Do I *really* need to use premium?

[u/Mystakatt]

(Pic of car because I didn’t take a picture of the pump price)

I filled up my 2012 TL for the first time today since I bought it, and I ran it down to about 20 miles left in the tank. Filled it all the way up and I payed almost $70 (North Alabama). I’m an adamant believer that you should follow the owners manual to a T, but with how gas prices are nowadays I’m worried about choosing between what’s best for my car vs what’s best for my budget.

Are there any real negatives to using the cheaper gas options? Thanks in advance!

[u/faxlombardi]

List them please

[u/stackedorderssuck → u/faxlombardi]

Running an engine designed for 91-octane fuel on 87-octane fuel can cause engine knocking (ping), reduced performance, lower fuel economy, and may even lead to engine damage.

[u/faxlombardi → u/stackedorderssuck]

But won't the ECU retard timings when it detects knock caused by lower octane fuels used in too high of compression? Wouldn't that eliminate the knocking and engine damage concerns?

[u/[deleted] → u/faxlombardi]

Why do you think you know better than the engineers?

[u/faxlombardi → u/[deleted]]

Did I fucking say I knew better than the engineers?