Where do you fill up? Supermarket fuel vs Brand name premium

[TheRiddler]

Hi guys just thought I'd see if anyone on here has tried Costco premium diesel .. Iv been using it for a few weeks and I must say I'm seeing a good difference and not only that it's cheaper than all supermarkets and main petrol stations such as shell or bp .. 

i know Costco are very new to the petrol side of things but must say they going the right way for me

[Ootohere]

They do not refine or produce road fuel so they purchase from suppliers like every over retailers.

Greenergy Produces Tesco Momentum 99 for Tesco's and supply fuel for Esso.

Since Costco sells Super Unleaded 99 petrol at a very good price maybe Greenergy supplies COTSCO with fuels.

Otherwise it would have to be Royal Dutch Shell.    Greenergy & Royal Dutch Shell do share Terminals and Depots in the UK, so who knows but COSTCO, 

drivers etc.

[Eyesee]

Costco is very cheap for diesel at the moment. 1.09 currently.

 

Anyone aware of the cetane level on the premium diesel? Petrol premium is at 99 RON.

[Ootohere]

Super Unleaded at COSTCO is 99 ron, as is Tesco Momentum 99 or Shell V-Power Nitro+, other UK Super Unleaded retailers are 97 ron, 

so calling it Premium is misleading.

 

As to the Cetane of Premium Diesels over Standard Diesel just email the HQ of Costco or any other retailers to ask.

Only way you can know if it does not tell you on the pump.

[tkjeeves]

I use what's near my commute which is a Jet garage. I usually stay away from supermarket fuel as they seem sluggy or not good for MPG which in my mind offsets the savings. Otherwise I use Shell when I can and collect the Airmiles  

[Robertino]

Shell V Power and only.

[CWARD]

Those paying for premium fuels. If the fuel has done the job and cleaned away the deposits then you are only left with the higher octane levels which most petrol cars don't take advantage of as their timing is designed for regular fuels and mapped on the side of caution.

Diesel users may get to benefit from the higher cetane ratings but pay over the odds for it in premium fuel as opposed to adding additives like Millers Ecomax which works out at £1.40 a tank and even that will have added cleaners too.

Personally I use Tesco's finest and an annual high power cleaner such as Archoil 6400D or BG244. Having used the premium fuels in the past I have found minimal increase MPG and certainly not worth the extra paid for it. Spending the extra paid for premium fuel on regular would have seen much higher miles per £1 spent.

[Robertino]

Shell vs Millers... I trust Shell research and scientists more than Millers. Who is Millers by the way?

[Ally_bassman]

Tried the additive route for a little bit, Shell standard + Diesel Rhino.

 

It was a faff, so I just reverted back to Shell V-Power Nitro+ and pay the premium. :-)

[Ootohere]

Robertino,

Google is your friend re Millers & Royal Dutch Shell.

You might be too young to remember Shell Formula, but then those scientists are maybe long gone, (maybe sniffed too much petrol...)

as for those that were behind the mis-sold 'not green fuels' in the USA, that will have been some sort of error no doubt....

http://royaldutchshellplc.com/tag/formula-shell 

(when the site does not link maybe google 'royal dutch shell plc formula shell',    it is not a official site or one they like.

 

Since you have a Euro 5 1.6TDI CR maybe just buy Diesel at any place that sells Diesel, 

but if Premium Diesels give better running and maybe improved MPG then you pays your money and make your choices...

 

Edited 19 July, 2017 by Awayoffski

[CWARD]

19 minutes ago, Robertino said:

Shell vs Millers... I trust Shell research and scientists more than Millers. Who is Millers by the way?

 

http://www.millersoils.co.uk/

 

Shell pay a lot more for their advertising 

[Gissin]

i always use Shell V power, only reason other than the cleaners they put in it, I find what reading I get on the maxidot is roughly (+/- 10 miles) accurate but if I use standard Tesco or other I get a drop by about 50/70 miles

e.g V power fill up reading 500 miles ill do 490 before I need to fill up again

Tesco 500 ill end up with only 430 or less

 

so for the extra few £'s it costs to use Vpower, I will

Edited 19 July, 2017 by Gissin

[Robertino]

4 minutes ago, CWARD said:

 

http://www.millersoils.co.uk/

 

Shell pay a lot more for their advertising 

 

Ok, sounds good - 130 years in business. I`ll try their oil next time:

https://www.millersoils-shop.co.uk/ee-longlife-5w30-engine-oil

[CWARD]

Just looked up the difference from the last premium fuel I bought which was BP. I had an increase in MPG of a whopping 2.1% over two tanks fulls and it only cost an extra 9.3% to do achieve this. Bargaintastic or was it as this was over Easter and the weather had warmed up too.

