Absurdly Driven looks at the world of business with a skeptical eye and a firmly rooted tongue in cheek.
You buy a new car and you treat it like a new baby.
It’s also less messy than a new baby, smells rather better and it’s far easier to take places.
So, admit it, the love you have for it is special.
Which means you want to treat it with the utmost care.
When you refuel it, for example, you remember what the dealer told you: “Premium Fuel recommended.”
Perhaps it says the same on the fuel cap.
Well, AAA decided to take a look at whether cars with the Recommended Premium Fuel stickers really need such fancy treatment.
Its conclusion: Not really.
The organization looked at whether Premium Fuel improved fuel economy or horsepower.
Its conclusion: Not really.
Indeed, in the case of the Audi A3, the Premium Fuel actually worsened the fuel economy by 1 percent.
Yes, the Cadillac Escalade enjoyed a 7.1 percent improvement and the Ford F-150 a 5 percent uptick.
But here’s a kink.
There’s often a 20-25 percent difference between the cost of ordinary 87-Octane fuel and the snooty sort.
So why bother?
But wait, I hear you say. Premium Fuel enhances the performance of this fancy car that I’ve just paid a lot of money for.
On average, AAA says, you’re right. It improves it by 1.4 percent.
Now that’s going to impress your passengers, isn’t it?
(.Actually, in the case of the Jeep Renegade, it reduced the horsepower by 0.3 percent.)
I should underline that this test was done on cars for which Premium Fuel is merely recommended, rather than, you know, compulsory or you’ll mess the engine up.
When it comes to cars, though, should you always believe the recommendations?
I confess that I used to believe — because it was recommended — that my car needed an oil change every 3,750 miles. Then I became skeptical. Then I only gave it an oil change every 7,500 miles.
And here we are, 120,000 miles in and it’s running beautifully.
Or think about it in terms of restaurants.
How often, when a server recommends a dish, does it really turn out to be startlingly delicious?
And how often is it merely, well, the thing the chef told the server to push?
Look, I’m not telling you what to do.
I’m merely recommending that you read this AAA study.