Hi Mike,

That's not true unless the car is specifically designed to run on high-octane gas.  Octane ratings measure the amount of energy it takes to ignite the fuel, not the fuel's energy output.  "Ping" or "spark-knock" occurs when the fuel does not burn efficiently.  High-performance engines, such as the LT1 350 in my '94 Cadillac, produce more power because of their high compression ratios, which require higher octane fuel to prevent the "pinging".

Back in the day, we used to just retard the ignition timing a few degrees to get rid of the knock.  Not so easy now with computer-controlled ignition systems.  I run Sunoco Ultra 93, which usually runs about .15¢ to .20¢ more per gallon, but it's cheaper than a set of pistons, rings and valve guide seals.  If I were you, I'd run the octane recommended by the manufacturer.  As my daddy used to say, "them factory boys are a pretty fair bunch of country mechanics."

Regards,
Scott Perry