Premium V. Regular Gas - not a debate

[DukeTrout]

Some more specifics:

 

-at least here in Oregon, e85 ethanol is made from corn grown locally. Exclusively, corn grown within OR, WA, ID, NV, or MT. The fuel costs to grow, transport, process, and deliver e85 to gas stations is 72% less than the fuel costs to transport, refine, and deliver fossil fuels.

 

-the solid by-product of the fermentation process is either pressed and used locally as livestock feed with higher nutritional value than the corn itself, or dried and transported. The second practice is decreasing, as there is sufficient local demand for the paste-like pressed feed and it reduces the fuel cost of transport to keep it local.

 

-Ranchers have claimed an increase in feed costs of 20%, while the price of feed corn has increased 4% over the same period - less than any other food or feed crop over the same period. Reality seems to be interfering with the whining of some ranchers.

 

-What's the most polluting, water-intensive, least-productive crop in the US? Look out your window. You're probably growing lawn that, together with your neighbors and the golf course across the way, has orders of magnitude more environmental impact than all the corn grown in North America.

[ehsnils]

GM food can be bad stuff. Do some research on mice studies with GM foods where many of the offspring died. Read up on how bacteria in your gut can be mutated from GM foods. You could have bacteria producing pesticides in your guts. GM food is a total crap shoot. Research why GI tract diseases are so common.

 

The problem is that all genetically modified food is put into the same category of modification. It is important to recognize what the genetic modification really does.

 

Is it for providing higher growth, higher resistance to bacteria or just a color modification? Much genetic modification have occurred during the centuries by selecting the crop that you want to be the seed for coming years while consuming or possibly destroying the crop that is less wanted. It is only in the last years we actually have had the ability to insert strands of genetic material from other sources into the target for modification.

 

Thornless roses could be an interesting alternative to create. The thorns are there to stop them from being eaten, but today we grow them in sheltered areas so the thorns are just an appendix.

 

But of course - if you have GM crop, inform us about what it really means and how the modification works for the specific case. If it means that a poison is created by the plant there is a higher risk of cancer or other side-effects when eaten, but if the modification instead is done to remove a common allergen from the end-product then there is no reason to worry.

 

So complaining about GM in general is like complaining about toolboxes, not about the tools inside the toolboxes.

[Garandman]

I've logged all fuel use on my 06 H6 since new. I switched back and forth between regular and premium several times and logged several thousand miles. I've since tried mid-grade as well. Even had it run on a dyno on regular to check. That was one of the reasons we bought an H6 instead of the 2.5T (along with towing and resale value).

 

As far as mpg, there was zero discernible difference - zero, zip, nada.

 

Since then, a co-worker with an 05 LGT 5EAT has used regular on a number of highway trips, without problems. The computerized controls do their job.

 

Many motorcycles recommend regular despite being much more highly tuned: the V-Strom is an enduro and still has 62 peak hp from a 650cc (40 ci). Folks have been logging fuel use on the V-Strom forum (Suzuki fuel injected twin) and there's no difference. But some users like to "baby" their motorcycles.

 

It says to use premium in 04 to 06 Sienna Vans(something like 10.8 :1 comp or higher).Might be able to get away with in these.

We have a Nissan Quest that also "recommends" Premium. They actually give two max power ratings: 242hp with Premium, and 237 with regular.

[patriki]

It says to use premium in 04 to 06 Sienna Vans(something like 10.8 :1 comp or higher).Might be able to get away with in these.

 

My dad has an 05 and his says to use regular

[ehsnils]

Many motorcycles recommend regular despite being much more highly tuned: the V-Strom is an enduro and still has 62 peak hp from a 650cc (40 ci). Folks have been logging fuel use on the V-Strom forum (Suzuki fuel injected twin) and there's no difference. But some users like to "baby" their motorcycles.

 

The V-Strom is way too heavy to be an enduro bike. It is defined as a dual-sport bike.

 

V-Strom:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bb/Suzuki_vstrom_dl650_motorcycle.jpg/800px-Suzuki_vstrom_dl650_motorcycle.jpg

 

 

Enduro bike:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/28/WEC_E2_enduro_bike.jpg/800px-WEC_E2_enduro_bike.jpg

 

See more: http://www.enduronews.com/bikes.htm

 

But if you like to take a V-Strom to ISDE (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Six_Days_Enduro) or some other Enduro race ([ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gou-B1WfuF8]YouTube - ENDURO EXTREME TEST[/ame]) be my guest!

[Madjik_Man]

I used to run nothing but 91 (highest you can get here) in my 2.5i thinking it was best, but then recently (maybe 2000 miles) switched to 87.

 

I get about 2.5-3.0 miles more per gallon (real math not the avg on the car's computer) and notice no real difference in performance (opens door for 2.5i jokes)

 

If I have to spend $90 every other year for an engine flush, it's worth it IMO

[Madjik_Man]

GM food can be bad stuff. Do some research on mice studies with GM foods where many of the offspring died. Read up on how bacteria in your gut can be mutated from GM foods. You could have bacteria producing pesticides in your guts. GM food is a total crap shoot. Research why GI tract diseases are so common.

 

Then come back here and explain to me how it makes sense to grow corn for ethanol when switchgrass and hemp require significantly less money to produce more ethanol. The small change in grocery prices with some corn in them can be argued, by why pay more at all? Don't forget the corn ethanol will be more expensive too, lets pay more again!

 

Just because its the status quoe doesn't mean its smart or right.

