kipsy

i have a 2006. which gas is better for the car ?

NOCO (has detergents) 91 no ethanol (4.27 gallon)

or

Sams Club (no detergents) 93 with ethanol (4.10 gallon)

Simba91102

Better is a relative word, so it's not an easy question to answer. Both have sufficient (or higher) octane, so either would perform adequately. The 93 may provide slightly less gas mileage since ethanol contains less BTU per unit (you have to burn more to derive the same amount of energy that gasoline provides), but it is cheaper. I will admit though that I'm of the opinion that the whole ethanol in gasoline thing is a scam since among other things, it contains less energy. Including the cost, pollution created procuring the ethanol, and the increased cost of food caused by diverting the corn away from food use, it's anything but "green". For these reasons (and mainly because the government has forced this hybrid crap on us), I wouldn't go near gasoline with ethanol in it if I had a choice (no such thing in New England)(a choice I mean).

redpoint

I share the same opinion as Simba. You didn't list the percentage of alcohol, so there is no way to say which is "better".

Ethanol contains about 2/3 the energy of gasoline. This means that a gallon of ethanol will go about 2/3 the distance as a gallon of gasoline.

If my math is correct, the non-ethanol fuel is about 4% more expensive. Assuming the other fuel is 10% ethanol, it would contain about 3% less energy. Seems you would come out ever so slightly ahead with the ethanol from a purely financial standpoint, although we are talking about pennies.

Where does one need to live to see gas over $4/gallon?

kipsy

western new york state.

just go to gasbuddy.com and enter amherst, ny.

mrgold35

We do 10% ethanol in the fall/winter months and regular gas in the spring/summer in NM. I always take about a 1-3 mpg hit with the 10% ethanol in my TSX; but, we have no choice because it is sold everywhere in the city. I always get my gas at Sam's club; even when I travel out of town (usually 5-15 cents cheaper compared to reg gas stations).

I rather stay with the regular gas and higher mpgs year round if prices were the same. Since there is such a price difference between Sam's and NOCO; I would stick with Sam's club with the higher Octane and cheaper price.

I also notice my mpgs went up about .5-.7 mpg when I switched to synthetic oil.