According to page 10-3 of the 2001 Nissan Maxima
Owner's Manual:
FUEL RECOMMENDATION
Unleaded premium gasoline with an octane
rating of at least 91 AKI (Anti-Knock Index)
number (Research octane number 96)
If unleaded premium gasoline is not available,
unleaded regular gasoline with an
octane rating of at least 87 AKI (Research
octane number 91) can be used.
However, for maximum vehicle performance,
the use of unleaded premium gasoline
is recommended.
Engine "knock" is not just an unusual sound - but over time can cause real damage to the engine. You *should* use fuels with the recommended octane levels, but if you choose to use fuel with a lower octane level due to reduce fuel costs - do not repeatedly use fuel that causes engine knock. Find the "sweet spot" between the cost of lower octane fuel and an octane level that does not cause knocking. Expect fuel economy and performance to drop with lower octane fuels, too.
Good luck!
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