ES350 - 87 Octane or 91 Octane???
01-16-19, 10:01 AM
#1
Rookie
Thread Starter
ES350 - 87 Octane or 91 Octane???
After picking up the ES350 before I left the lot, the salesman told me that the ES motor was designed for 87 Octane, I had an 02' Acura TL and always used 91 octane. I feel like 91 runs better on V6's, Wanted to see what other users recommend for gas on a daily commuter.
The following 2 users liked this post by Maikerusan:
actright (01-16-19),
smedina117 (03-26-24)
01-16-19, 10:12 AM
#3
Lead Lap
After picking up the ES350 before I left the lot, the salesman told me that the ES motor was designed for 87 Octane, I had an 02' Acura TL and always used 91 octane. I feel like 91 runs better on V6's, Wanted to see what other users recommend for gas on a daily commuter.
01-16-19, 10:40 AM
#4
Driver School Candidate
87 Octane or 91 Octane???
After picking up the ES350 before I left the lot, the salesman told me that the ES motor was designed for 87 Octane, I had an 02' Acura TL and always used 91 octane. I feel like 91 runs better on V6's, Wanted to see what other users recommend for gas on a daily commuter.
01-16-19, 01:24 PM
#6
simply reading the owners manual will tell you!
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st1800 (01-03-23)
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01-16-19, 03:31 PM
#8
I had a 2003 Acura TL Type-S using 91 octane at $3.00+/gallon at 21 MPH (city avg). Four years ago I bought a 2014 Lexus ES using 87 octane at $2.00/gallon at 24 MPH (city avg). I enjoy the savings. =)
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actright (01-17-19)
01-17-19, 03:46 AM
#10
Pole Position
This is probably the most heated debate on these forums. Do whatever makes you comfortable. I have use 87 octane in our 2015 RX450h and currently 2017. Experimenting with the other two levels, I have noticed zero difference in gas mileage or performance. I have used 87 in cars that have required premium for over a million miles and have not had one problem.
I always revert back to two MIT graduates that are car mechanics who had a syndicated radio show called Car Talk for 35 years.
http://www.cartalk.com/content/premi...egular-0#myth4
From the USA Today:
The only modern engines that should really need premium are those with superchargers, which force-feed fuel into the cylinders. "You're driving along and just tramp the gas and the knock sensor cannot sense the knock fast enough in some cases," because the supercharger boosts pressure so fast, says Bob Furey, chemist and fuels specialist at General Motors.
Burning regular when the owner's manual specifies premium won't void the warranty, nor damage the engine, even the most finicky automakers say. "You're giving up perhaps just a little bit of performance that a customer wouldn't really even notice, it's so slight," says Furey.
I always revert back to two MIT graduates that are car mechanics who had a syndicated radio show called Car Talk for 35 years.
http://www.cartalk.com/content/premi...egular-0#myth4
From the USA Today:
The only modern engines that should really need premium are those with superchargers, which force-feed fuel into the cylinders. "You're driving along and just tramp the gas and the knock sensor cannot sense the knock fast enough in some cases," because the supercharger boosts pressure so fast, says Bob Furey, chemist and fuels specialist at General Motors.
Burning regular when the owner's manual specifies premium won't void the warranty, nor damage the engine, even the most finicky automakers say. "You're giving up perhaps just a little bit of performance that a customer wouldn't really even notice, it's so slight," says Furey.
01-17-19, 06:37 AM
#11
This is why I like our new CX-5. If we use 87, we get 227 HP. If we use 93, we get 250 (clearly documented). Unlike other vehicles, it is actually tuned to benefit from higher octane. With my ES, it's just like throwing money out the window.
01-17-19, 07:29 AM
#12
When we shopped for our 2015 retirement car among the various luxury brands we decided on Lexus ES350, in large part, due to NOT needing 91 octane fuel...have had the buggy for three years on 87 with zero problems.
01-17-19, 09:35 AM
#13
Pole Position
Gas here in NJ has been cheap so I've been using premium. I guess it makes me feel better.
01-17-19, 09:47 AM
#14
01-17-19, 10:04 AM
#15
Lead Lap
This is probably the most heated debate on these forums. Do whatever makes you comfortable. I have use 87 octane in our 2015 RX450h and currently 2017. Experimenting with the other two levels, I have noticed zero difference in gas mileage or performance. I have used 87 in cars that have required premium for over a million miles and have not had one problem.
I always revert back to two MIT graduates that are car mechanics who had a syndicated radio show called Car Talk for 35 years.
http://www.cartalk.com/content/premi...egular-0#myth4
From the USA Today:
The only modern engines that should really need premium are those with superchargers, which force-feed fuel into the cylinders. "You're driving along and just tramp the gas and the knock sensor cannot sense the knock fast enough in some cases," because the supercharger boosts pressure so fast, says Bob Furey, chemist and fuels specialist at General Motors.
Burning regular when the owner's manual specifies premium won't void the warranty, nor damage the engine, even the most finicky automakers say. "You're giving up perhaps just a little bit of performance that a customer wouldn't really even notice, it's so slight," says Furey.
I always revert back to two MIT graduates that are car mechanics who had a syndicated radio show called Car Talk for 35 years.
http://www.cartalk.com/content/premi...egular-0#myth4
From the USA Today:
The only modern engines that should really need premium are those with superchargers, which force-feed fuel into the cylinders. "You're driving along and just tramp the gas and the knock sensor cannot sense the knock fast enough in some cases," because the supercharger boosts pressure so fast, says Bob Furey, chemist and fuels specialist at General Motors.
Burning regular when the owner's manual specifies premium won't void the warranty, nor damage the engine, even the most finicky automakers say. "You're giving up perhaps just a little bit of performance that a customer wouldn't really even notice, it's so slight," says Furey.
EPA regulations require that the fuel recommendations for vehicles be the same as the fuel that was used for EPA emissions and fuel efficiency testing. Thus, even for many vehicles that are capable of performing excellently on regular grade 87 octane fuel, the manufacturer's recommended fuel grade may still be for premium 91 octane fuel if that was what was used for emissions and fuel efficiency testing.
My 2005 GX came with a recommended fuel grade of 91 octane. Every drop of gas that I have put in the tank has been 87 octane fuel. I've now had the GX for going on 14 years. The engine runs as smoothly as it did on day 1, and fuel efficiency is still the same as it was when it was new and right around the EPA mpg estimate. While I accept the possibility that, with premium fuel, there might be a negligible improvement in the vehicle's horsepower or fuel efficiency, any difference would not come close to making up for the approximately $3000 savings in fuel costs that I've had over what it would have cost me to use premium fuel over the period of ownership of the vehicle.