a few quick things of note:

• Premium gas does not have more power than regular, when combusted the same amount of energy is produced.
• Premium fuel is not higher quality than regular, the term "Premium" is to designate a higher octane rating.
• Premium fuel is not Cleaner than regular. Depending on brand, there may be more additives but usually, all grades from a single brand have the same levels of detergents, etc...
• The higher the octane rating, the more resistant to pre-detonation.
• Premium fuel does require more refinement which means that more barrels of crude oil are used to make the same amount of gas.

The benefit from premium comes with higher compression engines. The engine has the ability to make more power because of a higher compression ratio. These engines require a fuel that is more resistant to pre-detonation... aka Premium Fuel.

It's the engine that makes more power, not the Fuel.

• Engines designed to run a higher octane retard timing if needed when a lower octane fuel is used.
• If an engine is running at it's maximum compression on regular fuel, it is producing it's max power and it can't advance the timing any more, so running anything other than regular is wasteful.

The fit runs a compression of 10.4:1 which isn't high, but isn't low either. In certain circumstances, it may benefit from a higher octane fuel but for regular use, it is just a waste.

The fit is designed to run at max performance on regular fuel. Since timing can't be advanced but only retarded, the use of premium fuel will only result in better performance due to the lighter weight... provided by less money in your wallet. If you use plastic, you're out of luck.

~SB

 

While I agree with everything you have written, you're preaching to the deaf. The mere fact that it's called "premium" rather than "expensive" has a hypnotic effect on some people. It's not unlike selling bottled water.

 

Besides the people who are searching for Fit info who haven't actually purchased yet, how 'bout they just open the glove box and read the flippin' manual? Man, what a concept!

Sorry OP (and other owners who ask questions which are virtually at their fingertips), I'm not trying to be rude or rag on you, seriously. But you could save yourselves a lot of frustration, or at the very least a lot of typing and waiting by just picking up the ol' manual and having a new car sit down!

My wife thinks I'm nuts... but if I can't get my hands on a manual online or from the dealer before purchasing, there are certain things I have to read/know before I'll even leave the dealer's lot with the car. So I find them in the manual. I make my wife crazy when buying new cars. I'm just kinda' anal like that. After I get home I spend more time checking out the manual thoroughly.

Then again, I suppose there is always the potential for those asking certain things because they don't think it is in the manual, or if they're trying to find out if others have discovered things possibly better for the car than what's in the manual.

Anyway, not trying to rebuke or offend the OP!

 

I think there are people that can't read manuals, or can't process the information. I always get annoyed when someone tries to dumb down the source information in some training session. Just give me the damn manual.

Software and hardware is more and more this way. Manufacturers know this and don't package the manual any more (or if they do it's on CD). Even Honda packaged a "quick start guide" with the Fit. I always thought quick start was get in and turn the key. Pretty soon they'll package a DVD (that no one will watch).

Every car I've ever had I always spent time browsing the manual. There may be some feature you've paid for that you're not using.

RTFM! (but until then I don't mind looking stuff up and posting excerpts).

 

I think everyone should read the manual. You might even learn something that isn't posted on a forum.

 

Any gas is fine. I use pretty much what is convenient and when in Jersey go to the off brand stations that are cheaper. My parents have done this for 20+ years, and have never had a problem with their fuel sensors (my dad's Ford Taurus had ~200K miles and his CRV has ~120K miles).

 

for those of you who tell people to just read the manual, please understand the manual is kinda ambiguous.

Honda says the fit is designed to run on 87 or higher. If honda wasn't being so cryptic maybe this question would be answered a long time ago. I do know that when I'm doing a road trip to Los Angeles in the summer, I always put premium in before I go up into the grapevine. In these conditions you have the trifecta (high ambient temp., air conditioning, steep gradients). In this instance, I do believe that premium gasoline helps.

 

I always wonder why this question periodically comes up on car message boards when the fuel requirment for the vehicle is always printed in the owner manual and 99% of the time on the fuel door/cap itself. Why is this so difficult?

I hate to sound like a jack ass, but really if you don't even know what grade of fuel your new car uses maybe it wasn't such a good idea to even buy a car, or at the least a new one. While most new cars require very little knowledge of how they operate or even how to maintain them past going to the dealership at recommended service intervals, the LEAST a responsible new car owner should know is what grade of gas his/her car requires.

 

I don't take that as cryptic. In Hondas that can benefit from higher octane, they recommend it under certain conditions. (see Pilot when towing more than 3,500lb trailers, footnote 3 link). The Fit has no such recommendation (link). It won't harm it if you fill it with higher octane.

 

I called a dealer around 8 years or so ago and asked to speak with a mechanic/tech about something I saw in my owner's manual. I told the guy, "Well, I was reading my manual and I saw blah, blah, blah... "

Lol! The mech said, "First of all, I know you can't see me, but I am at this very minute bowing to you!" Secondly, come in and see me when it's necessary and I'll give you two free oil changes and fluid level checks."

I said sure... but I wasn't making the connection as to why he was bowing to me and offering the free services. I thought he was just joking around about something I obviously wasn't getting. He told me it was because he has to repair things on newer cars all of the time... and if most had just read their f@ckin' (he said the "other" word ) manual he wouldn't have had to repair many of them. He said manufacturers lose so much money in warranty claims because of this very issue.

So he was bowing to me and giving me the freebies because I was actually reading my manual. He honored it too!

He said he was in no way exaggerating. He also said it was amazing the number of people who read their manuals but tell him they just didn't understand... so they basically ignored it instead of calling as I did.

Funny story, sure... ridiculous though. So aside from everything else he mentioned, you're definitely right about the whole "comprehension" issue.

Yes... RTFM!

 

I use E10 fuel (10% ethanol, aka corn gas), as it's the cheapest and possibly has other advantages. I compared it to pure petroleum fuel, and could not tell a mileage difference. I'm sure it's there, but it's too small to notice.

 

Is there really a choice in the gas you choose having E10 or not? I think almost every gas station has it now (atleast in the CA emmision states). Also there's talk at increasing it to 15% of the corn lobby has its way. I'm all for saving the environment and everything but I want my pure petrol back!!!

 

Could there ever be a premium 'tune' for the ge's? I wouldn't mind paying an extra 2 dollars a fill up for an easy 5-10 hp gain?

 

I only use 91 when going thew the desert on a hot day or for road trips(300 miles plus) because I heard it burns cooler and if I'm running it hard I'd rather be safe than sorry
"think it is in the manual, or if they're trying to find out if others have discovered things possibly better for the car than what's in the manual." I agree and think this is what was ment and is also the reason y I love thi site so much it's nice to hear others insights and tips about the same car u have and love