Running a higher octane rating than what the manufacturer recommends doesn't do anything for you. It won't hurt, but it won't help either. If you want to spend the extra money, more power to you, but it's not necessary.

Drive Safe,
Steve R.

 

well im not sure about this.. but yod88 has just said that honda suggests 91 or 93 octane.. and in my car its written that the suggested octane is between 95- 98 as i remember so i think we have different mesures that in the us! i just knew this

 

when I'm drunk I tend to bend over and burn my own gas..... it really works if your wearing jeans cause you can really close with the lighter..... I wouldn't try it when your wearing teflon......u might end up with a burnt ass....
I'm sorry I couldn't resist......

 

Yes, he's definitly talking here in the States. Of course, for you folks in other parts of the world that measure such things by a different scale, it still applies. Put in the car what Honda recommends. Going significantly over that number (whatever that might be!) won't net you anything on a stock car.

Drive Safe,
Steve R.

 

91 with the occasional 100 when I can get it as it is only available at very few places.

 

I run 93, it's currently $2.07 near my house.

 

Have always run 93 octane

 

When California went from 92 to 91 octane I noticed a difference in my car. The idle is rougher, starts are a little harder and top gear acceleration took a hit. Now I run a mix of 100 octane (5 gallons) @ $4.29 and fill the rest with 91 octane $2.45 last time. This gives me about a 95 octane mix and the car runs like a dream. All the things I mentioned above are gone.

A car like the S2000 can benefit from higher octane and this is why:
The S2000 has knock sensors on it. The knock sensors, when they detect knock will retard the timing of the car. This is there to prevent detonation when a lesser gas is used. Perhaps you are out of gas and the station you can reach only has 85. The same sensors allow the car to advance the timing to gain performance until the car senses knock again. Now granted there is a limit to the amount of performance gains you can get. The ECU in the car has maps for timing, fuel and air etc. and they have a certain range. Once you get off the map, you hit your maximum amount of added benefit.
A few friends of mine that have tracked their cars have noted faster lap times when running 100 octane fuel verses 91 pump gas. I would equate that to more power from the engine. Also they say that the higher octane fuel gives more of a benefit on hot days, etc.

Here is my evidence for the fact that honda cars with knock sensors will advance the timing. When I bought my 1999 Accord Coupe V6, the brochure for the 1999 Honda Odyssey V6 Van listed 2 different horsepower ratings. 200hp with 85 octane and 206 with 92 octane. This was in the Honda brochure. I called Honda and asked about it. Since I thought it was the same motor in both vehicles I wondered if I would get more out of my Accord if I ran better gas. Their answer was what I have explained here. The Odyssey had knock sensors that the ECU used to advance/retard timing. My Accord did not.

You will usually find that most cars that required high octane Premium fuel will have knock sensors installed to protect the motor when less than optimal octane is present.

 

The Odyessy has the V6 from an Acura 3.5RL which usually runs on premium.

 

The Odyessy in 1999 was using the 3.0L V6