Love my new Fit Sport...continue using premium gas?

[mattftl]

I just purchased my new Fit Sport 2 weeks ago and i love it!! i previously owned a 2003 Civic LX sedan and loved that car too, but was in an accident 3 weeks ago and it was a total loss...hit head on by a guy racing.
as much as i loved my civic, the Fit is so much better..quality of materials, and so much fun to drive
i was using premium fuel in my civic because i noticed that using regular gas caused hesitation and harsh when at idle...should i continue to use premium?

[Shaelyn]

I've heard mixed things about it. One theory says premium gas is better for the car, the other theory says the car was designed for regular gas, and it will react differently to a higher octane than was intended. The other thing I heard was that it just takes a little time for the ECU to get used to the other gas, so you may have poor gas mileage at first, and then it'll be fine - just don't yoyo back and forth between octanes.

grats on the fit!

[mattftl]

I've heard mixed things about it. One theory says premium gas is better for the car, the other theory says the car was designed for regular gas, and it will react differently to a higher octane than was intended. The other thing I heard was that it just takes a little time for the ECU to get used to the other gas, so you may have poor gas mileage at first, and then it'll be fine - just don't yoyo back and forth between octanes.

grats on the fit!

i always noticed that in my 2003 civic, 87 octane gas would cause rough idling, hesitation, etc. but after using 93 octane and Chevron's gas treatments...a huge improvement..i will continue to use 93 in my new Fit. i know people say it is a waste of money, but since it only takes $30 to fill up, using a regular gas would only save me a few bucks each fill up.
thanks..i am loving the car. Black Fit Sport and recently got the windows tinted dark...looks nice and sleek. i like that new Blackberry Pearl color too

[Shaelyn]

i always noticed that in my 2003 civic, 87 octane gas would cause rough idling, hesitation, etc. but after using 93 octane and Chevron's gas treatments...

hmmm...well, y'know, that would explain a lot of my old del Sol's behavior. I may change my routine.

black looks awesome on the fit...down here though, you see very few black cars at all...heh, with 100+ degree weather, nobody wants them.

I love the blackberry pearl too...when I bought mine, that color and yellow was out pretty much everywhere but here...and those were the two colors I wanted most T.T I got VBP instead.

[exacta]

I just got a new 08 Fit Sport,I also have a 03 Accord V6 6Speed Coupe. That car will automatically adjust the timing to whatever octane you use from 87 to 93. Using 93 actually enables the engine power to increase by 10 hp, from 240 to 250 at the flywheel.
It is power you can feel 4/sure.
I need to find out if the Fit's ECU works the same way. If so, it could add 4-5 hp est.
Anyone? ........ Thanks, EXACTA:D

[hotwheelz]

damn there is a lot of spam on this website lol..anyway.

premium fuel will not give you better gas mileage or better performance. 87, 89, 91, 93...this number means it's ability to resist knock or pining in the engine do to detonation. the reason high hp cars need premium is b/c the timing is advance pretty far and needs it. i'm pretty new back to honda, and my last one was an 89 prelude. so i don't know how honda is about automatically adjusting timing in the ECU. i would check to see if the fit indeed does do something like that with the timing. if the car was designed to run on regular, putting premium in will have no effect at all.

[Perfect FIT]

Many of my mechanic friends reccomend running 87 four times and premium for the 5th. apparently the premium helps keep the fuel system clean.....just my .o2

[VillageIdiot]

There is a lot of disagreement about what fuel to use.... The owners manual for my car says to NOT use anything lower than 87 octane and that is being interpreted as meaning 87 octane is the recommended fuel for the Fit.... The ECU will adapt to fuel no lower than 87 by reducing the ignition timing advance which will lower the power output and produce lower MPG figures....There have been a lot of people that have gone from regular grade to premium after witnessing the difference in advance rate under load, accelerating, and cruising while viewing a Scan Gauge.... I have a super charger and add octane booster to my tank because I can feel the difference by way of my very experienced butt dyno and have seen it by accelerating between 2 points and looking at the speedometer with and without the good stuff..... Please don't tell me to do before and after dyno runs because I am not going to.... If you want or need to substantiate you opinion, do it your own way.... I am very satisfied with mine, thank you very much.

[claymore]

Got my best ever fuel mileage using the highest octane I can buy. The Fit DOES adjust the timing to octane and proven by many members with scan gauges. more timing without detonation more power. Engine making more power at same rpm and driving patterns equals better (more efficient) fuel consumption figures.

[macbuddy]

There is a lot of disagreement about what fuel to use.... The owners manual for my car says to NOT use anything lower than 87 octane and that is being interpreted as meaning 87 octane is the recommended fuel for the Fit.... The ECU will adapt to fuel no lower than 87 by reducing the ignition timing advance which will lower the power output and produce lower MPG figures....

