I'm going to be taking a touring holiday in West coast highlands of Scotland and thought that:

a) Shell V Power may be hard to find

b) If found it'll be really expensive!

Therefore I wondered if anyone has tried using something like Millers Oils additives or similar to boost the octane rating and/or their injector cleaners on the 280 models.

Are they worth the added expense to normal unleaded and beneficial to performance?

From the owners handbook:-

 

“CAUTION
Petrol additives (additives)
■ The unleaded petrol in accordance with the prescribed standards meets all the conditions for a smooth running engine. Therefore, we recommend that you do not add any fuel additives to the petrol - there is a risk of engine dam- age or damage to the exhaust system.”

A little lower octane now and again shouldn't cause the car any harm.

I use Tesco Momentum 99 and as I tow I can find myself seeking out the nearest petrol station irrespective of vendor as I only get 300 miles per tank when dragging the 'van.

Plenty Super Unleaded in the West of Scotland if your fuel tank gives a 400 plus mile range.

Then take a 10 liter can as well.

Fill up and then use that fuel till you fill up again with Super Unleaded and no need to buy 95 ron and octane boosters.

 

97 ron at Gulf, Esso, BP, Sainsbury's, Jet, Gleaner and others and Tesco Momentum 99 as well as Shell V-Power Nitro +

 

You even get the 5 pence Highlands and Islands Post Code Fuel supplement discount.

Scotland is not a 3rd world nation and great driving roads have fuel to suit Supercars or even a Skoda.

Edited 5 May, 20197 yr by Skoffski

Thanks Skoffski. I live there and know what Scotland is like.

I toured the west Coast last year in another vehicle and didn't see too many Shell stations up the coast towards Oban and Skye beyond. 

Tesco Momentum is usually my second choice but I understand that it doesn't have the cleaning agents that Shell put in theirs.

I also wondered if 97 was worth the extra money if 98 is recommended. If so, good to see Gleaner has it as I saw quite a few of their stations.

Jet don't have anything other than 95 ron in west central Scotland that I've ever seen.

Given that V Power is £1.40 around here I'm wondering what it'll be like in the Highlands.

Give your car a rest and avoid the Shell Stations, you are paying 15 pence a liter more than needbe in South Lanarkshire anyway.

Tesco Momentum 99 being 5 pence a litre more than Tesco 95 unleaded is all your engine needs.

& Sainsbury's 97 Minimum might well be more than 97 ron sometimes anyway.

 

I would not be conned by the Royal Dutch Shell V-Power + Detergent Package.

99 octane minimum and the secret additives / detergent.  Salt basically.

 

Shell import with Greenergy producers of  Tesco Momentum 99, produced from the same base fuels imported to the same co-owned facilities

 and you want the octane (Ethanol), if you have the correct oil you are not needing to clean the engine, 

but then Tesco Momentum 99 has the Detergent Package just the same.

(Esso stations in Scotland have the fuel including the ESSO Super Unleaded 97 ron minimum / produced & delivered from Greenergy.)

Edited 5 May, 20197 yr by Skoffski

Interesting you state that Tesco Momentum has the same detergents.

I have been using Shell since I got the car in October last year and just recently with the ever increasing prices bought Momentum for a few week continuously.

I noticed the tips of the exhaust were sooty this week which hadn't seen before. I know there can be other factors but the HJ website (I know he has is "views") stated that Momentum does NOT have the the detergents that Shell uses.

 

So if your Shell V-Power + had different Detergents working before the Cat does its job does that mean you have no sooty exhaust?

If your exhaust is sooty likely your engine is running rich.

How many miles has your car done?

 

I like the Honest John Forum, but there is some total nonsense printed there.

I have not seen where it is said that Tesco Momentum 99 additive packages are inferior to those added to Shell V-Power Nitro + in the UK.

 

Were you aware that you were getting Winter Grade Petrol from Mid October until the end of March.

Less Hygroscopic, and maybe even higher octane than 99 ron?

Edited 5 May, 20197 yr by Skoffski

If it is this.

That was published in 2012 and Shell V-Power was 98 Octane.  Before it was reformulated and renamed as Shell V-Power Nitro + (2013)

& i am not sure that Honest John was accurate.

Edited 5 May, 20197 yr by Skoffski

Sorry, didn't understand the first question.

Car's done 14k.

Yes, I do take a lot of his advice with pinch of salt.(Left footed braking on autos for one.)

A fair point about winter fuel.

 

He said it the other week to a poster but i cannot recall where as he tends to mention the fuel almost weekly, as well as Michelin Cross Climate tyres.

Edited 5 May, 20197 yr by Groaver

Sodum Is all that is different with the 'detergents'.

Feed your car the 99 ron and give it a good boot regularly and clean out the exhaust.

& watch those spark plugs.

 

EDIT, 

Sorry,

i see he is a Royal Dutch Shell V-Power Nitro + fanboy.  Not just a 99 ron minimum fan.

I note he does not say 'If Shell V-Power Nitro + does not improve the performance and mpg do not use it.'

Edited 5 May, 20197 yr by Skoffski

37 minutes ago, Groaver said:

Sorry, didn't understand the first question.

Car's done 14k.

Yes, I do take a lot of his advice with pinch of salt.(Left footed braking on autos for one.)

A fair point about winter fuel.

 

He said it the other week to a poster but i cannot recall where as he tends to mention the fuel almost weekly, as well as Michelin Cross Climate tyres.

Left foot braking is one of the nuttier advice I have seen promoted on HJ. For the average driver it probably introduces more problems than it solves. 

 

Plus most people have less sensitive left foot anyway and it is harder to modulate the brake pedal smoothly. 

 

Tesco99 is fine. I did read somewhere vpower has a stronger detergent package but a couple tankfuls won't make any difference. If I were to put an additive, I'll use a POA one such as techron.