Report after 2300 miles on pure gas (2023 CX-5 Turbo)

[jadmt]

So just got back from a 2300 mile road trip across Montana, North Dakota and western Minn. I used 100% ethanol free 91 octane the entire trip. i filled an empty tank when I left and never used anything but 91 ethanol free until I returned. averaged about 27mpg which has been less than what I have done on this same trip before. car ran great just like if I had been using 87 with 10% ethanol....probably should have just used 87 but I wanted to see if there was any difference and there was none. cruise was usually set and spurts when passing semi's, I floor it to get past them as there are a lot of semi's on the interstate and I hate being next to a semi...only have to see one tire explode in your life to not want to be next to one when it happens....oil level did not budge off the top dot.

 

[wlong01]

Do you remember what the 91 ethanol free cost per gallon?

 

[jadmt]

Do you remember what the 91 ethanol free cost per gallon?

most stations were around $4-4.25 give or take. I think the highest I paid was around $4.50. once I decided that I was going to do it I did not worry about the difference in price. It was a start to finish experiment to see if I could really tell a difference over 2300 miles and when it is all said and done I really could feel no difference.

 

[wlong01]

most stations were around $4-4.25 give or take. I think the highest I paid was around $4.50. once I decided that I was going to do it I did not worry about the difference in price. It was a start to finish experiment to see if I could really tell a difference over 2300 miles and when it is all said and done I really could feel no difference.

Your wallet did.

 

[N7turbo]

It makes sense to use lower octane gas for long trips to save money. Most people don't go WOT that often on road trips, so there's not much to lose. However if I were putting the engine under a lot of load I would consider sticking with my 91.

 

[ceric]

I agree to what N7turbo said.
I switched to 91 for three tanks now. I have been using 87 for over 2 yrs with my '22 Turbo since new. I can only feel some difference during acceleration.
Not so much on highway cruising.

 

[jadmt]

Non ethanol fuel was more of what i was interested in seeing if there was any real difference, just happened all the non ethanol happened to be 91.

 

[ADS-B]

Side note - Recently I got pulled over somewhere in Texas for the same thing, passing a semi. Gave the state trooper the same explanation, like yours, and he let me go with no ticket, just a verbal warning.

 

[wlong01]

Side note - Recently I got pulled over somewhere in Texas for the same thing, passing a semi. Gave the state trooper the same explanation, like yours, and he let me go with no ticket, just a verbal warning.

????

 

[sm1ke]

????

He's referring to what the OP wrote in his original post, about passing a semi as quick as possible to avoid being beside one if it experiences a tire blowout.

 

[wlong01]

He's referring to what the OP wrote in his original post, about passing a semi as quick as possible to avoid being beside one if it experiences a tire blowout.

Thanks.