Most people don’t have all the answers about how their car is supposed to work or what their driving habits and conditions can do to their car’s performance. As drivers, we have many questions about our cars and their functioning, and it’s important to inform ourselves on the best way to take care of our cars—especially if one drives a luxury vehicle like a BMW, Mercedes, Audi, MINI, or Land Rover.
While ongoing maintenance and servicing is critical for our cars, it’s also helpful to think about what we do on a day-to-day basis with our vehicles. For instance, do you frequently drive through rough terrain? Do you make a lot of stops throughout the day? Do you spend a lot of time in traffic? All of these scenarios can cause our cars to require different things when it comes to maintenance. Another factor that many drivers often wonder about is what type of gasoline they should use in their car. Since this can wind up being a controversial topic, it’s best to start with a few basic questions about car functioning, including what your specific car needs in order to perform well consistently.
A: First things first: you’ll want to check your owner’s manual to be sure what type of gasoline your car requires and why. Depending on what type of car you drive, your car might require higher-octane fuel. There are certain benefits to higher-octane fuel, and there are also risks to using lower-quality fuel in your car—especially depending upon what type of engine your car is equipped with. However, is it a big deal if you use the wrong type of gas in your car? It’s important to note that using lower-octane fuel is usually cheaper, but not significantly so. Therefore, it comes down to this: what’s best for your specific car?
A: Pre-ignition is short for premature ignition, which is a condition that can afflict cars that require higher-octane fuel but are filled with lower-quality fuel, such as in high-compression vehicles. Today’s advancements in automotive engineering have helped to combat pre-ignition, or engine “knocking” with the use of sensors and technology to correct issues; but, again, depending on the type of car you drive it might not be a good idea to use lower-quality fuel simply to save a few bucks.
A: As previously mentioned, using the wrong kind of gas in your car can cause pre-ignition, or engine knocking. This is problematic, especially in older cars that were not developed with the fail-safe methods to combat pre-ignition. Therefore, engine damage can occur due to pre-ignition. Furthermore, using higher-octane fuel serves as a type of cleaning agent for deposits and sludge buildup. When you don’t use the right type of fuel in your car it can lead to dirtier engine conditions, which can lead to ignition problems.
A: In today’s vehicles, it’s generally okay to use lower-octane fuel in your high-octane requiring car once in a while; however, proceed with caution—not all cars will respond the same depending on their age and the average consistency of fuel type you use. It’s important to keep in mind that when your car is carrying a heavier load or the engine will be significantly strained, such as is the case when you’re traveling in a mountainous area, then it’s essential to use the correct type of gasoline so that your car performs well and doesn’t run into any pre-ignition issues.
A: As luxury car drivers, it is our responsibility to ensure that our cars are well-taken-care-of and maintain their performance. Here at Pro Car Mechanics, we help service and maintain a range of luxury European imports for clients in the areas of: Gardena, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Glendale, and Anaheim, CA. Our skills and knowledge are specific, yet diverse, and we put our expertise to good use to help our community. We believe that helping educate our clients on the best gas to use, as well as other helpful auto maintenance tips, builds and alliance with our clientele and helps to keep auto issues at bay. If you’d like to schedule a tune-up, oil-change, or any other service with us, please call one of our knowledgeable professionals today.