Does The BMW X3 Need Premium Gas?

The BMW X3 is a beloved luxury compact SUV. 

However, it is well known that BMW X3s require premium gas rather than regular. 

However, can the BMW X3 run on regular gas?

Does The BMW X3 Need Premium Gas?

The BMW X3 can run on regular gas, but the gas will likely damage the engine over time, and engine repairs for BMW X3s are extremely expensive. BMW X3s are made to run on premium gas with an octane level of 91 or higher, and regular gas tends to have an octane level between 85 and 87.

More information about what will happen to your BMW X3 if you decide to switch to regular is included below.

What Will Happen If I Use Regular Gas in a BMW X3?

If you use regular gas in your BMW X3, the engine will be damaged over time. 

Many BMW X3 owners that regularly put regular gas in the tank have reported hearing knocking and pinging sounds coming from the engine. 

The overall performance of the engine will also be hindered if you use regular rather than premium gas, so you won’t enjoy the driving experience of your BMW X3 as much as you usually do.

BMW X3s that regularly use regular gas don’t typically last as long as BMW X3s that regularly use premium gas. 

The BMW X3 engine is made to run on high octane gas with an octane level of 91 or higher. 

Regular gas just doesn’t have what the engine needs to run well and efficiently.If you use regular gas rather than premium once or twice in your BMW X3, you likely won’t notice a difference and damage won’t be done. 

However, if you use regular rather than premium gas all the time, you will cause damage and the overall performance of the car will go down.

If regular gas is put in your BMW X3 often, the engine will start knocking or pinging. 

Knocking and pinging are heard when the engine doesn’t burn fuel evenly in the cylinders.

It can also be caused by fuel and air being mixed in the engine badly or extremely high temperatures being reached inside of the engine.

If you hear knocking or pinging in your engine, take it to a mechanic that you trust at soon as possible so the problem can be resolved. 

If you are unsure if your engine is knocking or pinging, check the knocking sensor in your BMW X3. 

If you ignore the problem, you can cause irreparable damage to your car’s engine.

Although you shouldn’t use regular fuel in your BMW X3 once or twice, technology within the car will work to minimize the damage that the gas will do.

However, you don’t want to risk engine failure or damage just because you wanted to purchase the cheaper gas option. 

If you do that, you will spend the money you saved and more on engine repairs or a new car. 

Does the 2020 BMW X3 Require Premium Gas?

The 2020 BMW X3 does require premium gas rather than regular gas. 

The engine has the same requirements as other BMW engines and car models, so you need to put premium gas that has an octane level of 91 or higher in the gas tank.

In fact, BMW wants its car owners to put premium, unleaded gasoline in all of their BMW X3s, even the more recent models, such as the 2020, 2021, and 2022 models. 

This type of gasoline will ensure that the engine of the car will last as long as possible. 

It will also make sure that the performance of the vehicle is as good as possible, which is necessary because many people purchase BMWs for the high-quality overall performance.

Can I Put 87 in My BMW X3?

You can put 87 gasoline in your BMW, but you really shouldn’t. Most regular gas has an octane level of 85 to 87, so it is not premium gas.

Premium gas typically has an octane level of 91 or more, which is required by BMW engines.

87 gas is considered low-grade and low-octane fuel, which inhibits the performance of your BMW and can harm the engine over time. 

Do BMW X3s Use Diesel?

A few BMW X3 models use diesel rather than gas. 

The BMW X3s that require diesel rather than gas are the BMW X3 20d and the BMW X3 30d. 

The X3 20d and 30d both have turbodiesel engines. Other BMW X3 models don’t use diesel because they don’t have diesel engines. 

If you want to purchase a BMW X3 that uses diesel rather than gasoline, talk to the BMW dealership you are intending to purchase your car from and discuss your options. 

They may be able to customize a car to your exact preferences.

If you have a BMW X3 that uses diesel rather than gasoline, you will need to get premium diesel rather than regular. 

Premium diesel is more expensive than regular diesel, but it will help your BMW X3’s engine work well for years to come and help the performance.

If you use premium diesel rather than regular, you likely won’t notice the diesel smell as much. You can find regular and premium diesel at any gas station in the United States. 

Since BMW X3s that run on gas require premium gas, it makes sense that BMW X3s that run on diesel also should run on premium diesel.

That is the case, which is unfortunate for your wallet.

Diesel is much more expensive than gasoline, and premium diesel is more expensive than regular diesel.

Overall, no model or year of BMW X3 should use regular gas, even though it can be used once in a blue moon if necessary.

If you want to save some money periodically, you can use regular rather than premium gas once in a while. 

However, if you do so regularly, the performance of the car will be reduced and the engine will be damaged because of the low-quality fuel. 

So, it’s best to avoid regular gas altogether.