Originally posted by DebianDog
ANNNIIIITTTT Wrong. The manufacturer tests each octane level for the car. And odds are if you have a low HP 4 banger... you have a 89 or 87 octane requirement.
I remember I had an Interpid and the 3.5 liters demanded 91 while the 3.0 liters were good with 89. My buddy that had one (3.0) got better gas milage and performance from the lower octane while mine pinged with anything less than 91.
So your telling me your are one of the ones that believes octane rating to be anything other than used to determine when your engine will knock? Or just that you should use what the manufacturer calls for even if its a 4 cylinder?
And your right about the getting better gas mileage and performance from lower octane. You essentially want to run the lowest octane you can without pinging. I have no idea what would make an intrepid ping, but I bet its not just the gas.