2 Wants to Know is always looking for ways to save you money on what you need. And sometimes we spend money because we have outdated information or we believe a myth.
For example - check out all the options for gas. A WFMY News 2 employee asked about all the nozzles at a local Sheetz. There's an ethanol selection, an 88 octane as well as 87, 89 and 93.
When you take a closer look, you see the 51% ethanol gas is for flex fuel vehicles only. The 88 is for cars 2001 and newer. It has 15% ethanol.
So should you get that? Or stick with the regular 87? The experts at Gas Buddy say 90 % of vehicles out there are perfectly fine with 87 octane. If you have a high compression engine, you need a higher octane. You can't skimp.
The best advice - go with the gas grade you find in your car manual. The manufacturers are the real experts.
Now for a little fact or fiction:
Filling up with a higher octane once a month will clean out your tank and make your car run better. Fiction.
"That's generally just a waste of money because there won't be a noticeable difference in the performance of the vehicle," says Greg Laskoski with Gas Buddy.
If you want a noticeable difference, you'll have to use the mid-grade or premium gas all the time, not just once a month. So don't waste your money by treating your car once a month.
Is the gas at a brand name station any better than a no-name station? "Where there can be difference is the brands can have their own proprietary additives that allow fuel to burn cleaner but there's not a definitive study by the private sector or government to really validate those assertions," says Greg.
The manual. So simple. And so undervalued. It clears up the gas questions. And it definitely clears up the 'What oil question?' and how often your car needs an oil change. This way you don't pay more for something you don't really need.