[CWARD]

23 minutes ago, Gissin said:

i always use Shell V power, only reason other than the cleaners they put in it, I find what reading I get on the maxidot is roughly (+/- 10 miles) accurate but if I use standard Tesco or other I get a drop by about 50/70 miles

e.g V power fill up reading 500 miles ill do 490 before I need to fill up again

Tesco 500 ill end up with only 430 or less

 

so for the extra few £'s it costs to use Vpower, I will

 

A 14% improvement in MPG is amazing. Something I never witnessed when I had my VRS CR Tdi but it was pretty poor on economy anyway for a diesel hence one of the many reason why it is now gone. 

 

The Fifth Gear test showed little real world difference 

 

Edited 19 July, 2017 by CWARD

[Gissin]

4 minutes ago, CWARD said:

 

A 14% improvement in MPG is amazing. Something I never witnessed when I had my VRS CR Tdi but it was pretty poor on economy anyway for a diesel hence one of the many reason why it is now gone. 

hmm mines pretty good for fuel, worked out recently over the last 2k miles its averaged 59.05 mpg so i'm pretty happy with that although I do a lot of motorway driving hence me getting a tdi

[CWARD]

2 minutes ago, Gissin said:

hmm mines pretty good for fuel, worked out recently over the last 2k miles its averaged 59.05 mpg so i'm pretty happy with that although I do a lot of motorway driving hence me getting a tdi

 

Best I got from mine mid 50's stuck 50mph average speed zone on cruise control with just me in the car and work bag. The much older and heavier Mondeo that I had before the Octavia could do a little over 60mpg on cruise and fully loaded. I put it down to the DSG gearbox not being as efficient as the Mondeo's manual. I now have a 3 series which despite have huge wide wheels will give me over 60mpg driven normally and still over 50mpg when driven enthusiastic. Even my motorbike (cough.. runs on premium fuel because it is tuned for it) which is given a hard life would give me high 40's regardless so the Octavia was a disappointment. 

[Ootohere]

5th gear did show little difference but the Super Unleaded V-Power was 98 Ron unlike the now Shell V-Power Nitro + which is now 99 ron minimum but then costs for all that Shell Advertising. (The BP Ultimate was and is 97 ron, like Esso & Sainsburys Super Unleaded.)

Tesco Momentum 99 is also 99 ron minimum and only 5 pence a litre more expensive than Tesco 95 ron and many other Unleaded 95 rons, 

sometimes cheaper than some 95 rons that some think are from Big Names yet might be exactly the same petrols.

(So £2.25 to £3.00 a tank extra and some might find no more power or economy from the higher octane but might find a more efficient running engine, 

maybe less polluting as well.)

http://volkswagen.co.uk/need-help/owners/Fuel

 

Diesels all about the Cetane, then some might want additives which are detergents, or maybe best not.

Edited 19 July, 2017 by Awayoffski

[CWARD]

The octane rating of petrol only means how much more it can be compressed before it ignites. The more it can be compressed before ignition the bigger the bang and more power. Unless the car engine has had the head skimmed or pistons changed to create more compression then running 95 or 99 ron fuel will have no difference and the timing will be set to run on variety of fuels from lower quality if the car is taken to a country with lower grade fuel to the average for the country it was sold in. Very few cars are sold to run on higher octane fuels and tend to be high performance cars. On an average car it is just a waste of money. 

The cetane rating is how quickly the fuel will combust. A faster combustion will provide more energy and power. Diesel engine can take advantage of this although but not a by great margin, most will still run on veg oil until the injectors knacker up.  

[Ootohere]

Really, maybe you should drive more that are recommended to use Super 98, they will drive on 95 octane unleaded because for the EU they must, 

but then see how they perform as per EU Testing and manufacturers official figures then when on 99 ron UK, or 100 ron Continental Europe fuel or 102 ron 

like Hiperflo 250.

