MachineMan

What's the consensus on gasoline quality for a 2013 RX350?

2013 manual shows:
RX350 @ 87 octane (91 RON) "or higher"

RX450h @ 91 octane (96 RON) "or higher for optimum engine performance" but if no 91 can be found 87 is okay but may result in engine knocking

For either Lexus says clean burning fuels with ethanol up to 10% or MTBE is okay.
DO NOT use anything with E15, E30, E50 or E85
Gasahol @ 87 octane is okay.
Use NO methanol blends.
Use NO blends with MMT.

So what is everyone using?

mrsunny

I recently got a 2013 RX 350 and was using Premium Gas from Costco and someone on this forumn suggested to use the Top Tier gas for engine health and better gas mileage and apparently Costco Gas is not one of them here in California as they don't sell the Clean Power around here.
http://shop.costco.com/In-The-Warehouse/Gasoline.aspx

Since then I have switched to Shell/Chevron whichever is available and I have been getting better gas mileage(+2 MPG) and also the ride seems to be smoother.

If you want to know more about Top Tier gas...check out the below link
http://www.toptiergas.com/

NCRon

There is no established standard for "top tier" gasoline and I suspect it is mostly a gimmick dreamed up by major oil companies eager to sell at higher prices and some car manufacturers hoping to weasel out of warranties. There isn't even agreement on which detergents must be used and in what quantity for a gasoline to be branded as top tier. Costco may or may not sell top tier gasoline. It buys from multiple sources around the country and does not control the mixing and blending processes they use.. What Costco DOES control is the cleanliness of its gasoline. The company enforces rigorous standards for inspecting and replacing pump filters that go far beyond the standards found at many if not most gasoline retailers. I'm a big fan of Costco. It is a superbly managed retailer that enjoys a well deserved reputation for employing high quality workers and demanding high quality as well as low prices from its vendors. I trust Costco to make no exceptions for its gasoline vendors. What's more, since Costco sells a lot of gasoline in a hurry, its gas is less likely to be stale from age. I buy most of my gas at Costco and have done so for years. My Lexus vehicles have done fine with that diet and in fact I opted to use the optonal regular gas allowed for my 2005 RX330 rather than the preferred mid-level and had no problems. Fortunately regular gas is the recommended kind for the 2013 RX-350 that I just bought. I'd call that a tweak in the right direction by Lexus. By the way, Costco's excellent and free car purchasing program is a good way to get a good deal on a Lexus. I just did.

BertL

There are several other threads here and in the RX450 forum on this subject that are current and vigorously discussed within the past few months, so you may also want to check those out.

In my specific situation, and despite what others on the forum may recommend or do, I ran only premium in my RX400h for it's 7-years of ownership, and do the same in my 2013 RX450h since that is the primary recommendation from Lexus for my vehicles. If and when Lexus officially says that "regular" is acceptable as the day-to-day octane in my RXh (as they did for the 350), I'll be happy to quickly jump to the the lower octane and save myself 10 cents per gallon here in SoCal -- until then, I'll stick with premium and the slightly higher MPG it provides.

Cruiter

I'm like you, I burn what's recommended. And although you have it better in just a 10 cent premium, here in the South East, it's 15 cents extra for mid grade and another 15 cents (at most stations) for premium 93 octane. But I also agree the COSTCO gas with the way they inspect the gas and add the extra additives at the tanks, their gas might not only be better than others, it usually goes just 15 to 22 cents to premium with out a mid grade.

dctex99

Don't forget; there is NO mid grade gas really; all stations just mix regular and premium to get midgrade!!!! I am amazed at how many people are not aware of this little fact; and sadly as the COSTCO website says, there is NO additives added to gas in my state of California so they get the generic gas that "Sams Redi Gas" gets! They have NO "clean power" stations in many states!!

http://shop.costco.com/en/In-The-War...Locations.aspx

BertL

Yes, Jim, premium may only be $0.10 more here, but overall cost when I filled up earlier this week at Costco was still $3.99. San Diego gets to pay a 30-cent or so premium "for the pipeline" from the Huntington Beach (Los Angeles) refineries -- what a racket!

DINH300

you drive $60,000 car and you want to cheap out at the gas station to save $3.00 on filling up a full tank only to find yourself at Lexus saying to the tech "why do I have a check engine light"

I have a 2003 IS300 with 160,000 miles and since the first day i bought her I only use premium and she run perfect with no check engine light ever. I bought my rx350 to drive my kids around town, to work and home also knowing that in 10 years the car won't have any issue if I put 93. I only put premium from BP Amoco, Shell, and chevron.

DINH300

Learn this word because in 5 years the irony is just beautiful

dctex99

You have to learn as I am;;some of these people don't want to learn!

NCRon

Premium is not always better but the myth that it is seems slow to die. Burn your money--literally--if you wish, folks. Whatever trips your trigger.

MachineMan

Some stations even more