No premium fuel 'round here
 

With Houston underwater, here in DFW area we are sold out of
Premium fuel. Not wanting to put 87 octane in the German Panzers.

I have tanks full now, but not sure how long this shortage is going to last.
Book says 91 min octane. Is it time to air up the bicycle tires?

Nah just drop some octane booster in the cheap gas. Presto your set.

Premium gas just has higher octane its not actually any different from 87 octane gas other than they add the octane booster at the plant.

Honestly, nothing bad will happen if you put 87 in your X5. Both the M62 and N62 have knock sensors and can adjust the timing based on the octane of fuel that you use. You might lose a little bit of power, but you won't actually harm your engine.

Heck, I even ran 87 in my 2000 M5 one time on a road trip and everything was fine. And that engine is a lot more exotic than an M62 with a higher compression ratio, and yet it was fine. BMW engineered these engines really well!

87 is fine. Gas shortage is one of the downsides of social media. Somebody posted something about a shortage causing a mass rush to fill tanks. It's my understanding a lot of the DFW gas comes from OK. Saw a post of a guy near here that was filling up huge trashcans in the back of his truck.

Yep that's what happens around here if we run out. Everyone panics and fills up and when you try to tell them there isn't a shortage they tell you your nuts because there isn't any gas to buy at the stations.

Trying to point out that the reason there isn't any gas to buy is because everyone went into a panic and bought what the stations had on hand doesn't work.

That tops it BCRedliner.....

Reminds me of this id10t during Sandy
Can we say kabooooom

http://i.huffpost.com/gen/849381/ima...DY-640x362.jpg

If it looks like the shortage will go a few more days, when you get to half tank go ahead and top off with 87. That will keep your average octane up above 87 and hopefully get you thru to more premium available

Running 87 won't hurt your motor. It will just result in lower horsepower as the engine adjusts the timing to prevent the knock from the lower octane fuel.

87 is fine and there are plenty of gas stations in the area with fuel... Valley Ranch here and I passed several places yesterday and today with gas and no lines

Plenty of guys on Bimmer Forums run 87 in their BMW's. It's not great long term, but you can get away with it for a pretty long time.