The great regular/premium debate.

Dear Car Talk

Dear Car Talk | Dec 01, 1991

Dear Tom and Ray:

My girlfriend owns a 1990 Honda Civic. Her father says that it will run better if she puts premium gasoline in it. I said that a four cylinder Honda needs nothing more than regular unleaded gas. The car has never rattled or pinged. Money has been wagered. What is your call?

TOM: Well, Jeff, I'd say that the answer really depends on how serious you are about this girl. I mean, if there's a chance that this guy could someday be your father-in-law, then you should be extremely tactful. I would suggest telling him that you wrote to us, and received the following answer:

RAY: "Of course premium gas will make the car run better, Jeff. It's a good thing someone pointed that out to you. Gee, you sure are lucky to have a future father-in-law who knows so much about cars!"

TOM: But on the other hand, if you see this as just a casual fling, the real answer is that premium gas won't make the car run any better.

RAY: The only reason to use an octane higher than what is recommended in the owners manual, is to stop the car from pinging. If the car isn't pinging, using premium gas will only waste your money and create more pollution. So you should always use the exact octane recommended by the manufacturer (87 for this Honda).

TOM: So it's up to you, Jeff. But think about the future before you go waving this article at him. You may have 40 more Thanksgiving dinners to sit through with this guy.

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