Es350 Gas Mileage

[1st Lexus]

Have you tried regular gas instead of premium? If so, what kind of gas milage are you getting and what other problems are there?

[shepsan]

Have you tried regular gas instead of premium? If so, what kind of gas milage are you getting and what other problems are there?

I have used regular unleaded 87 since the first fill-up. No problems encountered. City driving 20mpg; freeway 32mpg. Mix of city and highway 24mpg. Have no idea what I would get if I used premium gasoline but am satisfied with performance and have the benefit of low cost gasoline.

[sharpcolorado]

Regular since buying my ES350.

Made a 300-mile trip yesterday, and got 31.5 mpg, including a bit of idling and city driving to my destination. My city driving averages about 24.5.

[Chuy]

My wife has 10k+ on her ES350 and has also used unleaded since day one. We haven't measured MPG but, in general, octane doesn't affect MPGs. Octane is an anti-[engine]knocking agent. High compression engines (super-charged, turbos, etc...) need high octane gas. Cars towing should use higher octane gas while towing. So, unless you'll be putting high loads on your engine, you'll be fine with 87 gas.

[ljdarby]

I have used regular fuel since my first fill-up 15 months ago, and have had no consequence since. Mileage is about the same as previously stated by other users... My car's mileage is approaching 7,000 without a single problem in any area thus far (fingers crossed while saying this)...

[amf1932]

My wife has 10k+ on her ES350 and has also used unleaded since day one.

All gas engine cars designed today can only use unleaded fuel, regardless of the octane.

I think you used the word, "unleaded" instead of "regular"......am I correct?

[nyuhsuk]

I just started dropping down to 89 octane after the prices jumped near fifty cents in the last several weeks here in the lovely 66/270 pie slice of DC... I don't notice a performance drop even when I floor it (87 did show some noticable lag time and kick) and I maintain a nice ~26mpg average overall (I monitor my MPG using that nice little bar display).

[Chuy]

My wife has 10k+ on her ES350 and has also used unleaded since day one.

All gas engine cars designed today can only use unleaded fuel, regardless of the octane.

I think you used the word, "unleaded" instead of "regular"......am I correct?

I should have said "87 octane". But, yes, all pump gas today in the US and Mexico (Canada?) is unleaded.

[CaptainRalph]

Have you tried regular gas instead of premium? If so, what kind of gas milage are you getting and what other problems are there?

I get 21.9 city...on regular.

Car runs great...no complaints...however you do have to go to college to learn all of the cars neat little functions...such as resetting the maintenace warning.

RJ

[patreyus]

Have you tried regular gas instead of premium? If so, what kind of gas milage are you getting and what other problems are there?

I have been using Premium in mine and I have 2000 miles on it. I have been getting 22MPG city driving. I get 30MPG on the highway.

[bassman1130]

Have you tried regular gas instead of premium? If so, what kind of gas milage are you getting and what other problems are there?

I have been using Premium in mine and I have 2000 miles on it. I have been getting 22MPG city driving. I get 30MPG on the highway.

[mr_raider]

I should have said "87 octane". But, yes, all pump gas today in the US and Mexico (Canada?) is unleaded.

No. We still put lead, beer and beaver tails in our gas :D

[JGTNewLexusOwner]

I have started using 89 octane regular and on my last trip (highway and city driving) I got 30 mpg (calculated not car's computer).

[BaddBoi70]

It is definitely interesting to note that anyone using less than "premium" octane is willing to do so for a savings of $0.10 - $0.20 per gallon. IMO, it is just not worth the risk of creating a "potential" engine issue.

Let's say for example you drive 20K miles per year, which is high, and the difference is on the hign end of $0.20/gallon more, this equates to an annual savings of a mere $181, using a 22MPG average. Considering that the engine in our cars' is the most expensive item, I find it very interesting so many are willing to take this risk.

