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NEWSLETTERS
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Lindemann Chimney Supply sells wholesale only to the chimney and hearth industry.
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 5/1/2004
Gas Prices are Rising Again
While we all are looking for ways to make our companies more cost efficient, guess what is happening.
Gas prices are rising again.
Well, it’s almost summer time again and as usual gas prices seem to be going through the roof, especially in the mid-west. We see that recently the average price for gas in the Chicago area is $1.91 per gallon, while the national average is expected to reach $2.21 per gallon in July or August of 2004. Wow, that’s 30 cents more per gallon, or on a 25-gallon fill up, almost $8.00 more.
If you are using mid-grade or premium it’s even worse. But why would you want the expensive fuel anyway? You’re probably thinking the higher-octane will make your vehicle run better. Or maybe it will get better mileage and run cleaner too. Don’t believe it.
Here’s the low down on high-octane.
The recommended gasoline for most cars and trucks is regular octane. In fact in most cases, using a higher-octane than your owner’s manual recommends offers absolutely no benefit. It won’t make your car perform better, go faster, get better gas mileage, or run cleaner. Your best bet is to listen to your owner’s manual. A 2004 Chevy ¾ ton van calls for 87 octanes. The manual for a 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited says use only 87 octane. “The use of premium gasoline is not recommended. The use of premium gasoline will provide no benefit over high quality regular gasoline, and in some circumstances may result in poorer performance.”
Unless your engine is knocking, buying higher-octane gasoline is a waste of money. Studies indicate that altogether, drivers may be spending hundreds of millions of dollars each year for higher-octane gas than they need.
Will higher-octane gas clean your engine better?
As a rule, high-octane gasoline does not outperform regular octane in preventing engine deposits from forming, removing them, or cleaning your car’s engine. In fact, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires that all octane grades of all brands of gasoline contain cleaning detergent additives to protect against the build-up of harmful levels of engine deposits during the expected life of your car or truck.
Should you ever switch to a higher-octane gasoline?
A few car engines may knock or ping – even if you use the recommended octane. If this happens, try switching to the next higher-octane grade. In many cases, switching to the mid-grade or premium gasoline will eliminate the knock. If the knocking or pinging continues after one or two fill-ups, you may need a tune-up or some other repair. After that work is done, go back to the lowest octane at which your engine runs without knocking.
Are all premium gasolines the same?
The octane rating of gasoline marked “premium” or “regular” is not consistent across our country. One state may require a minimum rating of 92 octane for all premium gasoline, while another may allow 90 octane to be called premium. To make sure you know what you’re buying, always check the octane rating on the yellow sticker on the gas pump instead of relying on the words “premium” or “regular.”
What’s the right octane for your vehicle?
While there are some cars with high compression engines, like sports cars and certain luxury cars, that do need mid-grade or premium gasoline to prevent engine knock, regular octane is recommended for most cars and trucks. Using higher octane than what is recommended is simply throwing money away. The only way to determine which octane is right for you is to check your owner’s manual.
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BACK ISSUES OF OUR NEWSLETTERS
April 2004
March 2004
February 2004
January 2004
December 2003
November 2003
October 2003
September 2003
August 2003
July 2003
June 2003
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