Is Cheap Gas Bad for Your Car?

Have you ever wondered if you’re really saving pennies on cheap gas or does it put your car’s engine at risk? You might be thinking that it’s the best choice since it’s cheap and you can save more, but does it really? What’s the catch?

We all know that gasoline is expensive (especially now with all that tax). You, as a simple individual, will always look for a way to save money, that includes your car’s pump. Upon purchase, you already know the best fuel to be used in your car. If you know that premium gasoline is not required for your car to run, then most probably you’ll shy away from those expensive premium fuels.

If you’re the type of person who would prefer the cheapest gas from an unpopular gas station, think twice. If you’re not sure if these cheap fuels can have an adverse effect in your car’s engine, Philkotse.com is here to help you.

According to experts and automotive engineers from major carmakers and gasoline manufacturers together with the engineers of American Automobile Association (AAA), cheap gas will not be a problem for your car. Using cheap gas will unlikely hurt your car, so you can now stop worrying about it.

1. How is that possible?

Technology brought out the advances in the car’s engine. Every car has an onboard computer that enables them to adjust for the different types and variations in fuel. This is the main reason why most drivers wouldn't even notice a change in performance despite the change in fuel variation. Most probably, you too will not feel any less in performance if the fuel you’re using is from the cheap gas station in the corner and not those additive-rich gas which is sold by major brands.

Every car has an onboard computer that enables them to adjust for the different types and variations in fuel

Most car owners who purchased a brand-new car still prefer to use premium brands of fuel because they think it will affect its effectivity and longevity. It makes them feel at peace. For some people, especially those who own older cars, they are not as concerned as the latter car owner when it comes to choosing the best fuel. Most of them don't really care about the type of fuel to be used. As long as it makes the car run and it will allow them to save more money, then it is totally fine for them. No matter what your choice is, both will be okay.

Most car owners who purchased a brand-new car still prefer to use premium brands of fuel because they think it will affect its effectivity and longevity

The chief automotive engineer of Automobile Club of Southern California, Steve Mazor, summed it up saying that you should buy the cheapest gas you can buy near you.  

>>> Related: What is the difference between regular and premium fuel?

2. Where do different types of fuel come from?

You may now be thinking of buying a much cheaper fuel than the expensive ones, but just to make it clear, not all gas is the same (although it all comes from base gas). If you’re wondering where the fuel from all that gas filling station came from,  well, it all comes from a particular source, as mentioned earlier, the base gas” that is coming from the refinery.

All fuel came from base gas

The base gas from the refinery will then be mixed with the additives required by the Environmental Protection Agency. This is to ensure that the finished product will be able to clean the engine of the car as well as to lessen the emission. What makes the fuel different from one another greatly depend on the brand. The gas companies of both major brands and off-brands add their own additive packages to enhance further and boost the cleaning and performance of the fuel.

What makes the fuel different from one another greatly depend on the brand

Major brands are more expensive than off-brands because they put more additives. They also claim that their finished product contains secret ingredients that make it a better choice than the rest. The extra additives provided by these major brands give an additional level of protection and cleaning to the car's engine.

3. Are these extra additives really necessary? If you didn’t use expensive fuel, will your car’s engine suffer?

Not all people can afford the expensive fuel, but everyone wants their car to last. If you use cheap gas, that doesn't mean that it will have an adverse effect in your car’s engine. According to the director of engineering and repair of AAA, John Nielsen, no fuel are considered junk. If a car owner buys gas at an off-brand gas station, it will not hurt your car.

The price difference is based on the amount of extra additive that is added to the gas. The more additives you put in the gas mean better cleaning and protection. The more features it has, mean higher cost. Most oil companies and automakers believe that the levels of government required additive is not enough in cleaning and protecting the car’s engine.

It is highly recommended to look and refer to the car’s manual to know which type of fuel will best work for your car’s engine. It is best to use the recommended fuel for your car. If you are still concerned whether particular gasoline has the quality substantiate its claims, you can ask the specific oil company about it.

Major brands are more expensive than off-brands because they put more additives

4. Bottomline

There is no such thing as junk fuels. No matter what fuel it is, it will not harm your car. There is cheap gas, and there are expensive types of fuel. You will notice that the types of fuel from major brands are more expensive than others. Their price differs mainly because of the number of additives they add on their gas.

The more amount of additives, the more costly the fuel will be. Expensive fuels have more additives offering cleaner and more effective performance. That doesn’t mean that cheap gas will harm your car’s engine. It is okay to use cheap gas. It will not cause harm to your vehicle or affect the longevity of your car.

So, to answer the question “is cheap gas bad for your car?”, the answer is no. Cheap gas is fine to use, especially if you can't afford the premium and expensive types of fuel. There might be little difference in the running performance of your car, but mostly, it is unnoticeable. No matter what fuel to use, be it cheap or expensive, it will not harm your car.

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