What's the Best Fuel for My Car?

​When it comes to fuel for our vehicles, we usually only remember one thing.  Does your car run on gasoline or diesel?  It is as simple as that.  However, every trip to the gas station you are bombarded with choices.  For gasoline only, there are at least two choices.  These choices are regular unleaded and a premium unleaded.  What does your car need?
 
If you watch advertisements on car fuel, gasoline companies will make you feel like the premium gasoline is always a better choice.  Better they say?  That really depends.  More expensive?  Yes, definitely. 
 
Your next question now will be, "depends on what?"  To answer that, you will need to understand about fuel octane ratings.  

​Octane Ratings and How It Affects Your Car
Each fuel will have a designated octane rating.  Regular unleaded gasoline can have a rating of around 87 - 91.  Premium versions will go 92 or 93.  So what does the octane rating mean?
 
The higher the rating means, the better the tolerance for pre-ignition.  Now I know your next question.  "What is pre-ignition?"
 
Pre-ignition And the Basics Of How Engines Use Fuel
To understand what pre-ignition is, you must first look into how an engine uses fuel.  Your car engine has chambers where fuel enters.  It is compressed and mixed with air and then ignited by a spark.  It is this continuous system of combustion that creates the power to drive your car.
 
Now, if you can increase the pressure and compress the fuel a little bit more, this will give you more power.  However, this can also lead to the fuel igniting prematurely which is what we call pre-ignition.
 
So in summary, higher octane gasoline can deliver more power by preventing pre-ignition when increasing the compression of fuel and air.  This gives your car better power and performance. 
 
Conclusion
I can bet your last question will now be, "Should I switch to premium high-octane variants since it is better?"  The answer is, not so fast.  Check the type of fuel your car is made for.  Using higher octane fuel for a vehicle that does not require it will only waste your money.  Your vehicle will not be able to take advantage of the benefits it gives.  The same goes for your car insurance. 
 
The right coverage is not what may seem the best offer, but instead look for the best fit for you.  At Wellcovered Insurance, we do our best in making sure that our clients are well-protected with affordable and comprehensive policies. To learn more about how we can help you, please contact our agency at (386) 218-4951 or Click Here to request a free quote.