Just my 2 cents :D

[ClayShooter]

I agree with BaddBoi, no matter what numbers you want to use, high/low milage, highway/city etc, the bottom line is that you're driving a $40,000+ automobile. If you can't afford to pay a little bit more for gas, you should've bought more in your price range; say a Camry or something else that takes regular gas. If you're filling up twice a week, as I do, what's that? An extra 10 bucks a week? C'mon...if it's impacting you that much, maybe you should be worried about your overall gas consumption, not the 10 cent difference in price per gallon. I'm no tree-hugger, but if you want to cut down on fuel costs, buying mid or reg. ain't gonna do it. Driving less will. And it'll help you hold more value in your car longer as the milage won't be as high as early.

I can rant on this all night, but I'll only give you one example. I heard a guy interviewed on the local TV news the other day saying that gas prices were too high and he wasn't going to be able to take his family on vacation this year because of it. The reporterette doing the story thought it was terrible and I'm sure the mindless dolts watching (author excepted) thought so too. Check my math, but if you're going on a vacation and driving, say 1000 miles round trip, getting 22mpg, you're going to be using 45 gallons of fuel for your trip. If it was a year or two ago and fuel was at $3/per instead of $4/per as it is now, it's going to cost you an extra 45 bucks for your vacation. I submit that if $45 makes a difference in a vacation for you, then you couldn't afford to go anyway.

Comments? (...drawing a target on my back as I type...) (())

Ben

[mhawkin1]

Bad & Clay - totally agree with both of you.

My only addition would be that I really don't think it matters at all if you use 87 or 93 octane....so for me it is not the $$, it is the fact that the 4 hp (268 hp with 87 octane and 272 with 93) doesn't matter to me at all - so why buy 93 if it literally adds 4 hp and 87 doesn't hurt anything?

I don't think the $$ argument is a strong one.

(I always put higher octane in my car - but I don't know why. :) )

[JGTNewLexusOwner]

I agree with BaddBoi, no matter what numbers you want to use, high/low milage, highway/city etc, the bottom line is that you're driving a $40,000+ automobile. If you can't afford to pay a little bit more for gas, you should've bought more in your price range; say a Camry or something else that takes regular gas. If you're filling up twice a week, as I do, what's that? An extra 10 bucks a week? C'mon...if it's impacting you that much, maybe you should be worried about your overall gas consumption, not the 10 cent difference in price per gallon. I'm no tree-hugger, but if you want to cut down on fuel costs, buying mid or reg. ain't gonna do it. Driving less will. And it'll help you hold more value in your car longer as the milage won't be as high as early.

I can rant on this all night, but I'll only give you one example. I heard a guy interviewed on the local TV news the other day saying that gas prices were too high and he wasn't going to be able to take his family on vacation this year because of it. The reporterette doing the story thought it was terrible and I'm sure the mindless dolts watching (author excepted) thought so too. Check my math, but if you're going on a vacation and driving, say 1000 miles round trip, getting 22mpg, you're going to be using 45 gallons of fuel for your trip. If it was a year or two ago and fuel was at $3/per instead of $4/per as it is now, it's going to cost you an extra 45 bucks for your vacation. I submit that if $45 makes a difference in a vacation for you, then you couldn't afford to go anyway.

Comments? (...drawing a target on my back as I type...) (())

Ben

Actually, I agree also...even though I said I used 89 octane in my last post. I did this to see if it made a difference....and it didn't (from a short term perspective and a mpg or driving perspective). But back to me actually agreeing with you Ben and Bad. I tell everyone that if you really think about it, an extra $45 is not bad for a 1000 mile trip....and if that stops you from going on a vacation, I would doubt you should have been trying to go on a vacation because you have financial issues you should deal with before going on a vacation. To your point Ben, $45 is not alot to stop a vacation. It would be interesting though if 93 vs. 89 octane really makes a difference and if it did, how long before an issue occurs!

