Puzzling move on Super gas

THE EDITOR: A good friend of mine’s who lives in Florida owns a Toyota Camry. He tells me that since it was new (about ten years ago), he has used only regular unleaded (octane rating, OR-87) gasoline. His daughter recently bought a Toyota Avalon (with a V6 engine) and she uses unleaded plus (OR-89) gasoline, the recommended fuel.

In TT, Super gasoline is rated OR-92 and Premium OR-95. At the moment, perhaps over 95 per cent of local cars use Super gasoline, its octane rating already much higher than what's used by most cars in the US.

So it's rather puzzling that plans are afoot to force drivers to change from a fuel (Super) which is already higher-rated than most need to one (Premium) that they don't need or want. Why pay more for something you don't need? Isn't the cost of living high enough as it is?

And the eternal question arises: Whom does this benefit? Surely not the 95 per cent of drivers, me included, who are happy and comfortable using Super? It would surely help if we are given the rationale for this proposed move, including who are the beneficiaries.

NOEL KALICHARAN

via e-mail