About Requirement for Premium Gas

[RockinRay]

Costco in the Twin Cities sell 87 and 92 Octane.

 

[Kazz]

Many that say 92 on the pump are actually 93 - at least around here.

 

[Clearly Canadian]

I found this ‘Engineering Explained’ video very informative. Anyone interested in doing a similar test on the dyno? After paying for premium for the last decade I wonder if it’s been worth it all this time. 0-2% performance increase for 20-25% extra cost?

"Is Premium Gasoline Worth It? " via @DRIVETRIBE Is Premium Gasoline Worth It? | DriveTribe

 

[Berzerker]

I found this ‘Engineering Explained’ video very informative. Anyone interested in doing a similar test on the dyno? After paying for premium for the last decade I wonder if it’s been worth it all this time. 0-2% performance increase for 20-25% extra cost?

"Is Premium Gasoline Worth It? " via @DRIVETRIBE Is Premium Gasoline Worth It? | DriveTribe

It's an interesting video, but since every car is different, we'd need a definitive test on the Stinger itself, to know what the detriment is for using Regular fuel.

Also, let's say it's a 2% increase, for 20-25% extra cost. What's not factored in is the personal value someone puts into that 2%. I might value the extra 2% enough to pay the 20-25% increase in extra cost to get the advertised power and fuel economy (which I do).

 

[Marc Collins]

Saw that Premium Gas was recommended for both Stinger engines.

Note, however, that my wife's '09 Genesis Sedan says Premium gives 375hp, then notes that with Regular gives 368hp.

My wife is happy with the 368. I could never give up the extra hp but I love power.

Best guess is that many drivers will use Regular and save 10+%.

Any reason why it is March, 2018 and we still don't have the equivalent hp numbers for the Stinger? Or know which fuel was used to generate the official/advertised numbers?

 

[davebo]

Any reason why it is March, 2018 and we still don't have the equivalent hp numbers for the Stinger? Or know which fuel was used to generate the official/advertised numbers?

Probably because Kia doesn't care and figures anyone who wants to forfeit roughly 2% power for the savings at the pump will just do so? I'm not sure why anyone isn't just assuming Premium was used for the official hp number. Why on Earth would they recommend premium if they didn't design the engine's peak performance that way?

Also, let's say it's a 2% increase, for 20-25% extra cost. What's not factored in is the personal value someone puts into that 2%. I might value the extra 2% enough to pay the 20-25% increase in extra cost to get the advertised power and fuel economy (which I do).

It's an excellent point, although if someone was only concerned with priceower ratio, I'm sure you can find affordable mods that would get you back the ~8hp you'd lose running regular. I'm curious what kind of fuel economy people who went for the big power boost of the LAP3 are getting though, which requires you to run Premium too. I'll seek out a thread to ask that in.

 

[AV8R]

I have used premium 95 in all my cars.
Clean engine, 50kms more per tank and more power. Worth the extra cost in my view.

 

[DCBStingerGT]

I have used premium 95 in all my cars.
Clean engine, 50kms more per tank and more power. Worth the extra cost in my view.

I used Shell V Power in my VZ Commodore for years, im absolutely sure it has driven smoother and with a bit more get up and go, and i hope it helped clean the inside of my engine at the same time. I bought it new, and i believe the fuel has kept it healthy, with of course a complete service history completed on time.

 

[StingerBee]

My country has 98 octane. Is it necessary or 95 will do?

 

[Clearly Canadian]

It's an interesting video, but since every car is different, we'd need a definitive test on the Stinger itself, to know what the detriment is for using Regular fuel.

Also, let's say it's a 2% increase, for 20-25% extra cost. What's not factored in is the personal value someone puts into that 2%. I might value the extra 2% enough to pay the 20-25% increase in extra cost to get the advertised power and fuel economy (which I do).

Makes sense. For me, I doubt I would notice the difference in power but I sure notice the difference in cost. Queue the ‘then why did you buy a performance car’ comments.

