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Observed today, at a gas station in the heart of snoburbia:
The button with the most worn-out label was the one for 93-octane supreme.*
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* Hey, you gas station owners: We are not fooled by your switching the order of the octane around - 93, 89, 87.
Girlfriend, it may be the gas pump design or owners, but it's also the higher incidence of high end vehicles that require the 93 octane. If you have to ask.....
Posted by: Alyson | January 12, 2012 at 08:42 AM
Feeding your car 93 octane gasoline is similar to drinking Honest Tea with Mangosteen from Thailand. I function well drinking tap water and my car doesn't complain about regular.
Posted by: vrooom vrooom !! | January 12, 2012 at 09:00 AM
Not to mention that you already pay a 10 percent premium at a snoburban gas station, just for the privilege of pumping gas near to where the upper upper middle class lives.
Posted by: MattF | January 12, 2012 at 10:17 AM
I can't remember the last time I bought regular gas. Your typical car functions just fine on regular grade gas. I don't own typical cars.
Posted by: Queen of the Weezils | January 12, 2012 at 10:46 AM
Please. How many cars actually "require" 93 octane? Check your owner's manual and you might be surprised how few manufacturers even recommend it.
Posted by: Fedweb | January 12, 2012 at 11:24 AM
Funny and true, MattF, it did just cost me $8 more at the snoburbia station.
Posted by: Charlene | January 12, 2012 at 12:16 PM
Hubby & I live in Outer Snoburbia, drive Saturns (and we LOVE them), and use only regular gas. If it's feasible, we'll drive to Clarksville for the lowest price gas around; if not, we use the Giant card to get money off at Sunoco. Our cars run just as well.
Posted by: Doris | January 13, 2012 at 09:04 AM
My Mini has a turbo and recommends higher octane gas, but mid-grade works fine. Regular makes it stutter when I step on the gas.
Posted by: Bubberella | January 14, 2012 at 06:22 AM
A VW Passat is not a performance car by any means, but it does break down if you look funny at it, so we have never dared fed it anything other than the specified pricey stuff. And the Passat is no more than an entry level second or third car in 20854.
Posted by: Justafed | January 16, 2012 at 05:29 AM
www.gaspricewatch.com and other such sites make this a funny post. I drive across the country on a regular basis and use 87 octane. Seeing people driving the higher end off road vehicles and paying all that money for gas never fails to amuse me. Paying a higher price for snobby >gas
Posted by: Old Salt | January 18, 2012 at 08:48 AM
Checked owner's manuals just for fun - yup, not a single vehicle (car or motorcycle) I have owned in the past decade takes regular gas. What can I say? I have a need for speed! The one non-speedy vehicle - the beat up old pick-up truck - predates unleaded gas. That means supreme by default, plus lead additive.
But, weirdly, I don't see too many sports cars, motorcycles, and pre-1970s vehicles in snoburbia. I see far more SUVs and other "family friendly" vehicles. So I know why I always get supreme gas. But I have no idea why most of snoburbia does!
Posted by: Queen of the Weezils | January 18, 2012 at 10:58 AM
We own the VW Passat too...and we have never dared displease it by offering anything but the best.
Posted by: magnetkid | January 18, 2012 at 07:34 PM
Hey Queen -- not sure you need the lead additive. A couple of years ago, I treated myself to an old Plymouth Barracuda for a milestone birthday. I figured I would need to use a lead additive but no -- my seller said I just had to use premium, and it has worked fine.
Posted by: Bob in Loudoun | January 30, 2012 at 10:42 AM