I just use regular -- usually Irving; rest of the time whatever is cheapest. Probably a waste but sometimes I will give it a drink of premium.

 

It's a regular vehicle with a regular engine. No sense at all in giving it premium ga$, but you should give it fuel system treatments every so often if you really believe in that sort of thing.

 

I use regular 99% of the time,
if price drops I sometimes use premium,
I do use additives on a regular basis on all my cars,
does additives help? I don't know but +600k miles on past 3 cars, and 0 engine, fuel related problems, so will stick with my routine

 

Well my 2014 FDII manual says it will make more horsepower if you run premium. That said, I normally don't run anything but regular.

 

There is no FD2 manual. There's just one manual for all models and it says specifically NOT to use premium fuel because the engines used in the Patriot won't benefit from it at all. It also says not to use any Methanol fuel additives because they can damage the engine, so you can only use some fuel additives and not just any one off the shelf.

 

Terasec, what additive to you use?

 

whatever is on sale,
Walmart used to have additives for $1, used to stock up on those,
I never go for the expensive stuff, unless auto store has a 2 for 1 sale

 

I don't know about Tarasec, but the only maintenance fuel additive I know of that has an undying cult-like following is BG44K. I don't use it because I'm a compulsive tinkerer and non of my cars fuel systems go unmolested long enough to benefit from it.

From time to time when I suspect an issue, I have placed Seafoam or MMO (the shorthand for Marvel Mystery Oil) on the altar of Our Lady of Internal Combustion. One when I suspect water in my gas, the other as a hail mary if I think I've got an injector problem.

 

IMO, the better engine cleaner fuel additives contain a good dose of polyetheramine (PEA). Two off the shelf products are Techron and numerous Gumout products.

Since ethanol enhanced gasoline already has a hefty dose of alcohol, I avoid additives that would add even more alcohol.

 

To further the confusion:

 

The off-road mode has different calibrations for the engine that are not in line with the normal operation of a Jeep Patriot and even the Wrangler owners don't follow that premium fuel nonsense unless they are owner-tuned to use premium guzzoline. So, unless you tune the Patriot in such a way as to make use of premium fuel in regular operation, which voids your warranty, then you're just not going to get anything out of filling your tank with it. I also have to point out that the only Jeep vehicle manuals which have that text in them about using premium fuel in off-road mode are the Patriot and Compass, which seems like a big stretch given the off-road credentials of other Jeep's, including the Wrangler.

 

LOL, ummmm....ok......

Are you even sure about your statements. Earlier you said it wasn't in the Patriot manuals. Then I showed that it was in several and now you say it's only in them. Which is it? Are you sure it's not in any others? Personally I'm trusting to what the manufacturer says vs some random poster on the internet. Especially with all the class action suits car manufacturers have had to deal with based on false claims. As to normal operation of a Jeep Patriot. That's up to each owner and what they need it to do, isn't it?

 

I use regular in my Mercedes when it calls for premium - I get better gas mileage - maybe not as much performance but driving the amount I do the thousands I save is worth it!

 

Well, it's nice to not be the penny on the tracks for once.0

What if by "etc", the OP meant "brand"?

If that's the case, I strongly recommend Sinclair...because I'm a sucker for dinosaurs.

They're also the only real life "Company Town" I've ever seen in real life!:surprise:

(Just East of Rawlins in WY)

 

Man I loved seeing those stations during our trip from the west coast.

Dinosaurs!

 

Sinclair isn't really a thing once you get east of the Mississippi River. I usually fuel mine at Wesco when around home, and try to give my business to Pilot/Flying J when I take a trip, because truck stops and I have a rewards card there. Gonna start using TA/Petro as well, now that I've got their rewards card too.

As for which fuel, my first few months of owning mine I'd always put Sunoco 'Ultra' gas, 93 octane I think, into it. Never had a problem, but it got expensive. This was at college in spring 2010, about the time gas started climbing to about $4 per gallon. Starting that summer I've kept using 87 octane regular, with the occasional tank of midgrade 89 octane maybe once every year or two if that, in case it helps the system. Only thing I've ever had that could be considered engine problems was routine maintenance....air filter, spark plugs, and at one point the O2 sensors. Nothing that would be caused by the gasoline.

 

All I have to say is I am grateful to not pay any tax on gas for the last three years. Dunno exactly how much I've saved but I'm sure if I calculated a rough estimate it would be pretty substantial.

Whatever the prices, stateside still has it pretty cheap. Italy rations fuel for service members so you only get an allowance in coupon form, an equivalency in price top stateside fuel. Local prices were insane.

 

Sinclair is pretty good about having ethanol free gas available too out here in the west. That's a definite plus in my book.

 

I have owned 2 cars that showed dramatic differnces in performance depending on fuel grade. My 1999 Grand Cherokee with the Str8 6 ran like crap on Premium, Loved regular grade and ran best on Chevron.

Recently replaced the Cherokee with the 2017 Patriot 2.0L 5 speed manual. I ran the same Chevron regular in the patriot for the first few tanks but just the other day just for ****s and giggles decided to let it run very low and filled it with Chevron Premium. 1/4 tank used so far in the Patriot and again, like the Cherokee, a huge difference. The Patriot has very noticeably got more power with the premium. It very apparent esp when driving a manual transmission. The car is pretty under powered to begin with and 4th gear seems to be the around town gear to be in, good for anything from 35 - 45mph but in 4th gear at 35 if you need to get up and go with regular fuel the car barley pulls when you hit the gas. Now with premium same conditions and the acceleration is far better. Also with the extra power I find Im comfortable to shift into 5th at speeds bellow 50mph as well. Dont know if its gonna make any difference in fuel efficiency being able to get into 5th a bit earlier but with the marked difference in performance I dont really care. My Patriot is gonna be getting Premium from now on. Deff more fun to drive with the extra zip.

