The cost for a litre of regular gasoline in Ottawa is expected to hit $1.30 per litre on Friday.

The price of gas has been climbing in recent months, fueled by the rising cost of oil and turmoil in Libya and the Middle East. As summer approaches, some experts say the price at the pumps will climb even higher.

While the price for regular gasoline has spiked, the cost of premium is even higher. On Thursday, premium gas was 15 cents more per litre than regular gasoline.

Drivers of high-end vehicles are recommended to use premium fuel. Even though the vehicles can run on regular gas, the cheaper fuel can affect the performance of the vehicle's engine.

"You can run them, but you may get check engine light issues. You may get carbon deposits in your engine," said Mike McNeely, a Porsche sales manager at Mark Motors in Ottawa.

He says although premium gas costs more at the pump, it can create savings in the long-term.

Premium gas burns better than regular gasoline, which means better mileage and less frequent fill-ups.

"If you were to compare, the costs extra that you'd pay at the pump, over how many litres per hundred kilometres or miles per gallon that you get, you're actually probably ahead," said McNeely.

Rosa Bidner needs to use the high-end gasoline for her 2006 Mercedes.

"It's over one hundred dollars," Bidner said. "You get used to it. What can you do? At least we're not paying what the Europeans are paying."

With a report from CTV Ottawa's Norman Fetterley