Here is a source that supports VillageIdiot:

2007 Honda Fit Online Reference Owner's Manual (http://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/pubs/om/AA0707/AA0707O00132A.pdf)

It reads:

Fuel Recommendation
"Your vehicle is designed to operate
on unleaded gasoline with a pump
octane number of 87 or higher. Use
of a lower octane gasoline can cause
a persistent, heavy metallic rapping
noise that can lead to engine damage."

[VillageIdiot]

Thanks macbuddy.... I am using 93 octane and 108 Racing octane booster now.... 10 PSI boost, ECU reflash, inter cooler, Megan header all the way to the Aero Turbine 2540i muffler has really changed this little car.....Manxman is wrong when he says the Fit can not be a performance car.....90MPH at 50% throttle and water temperature at 175 in 90 plus heat.

[manxman]

Thanks macbuddy.... I am using 93 octane and 108 Racing octane booster now.... 10 PSI boost, ECU reflash, inter cooler, Megan header all the way to the Aero Turbine 2540i muffler has really changed this little car.....Manxman is wrong when he says the Fit can not be a performance car.....90MPH at 50% throttle and water temperature at 175 in 90 plus heat.
Congratulations! But, for the money that you have spent modding the Fit, a different car that costs the same as your investment could beat the modded fit on its way home from the dealer in bone stock form.

[macbuddy]

Congratulations! But, for the money that you have spent modding the Fit, a different car that costs the same as your investment could beat the modded fit on its way home from the dealer in bone stock form.

Dave, you are missing the point. You cannot put a price on passion!

[claymore]

Yep modding is really making the car YOURS unique to you not just like a 100000 other cars out there. And it's FUN.

[VillageIdiot]

I have a practical car that is good for over 30MPG, handles very well, is cheap to insure, runs like a bat out of hell and is a Honda product.... What could I have purchased for the same amount of money that offers as much as what I have?..... This is Honda Fit Forums is it not?

[manxman]

No tantrums now-- I was teasing you. The truth is, you have spent the equivalent of an S2K so far, or a 5 liter Roush Mustang. No criticism- it's your money.

[VillageIdiot]

You are talking about a used car that I would be taking a chance with, not knowing what how it was driven or maintained..... Hardly a car that a person can insure cheaply or is as functional as a Fit.... If I had purchased a S2K new from a dealer I would have purchased the Kraft Werks kit for it as well and also would have performed performance modifications on anything else like I have everything else I have purchased.... Why is it you would make negative comments about the time and money another Fit owner spends on his car and then as much as tell him he should have bought another type of and brand of car.... This is a car I bought for my pleasure and you are right it is my money and my sweat as well.... I don't appreciate your passive aggressive remarks and don't see what you have said as kidding..... Believe it or not I do know the difference.

[manxman]

Congratulations! But, for the money that you have spent modding the Fit, a different car that costs the same as your investment could beat the modded fit on its way home from the dealer in bone stock form.

There is nothing negative here. I can see that you are going to keep this up, so I give up. I have treated you as a friend in spite of your tendency to rant. I meant no insult, and what I said was true. If you want to continue to be insulted anyway, be my guest. I mod everything that I own too. That was the nature of my kidding.:)

[VillageIdiot]

Show me the Roush mustang or S2K that I could purchase for what you think I have spent on my car, remember I bought my car new so I want to see new cars.

[manxman]

Wow! Dis boy's cheeze done slid rat offa his cracker! Once more, any insult is in your head, not in my post. If you want to attack me, do it in PM's at my personal invitation. Don't ruin the forums for other members. If you keep this up, the thread will be closed. If I hurt your feelings, it is from your misunderstanding, not from my intent.

[macbuddy]

I was using premium fuel in my civic because i noticed that using regular gas caused hesitation and harsh when at idle...should i continue to use premium?
mattftl,
I too notice that my Fit prefers the good stuff. I notice smoother idle, and smoother acceleration. When I switched back to 87 octane, I immediately experienced weaker acceleration from a standing start. 91 octane also gave me an extra 1.5 mpg in fuel economy.
On a regular basis, I continue to use 87 for daily driving. I sacrifice performance and economy for economic reasons. The performance is good enough with 87, and 33-35 mpg average is good enough too. Having said that, I never fail to use 91 octane when I AutoX and/or when I know that I am gonna do some spirited driving!
-macbuddy-
BTW-Sorry for getting off topic guys!

[der Mond]

Have you used your nose at the pump? If not, I would challenge you to. High Octane fuel smells different, you can smell the increased additives. After many years I consider Chevron 91-93 the best, but check it out. You get what you pay for. This was with a '87 Porsche 911 Carrera but who cares?