 

yeah don't even get me started on grade 2 corn...

 

but the most infuriating aspect that is most overlooked is how much fresh water is being used to grow corn that will eventually be used to burn in automobile engines

 

can't get any dumber than that.

[ShrinerMonkey]

^^^^^^ ditto

 

Using food as fuel is beyond dumb... hence boondoggle. nuff said

[lawl]

isnt there an extreme surplus of corn anyway?

 

not a corn expert.

[Beanboy]

I like E85 just for the huge torque boost alone. Wish it was common here in NE, oh well.

 

As screwy as the stock Subaru map is, I wouldn't trust 87 over the life of the car, especially if you drive hard. And if you drive hard and have a GT, wouldn't you want the most HP possible?

 

NA engines also aren't the best argument for premium versus regular. Just look at the fiasco with Mazdaspeed and running less than 93 in those in terms of drivability and performance.

[utgt]

Corn used to make E85 is not food, its feed. It is not raising your food prices, blame oil and the falling value of the dollar for that. I'm not a supporter of e85 but stop making a debut out of facts

[VTGT]

isnt there an extreme surplus of corn anyway?

 

not a corn expert.

 

Try shortage......

[DukeTrout]

And after you make ethanol out of it, it is still feed. Jeez, take off the blinders.

[Garandman]

The V-Strom is way too heavy to be an enduro bike. It is defined as a dual-sport bike.//

"Enduro" is often used as a marketing term here. I didn't say dual sport or adventure touring bike because most Americans not bikers (and many that are, since about half the US market is cruisers) would not have a clue as to what it was. It is often hyphenated with another term to demonstrate that it's not a race-only bike.

 

Examples:

 

"The large capacity V-Twin market will receive a new addition in April 2002 with the arrival of Suzuki's V-Strom 1000 'enduro-tourer'."

 

"I came across this excellent article on Motorcycle USA on the Suzuki V-Strom 650 "Sport Enduro Tourer."

 

In Germany, Motorradfahrer had a 20 bike comparison test called "Alpenkonig," ie "King of the Alps." The V-Strom was overall winner twice, after first winning the class called, "Enduro/Funbikes." Those included in the class were the BMW1200GS, and Ducati Multistrada as well as the V-Strom.

 

Bikes like Triumph Tigers are called Enduros by their manufacturers and owners in the US and UK.

[ilh]

Corn used to make E85 is not food, its feed. It is not raising your food prices, blame oil and the falling value of the dollar for that. I'm not a supporter of e85 but stop making a debut out of facts

Umm...feed for what? Cattle? You don't think raising the cost of feed for cattle would raise the cost of beef? You don't think acreage would be converted toward "feed" corn, reducing the amount of sweet corn? You don't think all these things are interconnected?

[ehsnils]

Even when growing corn and harvesting it you will get byproducts from the stem and other parts that may at best be suitable for producing fuel or at least work as fertilizer.

 

This is in no way impacting on the production of food. And in many other areas when food is produced you will get byproducts that sometimes can be used as a source for producing fuel but in many cases end up at the landfill or at best are converted to fertilizer. Not that fertilizer is a bad idea, but often you can get more of it if you also make some fuel from it and then in the end get the remains as fertilizer or source for fertilizer.

[ShrinerMonkey]

Agriculture is already has a enourmous negative impact on the environment and now we are going to INCREASE demand on it to grow fuel?! Ethanol only makes sense if you use land and resources that are othewise useless like deserts and the oceans where the environmental impact would be minimal. Of course our goverment is in the pocket of ADM and other mega agriculture corporations so don't count on that happening anytime soon.

 

ehsnils-

The by-products of corn are recycled back into the soil or fed to cattle... if you start taking it out to make fuel your soil will become crap and you won't be able to grow anything.

 

Boondoggle.

[mr evolution]

the difference between premium and regular is about 20 cents here.

 

lets round up and say we fill up 15 gallons. that's a 3 dollar difference.

 

how is this even an issue?

 

if you get 15 gallons a week then the difference between premium and regular would be $156 a year. Small price for better mileage and for your engine to run right.

[DukeTrout]

Try shortage......

 

There's such a drastic shortage of corn, there here in Michigan (where I'm visiting) there are signs in front of 1/10 farms advertising pressed corn for (stove) fuel. Those farmers must be desperate to be selling the food off their table as fuel!!

 

Stop letting "pundits" form your opinion for you and use your own eyes. Casual observation shows that the campaign against ethanol as fuel is BS.

[DukeTrout]

^^^^^^ ditto

 

Using food as fuel is beyond dumb... hence boondoggle. nuff said

 

Riiiiight. Cause pumping fuel out of the ground at an ever-increasing rate and pretending that it is limitless is....what?

[98Legacy_2.5lGT]

dont buy any other type of gas like premium or diesel unless ur car requires it. its as simple as that.

[lawl]

There's such a drastic shortage of corn, there here in Michigan (where I'm visiting) there are signs in front of 1/10 farms advertising pressed corn for (stove) fuel. Those farmers must be desperate to be selling the food off their table as fuel!!

 

Stop letting "pundits" form your opinion for you and use your own eyes. Casual observation shows that the campaign against ethanol as fuel is BS.

 

thats what i thought.

 

in nutrition they taught that one of the reasons why everything has high fructose corn syrup is because we have a whole crapload of corn

[Jon in CT]

Try shortage......

That must explain why US corn exports in 2007-08 market year are expected to rise to 2.25 billion bushels, 6 percent more than in 2006-07.