Interesting study released by AAA today. Yes - 87 octane is the right answer for our ninjettes (and any other vehicle that is spec'd for regular fuel). But - the quality of the additive package between off-brand cheap gas, and the known majors, does show a measurable difference in engine performance. The underlying gas is a commodity. The end fuel we consumers purchase at the pump can differ.
link to news story on CNN
Direct link to full study released by AAA (PDF file)
Link to top-tier retailers