Hi Mike,
 > WL>     2. That higher octane gasoline is cleaner or provides
 > WL>        any other benefit in engines that were designed
 > WL>                to run on lower octane.
 >
 > I can see the first one being true but I don't quite
 > see the second one.
I guess you have just missed the point and are still believing the oil 
companies. Higher octane does not have anything to do with burning cleaner. 
Higher octane only has to do with the anti-knock aspects of the engine. From 
another message it sounds as though you do not have mandated smog checks. If 
you did it would be very easy for you to ask the people who do the checks on 
the effects of the higher priced gas. I have and the almost universal answer 
has been "the grade of gas does not make a difference to a smog check".
Gerry
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