Feel free to use the higher octane stuff, it's better quality, burns cleaner, and does offer better performance (that you can feel with a 200hp engine...I don't know that you'd notice anything with the 75hp/under category), although it isn't really necessary.
As for the lead additive stuff, I personally would not bother as I haven't seen any advantage to using that stuff in anything other than some old Detroit gas hogs.
please explain how it is better quality? Are you talking about the fuel companies putting more additives in the premium fuel? the additives have been regulated by the government so you are not getting anything extra except the additives that change the octane rating
The octane rating is based on the fuels ability to be compressed before it ignites. Therefore if you have a higher compression engine then you would raise the level of octane you are putting in to your vehicle in order to prevent pre-ignition or knocking.
If you have a carburated vehicle then you should try tuning your carburator and checking your timing rather than masking your mistuning with a higher octane fuel... it will save you the cost of the extra $0.20/gal on the unnecessary higher octane rating.
If your vehicle is fuel injected, then the computer is designed to control the delivery of the fuel based on the manufacturers specifications of the fuel rating. By buying a higher rated fuel you are doing a couple of things:
1. paying the fuel companies extra money you could be giving me for advising you of the waste
2. sending unburned fuel in to your catalytic converter to clog it or sending the unburned fuel out the tailpipe
It's your vehicle and your money. I haven't bought premium gas since I stopped driving my 1776 dual carb high compression super beetle. I've saved myself several hundred dollars by using the fuel VW specified for my vehicles.
