With skyrocketing gas prices I've filled up with 87 octane for the past month or so (since the gas hit $4 per gallon) after previously using 91 octane. I've noticed no difference in performance or mileage.

My engine is a non-turbo model. My questionwill it hurt my engine or other components in the long run if I stick with 87? The manual says it's the minimum but not the optimum.

I live in a hilly area but never accelerate hard. My driving is very conservative (probably because I learned from my grandparents) and I don't need a ton of performance. However, I'm just curious about the long term effects of using this gas.

My grandfather, who originally owned the car, never used 91 or higher in the car. He used 87 for years. I don't think it ever got a fill-up of 91 until a year ago when I read that little blip in the manual. That would be about 64K miles it went before it got premium.

 

This may be of some help to you.

http://new.volvocars.com/ownersdocs/...0_4_1.html#4.3


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So it looks like 91 will help performance, but 87 won't hurt the car in any way? It won't shorten the engine life, etc?

 

Will not effect anything at all.

Besides the price difference between 87 and 93 octane is laughable and if the car runs as it should save your money.


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Is it just my area or has the price gap between regular and premium increased? It used to always seem to be ten cents but I've seen twenty cents at many stations around me.

 

The price is stupid.

Even the government is looking into the way speculators have driven the price up strictly through fear.


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I use 87 octane all of my cars and they are all turbos. I refuse to pay the extra money and don't believe the octane ratings on the pump anyway.

 

The only car that needed the high test was the Acura Vigor GS that I used to own. Man, I[sm=Awwww.gif]ed that ride. Navi, back up camera, hands free control and an indash seven inch pop up touch screen. What is there not to love [sm=smiley20.gif]

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/1717298

Sold it almost two years ago[sm=boohoo.gif] to a young lad who has sinceputsome serious dents in it []. This was one car that you could notice the difference between fuels. There would be engine ping and knock due to low octane and the milage would be way down.

The Anvil, on the other hand, does not show any real difference in performance between fuels and the 87 octane seems to do the trick.

If the dash says, Premium Fuel Only, then I would bite the bullet and run the good stuff but if the dash says, Unleaded Fuel Only, then any grade(87 + up)should be fine.


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I have an 850 turbo and use 87 octane, and tend to drive longer distances and my brother also has an 850 turbo (same year and similar milage both AT) and he uses 91 octane and he gets a little better gas milage. We are in Canada so the difference is a difference of aboutabout 2L/100km which is approx 2 MPG. (14L/100 km = 17MPG, 12L/100km = 19MPG)

 

My 95 T5R and my 97 850 R and pretty much the same cars, but my 97 get a little better than 25 MPG and the 95 gets about 23 mpg. Every car is different. My 98 GLT get abut 24 mpg. All on 87 octane and it does not get better when I put in 91 octane.

 

Sounds like I'll stick with 87.

How much highway driving do you guys who get 23-25 mpg do? I get around 20-21 on short city commutes (the bulk of my driving) but may be taking more straightaway commutes starting in January. Any tips on improving the mileage specific to 850s besides the generic strategies of tire inflation, not driving hard, not idling in drive, trying to avoid 2 mile drives, etc?

 

My commute and primary driving is probably 80% highway. I got just a little over 28 mpg on my 97 when we took a trip to Rochester to get my son's 98 S70 T5M.

 

Hello Scott,

Other that the options that you gave for conservation there is not much more to add.

As long as you are not driving like Mario Idredi you may want to consider other methods to gain better milage. What, I am not sure though.



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5+ years and 50,000 miles at 87 octane, still running good minus a flakey transmission.

 

Is that highway mileage on flat terrain or city driving?

 

Hello Ed.850turbo,

I forgot to ask, where abouts in Canada are you?

Im just north of Ottawa Ontario

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