Topic: E85 Should I use it or not?

[Enkei]

I just drove by a Sunoco Station. It had E85 for $2.35 per gal. I have heard bad storys and good.

So please should I try it and use it.. Gas around here is in NJ about $2.45-$2.55 per gal of Reg
and in NY it is $2.75-$2.95 per gal for Reg..

[tdybr27]

You'll get about 25-30% worse mileage using e85 so to be worth it it should be at least that much cheaper than regular gas.

Some say you get more pep with it as it is approximately 104 octane.

[mhough]

Not sure about regular motors but I heard then  I experienced (after it was too late) that E-85 will ruin your small engines.  Since I started using E-85 gas mixed with oil,  my weed trimmer, chainsaw and leaf blower all stopped working... Lawn mower and tractor seem to be un-effected by it.

[farmguy]

In my humble opinion E85 should be avoided like the plague that it is. You will certainly see a 25% to 30% decrease in fuel economy. When I tried it on a 350 mile, all freeway trip, mine went from the normal 19.5 to 13.8 mpg.

If price is your only concern, go here: http://e85prices.com/new-york

Down in the lower left is a price comparison calculator. Plug in your own numbers to see what works.

[oHIobellboy]

I think Boilers94 had posted something about this before.

[stephygee]

I used it a lot last year when gas was through the roof.  I find that overall I enjoyed having E85 in the tank for performance reasons.  E85 burns faster than gas, and you end up spending more for it...but man....the extra "oomph" I got from it....I didn't much care.  Come to think of it, it's time for my monthly fill up.  I like to get at least a full tank of E85 once a month.  I run the AV until it's literally on fumes, then I fill up with E85.  Pretty nice 

Try it at least once and see if you like it or don't like it. 

[Enkei]

Thanks all I will try it in my next tank fill. My avg MPG is at 14.5 now with a Corsa system, K&N CAI and my Superchips set at 87 oct Should I set it to performace after I put E85 in?

[Donnie1]

The only time we use E85 is when it is at least $.40 cheaper per gal. The extra power is nice but you do lose about 3-4 mpg's depending how you drive. Last year it was continously $.50 per gallon cheaper but recently has stayed within 2-3 cents per gallon cheaper so we have not been using it.

[Aussie]

When Gas was $ 4.00 a gallon that is all I burned was E85. Then when the gas dropped E 85 was higher so I stopped burning it. Me personally I think the AV ran much better on E 85. I did not notice any mileage drop what so ever but then the Pearl is not known to get more then 13 mpg on a good day and most often less then that. 
I did not buy him for MPG though I bought him to look damn good getting there. E85 in my opinion rocks. I love the way he runs and since having to use gas I had to replace a MAF and it did look sooty. E85 burns much much cleaner and hotter.

[boilers94]

It's a personal choice, but I only use it when the difference in price is significant and by significant, I mean $0.60/gallon or more cheaper than 87 octane.