(Is a 1390 cc / Euro 5 1.4 TSI / TFSI Twincharger 132-136kw minimum a performance car or even a warm hatch, well maybe try the difference with 95,97,99/100 or 102 octane.)

There is a reason for the 'Fuel Flap sticker' showing "98 super(95)"

 

So on an average car yes maybe a waste of money, but are those with recommended / prescribed fuels average cars or bought with dithering along in mind?

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octane_rating 

When that Shell V-Power Advert shows the F1 guys running a F1 car on 'Pump fuel' they do not mention the pumps in Italy that have Shell V-Power that is not only 98 ron, like those near some of the Factories & Test tracks.

Edited 19 July, 2017 by Awayoffski

[CWARD]

@Awayoffski If the car is tuned to take advantage of a higher compression and later ignition then it will benefit, if that is what it states on the fuel cap then it will do. I have memories of borrowing my cousins Impreza P1, having had to make a trip the petrol station much sooner than I thought possible I filled it up without realising that it needed a higher octane fuel. Soon the engine knocks started to appear and I had visions of coughing up some expensive garage bills and took it back to my cousin, head bowed, waiting for him to kick off. He explained what I had done and after nipping into his garage produced a bottle of octane booster to add to the tank and a short while later all was cured. 

 

Have you changed your car from 335 to the mythical 353?

[Ootohere]

Sorry typo.

 

Funnily those with even Euro 6 1.2 TSI's without much go and some show can find the benefit from Super Unleaded 97 or 99 ron, 

so if it costs just £2.25 over a normal tank fill to find out,#whats the worst that can happen.

If it helps them to be more able to pull the skin off a rice pudding or out drag a pizza delivery scooter to 40 mph where is the harm?

http://www.tescopfs.com/our-fuels/tesco-momentum99 

 

Edited 19 July, 2017 by Awayoffski

[CWARD]

These small engines with big outputs are quite tuned already, not just a turbo stuck on them. How long the engine will last is something else with the extra stresses placed on them but wouldn't expect many to be available as future classics. Over 100bhp from a small engine like that was nearly unheard of a decade ago and you would need a 1.6 to get that kind of performance but higher compression, turbos, lighter engine internals have made it possible. Unfortunately they still lack the torque until the turbo is spinning up hence twin turbos to speed up the delivery and until then a bit lack lustre. Once they are singing surprising nippy and if in a small car pretty agile too. In a bigger car I expect more added stress and long term failure.

[Ootohere]

Luckily these small engines when driven in the UK are pretty lucky in never below sea level or more than 3,500ft above and getting pretty good fuel and air and not having to run often below -15 or above 35*oC and the minimum power the manufacturers are selling the vehicles showing have to achieve that is less than ideal conditions in some World Regions.

 

As it is in the UK even 100ps engines are seldom using 50% of their available potential and if they are you can improve performance with a windscreen strip, 

recovery straps and the rear seats folded & a noisy exhaust.

[HowardBury]

I've decided to give my Yeti an occasional tankful of the premium diesel as a case of hedging my bets. The bumf for Shell V-Power strongly suggests unproven benefits!  (my bolds)

 

1. New compared to previous Shell V-Power formulations. Boosted compared to Shell's regular diesel fuel for cleaning functionality. Helps to clean key fuel system components such as fuel injectors from the build up of performance robbing deposits. Actual effects and benefits may vary according to vehicle type, vehicle condition and driving style. No guarantees provided. See Shell DYNAFLEX Technology for more information.
2. Helps to restore engine condition by helping to remove performance robbing deposits from key fuel system components such as intake valves and/or fuel injectors. Actual benefits may vary.
   No guarantees provided.
3. Boosted compared to Shell’s regular fuel. Designed to help clean and protect key fuel system components such as intake valves and/or fuel injectors from the build-up of performance robbing
4. deposits. Actual effects and benefits may vary according to vehicle type, vehicle condition and driving style. No guarantees provided.
5. Boosted compared to Shell’s regular fuel. Actual benefits may vary. No guarantees provided.

See Shell DYNAFLEX Technology for more information.

Edited 12 October, 2017 by HowardBury