It's Official: Premium Gas is a Waste of Money

Cars are a big investment for many of us, especially considering we’ll never get that money back after we drive it off the lot. If you’re like me, you buy a car figuring to drive it until you can’t anymore, which means that you want to take good care of it.

For some people, that means putting premium gas in the tank, because it’s supposed to be better for your car, help it run smoother and longer, right?

Maybe not.

According to new AAA research, shelling out the extra cash has little to no benefit for the majority of engines on the road. And it’s a lot of extra cash – up to $2 million nationwide according to CNN Money.

Photo Credit: 5th Ave Insurance Services

The truth is, unless your manual suggests using a premium gas (and 70% of cars in the United States are built to run on regular), there is no evidence that your car will benefit in performance, fuel economy, or emissions if you upgrade to the pricier version.

The truth is that even though the higher priced gasoline is labeled “premium,” it actually means “higher octane.” And high octane gas just means that it’s equipped to handle high pressure conditions in an engine – pressure conditions the majority of engines never reach.

If you’re part of the 16% of Americans who own a car that does require premium (or the other 14% or so that fall in a middle ground), go ahead and stock up on the expensive stuff. If not, good news! You can stop wasting your hard earned money on one more thing you don’t need.

h/t: Mental Floss