Since you’re reading these words, there’s a chance that you’re planning to put 87 gas in your BMW. Before you begin to get into the realization of your plan, it’s best that you first read this article. In it, we’ll show you what happens once you put 87 gas in your BMW vehicle. Trust us, it’s for your good!
Okay, so what’s 87 gas, do you mean regular, 87-octane-rating gas? That’s right, we’re talking about good old regular gasoline. Are BMWs even allowed to run on regular gas? Are there any models that were designed for it? We’ll cover those questions, too.
Nothing significant happens if you put 87 gas in your BMW. Your vehicle won’t perform as well, but the difference is very mild. However, you shouldn’t make a habit of sipping regular gas in your BMW. Long-term usage might leave some consequences.
Reading just the snipper won’t help. Instead, read the whole thing!
Table of Contents
What do we mean by 87 gas?
Before we continue, it’s best to define what we’ll talk about. Therefore, let’s see what we mean by 87 gas!
The so-called 87 gas represents gasoline that has an octane rating of, you guessed it, 87. There’s no need to underline the following, but it’s also called REGULAR gasoline. You’re able to find it at just about any gas station all around the world. It’s the most common type of gasoline out there.
Here’s a fun fact: about 85% of vehicles use regular gasoline.
What about different gasoline grades?
Let’s talk a little about different gasoline types. Of course, besides regular, there are also premium and mid-grade gasoline. Here’s what steps them apart:
- Midgrade gasoline has an octane rating of 88-90.
- Premium gasoline, on the other hand, has an octane rating of 91-94.
As you can see, their only difference is in the so-called octane rating. That being said, let’s define the term: what’s octane rating? Octane rating is a number used to indicate the anti-knock properties a certain type of fuel has. These properties are based on a comparison with a combo of isooctane and heptane.
We take a guess and say that you couldn’t care less about the above info. Therefore, let’s get serious & practical!
How to know what type of gas should I use?
First of all, you should know the following: only use the type of fuel that’s designed for your car. But, how can we find out what type of fuel our vehicles require? Well, it’s fairly simple: just take a look at your owner’s manual. The information should be right there.
As we’ve said, cars that require regular gasoline are the most popular. There’s a good chance your car demands you use regular gasoline. Unless, of course, your vehicle is a BMW. Let’s elaborate further on that!
Also, click here if you’re wondering whether you can mix regular & premium gas.
What type of gas do BMWs use?
Regardless of the model, BMW recommends you use only premium-unleaded gas. However, that doesn’t mean that you, by all means, shouldn’t run your vehicle on regular gasoline. Still, running your BMW with premium fuel will guarantee the following:
- Your car’s engine will maintain its quality in the long run, as they say.
- You’ll be able to drive at peak performance, using all of your vehicle’s potential.
Looking for a more thorough take on the benefits of using premium gasoline? Follow the highlighted text.
Okay, so now we know that BMW recommends you only use premium gasoline with their vehicles. But, what happens once you put 87 gas inside your BMW? Without further ado, let’s find out together!
What happens if I put 87 gas in my BMW?
First of all, let’s just say that you shouldn’t worry. Even if you put 87 gas in your vehicle by accident – nothing will happen. There’s your simplest answer to the title question: nothing happens. However, there are some things we’ve got to explain.
When we say “nothing happens” we actually mean “nothing significant or bad will happen”. In other words, you’re not risking doing any damage to your vehicle. Still, we don’t recommend you introduce this as a habit.
Once you sip 87 gas in your BMW, the vehicle will recognize it. Otherwise, what’s the purpose of fuel sensors? Anyway, once that happens, your car will most probably run with less power. Also, you’ll probably “enjoy” a somewhat poor mileage.
As we’ve said, just don’t make a habit out of sipping 87 gas in your BMW. That’s because your vehicle could suffer some consequences of long-term 87 gas usage. Shall we talk some more about it?
Let’s say that you’ve found regular gasoline quite practical. Well, it’s cheaper and you’re not that worried about your premium vehicle’s performance. But, should you still do it? Should you sip regular fuel inside a premium vehicle all the time? Let’s find out!
Our friendly suggestion is that you definitely steer clear of using regular gas if you have a BMW. Even though it’s cheaper, it won’t do you any good. You’ll have to spend more money later on, on repairs. Anyway, here’s what can happen:
- Prolonged usage of 87 gas inside a premium vehicle will cause engine knocking. As you’re probably aware, that can damage your car’s warranty. That’s very important if the manual clearly warns you about using lower-grade fuel.
Now, if you’ve used regular gas with your BMW for quite some time, consult a mechanic. Unless, of course, you haven’t noticed anything strange. Okay, so now that’s settled. What if we turn the whole scenario upside down? Or: what happens if you put premium fuel inside a regular car?
We’ll take a guess and say that you probably assume something bad will happen. If that’s so, you’ll want to know that you’re 100% right. Something bad will happen, but not to your vehicle. Your wallet will endure some damage.
If you accidentally put premium gas in a regular car, nothing will happen. You’ll just pay more for, well, nothing. It’s an absurdist ROI (return on investment). Premium gas costs between 20 and 60 cents per gallon depending on where you’re located.
Oh, and since we’re talking about your wallet, here’s a little something for you. Did you know that you can sign-up for surveys and earn money for gas? Now that you do, follow that link. Anyway, let’s continue the “what happens if you put…” show! For our next segment, we’ll consider what happens if you put diesel in a gas car.
Speaking of premium gas, here’s what happens when you put it in a generator.
What happens if you put diesel fuel in a gasoline car?
Before we tell you “what happens if…”, you should know this: nope, it’s not okay to sip diesel fuel into your vehicle. Period.
And here’s what happens: such action will change the octane level of the fuel in your vehicle’s system. This will, of course, result in various issues concerning your trusty automobile. Also, it will create a crazy amount of smoke coming from your exhaust pipe.
Let’s imagine a scenario in which you’ve noticed something’s not right. Not right in terms of what we’ve just described up above. You should immediately stop the car. If you don’t do it, it will stop by itself. All in all: reach out to a friend and have your car towed to the nearest mechanic.
If this doesn’t sound too convincing, we’ve prepared something else. Here’s what REALLY happens if you put diesel fuel in a gasoline car.
#1 Issues with the fuel pump
Your gas car’s fuel pump ain’t ready to deal with diesel. The substance is just too thick for your pump to handle. The fuel pump will have a hard time trying to move the diesel through your car’s system. This will, of course, cause a massive amount of strain and a possible fuel pump failure. Even more so if there are any pre-existing conditions.
#2 Issues with clogged fuel injectors
Here’s what’s up: any diesel fuel that goes through your filters will clog up the injectors. Needless to say, this will cause your car to shut down. It will become downright inoperable. Now, you might be able to drive a little thanks to the gasoline left in the system. However, you won’t escape the consequences.
If you were to continue driving, it’s only a matter of time before you’ll need to reach for your phone.
#3 Issues with clogged fuel filters
Thanks to its thickness, diesel fuel won’t be able to pass through fuel filters. Okay, it actually will, but clearly not as fast as gasoline. Anyway, once your filters are clogged up, it’s most likely that the whole system will go down. Therefore, steer clear of using diesel with your gasoline car.
Final words on the subject of putting 87 gas in your BMW
Alrighty, folks, that’s about all there’s to say about our topic for this article. Now you know what happens if you put 87 gas in your BMW. It’s okay if it happens once, but making a habit out of it just won’t work. Therefore, you know what’s there to be done. Anyway, if you’re on the lookout for articles similar to this one, visit our blog page.
