[leasehackr]

Originally Posted by TurtleBoy

Not as far as I know. Other than when out of the area I use it exclusively. Just checked the other day and I am at 24.6mpg overall since it left the factory which seems good.

Costco fuel is TopTier so it has all the detergents recommended by the manufactures.

Any experience with Costco Insurance as well? Currently with Metlife for the last 15+ years. Cost around $1200 per year per car.

https://www.connectbyamfam.com/costc...&vanity=costco

[TurtleBoy]

Originally Posted by leasehackr

Any experience with Costco Insurance as well? Currently with Metlife for the last 15+ years. Cost around $1200 per year per car.

https://www.connectbyamfam.com/costc...&vanity=costco

No, I have not tried them. It looks like the underlying insurance is from American Family.

If you are with Metlife, or any company, for 15+ years then it is almost guaranteed you are paying too much. Very rarely is loyalty rewarded in the the insurance industry. I suggest contacting an Independent Agent and let them shop your policies. You may also want to try Costco and see how they do. If you can report back on them, that will be great.

[leasehackr]

Originally Posted by TurtleBoy

No, I have not tried them. It looks like the underlying insurance is from American Family.

If you are with Metlife, or any company, for 15+ years then it is almost guaranteed you are paying too much. Very rarely is loyalty rewarded in the the insurance industry. I suggest contacting an Independent Agent and let them shop your policies. You may also want to try Costco and see how they do. If you can report back on them, that will be great.

Yes, Metlife keeps increasing home, auto and Umberalla every year. Will report back on Costco.

[G Whizz UK]

I'm always surprised by how much it varies even within the local region. I know that motorway prices are always stupid high, but we regularly see a 25p per litre difference between one on the motorway and the cheapest less than a mile away. That's a £17 difference on my average fill up.

I was looking on a comparison website today and there is a difference of 45p nationwide between lowest and highest (so not in the same place). If I did my usual fill up at the most expensive, it'd cost me £111!!! Mad.

[Consuldean]

Can I ask a dumb question: do you guys go for 91 or 95 (or 98 when available) octane ?

The marketing naming and pricing is confusing at times depending on the country between super, premium, first, advanced etc...

I was under the impression that the more expensive the better but it turns out that 95 is cheaper than 91 octane where I am.

[Stoshu]

Originally Posted by Consuldean

Can I ask a dumb question: do you guys go for 91 or 95 (or 98 when available) octane ?

The marketing naming and pricing is confusing at times depending on the country between super, premium, first, advanced etc...

I was under the impression that the more expensive the better but it turns out that 95 is cheaper than 91 octane where I am.

In the US octane is regional it seems, in my area (IL/MO) Premium is 93 octane, other parts of the country 91 is the standard.

It is my understanding and I maybe wrong, that modern engines like in the BMW sense compression and vary performance to avoid knocking/damage due to low octane fuel. You should read your manual and run the recommended octane level for your car, running high octane fuel in a car designed to run on regular is a waste of money (no performance/mileage gains).

This chart gives an idea of the variance:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...octane_ratings

[MystroX5]

From years of racing 911's decades back, I found that good fuel in makes a big difference. over the years and as vehicles began to recognize octane levels, I found that defaulting to the highest level of fuel and octane is by far the best way to go in terms of performance and future maintenance cost.

Sunoco is the highest quality fuel you can get in the northeast. I run their 93oct and ultra 94 in my fleet of toys. The cost difference between running the best and the basic is couch cushion money in the grand scheme of what the toys cost.

[codex57]

Originally Posted by leasehackr

Any experience with Costco Insurance as well? Currently with Metlife for the last 15+ years. Cost around $1200 per year per car.

https://www.connectbyamfam.com/costc...&vanity=costco

I've had them for a while. I think I'm slightly over that. Somewhere around the $1300 per year mark for the X5. My Model 3 is around $1200 though. I'm also in one of the highest cost of living areas in the US so that doesn't help. They're ok as an insurance. My only gripe is there's no separate window coverage. It's all under comprehensive. My last company (Farmer's, but I know many others are similar) had a separate window section where if you broke a windshield, it had a cheaper deductible.

[Consuldean]

Originally Posted by Stoshu

In the US octane is regional it seems, in my area (IL/MO) Premium is 93 octane, other parts of the country 91 is the standard.

It is my understanding and I maybe wrong, that modern engines like in the BMW sense compression and vary performance to avoid knocking/damage due to low octane fuel. You should read your manual and run the recommended octane level for your car, running high octane fuel in a car designed to run on regular is a waste of money (no performance/mileage gains).

This chart gives an idea of the variance:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...octane_ratings

This is very helpful.

It seems as though I shouldn't pay attention to the price (which is, in my case, misleading) and only look to get the highest octane fuel available.

Most stations offer 91 and 95. BMW seems to recommend 93 for my car... so i think I'll go with 95 moving forward.

[HC707]

In Alpharetta (N of Atlanta), premium at Costco is $2.71 a gallon. Regarding mileage, whether I purchase gas at Costco or Shell or other name brands, my city average is 10 to 11 mpg in my HC Charger. Highway mileage is 22 to 23.

[smomin23]

Originally Posted by leasehackr

Any experience with Costco Insurance as well? Currently with Metlife for the last 15+ years. Cost around $1200 per year per car.

https://www.connectbyamfam.com/costc...;vanity=costco

$1100 with GEICO full coverage and extensive extras (PIP, uninsured/underinsured, etc.)

