For many people, petrol is just petrol, right? But with more fuel options out there than ever before, it’s actually worth knowing the difference between certain types of petrol, which one is better for fueling your car, and if there is any benefit to mixing two types of petrol.
In this article, I’ll be taking a look at the pros and cons between 95 and 98 petrol, and if you can mix them together, but first let’s define these two fuel types.
What Types Of Petrol Are There?
Nowadays, there are not just different ways to power a car, but also a variety of unleaded petrol types to fuel your car.
All these petrol types contain as much as 5% bioethanol, except for E10 which contains as much as 10% and can be categorized by their RON (Research Octane Number (RON).
Premium Unleaded (95 RON)
While this is referred to as premium petrol, this is in fact the standard unleaded petrol that is suitable for pretty much every kind of petrol engine.
Super Unleaded (97/98 RON)
This is the most widely available high-octane fuel that is needed for cars like Porsches, and high-performance Japanese cars.
So Can You Mix 95 And 98 Petrol?
You can mix 98 and 95 octane fuels without any issues, and putting higher-octane fuel in a petrol car poses no risk. In fact, modern engines can be more efficient when using high-octane fuel.
95 Petrol Vs 98 Petrol
Let’s look a little further if 98 petrol truly is the best option for your car. Below, I’ll take a look at 98 and 95 grade petrol to see if premium petrol is really worth the money.
Most motorists believe that 98 petrol costs more than 95 petrol as it’s a higher quality petrol and therefore the best choice for your car. It is true that 98 petrol is significantly more expensive, but is it necessarily value for money and for your car?
What is the actual difference between ‘regular’ petrol and ‘premium’ petrol? Let’s take a look at how 95 and 98 petrol compares when it comes to factors such as engine protection, environmental impact, mileage, and power.
Engine Protection
The biggest difference between 98 and 95 petrol is ‘knock’ resistance, which is the pinging noise you hear in your engine when the petrol cannot resist the high pressures and explodes.
This isn’t an issue if it happens a handful of times, but if it’s a consistent problem then your engine can become seriously damaged. 98 petrol is a lot more resistant and stable to knocking when it comes to looking after engines.
While 95 petrol is sufficient, if you have a powerful engine it will use higher pressures that 95 petrol will have difficulty withstanding.
It’s recommended to go for 98 petrol to better protect your engine. Plus, the cost of repairing an engine can far surpass the savings by fuelling your car with 95 petrol.
Environmental Impact
Which type of petrol is more environmentally friendly will all depend on your engine. Most motorists who believe that 98 petrol is more efficient believe that they are helping the environment by using premium petrol.
But actually, 98 petrol is only more environmentally friendly and efficient if you have a high-performance engine. If you put 98 petrol in a normal-performance engine, it may actually be less efficient as the engine will be able to burn the fuel completely.
So if you’re environmentally conscious, it may be better to stick to the petrol recommended by the engine manufacturer, as this will be the efficient fuel for your engine.
Mileage
Another popular belief regarding premium petrol is that it’s longer-lasting, which will save you costs on petrol. While this might be the case sometimes, this is not universal.
98 petrol is not as likely to go to waste in uncontrolled combustion – which results in more mileage – but generally, this is a very small difference.
Some motorists do believe that 98 petrol provides them with better mileage, but this may be more to do with the driving habits and the vehicle itself rather than the fuel.
When it comes to mileage, there is little difference between 95 and 98 petrol, and while 98 petrol is better, the difference between them is so small it’s not exactly enough for the extra cost.
Power
Another popular belief is that premium petrol increases the power of your engine, and this may be because high-performance engines tend to need 98 petrol.
However, this doesn’t mean that powering your normal-performance engine with 98 petrol will give you more power.
A high-performance car is one that is designed for speed, and to achieve that, high-performance engines use extremely high pressures and temperatures.
98 petrol can handle this, letting the engine use the maximum amount of power from the fuel and run at maximum power. When using 95 petrol, it will explode too quickly when put under pressure.
In this regard, premium petrol doesn’t give you more power, as the power is reliant on the engine. But for a high-power engine to work, it needs premium petrol that can handle the necessary temperature and pressures.
If you have a high-performance engine, you should go for 98 petrol. If you have a normal-performance engine, there won’t be much of a difference between 95 and 98 petrol, but 95 petrol will be safer.
Final Thoughts
Overall, both fuels are equal with 98 having a small edge over 95, but not necessarily enough to risk your engine and spend more.
Many of the advantages of 98 petrol are due to the advantages of a high-performance engine, rather than the petrol itself. If you have a normal-performance engine and want to save money, you can still use 95 petrol and experience no issues.
However, if you do have a high-performance engine, then in order for it to work correctly you will need to use 98 petrol. Saving money by using 95 petrol may cause long-term damage to your engine and lead to high repair costs.
For the best value of money however, it’s best to use the petrol recommended by your engine manufacturer.