Petrol Octane - Was: Considering a BMW - A Few Questions

Was just reading the "Considering a BMW - A Few Questions" and I was
curious after seeing a few of the replies.

Over here in the UK you've got a choice of 2 types of unleaded "gas".

IIRC you've got bog standard unleaded at 95 octane, and super (aka
expensive) unleaded at 98.

The old 4 star leaded was about 99-100.

Yet I see you guys in the USA talking about 92 Octane and below, which
has come as a shock because as far as I can remember that was what we
used to call 2 star and would only run lawn mowers on!

Is that quality of fuel that common?

I remember hearing some story as to why the E36 TD and TDS models from
the 90's didn't go to the states, and that was the diesel quality was
so bad they wouldn't run properly... At the time I just thought, Nah,
gas is so cheap over there they don't feel the need for a diesel car,
but now I'm starting to wonder!

Dodgy.
--
MUSHROOMS ARE THE OPIATE OF THE MOOSES

Octane is measured differently here in the states. Google search for
Octane MON RON PON

Cheers

Dodgy wrote:
> Was just reading the "Considering a BMW - A Few Questions" and I was
> curious after seeing a few of the replies.
>
> Over here in the UK you've got a choice of 2 types of unleaded "gas".
>
> IIRC you've got bog standard unleaded at 95 octane, and super (aka
> expensive) unleaded at 98.
>
> The old 4 star leaded was about 99-100.
>
> Yet I see you guys in the USA talking about 92 Octane and below, which
> has come as a shock because as far as I can remember that was what we
> used to call 2 star and would only run lawn mowers on!
>
> Is that quality of fuel that common?
>
> I remember hearing some story as to why the E36 TD and TDS models from
> the 90's didn't go to the states, and that was the diesel quality was
> so bad they wouldn't run properly... At the time I just thought, Nah,
> gas is so cheap over there they don't feel the need for a diesel car,
> but now I'm starting to wonder!
>
> Dodgy.
> --
> MUSHROOMS ARE THE OPIATE OF THE MOOSES

"Dodgy" > wrote in message
...
> Was just reading the "Considering a BMW - A Few Questions" and I was
> curious after seeing a few of the replies.
>
> Over here in the UK you've got a choice of 2 types of unleaded "gas".
>
> IIRC you've got bog standard unleaded at 95 octane, and super (aka
> expensive) unleaded at 98.
>
> The old 4 star leaded was about 99-100.
>
> Yet I see you guys in the USA talking about 92 Octane and below, which
> has come as a shock because as far as I can remember that was what we
> used to call 2 star and would only run lawn mowers on!
>
> Is that quality of fuel that common?

Different measurement standards:

UK 98 RON = U.S. 93 Pump octane (Premium)
UK 95 RON = U.S. 89~90 Pump octane (Mid-grade)
U.S. "Regular" is 87 Pump octane

BMW specifies 91 octane in the U.S., approximately equivalent to 96 octane
in your neck of the woods.

Complicating matters is altitude. In higher altitude areas in the western
U.S., regular gas can be 85 octane with mid-grade at 88 and premium at
90~91.

> I remember hearing some story as to why the E36 TD and TDS models from
> the 90's didn't go to the states, and that was the diesel quality was
> so bad they wouldn't run properly... At the time I just thought, Nah,
> gas is so cheap over there they don't feel the need for a diesel car,
> but now I'm starting to wonder!
>

Right now, diesel is 20~25% more expensive than mid-grade gas in the U.S.

Hope this clears things up for you.

Tom K.

Yes, and the old UK 4-star leaded was 98 octane, IIRC, not 99-100.

Actually, Shell does 98 but some (e..g Total, BP?) offer 97...