Only thing I skipped was roadside cause I have coverage through my credit card + BMW

[smomin23]

Looks like gas prices will be climbing soon. National avg is $2.70 as of yesterday IIRC

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn...ead/index.html

[leasehackr]

Originally Posted by codex57

I've had them for a while. I think I'm slightly over that. Somewhere around the $1300 per year mark for the X5. My Model 3 is around $1200 though. I'm also in one of the highest cost of living areas in the US so that doesn't help. They're ok as an insurance. My only gripe is there's no separate window coverage. It's all under comprehensive. My last company (Farmer's, but I know many others are similar) had a separate window section where if you broke a windshield, it had a cheaper deductible.

Good to know.

Added new X5 and 530i to Metlife for now while I research a new insurance carrier. I asked them to add glass coverage and there is no deductible apply if you have any glass claim with Metlife.

Right now X5 is at $695 and 530i at $652 for 6 months.

[codex57]

I just found out Hawaii has cheaper gas than California right now. That's just crazy.

[mitch57]

Originally Posted by codex57

I just found out Hawaii has cheaper gas than California right now. That's just crazy.

Probably cheaper than the greedy state of Washington that I live in too. Plus they're in the process of increasing the gas tax as I write this.

On top of that there is no cap on property taxes here either. My homes assessed value went up 130K last year and an additional 60K this year. Probably a good time to move out of this state.

[Paladin1]

Originally Posted by Consuldean

Can I ask a dumb question: do you guys go for 91 or 95 (or 98 when available) octane ?

The marketing naming and pricing is confusing at times depending on the country between super, premium, first, advanced etc...

I was under the impression that the more expensive the better but it turns out that 95 is cheaper than 91 octane where I am.

The US and Canada (plus Brazil and a few other countries like Sweden), use the AKI (Anti-Knock Index) as the "octane" rating at the pump. The majority of the rest of the world uses the Research Octane Number (RON) at the pump. There is also a Motor Octane Number (MON), achieved with a slightly different testing protocol than the RON. AKI is essentially the average of the RON and MON (R+M/2). All, for practical purposes, measure the knock-resistance of a volatile fuel mixture. Suffice that a technical discussion of octane is beyond the scope of the thread, so below is a nice octane primer (for motorcycles, but applicable to cars as well).

https://www.bmwmoa.org/news/438324/U...-RON-oh-my.htm

And Cadogan's (surprisingly) understandable explanation:

And the US G05 40i owner's manual, which states that BMW recommends a minimum of AKI 89 octane fuel in this car, but recommends AKI 91 (with the above excerpts which explain why "more is not better," i.e. over the recommended 91):

[Frenetic]

Gas/energy prices tend to be a double-edge sword. They go up when demand goes up and demand tends to go up when the economy is doing well, yet high gas/energy prices have a somewhat depressive effect on the economy.

[Consuldean]

Originally Posted by Paladin1

The US and Canada (plus Brazil and a few other countries like Sweden), use the AKI (Anti-Knock Index) as the "octane" rating at the pump. The majority of the rest of the world uses the Research Octane Number (RON) at the pump. There is also a Motor Octane Number (MON), achieved with a slightly different testing protocol than the RON. AKI is essentially the average of the RON and MON (R+M/2). All, for practical purposes, measure the knock-resistance of a volatile fuel mixture. Suffice that a technical discussion of octane is beyond the scope of the thread, so below is a nice octane primer (for motorcycles, but applicable to cars as well).

https://www.bmwmoa.org/news/438324/U...-RON-oh-my.htm

And Cadogan's (surprisingly) understandable explanation:

And the US G05 40i owner's manual, which states that BMW recommends a minimum of AKI 89 octane fuel in this car, but recommends AKI 91 (with the above excerpts which explain why "more is not better," i.e. over the recommended 91):

Attachment 2543547

This is extremely insightful, thank you for sharing.

Conclusion is: 91 is best for the G05 and we shouldn't go for 93 or 95 (or higher)?

[Paladin1]

Originally Posted by Consuldean

This is extremely insightful, thank you for sharing.

Conclusion is: 91 is best for the G05 and we shouldn't go for 93 or 95 (or higher)?

You're welcome! And yes, that's what BMW says. The outfit that made the engine. Scientifically, if you use a higher octane than required, you may see a very modest power boost - on the order of 3-4 percent-ish (depending on a whole lot of things). Which you will not notice either in performance in the throttle or improved economy: very slightly better mileage - maybe. Slightly - or more - higher cost, almost always. Cost per mile </> =.

Higher octane than required will not clean your engine, as Cadogan points out. It will not significantly improve the performance of your engine, as in 0-60 off the line. It will not burn hotter, or cleaner. It is not better, or worse, for the environment. And it will cost more at the pump, all things being equal. It will also not damage your engine, as using a lower than recommended octane might.

[BobsM3Coupe]

X5M calls for AKI 93. But AKI 91 will do. Good thing because that's the best we can get here in California.

[Dr. Jekyll]

Paying $3.70 for Premium at Chevron aka Texaco as they merged here.

[Paladin1]

Originally Posted by BobsM3Coupe

X5M calls for AKI 93. But AKI 91 will do. Good thing because that's the best we can get here in California.

Different engines, different compression ratios, different octane recommendations, plus I suspect the desire to eke out every ounce of performance for the "M." Following the manufacturer's recommendations is always a safe bet, and running the minimum recommended will not damage the engine as noted by the manual(s). Below that, not so good.