Gas prices have risen considerably across the United States, so many drivers are looking for any way to make it less expensive to fill up their tank. That’s why one man in Florida decided to fill his wife’s Lexus with regular gas in a video on TikTok, ostensibly without asking her beforehand. This is despite the company’s recommendation that the vehicle use only the more expensive premium gas. The man then asked commenters to tell him if lowering the octane grade of fuel would be fine and received a lot of different answers.
Husband receives mixed advice on whether it’s okay to fill Lexus with regular gas
On October 9, TikTok user @xXBrohanXx posted a video of him filling his wife’s Lexus RX 350 with regular unleaded gas at a Sam’s Club in Vero Beach, Florida, and asking viewers whether this would be okay as a temporary cost-cutting measure.
At the start of the video, he points out that gas had become very expensive in his area and that regular unleaded gas (87 octane) at this station only cost $4 a gallon, compared to the unleaded premium gas (93 octane) that cost $4.75 a gallon. He says his wife’s vehicle, similar to his own 2008 Lexus GX 350, recommends that it is filled only with fuel with an octane grade of at least 91.
it’s unclear whether he asked his wife whether pouring regular gas into the tank was okay, but he is seen doing so anyway throughout the video. In fact, he admits that he’s been using “87 in the meantime because how freakin’ expensive gas is.”
At the end of the clip, he shows that the total cost to fill up the car’s tank is $66.56 for roughly 16.6 gallons. That would come out to about $79 if he had used the recommended premium gas instead, meaning that he saved roughly $12.50 for this fuel-up. That’s an amount that can add up quickly in savings over time.
However, he’s unsure whether this is short-term switch is a good idea and asks whether there are any downsides to using regular gas.
One wrote, “87 is perfectly fine in an older RX. It’s not high compression or turbocharged or supercharged. You’re wasting your money if you put anything higher grade.” Another said that it’s fine so long as he doesn’t push the vehicle too hard: “It’s not going to hurt as long as you don’t push the gas pedal past halfway. If you floor it, it might ping which is not good for the engine.”
However, some warned that there would be long-term drawbacks for using regular gas on this specific Lexus. One said, “Internal engine components will wear down a lot faster than normal. If I’m correct, that car isn’t turbocharged so it’s not AS much of as issue, but try to stick to what is recommended by the manufacturer.”
Another said to follow the manufacturer’s recommendation and to ignore advice given out on social media altogether: “If it says use premium then use premium. Don’t ask people on social media. You’re going to get a wide range of answers that won’t lead you anywhere. Don’t damage your wife’s vehicle trying to be cheap.”
In response to that, the user conceded, saying “Lol I’m seeing your point loud and clear in the comments. Fair enough, I’ll go back to premium next tank.”
According to JM Lexus, the Lexus RX 350 is a “RX Gas Model” that requires premium 91 octane fuel. There are only a few types of Lexus vehicles, like several RX or NX hybrids, where regular 87-octane unleaded gas is acceptable.
“Using regular gas occasionally won’t cause immediate damage, but it may reduce performance and fuel economy,” the site warns for cars that require premium fuel, “and you may notice performance changes over time after consistent use of regular gas.”
