Shell V Power

[pipsyp]

I've stopped putting super unleaded in our vRS (as I know my wife never bothers so there was no point continuing to do so) and have to say i've noticed little or no difference in its performance or the way it runs.

[MartynVRS]

I do want to try VPower again but it must be well past £1.50 a litre by now. Momentum it's had for most of the time I've owned it and fuel economy had improved since new but not a big jump apart from after the service. Seen over 42mpg on a drive to work whereas before it was less than 36mpg. May try 2 tanks of VPower to see what happens but I'll have to save up first

[seboni121]

I do want to try VPower again but it must be well past £1.50 a litre by now. Momentum it's had for most of the time I've owned it and fuel economy had improved since new but not a big jump apart from after the service. Seen over 42mpg on a drive to work whereas before it was less than 36mpg. May try 2 tanks of VPower to see what happens but I'll have to save up first

£1.58 per litre here now derv tho

[jonny boy]

V Power is about 7-8p more than regular unleaded in Liverpool. (£1.40 vs £1.47 @ 20/08/12)

That's about £3 more for a full tank. No brainer really.

[mrgf]

I am a sceptic of the whole notion of better or worse fuel... Of course a "Better" uel may give a slightly better burn, potentially giving slightly higher mpg, but I would think the real benefit would be a cleaner burn, helping keep the engine cleaer, therefor running better, therefor giving better mpg(?)

I would still say that the small difference will almost certainly be un-noticable in the short term drive. But in the long term, the engine MAY be cleaner internally, therefor run slightly better.

Having said that, te saving made, could just as easily be used in servicing the vehicle, giving bettr running performance you CAN feel!

(A poorly serviced car will feel much better after a good service, changing the oil, filters, plugs etc).

Now comes the rub...

I have a 59 plate Greenline, witharound 40K on the clock and suffered a severe mechanical breakdown recently, with the engine suddenly and unexpectedly giving a nasty rattly-grumble from within... I called Skoda assist, who removed one of the air pipes and suggested it may be from the engine or even the turbo.

It went to the main dealer, who after a few days, got the go ahead from Skoda uk,to replace the cylinder head as it had failed for some reason. (I was going to start a thread regarding that but now wont bother)!

Skoda uk had asked the dealership about oil, but they told them it had just been serviced lss then 1600 miles previous and the oil was at the correct level.

Skoda uk then went on to suggest I was using Bio-diesel, to which I replied I only use what is available at the pumps, in regular forecourts, I.E. I never use, have neve used or never will use chipshop oil, homemade or re-cycled oil from any source, just forecourt fuel!

The cylinder head was replaced, very quickly, (Thank you Preston Skoda) And under warrenty, but I was advised by the technician to ONLY use reputable fuel suppliers, (Shell was the first to be mentioned) And to steer clear of supermarket fuel, due to the lower quality.

I was also advised that the higher grade (V-Power) Would be even better for the engine.

Since then, I have only used well known branded fuel, mainly Shell, mostly V-Power, but on occasion and due to neccessity, Esso. I have noticed NO difference in performance OR fuel consumption but the single biggest change was that, using V-Power, my diesel particulate filter (DPF) Light came on MORE OFTEN, where I would have expected it to be less!

This could be attributed though, to my living in East London, where I have used the A12 a little less during the Olympic events, using through town routes from Bethnal Green, to areas like Walthamsow or Leytontone, etc.

Of course,this could also be attributed to the cleaning nature of the fuel, taking MORE of the grime and soot OUT of th engine, thus requiring the filter to be regenreated more often.

I will try the V-Power again, after the Paralympics, when I can use the roads as I did previously.

Just in case there are any interested parties out thre, When the car was repaired, Preston's technician noticed the oil filler cap had "gunk" In it and thought that the oil had thickened/sludged up for some reason, although not in an emulsified way, as would be expected from a blown head gasket.

I think this lead to the "wrong fuel" conclusion. He stated that they had never heard of a Fabia failing in this way before, so, based on the law of averages, I am reconing, if the theory is correct, they will start dropping like flies over the next few years, as more users save cash and buy supermarket grade diesel!

However, I have never-EVER heard of a car having such a catastrophic failure, so early in its life, blamed on cheaper grade fuel. I am guessing that manufacturers whould be suing oil companies left and right, if it was the case. Also, fuel companies would try counter-suing, suggesting that manufacturers are building engines that are too fragile and "Not fit for purpose"

It has been my overall belief that, by its very nature, a diesel engine is built to run in worse conditions, for longer periods, and be simpler to build and repair, then a conventional petrol engine. Otherwise, why would agricultural and haulage industries rely so heavily on diesel powerplants?

