cold weather and high octane

[jlmyersrx]

It started a few years ago and I can't find a way to fix it. I have a 98 m3 4d sedan and when the temperature drops in the fall my car will not idle and runs rough. The first time this happend I called my dealer and they told me that the newer fuel has more alcohol in it and that I would need to lower the octane during the winter. I had a full tank so I drained it and filled it up with 87 octane and it ran fine except for the knocking. Is there a way around this problem?

[Furious]

where do you live? here in canada we have had problems (a few different makes of cars) with a few gas stations but they have since corrected the problem

[jlmyersrx]

I live in Oklahoma, hot in the summer but only in the low 40's (F) in the winter. The problem starts as soon as the first cold snap hits. Very hard to drive a stick that does not idle.

[dutchbmw]

I know in Canada they put a few percent Methanol in the fuel when it's freezing. Maybe that's the solution....?