Try a happy medium with regular, premium gas

Dear Bob: I own a 2000 Buick Park Avenue Ultra, and the recommended fuel is unleaded of 92 octane or higher. I assume this is because of the supercharger on this car.

Because there is a significant difference in the price between premium and regular, this has made me wonder why I really have to use the premium grade of gasoline. What would happen if I just moved to regular?

I have about 42,000 miles on the engine, and want to keep this car until it hits 100,000.

Thanks,

— W.E.O’B., Hershey, Pa.

A: A couple of different issues come into play here.

To begin with, if you can drive the vehicle without engaging the supercharger — no hard accelerations — or use the supercharger sparingly, that will help make it feasible to shift to regular.

In any case, I would not switch to regular cold turkey. Wean the vehicle off premium by trying a mix of three-fourths of a tank of premium with one-fourth of a tank of regular. If the vehicle seems to run OK with that combo, on your next tank try a half-and-half mixture of premium and regular, and so on. You may be able to find a happy medium of a mix that will suit both your wallet and your engine.

But be on guard throughout this trial process. Listen to your engine for signs of knocking or run-on after the key is turned off. If the engine begins to knock or run on, immediately add more premium to your mix. Don’t continue to operate your vehicle if the engine is knocking or running on.

All that said, by far the best advice I can give you, if you’re serious about reaching that 100,000-mile mark, is to continue to use the premium gasoline that Buick recommends. I can sympathize with the pinch you’re feeling with today’s high gas prices, but in the long run it would be penny-wise but pound-foolish to use a lesser fuel in your car.

Dear Bob: Recently I read about Ford’s recommendation to replace tires after six years, whether or not there is sufficient tread remaining. The report prompted me to question the soundness of my spare tire.

As I’m sure you are aware, elastomers (rubber-like compounds) can degrade over time, and that degradation rate increases as the temperature increases. I have a 1989 Volvo 740 station wagon with almost 200,000 miles on it. That means that my spare tire is about 16 years old.

Unlike in years past, when the spare was rotated with the regular tires, the new temporary spares sit in the trunk until needed. I pulled the spare out of the well and discovered that the rubber was coming apart and I could see portions of the steel belts protruding from the tire.

I suggest that you alert your readers to this potential problem with spare tires, particularly with older cars.

Keep up the good work!

— B.R., Williamsport, Md.

A: Consider my readers alerted, and thanks for the input!

This is another reason to check the air in the spare at regular intervals. While checking the air pressure, you also can inspect the tire for any irregularities that might be developing and take appropriate action to deal with them.

Dear Bob: I enjoy your column, and cut out articles for future reference. I hope you will answer this in your column.

Do you receive any consulting fees or other income from sources that you write about? For example, you wrote about name-brand gasoline being better than discount brands. It would seem that gasoline additives would be a trade secret.

Do you do work for, or receive money from, the big oil companies?

Best regards,

— G.P., via e-mail

A: I don’t receive any money from, nor do I work for or consult for any of the companies that I mention in my articles. As for gasoline additives, while the precise chemical formulas may be secret, most companies actively promote their additives as a means of distinguishing their products from the competition’s. And no, I don’t get a discount at the pump of the major gasoline stations I visit. I have to pay the piper, the same way you do.

AMERICAN DRIVERS FIGHT BACK

Here’s a tip that will help you get better gas mileage while fighting terrorism and cutting our nation’s dependence on Mideastern oil:

When you’re parked on a street that has a traffic light at the intersection ahead of you, watch the light and time your start to coincide with the green. Don’t start the engine until the light turns green. Once it has changed, pull out into the traffic flow and drive through the light. You’ll save gas because you won’t have to start from a dead stop twice, as you would have had to if you had pulled out while the light was red.

And speaking of parking: When backing into or pulling out of a tight parking place, turn off all accessories. The engine is already laboring overtime to turn the power-steering unit, and any added accessory pull — especially from the air conditioner — is a foolish waste of gas. After you’ve left the parking space, wait a few seconds until you are clear and moving before turning on any accessories. It’s a small sacrifice that will pay nice dividends.