2006 Avalon fuel requirement
 

I am thinking of buying a 2006 Toyota Avalon and was surprised to learn that Toyota recommends 93 octane fuel for this engine, particularly in light of recent trends in fuel prices. Can anyone share their experience in using 89 octane "regular" gas in this vehicle? Some dealers advise "off the record" that the engine runs okay on regular without pinging, while others only repeat Toyota's basic recommendation.