Honda dealer told me to never use premium gas in my Civic

Guy at the parts counter said it was a waste of $0.60 a gallon. I kept using it anyway for 6 months and my fuel injectors clogged up at 45,000 miles. Anyone else get bad advice from a mechanic that cost you later?

2 comments

2 Comments

anna56711d ago

My 2018 Civic manual actually says premium gas is only needed for towing or heavy loads. I ran regular for 4 years with zero issues, but I know a few people who swear their cars run smoother on premium. Maybe your injector problem was something else entirely.

charlesanderson11d ago

Yeah, the "waste of 60 cents" thing is what my neighbor's mechanic told him too. I read a deep dive on a car forum once where a certified Honda tech explained that modern direct injection engines in Civics can actually get carbon buildup faster if you run premium when the ECU isn't tuned for it. The computer learns your fuel and adjusts timing, but premium burns slower and leaves more deposits if the engine isn't hot enough or under load. So your injectors clogging at 45k miles honestly fits that theory perfectly. I'd bet some of those people saying their car runs smoother on premium are just feeling a placebo effect from spending more money. It's wild how many dealership guys just parrot what they heard without understanding the actual engineering behind it.