What is the equivalent of 90-octane gasoline now?

[JamesonMarie]

90-octane gasoline has been changed to 89-octane. The method for selecting suitable engine oil for your car is as follows: 1. Choose the appropriate viscosity: It's best to use multi-viscosity lubricating oil when selecting engine oil. Multi-grade lubricating oil (also known as multi-weight oil) has the properties of light oil at low temperatures and heavy oil at high temperatures. In situations where multi-grade oil is recommended, one multi-grade oil can replace several single-grade oils. 2. Select oil based on the season: Although multi-grade oil can meet the needs of extremely cold and warm seasons as well as heavy-duty engines, especially for diesel engines that don't have difficulty starting in cold weather, it is usually recommended to use single-viscosity lubricating oil, which is beneficial for engine lubrication and extends the engine's service life.

[VonIsla]

Back in the day when driving old Santanas, we did use 90-octane gasoline, but it's long gone now. The 90-octane was phased out when the China III emission standards came into effect in 2009, and by 2014 with the upgrade to China IV standards, even 93 and 97 were replaced by 92 and 95. Nowadays, the lowest grade available at regular gas stations is 89-octane, but it's quite rare. The most common is 92-octane. Your old car can run just fine on 92-octane. My father-in-law's 20-year-old Jetta King uses 92-octane without any fuel additives, so don't fall for the gas station attendants' sales pitches. If the engine is really shaking, checking the spark plugs is much more effective than switching to higher-octane fuel.

[SabrinaLee]

This is a question I often get asked by experienced mechanics when repairing cars. 90-octane gasoline was completely phased out over a decade ago, and now the lowest available is 89-octane, but it's basically impossible to find. For older cars, I recommend directly using 92-octane—its anti-knock index is more than sufficient. Some car owners insist that older vehicles should use lower-octane fuel, but in reality, today's 92-octane is much more stable in quality than the 90-octane of the past. If your fuel cap specifies 90-octane, using 92-octane will actually reduce carbon buildup. Of course, if you're really concerned, you could mix half a tank of 92 with half a tank of 95, but it's honestly not worth the hassle.

[ClaraAnn]

Located near an oil refinery in Shandong, I can clearly tell you that 90-octane gasoline is already history. Nowadays, gasoline grades are determined by the Research Octane Number (RON). The current 92-octane is equivalent to the old 93-octane standard, while 95-octane corresponds to the former 97-octane. For older cars that originally used 90-octane fuel, 92-octane is now the most suitable choice—it's cost-effective and provides good mileage. My 2003 Volkswagen Bora 1.6 has been running on 92-octane for 200,000 kilometers without ever triggering an engine warning light. It's fine to mix different grades when the tank is nearly empty, just don't fall for those overpriced fuel additives promoted at gas stations.

[LaRhett]

Having run a repair shop for 15 years, I've handled many such inquiries. After the discontinuation of 90-octane gasoline, fueling older vehicles depends on their manufacturing year: For pre-2000 carburetor models, it's recommended to use 92-octane mixed with 10% anhydrous ethanol (do not exceed this ratio), while fuel-injected cars can directly use 92-octane. Last week, I serviced an old Crown 3.0 where the owner had been using 95-octane, leading to severe carbon buildup. After switching back to 92-octane, the fuel consumption dropped from 13L to 10L per 100km. Key reminder: Never believe the myth that 'older cars must use higher-octane fuel.' The most accurate reference is the fuel cap label—models labeled for 90-octane perform perfectly fine with 92-octane.

[LukasRose]

My hands-on experience with classic car collection: After the disappearance of 90-octane gasoline, adding 92-octane fuel to old Jettas/Santanas is completely sufficient. But pay attention to three points: 1. Try to choose fuel from Sinopec or PetroChina, as 92-octane from small gas stations may have insufficient octane ratings; 2. Running on the highway once a month to clean carbon deposits is more important than changing fuel grades; 3. For cars over 20 years old, add half a bottle of fuel cleaner before refueling. Last year, I drove a 1988 Mercedes-Benz 190E from Beijing to Xinjiang using only 92-octane fuel without any issues, even at an altitude of 4,000 meters with no knocking.