[JimRockford]

New 1SS was $41k.
Here's the math that shows how i paid for it by running 87 octane when premium recommended, in 10 of the 30 or 40 new cars I've owned & dailied.
5 Z28s plus 1 GTO, plus 4 volvos, all recommending premium gas.
100k miles on each, about 20 mpg all around.

math. 10 daily-driver cars, 100k miles on each, all recommending premium but run on 87 octane except during super-hot weather or when i want max torque on tap. zero engine issues occurred on all of the vehicles. This analysis ignores the fact that 87 octane gives BETTER mpg on GM V8s for steady highway driving than premium, due to more energy available per gallon. (Not so for the smaller volvo motors however, or my 4 honda civics).

That's 1 million miles, with savings per gallon between 20 cents and $1 per gallon.

1 million miles / 20 mpg = 50,000 gallons of gasoline consumed

lets say 50 cents per gallon savings by using one octane-level lower, or $1 less for using two octane-levels lower:

50,000 gallons x 0.50 savings per gallon = $25,000 .
50,000 gallons x 1.00 savings per gallon = $50,000 .
New 1SS was $41k.

(Get started asap folks racking up those driving miles, this approach won't work for future electric camaros - its not going to save money to charge an EV camaro on 90 VAC instead of 110 VAC.) |

[Gunkk]

But I heard 90VAC has more energy per mile than 120VAC or 240VAC charging? Less voltage means more current right? More current, more power.

[Zr8000]

Most people aren’t going to drive a million miles in their life time

[arpad_m]

Buying a high torque, high horsepower car that one then runs on crap gas and consequently never uses its abilities, just to save enough to buy another one of the same kind... how about getting a Prius to begin with and enjoying even higher mpgs on the highway?

Why buy a Camaro when you can't be sure it won't knock itself to death at WOT on 87 octane? When you want to go fast, do you deplete the 87, fill with 93 and only then push the pedal? Sounds very strange to me.

[90503]

The usual difference between highest and lowest octane gas prices is about $.20 a gallon, not fifty cents or a dollar.

Thanks for the little chuckle thread. Math is hard.

"The more you spend, the more you save" system of economics never really pans out.

[mrc54]

I've been running 87 octane for 3 years in my 2016 1SS. No knock ever and 28-30 mpg interstate driving, 25-26 highway. I will never use premium unless it is the same price as 87 octane.

[CamaroDreams76]

Originally Posted by mrc54

I've been running 87 octane for 3 years in my 2016 1SS. No knock ever and 28-30 mpg interstate driving, 25-26 highway. I will never use premium unless it is the same price as 87 octane.

Do you have something that datalogs to back up your no knock claim? Knock typically isn't audible inside the cabin. Id bet your car is pulling timing due to knock..... thats called "knock retard" or KR.

If your car does infact have no knock its because the computer compensated and took out a ton of timing.

I think the #1 thing this thread has forgotten is the high and low octane table these cars have so people can run 87. I've never used anything less than 93 in my 5th gen and my wife's 6th gen. If I see 91 or 92 as the highest octane I'll go to another station that has 93. I bought these cars for performance, thats exactly what I want out of it.....all the performance.

[SATINSTEEL1LE]

I ran 87 in my 17 scat pack I had during winter. It loved the low octane and never had an issue. But in summer when I was going to run it hard I’d run 93.

[302crossram]

[GXP08jrf]

I think this equates to $200 a day plus expenses.

[KingLT1]

Originally Posted by 90503

The usual difference between highest and lowest octane gas prices is about $.20 a gallon, not fifty cents or a dollar.

Thanks for the little chuckle thread. Math is hard.

"The more you spend, the more you save" system of economics never really pans out.

In my area 87 octane is 3.49. 93 octane is 4.29.

Originally Posted by mrc54

I've been running 87 octane for 3 years in my 2016 1SS. No knock ever and 28-30 mpg interstate driving, 25-26 highway. I will never use premium unless it is the same price as 87 octane.

Just because you don't hear knock doesn't mean it's not picking up KR. My 2017 Acadia 3.6 is constantly pulling 3-5 degrees KR on 87 and you don't hear it. And the manual says it's tuned to run 87. The LT1's can barely run 93 octane without knock. GM set them up to live off the knock sensors.

Originally Posted by CamaroDreams76

Do you have something that datalogs to back up your no knock claim? Knock typically isn't audible inside the cabin. Id bet your car is pulling timing due to knock..... thats called "knock retard" or KR.

If your car does infact have no knock its because the computer compensated and took out a ton of timing.

I think the #1 thing this thread has forgotten is the high and low octane table these cars have so people can run 87. I've never used anything less than 93 in my 5th gen and my wife's 6th gen. If I see 91 or 92 as the highest octane I'll go to another station that has 93. I bought these cars for performance, thats exactly what I want out of it.....all the performance.

These cars very seldom default to the low octane table unless the fuel is very bad to the point it's knocking under all conditions. GM sets these engines up to live off the knock sensors. So they are constantly pulling timing even on 93 octane. 87 octane will show a lot more knock retard and the ECU will still stay in the high octane map. My Acadia is this way. on 87 it will KR at WOT and high load part throttle but still try to command high octane spark timing.

[Memphis SS]

Originally Posted by 90503

The usual difference between highest and lowest octane gas prices is about $.20 a gallon, not fifty cents or a dollar.

Thanks for the little chuckle thread. Math is hard.

"The more you spend, the more you save" system of economics never really pans out.

I wish that was the case around here, it is more like $.60 to $.80 between Regular and Premium.
However, I’m sticking with using premium only in my SS.

[mRahmani]

You will not notice knock because the knock detection and SPI prevention software is making sure the engine doesn’t grenade. Yes, you can run 87 and the engine probably won’t die (though GM will deny your warranty claim if it does.)

But it’s also going to be slower.

[Jpknj]

I drive a lot. Thirty years as a trailer driver. Now I do 45,000 a year in a car. I would never run the chance of hitting the knock sensor to save a couple of dollars a tankful. Plus it takes away the smilies per gallon. Buy a Spark so you can be happy.