Super fuels are a waste of money, says Which? This report is a bit old now but still relevant. Headline/text below:

Expensive super fuels 'don't improve performance'

25 September 2008

Super fuels don’t save you money, improve your car’s performance, or help to protect the environment, a study by Which? Car shows.

Fuel companies claim super fuels, which cost more at the pumps, can optimise fuel economy and increase a car’s power.

But Which? Car put three super fuels up against cheaper alternatives, and found there was little point in using them.

Marginal power increase

Shell V-Power, one of the unleaded super fuels tested, gave a 1.6-litre Ford Focus a marginal power increase.

But filling the car on this petrol for 12,000 miles would cost £115 more than using Shell’s standard petrol.

And Tesco’s Super Unleaded – another of the super fuels on test – actually decreased the Focus’s power.

Supercharged engines

Which? Car also looked at the impact of super fuels on turbo- and supercharged engines.

The VW Golf’s hi-tech 1.4TSI engine responded well to Shell V-Power, but there was little to choose between super fuels and ordinary petrol when it came to economy and emissions.

BP Ultimate diesel – the only diesel super fuel on test – actually made the fuel economy and performance of a Renault Mégane 1.5 slightly worse.

Waste of money

Which? Car editor Richard Headland said: 'For many cars it’s a waste of money paying over the odds for so-called 'super fuels'.

'The standard fuels we tested were all up to the job, whether from a major fuel brand or a supermarket.

'There’s no conclusive evidence to show that super fuels are better for your car in the long run - so in a time of high oil prices, why would you choose to pay more?'

Which? Car said motorists would do better to drive less frequently and more economically if they want to protect the environment, as the super fuels tested only had a marginal effect on emissions and pollutants.

There may be benefits to using super fuels in the long term as they include detergents to improve engine longevity. But Which? Car said any break even point in terms of reduced repair bills could take many years to reach.

A 1.6 Focus is mapped to 95ron, where as a 1.4TSI engine will likely be able to adjust to higher RON.

I've always found (over many cars) that using the higher RON fuels easily makes the extra cost back in increased MPG, aswell as the car feeling more responsive.

The Which? report , like so many fail to see what these super fuels are really for...

High Octane fuels such as V-Power and super-unleaded are for use with those performance cars that have high compression ratios and ECUs that can adapt to the higher octane fuels. These are relatively few cars, but do include the VAG direct injection (FSi, TSi) engines. With VAG engines, it allows slightly improved power and potentially significantly improved economy. However this improved economy is only seen when driving in a very specific way that allows stratified charge mode to be used by the ECU. Not the way most performance cars are driven.

BP Ultimate diesel uses an additive package that gives specific benefits that are only realisable with long term use - e.g. cleaning of injectors. Other benefits such as increased cetane manifest itselfs as a smoother running.

They are expensive fuels.

This is a topic thats been done almost as much as "What tyres...?" or "When is my cam belt due?"

Loads of threads on it and they all come to the same conclusion:

In the VAST majority of cases you will never see the cash back for buy such products and that goes for petrol and diesel.

This is a topic thats been done almost as much as "What tyres...?" or "When is my cam belt due?"

Loads of threads on it and they all come to the same conclusion:

In the VAST majority of cases you will never see the cash back for buy such products and that goes for petrol and diesel.

LOL, have to agree with the done to death thing, but i think what you put in is down to preference. Ive done 42k in my Furby and only filled up with BP Ultimate. The car is heavily modded and runs better in all respects.

Do i care if i see cash back, no. Im not after more MPG im after the best performance for the mods ive installed.

Ultimate gives me greatly reduced smoke (which is enough for me to justify purchasing) whilst moving through the revs better.

Ive used MIllers and gave the bottle away after 4 tank fulls, car was jumpy and lumpy. Didnt like it so i switched back.