I don't have an option to use ethanol-free gas so it's a moot point. The closer you are to DC, the harder it is to get away from ethanol.

But a very abbreviated version of my anti-ethanol rant:

• Ethanol destroys rubber that isn't specifically designed to handle it - so hoses, seals, O-rings, etc can all be destroyed very quickly (especially if a vehicle sits idle for periods at a time, like a seldom-driven car or a lawnmower that's only used seasonally).
• Ethanol has a lower energy potential than gasoline, so you're getting less power and efficiency compared to straight gasoline.
• Ethanol in the US comes from corn, which is extremely inefficient at producing ethanol. A ton of farmers switched to corn to try to become the next 'oil shiekhs' when ethanol became mandated for fuel use in the US. It made food prices skyrocket, literally causing people to die of starvation in extremely poor areas around the world that rely on cheap/free food aid.
• As far as our cars being new enough for it to not be an issue - I'd like to see the design requirements for the cars, specifically the engines. If you guys remember the huge issue BMW had with their engines a while back, it was because of the high sulfur content of crappy American gas, which ate away the engines and caused a ton of failures. If our engines (and all supporting systems) weren't designed specifically to handle high ethanol content (15%, vs the 0-10% you'll find in Europe, with 10% being the very high end of it and a very recent development), then there's the possibility that ethanol could be harming our engines.
• Case in point: Ethanol treatments are standard fare at AM dealerships. There's a reason for it, and it's not just to make a few extra bucks during annual service.

 

We have been forced to use ethanol blends for more than 10 years here in WI, maybe more like 15 years.

I have several old cars that mostly just sit, they all have e10 blends in them, and I've never had a problem. My '67 Pontiac GTO has 3 old 2-barrel carburetors which I rebuilt myself after running e10 through them for 10 years and there was no deterioration of the rubber parts or corrosion of the metal parts. My '88 Ferrari has run on e10 for at least 10 years and it still has many original rubber fuel hoses that have been recently inspected and haven't deteriorated at all.

I think ethanol is a bad idea for a lot of reasons, but at 10% concentration I don't think it's an issue besides it's impact on food stocks and reduced fuel economy due to lower energy density.

 

This is like obsessing about which brand of oil or car wax to use LOL, as if it makes some sort of magical difference. Follow the guidelines in the manual. Fill up at well-trafficked stations so that you know you are getting fresh fuel. Beyond that... just enjoy your car!

 

Thanks Cadman, that could be my remedy if the Sonoco Ultra 94 doesn't fix it

 

Thanks Jeff_335i, good to know... I guess we will have to stock pill those 02 sensors

 

Cadman, did you buy your new O2 at the dealer or not, if not where and at what price. Thanks

 

handyman
i got the 02 sensors off ebay, not sure if i can post link on forum so i just sent you a p.m. with the link