..... they're very high compression, and lower grade gasoline can ignite via compression before the spark plug fires, causing knock (and possible damage over time). The higher the octane, slower the fuel ignites. The Acura has knock sensors that will change the timing once it 'senses' that the octane is lower than expected....thus a possible loss of power, and a potential loss of mileage. Damage to the engine? Apparently not, according to the Acura mechanic. That said, I decided not to try regular, or Ethanol for that matter, even though Ethanol is available around here at 90 octane. Honda obviously engineered the 3.5 to use premium.... believe I'll stick with it. Anyway, if there really is a drop in HP and mileage, it will erode the savings over time.

sonicrex

I would recommend sticking with your manufacturer's recommendations. Ultimately, it is up to you.

91 is going to be the best gasoline for your engine in the long run. Yes, you can get away with putting a lower octane gas in your car. Your engine will not perform as well, and your engine will develop more deposits using a lower octane gas. You will notice the performance differences significantly more in extreme climate conditions(like Arizona). Acuras have high compression engines which need to be run on higher octane gasoline to prevent detonation and pre-ignition.

Good luck.