Newb ? high octane fuel
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Necessary? Some people would argue that. Recommended? Yes, by both the manufacturer and many, MANY Smart owners (myself included). Why put lower octane fuel into the car and potentially end up lowering performance and mucking up the engine faster?
That aside... It's what... maybe $3 more to fill with 91/93 octane than it is to fill with 87? And generally half that if you go with the mid 89 octane? Why bother for such minuscule savings? Now if you were putting 91/93 octane into something like a Jeep Grand Cherokee with a 30-some gallon tank... then yea, maybe i'd say go down a notch or so. But for 7-8 gallons... don't see a point in going for anything less.
That aside... It's what... maybe $3 more to fill with 91/93 octane than it is to fill with 87? And generally half that if you go with the mid 89 octane? Why bother for such minuscule savings? Now if you were putting 91/93 octane into something like a Jeep Grand Cherokee with a 30-some gallon tank... then yea, maybe i'd say go down a notch or so. But for 7-8 gallons... don't see a point in going for anything less.
I agree. If smart thought it was safe to use lower octane fuel, then I would think they would say so. This would be a positive in terms of increasing sales as people could save money using cheaper gas. High(er) compression engine not specifically designed for lower octane, why risk it?
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What about Ethanol content, up here at some stations Premium has no Ethanol while lower grades have higher percentages.
well said . thanks
Now 09 451 Passion Cabriolet Met Blue & Silver First 08 451 Passion Cabriolet Yellow & Black
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2,343 Posts
Well said an worth repeating.
Pay a little more at each fill or pay A LOT MORE LATER.......Maybe??????
Remember it is always your choice.
Pay a little more at each fill or pay A LOT MORE LATER.......Maybe??????
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11,314 Posts
I found that buying the lower octane fuel, and especially with ethanol would drop the MPG to the point where it would cost more to run the lower grade fuel. Mostly purchase at places that do a lot of sales so I don't end up with bad gas.
If you do use a lower grade of fuel, your smart will adjust, but why make it work harder.
If you do use a lower grade of fuel, your smart will adjust, but why make it work harder.
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252 Posts
Here the price delta for premium has risen to $0.50 per gallon. At $2 per gallon vs. $2.50 it isn't as clear cut. I tried back to back tank fulls and noticed no difference in performance and a 2 mpg drop... from 38 to about 36...
Gas prices tend to fluctuate from time to time. I just grit my teeth and pay the higher price. My car is worth it to me. Would you make your family eat lower quality food just because some grocery prices increased? :shrug:
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IMHO, we are asking a lot from the little Smart 1K motorcycle similar engine. It performs exceptionally well, considering the mass it must push around. We Smart owners are already reaping exceptional benefits from our cars. A little extra expense for premium top tier fuel is nothing compared to the benefits.
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Motorcycle similar engine? we have the same Mitsubishi motor in the forklifts at work, except it is a 4 cylinder..and runs on LPG
Howdy, long time lurker, first time poster!
I was worried about the high octaine requirement when purchasing my smart last month. It turns out that they only wanted 95 or 98 RON which is the standard in the UK. I have since leared from reading this that the US have loads of different RON levels. There was me wondering why there were so many discussions about petrol. now i know why
To the OP, buy the best you can afford
I was worried about the high octaine requirement when purchasing my smart last month. It turns out that they only wanted 95 or 98 RON which is the standard in the UK. I have since leared from reading this that the US have loads of different RON levels. There was me wondering why there were so many discussions about petrol. now i know why
To the OP, buy the best you can afford
I'm on the same page with him.
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339 Posts
For the first time in my 2010 I put in 7 gallons of regular vs high test. Senior moment. Had thoughts of siphoning and that is not a good idea. Someone recommended holding the car upside down and pouring it out that way. The 4 different diameter sizes and stoutness of the hoses would not reach the fuel. Utube showed me the removal headache. I'll just burn it 1/2 way & fill it up with the right stuff. Fingers crossed.
Just drive it. You'll likely have no troubles.
I've been running 87 octane in my 2008 for 2 years now with no change in mileage or drivability. The first year I had the car I put nothing but 91 ethanol free shell in it. The price difference between 87 and 91 jumped to almost 20 cents/litre so I decided to try 87 one day. Noticed no change so I kept running it. Still no change after 2 years.
I've ran in to several 451 smart overs in the city and they all run 87 with no problems. Maybe our 87 is special? I do not know.
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