[ClayShooter]

Not to guide the thread a bit, but I've read alot of different posts, both here and elsewhere, that differ on engine damage. I know the manual says 93 octane, but is it REALLY a necessity? I've read different things about high compression engines vs. 'normal' compression that need 93 in order to run as designed. Also they mention that if the computer senses a lower octane, it will !Removed! the performace, resulting in loss of power and general poor performance.

My question is this: Does anyone have first hand knowledge of an engine failure, catastrophic or not, simply because they used 87 instead of 93? I know someone has a brother in law who's grandmother's husbands nephew had something happen, but do you have an actual first hand report of this happening? It'd be interesting to know.

One part of me thinks that it naturally follows that if the engine was designed around prem. fuel, then that's what you need to use, but I also suspect, like tearing off the "Do Not Remove Under Penalty of Law" mattress tags, it may be something that can be safely ignored, much like an old wives tale; i.e. getting caught in the rain causes you to catch a cold.

Any thoughts? Anyone had an engine failure due to fuel alone?

[mhawkin1]

To the best of my knowledge, the 350's engine is the exact same engine as in the V6 Camry. The Lexus 3.5 liter differs in output in other Lexus vehicles, e.g. the IS 350 – but not the ES. So since it is the exact same engine as in the Camry V6, and the Camry recommends 87 - then I am clearly missing something.

[AZ08LexusES]

To the best of my knowledge, the 350's engine is the exact same engine as in the V6 Camry. The Lexus 3.5 liter differs in output in other Lexus vehicles, e.g. the IS 350 – but not the ES. So since it is the exact same engine as in the Camry V6, and the Camry recommends 87 - then I am clearly missing something.

I am going to be on both sides of the argument here. Lexus vs. Camry could have the same exact engine but tuned to use different octane gas. But as for engine damage... Putting lower octane gas, assuming it is high quality, will do as much damage to an engine tuned for higher as putting higher octane in an engine tuned for the lower octane gas, NONE (strictly IMO)! If you use low quality gas, even in the higher octanes, may cause more engine damage.

Now, performance may be affected. You can research it in this very forum. There is a lot of talk about using lower octanes and whether it affects mileage or not. My experience is that it doesn't (I have been using 89, only because I feel guilty about spending for the 92, dumb, I know...) affect mileage. If it affects HP, I am not able to tell, but I will let you know the next time I drag race the other ES in my neighborhood LOL.

What about the cars in Canada? The cars have to be tuned differently to run with leaded? And, are there so many different choices in octanage? I grew up in South America, and gas was gas except for now that they run on ethanol...

[Lexusfreak]

You can't buy leaded gasoline in Canada.....and haven't been able to for decades.

I do agree though your not going to do any damage to your engine if you run a high quality regular grade. ;)

[BaddBoi70]

OK. So, help me then understand WHY Lexus would put in their owner's manuals that "premium" gas is REQUIRED? I read and understand the statement as stated - *required* as there is NO mention of using a lower octane rated fuel.

Directly from the IS 250-350 Owners Manual:

Fuel types

Use unleaded gasoline. (91 Octane rating [Research Octane Number 96] or

higher)

Again, if you can't afford the extra $10/week for premium, then maybe (IMO), you purchased the wrong vehicle.

P.S. Anyone who cancels a family vacation over $45 definitely should NOT be taking a family vacation to begin with and should instead be looking for a P/T job to "right" their personal budget.

[mhawkin1]

Bad - we are talking about the ES 350... not the IS.. and that is not the entire verbiage in the owners manual for the ES 350 as relates to octane.

[BaddBoi70]

Bad - we are talking about the ES 350... not the IS.. and that is not the entire verbiage in the owners manual for the ES 350 as relates to octane.

OK. I understand that, I couldn't find the "exact" verbiage for the ES 350. Do you by chance have it? Can you post it here?

[mhawkin1]

Well... since my car is in the shop (again) I do not have the verbiage in front of me. Does anyone else? I know it says something about "if higher octane is not available lower octane can be used," or something like that....