 

[DCBStingerGT]

My country has 98 octane. Is it necessary or 95 will do?

Kia recommends running 91 octane regular unleaded is fine, running 95 or 98 is just a personal preference and is also fine.

 

[StingerBee]

Kia recommends running 91 octane regular unleaded is fine, running 95 or 98 is just a personal preference and is also fine.

OK thank you. The price difference here between 92 and 95 is very small while the jump to 98 is huge. I'l probably go with 95.

 

[benoit]

OK thank you. The price difference here between 92 and 95 is very small while the jump to 98 is huge. I'l probably go with 95.

hi, can u share what is stated in the Singpaor stinger manual?

 

[Marc Collins]

Probably because Kia doesn't care and figures anyone who wants to forfeit roughly 2% power for the savings at the pump will just do so? I'm not sure why anyone isn't just assuming Premium was used for the official hp number. Why on Earth would they recommend premium if they didn't design the engine's peak performance that way?

Then why do we see quotes from the K900 or 2009 Genesis manuals that do state the difference? Does Hyundai/KIA think people who buy those cars care more about performance than Stinger buyers?

 

[More Power]

The owner's manual I downloaded from the Kia Canada website states:
''Your new vehicle is designed to use only unleaded fuel having a pump octane number ((R+M)/2) of 87 (Research Octane Number 91) or higher. (Do not use methanol blended fuels.)"
Hope this helps, cheers.

 

[Marc Collins]

The owner's manual I downloaded from the Kia Canada website states:
''Your new vehicle is designed to use only unleaded fuel having a pump octane number ((R+M)/2) of 87 (Research Octane Number 91) or higher. (Do not use methanol blended fuels.)"
Hope this helps, cheers.

No, it doesn't. We're trying to determine if using premium fuel gives more power than regular. One can assume the advertised power ratings are from regular, but other KIA Canada documents say premium fuel is recommended. If they are from regular, it still doesn't answer whether even higher HP would be gained from using premium.

There are other debates about the benefits of premium vs regular all over the Internet and people can do what they please. I am interested in the facts from KIA and I will then decide what I want to do. Until we have those, we're all just talking to ourselves.

 

[Clearly Canadian]

No, it doesn't. We're trying to determine if using premium fuel gives more power than regular. One can assume the advertised power ratings are from regular, but other KIA Canada documents say premium fuel is recommended. If they are from regular, it still doesn't answer whether even higher HP would be gained from using premium.

There are other debates about the benefits of premium vs regular all over the Internet and people can do what they please. I am interested in the facts from KIA and I will then decide what I want to do. Until we have those, we're all just talking to ourselves.

Agreed, but if an enterprising individual did their own testing similar to the video I linked to, that would go a long ways to informing this discussion as it pertains to the Stinger.

 

[bumble bee]

I use 93 octane

 

[davebo]

Then why do we see quotes from the K900 or 2009 Genesis manuals that do state the difference? Does Hyundai/KIA think people who buy those cars care more about performance than Stinger buyers?

I'm not saying Kia SHOULDN'T specify like they do for the K900, just that the fact they didn't bother to isn't some nefarious cover-up because they don't want us to know the true power of the engine if you give it premium gas. We know they recommend premium, they stand to gain nothing by advertising less horsepower than the car makes, and even if they did it'd only be around 8hp less, so it's safe to assume it's made using premium. What we don't know until someone wants to bother dynoing on both premium and regular, if it's exactly 8 fewer hp or like 6 or 9. That's one of those "it'd be nice to know" things that I guess if Kia corporate got a few hundred messages about might choose to do something?

 

[Marc Collins]

Agreed, but if an enterprising individual did their own testing similar to the video I linked to, that would go a long ways to informing this discussion as it pertains to the Stinger.

Wow, who is going to volunteer to do that when KIA obviously has the data already?