ar39

After burning a tank of gas from a local gas station, the performance is returning back to what it used to be. I conclude poor gas quality to be the cause of low performance. I reached 100 mph without any difficulty whereas, it was tough to get to 60 mph with bad gas. Also, the accelerator pedal does not feel hard anymore.

I got owned be a Toyota Corolla, it's that bad! I do not blame it on the fuel as the difference in brands is very minimal; I might be wrong here. I tried over-revving when the car was not pulling on slopes but, the rpm did not increase more than 2500 even when the accelerator was stamped to the floor. As you said, I'll fill-up a few times with local gas & observe the difference. This time I'll try Texaco, I believe that's a top-tier gas that contains techron.

I used 93 grade gas both times. The car has been in PWR mode. I can see a noticable difference in acceleration.

I filled gas at a Marathon station in OH & noticed a decrease in performance on the way back to MD. My 2006 AWD lacked pulling which, was emminent on the hills of Cumberland. After the trip, I notice the throttle pedal to be hard & hesitation to accelerate. I filled gas at my local Exxon station but, there is no improvement in performance. However, the gas mileage has not dropped. I would like to hear from drivers with similar experiences & suggestions for getting back the original performance. Thanks!

I've observed better mileage with Sunoco Ultra 93. Performance wise I couldn't tell the difference between the brands. Sunoco - 27+ mpg Shell & Exxon - 26+ mpg BP - 25 - 26 mpg Miles driven on the same route with very similar conditions

550 is the correct RPM for the V6 you have. Under what conditions did you observe the high RPM? Was it a warm/cold start? Were the headlights switched on? The engine should be in optimal running temperature to measure RPM. In a few cars, the RPM are higher when the gear is not engaged, P in automatics & Neutral in manuals. Also, switched on headlights increase RPM. I've observed this in my cars - IS250 (automatic) & Accord (manual). Measure RPM after the engine is warmed up & all accessories turned off. If you get an incorrect reading, knock on your dealer's door.

Does synthetic oil change need a special filter or will the OEM filter work? I came across this special filter on Mobil website, if I remember right.

I second that. I've got my car service at 4 different dealers - 2 used Mobil, 1 Castrol & other toyota motor oil. I'm not going back to the dealer for maintenance, rather will get the work done at a local mechanic & use synthetic oil instead of conventional oil.

I spoke with a rep in the Governor's office. She says they get complaints similar to mine & wanted me to mail the details & estimate. I'm doing that later today. I'm not sure of the outcome but, no harm in trying. Since the damage to my car happened on an interstate, I have to approach the state. Munipal/town council will act only if it were a state highway or a local road in their jurisdiction.

Ok folks, here is the real deal from my insurer. There would be a 90% surcharge on my base premium. This is because I had an earlier claim & a failure to obey traffic signal citation. There was no surcharge on my first claim. The surcharge will increase my premium by 90%. This surcharge will reduce over a period of 3 years & at the end of 3 years, I'll be paying the base premium; provided I do not have any claims made in this 3 year time frame. I've decided I would not claim insurance! Thanks for your opinion & hope the above info helps others. Drive safe!

Last weekend, I drove on a pot hole very hard & the left front wheel is bent. Also, the hub & wheel bearing have to be replaced, wheels aligned & balanced. The cost for this is ~$1400. I would like to know whether claiming insurance is worth it. Would the increase in premium rates for the future outweigh the costs? My deductible is $500 & $900 would be paid by my insurer. I would like to know what your opinions are. Thanks