I noticed when I was at Walmarts gas station the otherday (Murphey USA) or something like that. The grades of there gas are 87 octane-regular 91 octane-plus and 93- octane premium. Most gas stations "plus" is in the high 80's so I do not use it. But the land rover book calls for gasoline to between 90-93 octane. So would it be safe to NOT use the premium and just buy walmarts midgrade?

 

What is the cost difference? 91/93.

 

I would NOT use Wal-Mart gas unless the low fuel light was on and that was the only gas station for 1,000 miles and even then I would only use their regular because anybody who buys Wal-Mart gas is a cheap a$$ and they wont sell enough premium to make it worth their (the stores) while to order fresh premium and it will all be stale in the ground and your truck is going to run like crap if run at all.
Costco, Wal-Mart, any discount gas station does not sell much premium, think of the people who buy their gas there, what are they driving?
Old Chevy's and Fords, and what gas are they using? Cheap gas, that is why they are buying there gas there, to save $.02 per gallon.
Buy your gas else where.
But to answer your question, yes the minimun ocatne rating for a LR is 91 octane, so if the pump says 91 then it must be 91 by law.

 

To add to what Spike has mentioned, any of the discount facilities sell an OK gas, but there are no additives added to it, like what you would get from one of the majors and this can build up some long term carbon.
I go there once in awhile, but when I have to and then I use some additive with the gas.
As for the octane, I have used 93 octane, when I can find it and there is sure a nice difference for me.

 

Wrong. Additives are added at the gasoline terminal where the trucks load it and bring it to the stations. All fuel in every gas station has additives, and most gas stations in the same area, despite brand, have the exact same fuel in the ground.

 

I have already verified my information thru 2 employes at out local 3 refineries.
Yes, in our case the base gas is the same, yes, the additives are added at the terminal and no, not to all gas. Each major gets there own additives and most of the discount gas stations have none added to their gas while filling at the terminal.

 

Disco Mike and I dont agree on much but I am with him 100% on this.
A friend of mine drives a gas tanker and my wife used to manage a Marathon gas station in Traverse City.
Yes all the gas comes from the same terminal BUT they add the different additives while it is in the truck.
So Shell calls for additives XYZ in whatever% per 1,000 gallons of 87 octane, the driver dumps in XYX in the correct %.
If he has any left over after filling the Shell station's underground fuel tank then he calls his dispatcher and then they tell him to take the left overs to Bob's Discount Gas and Crab Shack.
Bob buys the left over Shell gas at a discount because it is cheaper to sell it to Bob than to truck it back to the teminal.
BUT next time Bob needs gas he calls and says bring me the cheap stuff and so they fill the truck with the cheap stuff and deliver it to Bob.
There IS a difference in the gas that you buy.

 

This is what I have seen at Texas refineries.

 

Yeah, Im gonna have to agree with everyone else on this one. Not all gas is the same at every station. I only use Shell gas because their gas consistantly gives me .5 MPG better MPG and I feel like it preforms better as well. When I use the discount gas, reluctantly, I found that the MPG is lower. And yes I did the math. Shell claims that their gas is formulated to reduce friction between moving parts inside the engine, so the vehicle will run more efficiently and use less gas in the long run. And to me, that seems to be true.

I have also heard that Shell's new Nitrogen enriched fuel works more effeciently with hot running engines (such as our rovers). I dont know the truth in that, but either way, I trust Shell to make a good product. So stay away for Wal-mart and other cheap gas!!!

 

Seeing as how I work for one, I am pretty consistent with BP gas and have no trouble.