[Richf]

Shell V power becomes Shell V power at the refining stage NOT when its put into the tankers that used to be the case with earlier Shell fuels like "Formula Shell" but has never been the case with V power

Of course there is a point where all fuels are the same as they are created from the same raw material but the process doesnt end there , its like saying all cars are the same as they are built from the same materials

The "recipe" for pump fuels does vary from supplier to supplier

[raisbeck]

I am a sceptic of the whole notion of better or worse fuel... Of course a "Better" uel may give a slightly better burn, potentially giving slightly higher mpg, but I would think the real benefit would be a cleaner burn, helping keep the engine cleaer, therefor running better, therefor giving better mpg(?)

I would still say that the small difference will almost certainly be un-noticable in the short term drive. But in the long term, the engine MAY be cleaner internally, therefor run slightly better.

Having said that, te saving made, could just as easily be used in servicing the vehicle, giving bettr running performance you CAN feel!

(A poorly serviced car will feel much better after a good service, changing the oil, filters, plugs etc).

Now comes the rub...

I have a 59 plate Greenline, witharound 40K on the clock and suffered a severe mechanical breakdown recently, with the engine suddenly and unexpectedly giving a nasty rattly-grumble from within... I called Skoda assist, who removed one of the air pipes and suggested it may be from the engine or even the turbo.

It went to the main dealer, who after a few days, got the go ahead from Skoda uk,to replace the cylinder head as it had failed for some reason. (I was going to start a thread regarding that but now wont bother)!

Skoda uk had asked the dealership about oil, but they told them it had just been serviced lss then 1600 miles previous and the oil was at the correct level.

Skoda uk then went on to suggest I was using Bio-diesel, to which I replied I only use what is available at the pumps, in regular forecourts, I.E. I never use, have neve used or never will use chipshop oil, homemade or re-cycled oil from any source, just forecourt fuel!

The cylinder head was replaced, very quickly, (Thank you Preston Skoda) And under warrenty, but I was advised by the technician to ONLY use reputable fuel suppliers, (Shell was the first to be mentioned) And to steer clear of supermarket fuel, due to the lower quality.

I was also advised that the higher grade (V-Power) Would be even better for the engine.

Since then, I have only used well known branded fuel, mainly Shell, mostly V-Power, but on occasion and due to neccessity, Esso. I have noticed NO difference in performance OR fuel consumption but the single biggest change was that, using V-Power, my diesel particulate filter (DPF) Light came on MORE OFTEN, where I would have expected it to be less!

This could be attributed though, to my living in East London, where I have used the A12 a little less during the Olympic events, using through town routes from Bethnal Green, to areas like Walthamsow or Leytontone, etc.

Of course,this could also be attributed to the cleaning nature of the fuel, taking MORE of the grime and soot OUT of th engine, thus requiring the filter to be regenreated more often.

I will try the V-Power again, after the Paralympics, when I can use the roads as I did previously.

Just in case there are any interested parties out thre, When the car was repaired, Preston's technician noticed the oil filler cap had "gunk" In it and thought that the oil had thickened/sludged up for some reason, although not in an emulsified way, as would be expected from a blown head gasket.

I think this lead to the "wrong fuel" conclusion. He stated that they had never heard of a Fabia failing in this way before, so, based on the law of averages, I am reconing, if the theory is correct, they will start dropping like flies over the next few years, as more users save cash and buy supermarket grade diesel!

However, I have never-EVER heard of a car having such a catastrophic failure, so early in its life, blamed on cheaper grade fuel. I am guessing that manufacturers whould be suing oil companies left and right, if it was the case. Also, fuel companies would try counter-suing, suggesting that manufacturers are building engines that are too fragile and "Not fit for purpose"

It has been my overall belief that, by its very nature, a diesel engine is built to run in worse conditions, for longer periods, and be simpler to build and repair, then a conventional petrol engine. Otherwise, why would agricultural and haulage industries rely so heavily on diesel powerplants?

Sorry to hear about your engine issues. I had been under the impression these PD's were close to bullet proof but that clearly isnt the case. I have the identical Greenline to you however I have never had the DPF light come on in all its 56,000 miles. I do a lot of motorway and A road driving, 110 miles per day so may explain it. I ran V power for a while just to see if it was of any benefit. The car regenerated more often at first but then the regen frequency reduced with every subsequent tank. About 20 miles more before regen on average. I sort of assumed it was the cleaners taking off the gunk and throwing it in the DPF, once it was all gone the fuel burned cleaner? I know that V power uses a percentage of gas to liquid stock which produces less soot which may be a factor. After a boring evening a while back, searching for info,I found V power uses an injector cleaner as part of its make up, though i assume more dilute than a single treatment type. I didnt notice any extra mpg at all and thats true of every fuel i have tried. I havent ever used supermarket fuel, usually its BP,Shell,Total and very rarely some Murco flavour. If I had to say which I preferred for no reliably quantifiable reason other than "gut feeling " I would say Esso. Maybe a few mpg more but cant really give evidence of that.

