Looking into new Lexus GX 460s for the wife. Lexus "requires" Premium fuel, but these are not exactly performance cars, rated at only 301 hp from a 4.6L V8.

Doing some research into it and obviously there are mixed reviews from people claiming that "it wouldn't be in the book if it wasn't important!", to "you'll just lose some timing and power, just have to hope your knock sensors work".

I'm curious what the Auto Board GX owners use and what some of our more seasoned enthusiasts think about the situation. There isn't a huge difference in price, with roughly $10/tank delta between 87 and 93, but simply throwing away money for no gain seems silly.

vansprinkle said:

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Looking into new Lexus GX 460s for the wife. Lexus "requires" Premium fuel, but these are not exactly performance cars, rated at only 301 hp from a 4.6L V8.

Doing some research into it and obviously there are mixed reviews from people claiming that "it wouldn't be in the book if it wasn't important!", to "you'll just lose some timing and power, just have to hope your knock sensors work".

I'm curious what the Auto Board GX owners use and what some of our more seasoned enthusiasts think about the situation. There isn't a huge difference in price, with roughly $10/tank delta between 87 and 93, but simply throwing away money for no gain seems silly.

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most modern vehicle computers will adjust the timing to account for lower octane. at best, you will have slightly worse performance. at worst, you run the risk of detonation.


most companies consider 91 premium as 93 is not available in many places.

Looking at a new $55k truck but wanting to save $10/fillup eh?

In the past we have had a couple NA Hondas (Civic Si and Integra GSr) that required premium gas. They would both run on regular (borrowers refilled as a favor), but neither would idle and significant lag on acceleration. Neither car would knock or ping, but it was obvious they were ******ed.

Mr. Dubi said:

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In the past we have had a couple NA Hondas (Civic Si and Integra GSr) that required premium gas. They would both run on regular (borrowers refilled as a favor), but neither would idle and significant lag on acceleration. Neither car would knock or ping, but it was obvious they were ******ed.

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I guess timing turned back electronically is an offensive term on TA...

Yes, the idiotic censorship software assumes the legitimate use of a common phrase in automotive lexicon is a personal insult.

vansprinkle said:

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...but these are not exactly performance cars, rated at only 301 hp from a 4.6L V8.

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You'd have been thoroughly unimpressed by the power output that the V8 plants the 1980s had to offer.

It has nothing to do with being a performance car, and everything to do with proper combustion timing for your engine compression. If you can't afford the octane, don't buy the car. It's really that's simple.

Dill-Ag13 said:

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Looking at a new $55k truck but wanting to save $10/fillup eh?

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Came here excepting this. Was not disappointed.

Dill-Ag13 said:

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Looking at a new $55k truck but wanting to save $10/fillup eh?

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A little of that, and a little of my fear of 93 octane in small towns on road trips. Sometimes you get out in the sticks and just know that the same premium fuel has been in that tank for at least a year

And I'm looking at used ones that are several years old with 50k+ miles. I'll let the first sucker take the big depreciation hit on a car that'll run for hundreds of thousands of miles!

Filling it up occasionally with regular on accident or necessity isn't a big deal, as it's probably rated for 91 octane and you already presumably have some 93 in the tank. Your sensors will ****** the timing and it will be fine, just don't make a habit of relying on cheap sensors for the health of the engine long term.

vansprinkle said:

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And I'm looking at used ones that are several years old with 50k+ miles. I'll let the first sucker take the big depreciation hit on a car that'll run for hundreds of thousands of miles!

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GXs don't depreciate very much from what I've seen...well at least to the other luxury models I cross-shopped with my wife.

What is the required gas for the Tundra w/ the same 4.6L engine? My 5.7 is 87 octane.

Goose said:

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vansprinkle said:

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...but these are not exactly performance cars, rated at only 301 hp from a 4.6L V8.

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You'd have been thoroughly unimpressed by the power output that the V8 plants the 1980s had to offer.

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We really have become spoiled.

I remember buying my truck 20 years ago and think "Damn! 240 hp and mutha effing 245ft/lbs of torque...I could pull down a house with this much power."

Quote:

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A little of that, and a little of my fear of 93 octane in small towns on road trips. Sometimes you get out in the sticks and just know that the same premium fuel has been in that tank for at least a year

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that's a bit of a stretch

Just put 93 in it. It's not a big deal.

Off topic on the fuel debate, but on topic of the GX 460. We had a GX 460 for 6 years and just recently sold it - drove it from 30K miles to 100K miles and it was completely trouble free and great until 98k miles. We then had a secondary air (fuel?) pump go bad ($$$$$$$), then a broken radiator, then a major transmission problem. We dumped it after that. Maybe we got a dud, but the ONLY reason we bought the GX was that we assumed with proper maintenance, it would be trouble free for 100's of thousands of miles. We were willing to put up with dated tech, etc. for the reliability of the GX 460, but we were very disappointed. Of course, this is just one vehicle in thousands, but that was our experience. I have friends with GX 470's (prior gen) that drove 2x the mileage we did with zero issues.

