Consumers can beat the heat of summertime gas prices by following a few simple steps:
– Compare before you buy. Gas prices can vary tremendously from town to town and station to station.
– Buy self-serve gasoline. It may be convenient to have an attendant pump your gas for you, but it can be costly, too.
– Don’t waste money on an unnecessarily high grade of gasolines. Find out what octane rating is recommended by your owner’s manual and don’t buy a higher rated gas.
Manufacturers recommend that owners of high-performance sports cars use gas with an octane rating of 93 or higher, but supreme-grade gasoline provides no advantage for most cars, says Dave Van Sickle, director of automotive engineering for AAA.
“If the manufacturer recommends a particular grade, buying a higher grade is almost always a waste of money,” he said.
Barry Winfield, technical director for Car and Driver magazine, said many consumers waste money because they believe that higher octane translates to better performance.
Bill Sinko, general sales manager at Honda Cars of Bradenton, Fla., said that high octane is of some value to cars with lower-octane manufacturer recommendations because the high octane results in fewer engine carbon deposits.
Van Sickle disagreed.
“That’s simply not so,” he said. “It has nothing to do with carbon deposits or emissions.”
But drivers who experience knocking or pinging sounds while using the recommended octane-level gasoline may be experiencing engine troubles, he said.
In such cases, consumers should try switching brands of gasoline. If the sounds continue, the car should be inspected by a mechanic, he said.
