This article probably infuriated a bunch of liberals (and probably Europeans) but I thought it was a fun experiment.
Although, I am actually more interested in this sidebar feature on gas prices and the split between regular and premium over the past 20 years:
http://blog.caranddriver.com/why-does-p ... n-regular/
Wow. But yeah, I think all of these factors do probably combine to create the conditions we have today. The Maxima was in that 20 percent in 1996 actually and it absolutely made a difference in that car.The cause of this widening gap is a combination of factors, according to Patrick DeHaan, an analyst with GasBuddy.com. An increasing number of models require or recommend premium, the share (by powertrain) growing from 20 percent in 1996 to 50 percent today. But the refining industry is still mostly geared toward producing regular-grade gas, particularly in the Midwest, leading to a shortage of both high-octane blendstock and alkylate, an octane booster. New marketing efforts by oil companies have also raised prices.
If there is a silver lining here, it is that even with premium priced 40 to 50 cents more than regular, some unwary gas stations have been selling higher-octane gas below cost. Earlier this year, DeHaan says, stations in the Chicago area were paying as much as a dollar per gallon extra for premium without raising prices. “Not many small stations look at the premium number,” he says. “They don’t sell a lot of it.”
I use premium exclusively in both the SRX and CTS-V. It has nothing to do with being a certain brand but what the engine's design parameters are. I also know that premium, like Shell 93, do have better cleaning agents in them than 87. That said, all fuels are much better than they were 20 years ago with regard to fuel system cleanliness. But octane is still octane.
I wonder if the production of premium will increase and narrow the gap a bit. I pay it but it is annoying how much more expensive it is than 87.
Side note: I have been running 89 in the Caprice and 87 in the Ranger. When I filled up my 5 gallon gas cans for small engine/generator use, I used 89 and Stabil.