 

That may be a placebo effect.

Premium is just a name for higher octane. Higher octane is detonation resistance for higher compression engines so the fuel doesn't pre-ignite (knocking)

The manual suggests Premium when FD2 off-roading, since a long time is spent in low crawl ratios; but many who have tried it said it was a waste of money even then.

That said, it is your money.

 

Possibly Im noticing it because of the way Im driving the jeep. It seems to have a very short gear ratio, im used to constant hard acceleration from 2500 - 6500k in my miata. The jeep seems to have a very short power band so when it doesnt feel like its pulling any more I shift, usually around 3500rpm. maybe with my driving style im just noticing the added power at lower rpm. In anycase, between, the 2 cars and a motorcycle Im putting fuel in the Jeep like every 2 weeks so an extra few bucks per tank isnt an issue.

 

My last-run manual says nothing higher than 87 is necessary or beneficial to the vehicle's engine and that additives/cleaners/whatever are not recommended. I don't put anything special in the tank.

 

Basically, if you're putting anything higher than 87 into your tank, when it doesn't call for it is a waste of money.

Spending extra at a chevron or other high end gas station is also a waste of money as well. There are some gas stations that I wouldn't go to, but that's because I've gotten bad gas from them, but for the most part, it doesn't matter where you get your gas from, it all comes down the same pipeline.

 

There are some gas stations that I wouldn't go to, but that's because I've gotten bad gas from them

For some reason mine's not fond of Jersey gas, which is funny since it spent its life in NJ before I bought it.

 

Chevron is what I use in my Jeeps and nothing else. Call me whatever makes you happy. I stick with chevron when available but make a point to search for chevron in my travels in california.

 

So what are the thoughts on using non ethanol as opposed to gas with it. Granted stations that have regular, non premium fuel with no ethanol are not many but they're out there.

 

In my experience with my 2012 FDII, it definitely runs stronger and smoother with premium. Doesn't make any difference with MPG but I don't get the lag that I get with regular gas after the initial acceleration from a full stop. That said I only fill it with premium 2 or 3 times a year. I also put a bottle of Techron in 3 or 4 times a year. So far I'm at 68k and have had zero throttle body issues. Now I jinxed myself.:surprise::smile2:

 

true Story (sold me on Chevron Gas)

In 2008 I purchased a 1999 grand Cherokee to use as a beater, basically my Daily Driver, at the time 2008 Miata proved to be too impractical and just had to have a practical car as well. The Grand Cherokee was in beautiful condition and very rarely driven by the original owner, 1999, 9 years old, 80k miles. It had one issue, it hadnt been driven for a year when I bought it and every now and then it would miss when cruising. Basically felt like you had turned off the ignition for a second. I decided to run some sea foam in the gas and after about a 1/2 tank on startup there was a back fire. The Cherokee started and after that for 8 years the car never missed again. At that point I had changed jobs, didnt need the practicality of the Jeep and it sat for nearly 2 years in my driveway. Round 6 months ago I needed the jeep again. Battery of course was shot, breaks had been going bad at the time i stopped driving it as well. So, new battery, new breaks and the jeep was back on the road. After sitting for 2 years the miss was back. My daily 10 mile commute the car would miss on the freeway 2 or 3 times. I happen to live rt next door to a circle k and every tank of gas ever put in the Jeep and miata for that case had been from that circle k. In any case, I had been driving the Grand Cherokee for 4 months, thinking "gotta pick up some sea foam" but just hadn't done it. Jeep was still miss firing regularly and one day a few months ago I was passing a chevron station as my low fuel light came on. I pulled into the Chevron, filled the tank with Chevron regular. I got back in the car and drove about 2 miles with the Chevron to the entrance ramp of the freeway, while accelerating down the ramp the car missed backfired and stalled. I pulled over on the ramp, crossed my fingers and restarted the car. It fired right up. I drove the car the 10 miles home without a single miss. Fir the past 3 months the Cherokee got nothing but Chevron regular fill ups and its never missed again. I have the car to my Nephew last month when I bought the patriot and told him to just use Chevron Regular in it. He drives the car daily with no misses. I started using Chevron Premium in the 2016 Miata, the car has always run great so dont know if it realy matters but Im sold on the Chevron gas. The Patriot is getting Chevron premium as well and I see a huge difference in low end power. Even with early shifts, where engine would lug before its not and acceleration is nice and smooth.

 

t Im sold on the Chevron gas. The Patriot is getting Chevron premium as well and I see a huge difference in low end power..

I use Techron additive; I do think it makes a difference.

 

I agree with all of those that purchase gasoline that burns - and usually based on price

 

I go wherever gasoline is sold, and prefer to stop at Pilot/Flying J still, or wherever there's an option for ethanol-free gas. Around home though, options are 90% either Wesco or Speedway. I tend to use Wesco, and haven't had any problems that I can reasonably relate to the type of gas in the tank.

 

Indeed - my gasoline purchasing flow process I follow each week.

1) Yellow low fuel indicator light illuminates.
2) Find and stop at the cheapest station you see before the yellow light burns out (uses gasbuddy app).
3) Go to the cheapest pump, make sure smells like gasoline, and fill the tank (despite Mercedes requiring Premium)
4) Drive until yellow fuel light illuminates again and repeat process.