No experience with Lexus, our Range Rover would knock and sputter on 87 (wife filled by accident).

drumboy said:

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vansprinkle said:

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And I'm looking at used ones that are several years old with 50k+ miles. I'll let the first sucker take the big depreciation hit on a car that'll run for hundreds of thousands of miles!

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GXs don't depreciate very much from what I've seen...well at least to the other luxury models I cross-shopped with my wife.

What is the required gas for the Tundra w/ the same 4.6L engine? My 5.7 is 87 octane.

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4.6 is 87 in the tundra


The tundra 4.6 version is actually neutered in order to not compete with 5.7 option.

The original 4.6 Lexus version made 380 horsepower

hypeiv said:

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honestly, if you keep it below 50-60% throttle at all times (no red lining or putting it under a huge load) you likely won't have any problem running a lower octane.

I still wouldn't do it though since the risk reward doesn't really balance out

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Even the reward itself likely wouldn't balance out. At $10/tank it doesn't take much loss of gas mileage before you're almost dead even.

Buying a luxury SUV and then wanting to run cheaper gas in it is a little crazy.

JP76 said:

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drumboy said:

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vansprinkle said:

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And I'm looking at used ones that are several years old with 50k+ miles. I'll let the first sucker take the big depreciation hit on a car that'll run for hundreds of thousands of miles!

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GXs don't depreciate very much from what I've seen...well at least to the other luxury models I cross-shopped with my wife.

What is the required gas for the Tundra w/ the same 4.6L engine? My 5.7 is 87 octane.

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4.6 is 87 in the tundra


The tundra 4.6 version is actually neutered in order to not compete with 5.7 option.

The original 4.6 Lexus version made 380 horsepower

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What model lexus has the 4.6 w/ 380 HP? That's what the 5.7 Tundra put out.

hypeiv said:

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honestly, if you keep it below 50-60% throttle at all times (no red lining or putting it under a huge load) you likely won't have any problem running a lower octane.

I still wouldn't do it though since the risk reward doesn't really balance out

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This. In a pinch, 87 is fine, but don't go full r3t@rd (dad joke) and run 87 all the time.

vansprinkle said:

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Dill-Ag13 said:

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Looking at a new $55k truck but wanting to save $10/fillup eh?

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A little of that, and a little of my fear of 93 octane in small towns on road trips. Sometimes you get out in the sticks and just know that the same premium fuel has been in that tank for at least a year

And I'm looking at used ones that are several years old with 50k+ miles. I'll let the first sucker take the big depreciation hit on a car that'll run for hundreds of thousands of miles!

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I bought my wife a 2015 RX350 for $24,500 with 49k miles and she loves it. Looks new and less than half price. Only way to go.

drumboy said:

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JP76 said:

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drumboy said:

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vansprinkle said:

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And I'm looking at used ones that are several years old with 50k+ miles. I'll let the first sucker take the big depreciation hit on a car that'll run for hundreds of thousands of miles!

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GXs don't depreciate very much from what I've seen...well at least to the other luxury models I cross-shopped with my wife.

What is the required gas for the Tundra w/ the same 4.6L engine? My 5.7 is 87 octane.

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4.6 is 87 in the tundra


The tundra 4.6 version is actually neutered in order to not compete with 5.7 option.

The original 4.6 Lexus version made 380 horsepower

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What model lexus has the 4.6 w/ 380 HP? That's what the 5.7 Tundra put out.

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https://www.nadaguides.com/Cars/2007/Lexus/LS-V8/Sedan-4D-LS460/Specs

JP76 said:

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drumboy said:

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JP76 said:

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drumboy said:

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vansprinkle said:

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And I'm looking at used ones that are several years old with 50k+ miles. I'll let the first sucker take the big depreciation hit on a car that'll run for hundreds of thousands of miles!

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GXs don't depreciate very much from what I've seen...well at least to the other luxury models I cross-shopped with my wife.

What is the required gas for the Tundra w/ the same 4.6L engine? My 5.7 is 87 octane.

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4.6 is 87 in the tundra


The tundra 4.6 version is actually neutered in order to not compete with 5.7 option.

The original 4.6 Lexus version made 380 horsepower

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What model lexus has the 4.6 w/ 380 HP? That's what the 5.7 Tundra put out.

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https://www.nadaguides.com/Cars/2007/Lexus/LS-V8/Sedan-4D-LS460/Specs

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They should put this in the GX.

Now I want to get an LS460L even more.

DeWrecking Crew said:

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No experience with Lexus, our Range Rover would knock and sputter on 87 (wife filled by accident).

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That's just standard rover BS