Probably the best thing for a diesel is work it hard, keeps itself clean by burning off any crud and the fuel is perhaps a minor player in helping out. Cant be good sticking a porous cork on the exhaust either which is what all us diesel drivers have to look forward to from now on.

[Ootohere]

JMO.

The Fuels & the Supermarkets are not wrong.

(yes we get ripped off & thats the Government & the EU & Speculators and Traders in commodities like Oil.)

Car manufacturers & the Governments know the Countries we live in, the roads we drive and our choice of fuels.

they are bringing in Emission Regulations & Bio usage etc.

If the Manufacturers can not Build & sell vehicles fit for purpose to run on the fuels available for us to buy, then they need to say.

You should be able to purchase a vehicle & give it maintenance,care & fuel

and then drive it without needing to study fuels and prices & rumours and such. JMO.

Here we go next.

Cr4p tyres & tyre noise laws, we knew they were coming, this is the start.

'More Info' & rubbish lasting tyres that are quiet.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18663023

http://www.ntda.co.u...reLabelling.pdf

george

[seboni121]

JMO.

The Fuels & the Supermarkets are not wrong.

(yes we get ripped off & thats the Government & the EU & Speculators and Traders in commodities like Oil.)

Car manufacturers & the Governments know the Countries we live in, the roads we drive and our choice of fuels.

they are bringing in Emission Regulations & Bio usage etc.

If the Manufacturers can not Build & sell vehicles fit for purpose to run on the fuels available for us to buy, then they need to say.

You should be able to purchase a vehicle & give it maintenance,care & fuel

and then drive it without needing to study fuels and prices & rumours and such. JMO.

Here we go next.

Cr4p tyres & tyre noise laws, we knew they were coming, this is the start.

'More Info' & rubbish lasting tyres that are quiet.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18663023

http://www.ntda.co.u...reLabelling.pdf

george

Very informative George thanx

[XK140]

A lot of information on here,so I'll just ask a simple question (the answer may not be simple!!)...

Given that I choose to run super unleaded petrol and all the makes are available near to me, and I first take the decision to go for the higher octane duo,is there any definite evidence that I should buy the more expensive V-Power or the somewhat cheaper Momentum?... does the maxim "avoid supermarket fuel" apply?

...all very confusing!!!

(ps I'm talking about for my Fabia vRS,when I get it)

[Ootohere]

Tesco is a Supermarket & Tesco sell Momentum.

Easy to run Shell V Power for as long as you want,

then try Momentum,

then BP 99 ron.

All are at the recommended 98 Ron, infact they excide it.

Your Economy should improve with miles and usage, so it can be hard to compare sometimes.

Then you might boot it and only get 25 mpg for a few hours instead of 42 mpg other times.

Short runs, long runs.

Time will tell you what suits you..

http://www.petrolprices.com

Sainsbury's Super is only 97 Ron.

I used it but i am not often near to buy regularly & dont really want to.

Cheap tho, mostly & the car run fine at normal speeds.

(very cheap in Aberdeen compared to the prices i read for Liverpool.)

george

[philhoward]

I did the majority of 70,000 miles-odd in my twincharged Scirocco on Momentum99. Ignoring the first 10-15k where it was still running in, back to back tests showed approaching a 7-8% improvement in mpg - 390 miles a tank became 430 - and slightly improved running and performance. Certainly knew it if I timed it wrong and had to put a tank of 95 in it (funnily enough, the filler cap only stated 95RON with 98/Super allowed). Not quite as peppy - marginal, but just about noticeable.

[seboni121]

A lot of information on here,so I'll just ask a simple question (the answer may not be simple!!)...

Given that I choose to run super unleaded petrol and all the makes are available near to me, and I first take the decision to go for the higher octane duo,is there any definite evidence that I should buy the more expensive V-Power or the somewhat cheaper Momentum?... does the maxim "avoid supermarket fuel" apply?

...all very confusing!!!

