Has anybody decided that paying extra for a branded fuel is saving money in spite of the extra cost?
- Thread starter Andy Short
- Start date
-
- Tags
- fuel additive mpg
You didn't do enough digging Octane number applies to petrol not diesel and is irrelevant. You need to look for Cetane number as thats applicable to diesel.
However even that isn't the whole story as the Cetane of Shell regular fuel is 53-55, whereas for the premium version it is lower, 51-53.
Hi -
I was referring to petrol as the post I was replying to mentioned petrol, My original comment on this thread was how shell V power diesel is simply an additive added to regular diesel, which only costs pennies to add, then I replied again after asking at work to confirm that it is the same scenario with gasoline, which is made to a standard then 'topped up' with an additive to become premium gasoline.
However the government is changing the standard of petrol this year and for some reason this means we'll start making 99octane gasoline which won't be an additive added to a base gasoline, it will be its own standalone product.
Did you use the service pack first or just straight on to the fuel additive?Sorry not to get back sooner….Simply answer don’t trust reviews but do believe if half of the claims are good …then give it a try …if no different only wasted a few Quid … but it seems to work
OK, I get that, but it doesn't explain why Shell premium diesel (ie V Power has a lower cetane rating than the normal stuff.)
Went on fuel additive ….as mine is a low mileage 204 ( 18 plate )
Ok, thanks. 2016, 50k. This isn’t something I’d given any thought to but if it works, it works. I‘ll give it a go, service pack first.Went on fuel additive ….as mine is a low mileage 204 ( 18 plate )
I don't pretend to know anything about fuel additives or, indeed, fuel in general other than diesel goes in my diesel cars and petrol goes in my petrol cars. However, I do occasionally fill up with the so called 'premium' diesel when I realise that I am at that particular pump but I wouldn't move the car to another one just to get some. On @DXX point above, I suspect you're wrong - the people who buy their fuel from supermarkets generally do so because they're more bothered about getting VFM that any perceived higher quality fuel (if they even think about the quality in the first place).
Not the information I have.
what have you been told ?
the fuel at Costco Gateshead is 100% essos
this is something I could prove during the course of this week as I would be delivering there personally
Well all fuel cones from the same pipe. All the lorries line up.
costco get normal fuel and put their own additives in to make the diesel Premium. There was an occasion where too much additives went in and another tanker of fuel had to be brought to get the correct mixture.
What they open up there tanks and pour additive in ?
I’ve seen additive added to tank to treat microbial contamination (diesel bug) but never to bend the fuel to a correct specification.
this is done by advance computer systems, it’s not just a case of adding a couple of drums of additive
I know a lot of people get told things
I have no reason to lie or mislead, it’s just loading and delivering fuel is something I’ve done for the last 15 year
I’ve seen additive added to tank to treat microbial contamination (diesel bug) but never to bend the fuel to a correct specification.
this is done by advance computer systems, it’s not just a case of adding a couple of drums of additive
I know a lot of people get told things
I have no reason to lie or mislead, it’s just loading and delivering fuel is something I’ve done for the last 15 year
There is a lot of assumption in this thread, all diesel fuel sold in Europe has to meet a spec (EN590), from there the seller can pretty much do what they want providing it still meets the spec.
As an example, a donut might have to be fried and have sugar on the outside and this might be what a baker sells, he might also have another donut that has jam in the middle, it still meets the spec for a donut but it’s different. As it’s still called a donut it doesn’t have to be the same as the one without sugar.
As to additives, the tankers fill at a stand in the terminal, every bodies tankers go there as there probably won’t be another terminal for miles. When an Esso tanker goes in the driver tells the terminal (sometimes with a key) that he wants Esso fuel and the terminal fills with the EN590 fuel and adds the additives in the ratios that Esso stipulate. If that same Esso trailer fills for Costco don’t assume that the fuel is to the Esso spec.
When a BP trailer goes under the gantry he gets the same base fuel with a different additive blend.
Asda, Tesco, Texaco etc etc do the same.
I personally try to use Shell but there’s nothing wrong with the main Brands, I wouldn’t use supermarket fuel because it’s cheap for a reason and that’s the additive blend. (I don’t know if it would be better with another additive added to the van tank as I have no experience here)
Also diesel fuel doesn’t store well due to the bio content so it’s better to go for garages with a higher turnover.
As an example, a donut might have to be fried and have sugar on the outside and this might be what a baker sells, he might also have another donut that has jam in the middle, it still meets the spec for a donut but it’s different. As it’s still called a donut it doesn’t have to be the same as the one without sugar.
As to additives, the tankers fill at a stand in the terminal, every bodies tankers go there as there probably won’t be another terminal for miles. When an Esso tanker goes in the driver tells the terminal (sometimes with a key) that he wants Esso fuel and the terminal fills with the EN590 fuel and adds the additives in the ratios that Esso stipulate. If that same Esso trailer fills for Costco don’t assume that the fuel is to the Esso spec.
When a BP trailer goes under the gantry he gets the same base fuel with a different additive blend.
Asda, Tesco, Texaco etc etc do the same.
I personally try to use Shell but there’s nothing wrong with the main Brands, I wouldn’t use supermarket fuel because it’s cheap for a reason and that’s the additive blend. (I don’t know if it would be better with another additive added to the van tank as I have no experience here)
Also diesel fuel doesn’t store well due to the bio content so it’s better to go for garages with a higher turnover.
Supermarket fuel is often a loss leader. One of the reasons it is cheaper. Higher turnover also means fresher fuel. These are other ways to look at it.
I’ve got a 20 year old A4 TDI parked outside with more nearly 210K miles on the clock, it’s never had anything but cheap supermarket fuel, I had the EGR valve out for a clean at about 160K, it had normal carbon deposits.
20p / L over 20 years is a lot of ££££££
20p / L over 20 years is a lot of ££££££
It is a free choice for everyone and there will be lots of people that have used supermarket fuel with no issues and those that perceive a benefit in spending a couple of extra pence per ltr more, I'll stick with my decision on this.
FWIW, a 20 year old Audi with a PD engine is agricultural compared to a T6 so its not really relevant, I'm not saying agricultural is bad though as we would all like less complexity but that ain't going to happen.