DAS

For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling
---

"Tom K." > wrote in message
...
>
> "Dodgy" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Was just reading the "Considering a BMW - A Few Questions" and I was
>> curious after seeing a few of the replies.
>>
>> Over here in the UK you've got a choice of 2 types of unleaded "gas".
>>
>> IIRC you've got bog standard unleaded at 95 octane, and super (aka
>> expensive) unleaded at 98.
>>
>> The old 4 star leaded was about 99-100.
>>
>> Yet I see you guys in the USA talking about 92 Octane and below, which
>> has come as a shock because as far as I can remember that was what we
>> used to call 2 star and would only run lawn mowers on!
>>
>> Is that quality of fuel that common?
>
> Different measurement standards:
>
> UK 98 RON = U.S. 93 Pump octane (Premium)
> UK 95 RON = U.S. 89~90 Pump octane (Mid-grade)
> U.S. "Regular" is 87 Pump octane
>
> BMW specifies 91 octane in the U.S., approximately equivalent to 96 octane
> in your neck of the woods.
>
> Complicating matters is altitude. In higher altitude areas in the western
> U.S., regular gas can be 85 octane with mid-grade at 88 and premium at
> 90~91.
>
>> I remember hearing some story as to why the E36 TD and TDS models from
>> the 90's didn't go to the states, and that was the diesel quality was
>> so bad they wouldn't run properly... At the time I just thought, Nah,
>> gas is so cheap over there they don't feel the need for a diesel car,
>> but now I'm starting to wonder!
>>
>
> Right now, diesel is 20~25% more expensive than mid-grade gas in the U.S.
>
> Hope this clears things up for you.
>
> Tom K.
>

"Dori A Schmetterling" > wrote in message
...
> Yes, and the old UK 4-star leaded was 98 octane, IIRC, not 99-100.
>
> Actually, Shell does 98 but some (e..g Total, BP?) offer 97...
>

Back in the 1970's, most major U.S. brands had 95 PON (ca. 100 RON) and
Sunoco had 96. When leaded gas was beginning to be phased out and octane
fell around 1978, the Maryland State Comptroller decreed that the new 93
octane gas could not be advertised as "Premium" in the state. IIRC, that
lasted only a couple of years and now even 91 (your 95 or 96) is described
as premium.

Tom K.

In article >,
Dodgy > wrote:
> IIRC you've got bog standard unleaded at 95 octane, and super (aka
> expensive) unleaded at 98.

Some are 97.

> The old 4 star leaded was about 99-100.

100 octane was 5 star. 4 star was more commonly 98. 5 star disappeared
around '70.

--
*Never slap a man who's chewing tobacco *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Talking "diesel" and the USA on other news groups I came to the
conclusion that as an oil grade much the same as diesel is commonly
used for household heating in the USA, where in Eurpope a lot of
heating is done with Natural Gas, diesel is much more expensive in the
USA as the supply of that grade of oil is being used for heating.
Therefore no point in running cars on diesel over there.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong...

On Tue, 20 Dec 2005 23:20:54 -0000, "Dori A Schmetterling"
> waffled on about something:

>Yes, and the old UK 4-star leaded was 98 octane, IIRC, not 99-100.

I was actually unsure, it being a while since I saw it, so I
googled... I came back with a variety of values for 4 star, one
specifying 99.7... So I punted for that value. :-)

Dodgy.
--
MUSHROOMS ARE THE OPIATE OF THE MOOSES

In article .com>,
AGH! > wrote:
> Talking "diesel" and the USA on other news groups I came to the
> conclusion that as an oil grade much the same as diesel is commonly
> used for household heating in the USA, where in Eurpope a lot of
> heating is done with Natural Gas, diesel is much more expensive in the
> USA as the supply of that grade of oil is being used for heating.
> Therefore no point in running cars on diesel over there.
> Someone correct me if I'm wrong...

In the UK diesel costs more than petrol. Diesel cars are still cheaper to
run.

--
*The modem is the message *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On 21 Dec 2005 02:13:25 -0800, "AGH!" >
waffled on about something:

>Talking "diesel" and the USA on other news groups I came to the
>conclusion that as an oil grade much the same as diesel is commonly
>used for household heating in the USA, where in Eurpope a lot of
>heating is done with Natural Gas, diesel is much more expensive in the
>USA as the supply of that grade of oil is being used for heating.
>Therefore no point in running cars on diesel over there.
>Someone correct me if I'm wrong...

We have oil heating too... Often found out in the sticks where the gas
companies couldn't be bothered to run a pipe.

It's much much cheaper than car diesel, most probably due to the tax
man not putting a huge mark up on it, but I don't know how suitable it
is for running vehicles... Not sure I want to risk my engine to try
it!

I'd be interested to know how expensive it is over there, it's
probably cheaper than ours, but compare to your petrol prices it
probably looks expensive.

This week I filled up at 90.9p a litre...

So 3.785 litres to the US Gallon = 344.1p a US Gallon

Yahoo exchange rate $1.75 to the £

$6.03 for a US gallon.

Jeeez, I think I'm gonna try out the fuel oil!

Dodgy.
--
MUSHROOMS ARE THE OPIATE OF THE MOOSES