This would be wrong. Lower grade has higher octane level b/c it has less detergents and cleansing fluids in it. That's what you pay for with the "higher" Octane gas.
If your car requires "regular", pump "regular". If it requires "premium", pump "premium". Putting "premium" in a car that only requires "regular" octane is basically burning money. Most modern cars have knock sensors that will adjust if you put lower-octane gas into a car that requires higher octane. People do this to save money because they're getting cheaper gas, but in the long run you'll probably be getting lower horsepower and possibly lower mileage. In some cases, you may be hurting your engine in the long run. You forgot to ask about summer gas vs. winter gas. lol.
And that's very investment comes into play. The government can't do anything to ration the supply of gasoline; and if we do that? Prices will skyrocket. More efficient engines, new sources of energy, etc. That's the only way to curb gas prices.
Yes, but the change in prices would be minuscule. Not to mention now you're limiting the amount of students under 18 that are available to fill those minimum wage jobs.
it won't last in the short term and probably in the near long term. refiineries drive the price of oil, they are currently operating at historical lows, 82.9% capicity per last week's government report.
inflation, value of gas isn't changing, we're just printing more money so it takes more to dollars to buy the same thing that's why these two charts are identical, we are inflating the stock market just like we are inflating gas prices thank Ben Bernanke for destroying your wealth
refining capacity over time .S. Percent Utilization of Refinery Operable Capacity (Percent) Decade Year-0 Year-1 Year-2 Year-3 Year-4 Year-5 Year-6 Year-7 Year-8 Year-9 1980's 77.6 82.9 83.1 84.4 86.3 1990's 87.1 86.0 87.9 91.5 92.6 92.0 94.1 95.2 95.6 92.6 2000's 92.6 92.6 90.7 92.6 93.0 90.6 89.7 88.5 85.3 82.9 2010's 86.4 86.3 historical info through 2011. Refining at the recent highs in the 90's. This is why the build more refineries chant is nothing but a distraction
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantitative_easing The Federal Reserve hits a few keystrokes, creates dollars out of thin air, and gives it to banks. This will supposedly stimulate the economy. We've been trying it in perpetuity going on 5 years now (which tracks amazingly well with rising gas prices, what a coincidence!) When more dollars are created, each dollar is by definition less valuable, and it takes more of them to buy they same thing (a share of stock, a gallon of gas). Thus, inflation of gas prices and the stock market.
Your basically right. As for the peeps saying its burning money, you guys are completely wrong. If your car requires a higher octane, placing a lower octane will cause detonation and knock. As a person who has a 2011 Camaro SS which requires 93 octane, my wife once put a few tanks of 87 octane in the tank to save a few bucks. Effectively lowering the horsepower of my SS. Also, the 2010 + Camaro SS's do not RESET the timing simply by putting a higher octane in the car. Once you run lower octane you are stuck there with less power and worse gas mileage. You actually have to do a soft reset on the ECU by pulling the #5 and #20 fuse overnight to fix the octane table. I also have a 2008 G8 GT. This car requires 87 octane. I use 93 octane because the car picks up a good deal of power and response with the increase in octane. Since then I have tuned both vehicles and there is a world of difference in running 93 over 87 octane. My G8 went from putting down 305 rwhp to 325 rwhp with a simple tune and octane change. Nothing else...no mods whatsoever.
