Every non-EV driver knows there comes a time in your journey when you have to fill the car up with gas. If you’re driving a new car, a rental car or your parent’s car, you might not know which side the gas tank is on or what kind of gas goes in it.
It’s a common enough question that manufacturers have made it very easy for any driver to quickly figure it out.
Watch this video for some gas tank tips every driver should know.
Gas tank
In a lot of cars, there’s an easy way to tell which side of your car the gas tank is on.
Look at your fuel gauge on your dashboard. You should spot a symbol that looks like a fuel pump. Next to that pump is an arrow that points to the side your tank is on.
Shop top-rated related products:
- A must-have for road trips: Airmoto Tire Inflator Portable Air Compressor
- For a more organized vehicle: Fyzeoty Car Organizers for Trunk
- A top-rated car camera: Rove R2 4K Dual Dash Cam Front and Rear
- This quirky car cleaner: Pulidiki Car Cleaning Gel
- For a full battery: Halo Bolt Ultimate 2 Portable Car Battery
Types of gas
When you pull up to the pump, there are three main types of gas to choose
from: regular, mid-grade (or plus) and premium. The difference between them is how much octane they have
- Regular unleaded gas has an octane level of 87.
- Mid-grade gas has an octane level of 89.
- Premium gas has an octane level of 91-94.
Different cars have different octane needs. Regular is suitable for most cars. Cars with higher-performance engines, like sports cars, or pickup trucks might require the higher tiers of gas to keep the engine running properly.
Some cars have a handy little guide on the inside of the fuel door indicating the octane level (or it might say AKI) your car needs. If your car doesn't have this on the fuel door, check the owner's manual or do a quick web search.
Some cars might recommend using premium, however, check the minimum octane required. It may recommend 91, but it only requires a minimum of 89.
There's no benefit to paying for a higher level of gas if your car runs on regular. It won't increase your vehicle performance. However, if your car has a high-performance engine and requires a higher fuel tier, using a lower octane than recommended can reduce performance and cause engine damage over time, according to Kelly Blue Book.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The quickest way to find a car's gas tank
