A woman says she has been filling her loaner vehicle with “87 octane” gas for her 1.5-hour commutes as payback for her Lexus dealership taking too long to repair her car.

On Dec. 4, a Lexus owner (@lindamayorral) posted a TikTok, which has amassed 1.3 million views as of Saturday, showing that she has been filling her loaner car with the cheapest gas.  

“Dealership holding my Lexus hostage so I stay filling their loaner with the crappy gas and taking it on my 1.5 hour commute,” reads the text overlay of her video. 

“91 for my RC only,” she writes in the caption.

Is There A Difference In Gas Quality, And Does It Impact The Car?

Many of the comments were debating if the concept of “good or bad” gas even exists. 

“87 is perfectly ok for most cars but go on,” wrote one comment.

“A lot of people in the comments don’t know what they’re talking about. Octane rating does make a difference. You should run your engine on what it requires. Using the wrong octane rating will give you worse mileage and can lead to damage over time,” another shared.

There is indeed a tangible quality difference in terms of gasoline Octane levels, but it is often misunderstood. Gasoline quality in the U.S. is regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, meaning all fuel must meet minimum federal standards regardless of octane.

Octane rating, like 87 versus 91, doesn’t measure “cleanliness” or overall quality, but resistance to engine knock. Cars designed for premium fuel, such as performance-oriented Lexus models, may experience reduced efficiency or long-term wear if consistently run on lower-octane fuel than recommended. However, most modern vehicles can temporarily tolerate lower octane without immediate damage, especially under light driving conditions.

Are There Consequences For Adding A High Amount Of Miles To A Loaner Car?

Many comments echoed that they were also adding a high amount of miles to their loaner, as well as using “low-quality” gas. 

“Put on 2k miles on my loaner in 6 days,” wrote one comment.

“They tried this with me and I called and they said 2 more weeks. I said ‘okay well im going on a road trip this weekend’ my car was ready the next day,” added another. 

There can potentially be consequences for not taking proper care of a loaner vehicle, depending on the dealership agreement. Many dealership loaner contracts include mileage limits or require the car to be returned in similar condition, excluding normal wear and tear.

Various internet forums indicate that mileage or misuse could result in added fees or disputes when the loaner is returned. That said, enforcement varies widely as some dealers absorb mileage as part of customer service, especially during long repairs. 

Motor Biscuit reached out to @lindamayorral for comment via TikTok direct message and Lexus for comment via email.

@lindamayorral 91 for my RC only ?#lexus ♬ original sound – caribbeanbaddies_