In reading the VIN spec sheet for my 3.2L petrol 2008 Freelander, I found this spec. Fuel Type/Rating - Lead free petrol [103AH]. It does not say premium. Doing a google search on "what does freelander 2 Fuel Type/Rating - Lead free petrol "[103AH]" in octane rating", the first answer (AI) says:

The "[103AH]" designation in the Land Rover Freelander 2's fuel specification refers to the minimum octane rating of the fuel, which is 91 RON (Research Octane Number). This means the vehicle can use unleaded petrol with a minimum octane rating of 91, and it is recommended to use premium unleaded petrol with a minimum of 95 RON. Using a fuel with a lower octane rating than recommended could potentially cause engine damage and affect performance

Given that I live on an island with the most expensive fuel in the country (and a maximum speed of 50 km/h), and 95 makes a tankful even more painful, I would like to get clarity what option 103AH means.

While generally web pages and pundits say use 95 (premium), I want to make sure this is actually what the Ford 3.2 engine is designed to require rather than recycled information. Unfortunately this JDM model did not come with a manual.

The previous owned said she used 91, but I filled it with 98 to ferry it back to the island.

Does anyone know what [103AH] actually means?

My previous car Seat Ibiza 1.4 L I had for 265k km. First half of its life I used 91. Had problems every few years. Then switched to 98. No problems since.

So when I got the Freelander Si4 2.0L turbo, I kept using 98 even though it can use 91. The extra range you get generally balances with the extra price.

Occasionally in outback Western Australia I couldn't get 98. Probably the minimum mix in the tank at one point in time was 98 40% 91 60%, I did notice a drop in range. Procrastination, mankind's greatest labour saving device!

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