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Premium gas is no better for your car than regular grade if it is not recommended specifically for it. Most cars run well on regular grade or unleaded plus as long as they were designed for it.

Premium gasoline was designed for high performance vehicles and luxury cars that are built for high rpm's and richer fuel mixtures. But to put premium gas in your everyday driving vehicle that doesn't specify premium on the gas cap is a waste of money. It may even lower your gas mileage by causing your fuel system to run a little rich.

However if your vehicle does require premium, it is best to use it. Your performance will drop if you use regular in a premium vehicle and that can cause pre-ignition in the cylinder, which is referred to as pinging. You may be saving money on cheaper gas by putting regular in a premium built car but you will eventually pay for damage to the engine in the long run.

If your vehicle does make that pinging (pre-ignition) sound on acceleration then you probably need to take it in to the shop and have it checked. Older vehicles may have the timing off or even worn parts such as the timing chain or distributer gear. Newer cars may need the timing belt replaced or just a basic tune-up. There can be various reasons why you might get that pre-ignition sound on acceleration. If you think it is a gas problem with possible poor quality then try changing gas stations first.

If your regular gasoline vehicle is lacking on performance there is a trick that I've learned in my 20 years of automotive experience, and that is to mix regular with premium, 3/4 regular to 1/4 premium. That will increase performance without decreasing your wallet and get rid of that slight annoying ping.

So yes, regular grade gasoline is just as good as premium when used in a vehicle designed for regular, but don't substitute regular for premium in your performance car you may regret it later. Take care and drive safely.

Learn more about this author, Mike Webb.
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