AAA: Drivers waste billions on premium gas

Experts say higher octane does not mean higher quality

SAN ANTONIO – Syed Ahmed loves his Hyundai, so he often treats his car's engine to mid-grade, or premium gasoline.

"That's the best gasoline," he said. "So, you are getting the best of your machine."

That's a common misconception, according to AAA, whose new study found 16.5 million drivers last year spent $2.1 billion on premium gasoline unnecessarily. AAA researchers found that using premium gas in a car that's manufactured to use regular doesn't improve performance, emissions, or fuel economy.

"If your car calls for regular unleaded, and you use premium, it's really a waste of money because it's not getting any benefit," said David Harris, general manager of Thousand Oaks Automotive.

Harris said some cars with high-performance engines do use premium, and those cars are typically labeled at the gas cap and in the owner's manual. In high-performance, high-compression engines, the higher-octane fuel can prevent the fuel from igniting too early, causing engine knocks or pinging.

When it comes to gas, premium has to do with octane, not quality.

"That's a perception that people do have," Harris said. "But as long as you are using a top-tier gas, which is the stations that have more cleaning agents in the gasoline, that's really more important."

"Top tier" labels can be found at the pump.

Premium gasoline can cost as much as 50 cents a gallon more than regular. So using it when the car doesn't benefit from it can waste hundreds of dollars a year. 


About the Author:

Marilyn Moritz is an award-winning journalist dedicated to digging up information that can make people’s lives a little bit better. As KSAT’S 12 On Your Side Consumer reporter, she focuses on exposing scams and dangerous products and helping people save money.