Gasoline in DR- different Octanes- pls advise

[El Diego]

Only the guys with new cars use premium the rest use the regular. I have been using regular gasoline on both of my cars and they run just fine. Now I have heard a rumor (more than once) that premium gasoline in DR is actually diluted with regular gas to some percentage by gas stations (not all). This is done to increase profits. The premium gasoline is not really as pure as you guys think it is.
AZB

if prem gasoline is not as pure as people might think,, imagine how the regular might be. You really cannot be sure 100% on either reg or prem then; one just have to watch out for car's performance and adjust, i guess (as they have said here).

 

[AZB]

if prem gasoline is not as pure as people might think,, imagine how the regular might be. You really cannot be sure 100% on either reg or prem then; one just have to watch out for car's performance and adjust, i guess (as they have said here).

very good answer.
I have been using regular gasoline for my cars since 1997. I always go to newer reputable gas stations where they most likely won't cheat as much. I hear what dominicans say about certain gas stations and also the taxi drivers. When they say premium is diluted with regular in some stations, I believe them.
AZB

 

[El Diego]

very good answer.
I have been using regular gasoline for my cars since 1997. I always go to newer reputable gas stations where they most likely won't cheat as much. I hear what dominicans say about certain gas stations and also the taxi drivers. When they say premium is diluted with regular in some stations, I believe them.
AZB

AZB,
instead of saying which gas stations are the worst... can u tell us
which gas stations you would recommend to get gasoline in santiago?
<if u can tell us the location that'll be great>

 

[PICHARDO]

In the DR regular gas is rated at 87(lowest) octane and Premium at 93 (lowest) octanes.
But some distributors in the country do offer higher octane in the premium gas...

For a retailer to be able to charge premium rates for a given gas in the DR, it must be rated at no less than 93 octanes... This gets periodically checked by the authorities to stop retailers from pocketing extra money, sadly not to protect the consumers...

Water is no longer an issue with gas in 89% of stations in the DR as almost all have been retrofitted with special elements that capture and report any presence of water over 0.25 inch on any 10,000 plus holding tank since mid 2002.

The issue with the pinging when using low grade or regular gas is due mostly in part because of the higher requirements in operating compression rates that gas can't operate under versus the higher graded fuel.

 

[PICHARDO]

AZB,
instead of saying which gas stations are the worst... can u tell us
which gas stations you would recommend to get gasoline in santiago?
<if u can tell us the location that'll be great>

Avoid small (two or three service pumps) service stations as this will mean they don't fall under the +10,000 gals ruling that must comply with the monitoring of fuel tanks and water...

The -10,000 gals service stations will be phased out eventually as it's counter-productive to upgrade the tanks economically to modern standards for safety and monitoring.

The reason for the +10,000 gals size detriment is due to the high cost and placement of the devices to ensure safety and regulations on the holding tanks...

Esso has been known to offer the best octane rating on their premium gas above Shell and Isla...

 

[AZB]

Diego, I gas up at the esso gas station which is next to ferreteria Bellon on bartelome colon. The are always busy and they provide free air for your tires.
AZB

 

[El Diego]

Diego, I gas up at the esso gas station which is next to ferreteria Bellon on bartelome colon. The are always busy and they provide free air for your tires.
AZB

ah ok thnx.. i've used that one before... this is the esso that's near el pola.


as an aside... my name is Erick...... i use El Diego in honor of soccer star Diego Maradona (they call him el diego as if referring to him "the one").


Erick

 

[Ringo]

I will eat some crow now.

Since my posting near the beginning of this thread... my Jeep about died. Running on about 4 of the 8 cylenders. Called my mech and he got it to his shop and then to Santiago

Injecters all clogged and shot. Fuel filter filled with sludge. Plugs scorched. He had drained of about of quart of gas that had about 1/4 being water and a thin layer of sludge on the bottom.

Knowing about and having the "watered down" gas before, we have the filter changed about ever 6 months and try not to go under 1/4 tank; I had let it get down to under 1/8th.

All fixed now.... $35,000 pesos including an over night in Santiago by my mect. Runs like new. I will start a regular gas treatment/injector cleaning program and keep the tank above 1/4. Will still use Regular grade since I do not think that the premium grade will make any real difference.

BTW; Jeep has only 38K miles but is 8 years old. (My mech said that the ride home to Sosua was fun.... )

Happy driving, Ringo.

 

[Ringo]

As a side note:

I think...

Car ran OK but needed a new battery. The problem showed up after I put in the new battery. One way to reset the computer is to disconnect the battery and the computer will re-set the the original factory settings. Since the fuel had changed the running situation, the re-set computer did not figure all these little problems and could not adjust.

I think?

Regards, Ringo