(ps I'm talking about for my Fabia vRS,when I get it)

IMO yes never use the supermarket stuff, I did for many years Tescos and I had issues with the fuel lines, mechanic asked me where I get my fuel, ah he said it will be the flap on the egr valve will be jammed, he opened it up and hey presto, looked like a smokers lung after 100 years of smoking full of caked tar and sludge, he washed it all by soaking it in some thinners and was like new, started her up and ran beautiful, he said don't use the supermarket stuff and I never did also I used redex but now BG244 for diesel

[Furbytom]

It would be great to see data from a proper double-blind randomised controlled trial of "super" vs "normal" octane fuel. Can't see that happening tho as would be very expensive to carry out! Would require a very large number of cars for the study to have enough power to be able to identify a statistically significant difference between the two groups.

[philhoward]

Mine isn't exactly scientific but given I was doing pretty much the same route, day in, day out, was good enough for me to make the "Super only" decision. I wasn't paying the fuel bill (like the vRS, its a company car) but if questioned, my justification was it was financially viable to use the posh stuff.

When you're doing between 800 and 1000 miles a week, you get to notice trends much easier.

[Gumby]

I thought the main point of using a High octane fuel (98RON+) and why manufacturers of high performance cars recommend that it is used, is so you don't get engine 'knocking'.

On normal 95 RON, the fuel will explode too early whilst being compressed by the piston i.e. it explodes when the piston has only partially compressed into the cylinder, causing a knocking sound in the engine which is detected by the fuel(?) sensors. If it gets too much then it will reduce power.

So, if you are using the correct RON fuel, like Skoda recommend for the vRS, then the fuel explodes at the right point and therefore the full power is given by the engine.

The reason I said before that I won't be using BP 97RON anymore is because I've noticed considerable improvements in MPG, how long a tank lasts and an increase in engine power when using V-Power.

[Bullyboy]

Filled up with v power on Sunday 1.439 a litre. Have used v power in 90% of my fill ups and have the belief if 98 Ron is recommended and I have just shelled out circa 16 k for a new car I am happy to go with it and use it.

[tonyfvrs]

If the manufacturer says use 95, use 95; if the manufacturer says use 98+, use 98+, simples.

[bluecar1]

reminds me of the 70s when there was 2 star and 4 star petrol

now we have 4 start and super / vpower / ultimtate or some other fancy name

[Ootohere]

A google for another post and petrol prices reminded me of the pumps when i was very young,

before they were all marked 2 * , 4*, 5*

Standard or Regular was 89-91 Octane.

Mixture was Standard & Premium Mixed 95 octane

Premium 96-98

Best or Super 99-101

http://theaa.com/pub...ate_gallons.pdf

george

[MilgeS]

If the manufacturer says use 95, use 95; if the manufacturer says use 98+, use 98+, simples.

I asked my dealer about fuel the other day when I ordered my VRS, he said use normal with the occasional tank of Super, so confusing!

[Ootohere]

Next time you are in,

maybe ask that same person to write that exact statement on your order form & sign it,

or do that when you collect the car.

You will do no harm running about using 95 RON since it is the Minimum recommended Octane.

I would not use it hard using 95 RON tho. JMO.

george

[philhoward]

I had to fill up with 95RON (no super and at 1am didn't have much choice with 10 miles range left) and didn't notice much difference although it was a motorway run home. Still did just under 40mpg as opposed to about 42mpg expected for the same run. On the flip side, I could have sworn I heard pinking yesterday when pulling away yesterday!

The Shell V-Power in Germany had a label of 100RON on it. Will be filling back up with Momentum tonight ready for the run to Germany again in the morning. Need another bottle of oil as well - Almost 6000 miles now and its at the bottom of the hatched area (complemetary 1 litre bottle now empty as well).

[Gumby]

On the flip side, I could have sworn I heard pinking yesterday when pulling away yesterday!

My point exaclty, the fuel is exploding too early

[Richf]

When is Shell V power NOT Shell V power??

There are Shell owned fuel stations and Shell stations that are operated independently and that have an arrangement with Shell to provide fuel , it turns out after some research by a guy on the Mitsubishi Lancers register than some of there garages sourced fuel from elsewhere during the recent tanker drivers dispute, that means you could have been paying for Shell V power but actually getting unbranded 95 ron fuel

Shell describe these independent stations as "Dealerships" if you want to check which type your favourite one is then you can call 0800 731 8888

A quote from Shell

Thank you for your recent email regarding the availability of Shell V-Power in your area.

I would like to point out that the station you visited is an independently dealer operated site, and as such Shell have a fuel supply agreement only. Dealer operated sites were contractually allowed to provide alternative sources of fuel during Shell’s contracted hauliers strike. This fuel is not the V-Power product as this is a unique fuel that is exclusive to Shell.

Once again, I am sorry that this experience gave you cause to contact us and I do hope that this unfortunate incident will not deter you from visiting Shell branded service stations in the future.

Yours sincerely,

Customer Relations – Retail