Unleaded vs Premium: Which car fuel type

should you use?

Picture this: You’re on your way home from work and your gas light blinks on. So you pull into
the closest gas station to fill up. You get out of your car, open your gas tank, insert your
payment, and then the screen asks you to choose a fuel grade before you start pumping. You
know which one you normally choose for your car, but you get to wondering what the difference
is between each car fuel type. Your local Toyota of Orlando dealership has got the facts on
what’s what in terms of gassing up your ride.

Let’s Talk Octane

First thing’s first━what is octane and why does it matter? The level of octane in fuel is what
determines the affect the fuel combustion has on the engine. For example, the lower the octane
grade, the more engine knocking will occur. Some think that the main reason for using premium
gasoline is because it keeps the engine cleaner, but in reality it’s all about the amount of octane
being used for the purpose of increasing engine efficiency.
For reference, there are generally three or more car fuel types offered at any given Orlando gas
station. The different types usually include:

Regular Unleaded with an 87 octane level

Mid-grade with an 89 octane level
Premium with a 91-93 octane level

It is safe to say the higher the octane level, the more efficient the gas burning will be in the car’s
combustion chamber.

Unleaded
The unleaded Orlando car fuel type is undoubtedly the most popular of the grades. It’s no secret
that costing about $0.15-$0.20 less per gallon than it’s premium counterpart makes the regular
option a favorite among car owners. It’s always good to check with your vehicle’s operating
manual, but if your car’s manufacturer didn’t specify that premium is required, then there is
really no reason to shell out the extra money on the higher grade. We have come to the point
that additives are now included in the regular grade that helps protect the engine, so there really
isn’t much difference between the two.

Premium
The main difference between the Orlando premium and unleaded car fuel types is the octane
levels. Premium offers a higher amount of octane, which will give off a more efficient burn and
will provide a slightly better fuel economy. Unless the manufacturer says that your car requires
premium fuel grade, feel free to use the cheaper option. A manufacturer’s recommendation in
this case is just that...a recommendation, so if you would like to use regular gas to save on
money, by all means go for it. However, if you purchase a luxury brand vehicle, be sure to feed
it the fuel it needs in order to avoid decreasing the fuel efficiency of its high-compression
engine.

Our Orlando Toyota car specialists are more than happy to help you with any questions you
may have about your car’s fuel type and other maintenance concerns. Give our service center a
call at (407) 298-0001 or come visit us at your convenience━3575 Vineland Rd just off of I-4
near the Millenia Mall.