98RON or 95RON unleaded

[SLinKyjoe]

As I am about to take delivery of the latest SLK 55 AMG, and it says in the manual that it needs 98RON petrol. This means officially that only shell Optimax is properly suitable for it, I decided to email both BP and DailmerChrysler for a response to find out what, if any would be a problem using BP Ultimate 97RON or bog standard 95RON unleaded.

here is the reply from BP.

Thank you for your recent e-mail . Unfortunately , we would not be able to advise whether or not continous use of 97RON would be suitable for your engine. Mercedes would be able to advise you accordingly on this matter as we would not wish to mis-inform you.

Regards

BP Careline

and here is the answer from Dailmer Chrysler

6th September 2005

Ref: CS-1-389948472


Thank you for contacting the DaimlerChrysler Customer Assistance Center via email, which we received on 4th September 2005.

In response to your enquiry regarding petrol types suitable for use in a Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class SLK 55 AMG, Mercedes-Benz recommend that you should refuel using premium unleaded with an octane rating of 98RON/88MON which complies with European Standard EN228.

Temporarily, you may use 95RON/85MON, but this may reduce power and increase fuel consumption. Furthermore, please be advised that you should also avoid the use of full throttle should you choose to use such fuel.

We hope that this is sufficient information, however, should you have any further requirements, please do not hesitate to contact us.


Yours sincerely

Cassandra Fleet
Customer Service
DaimlerChrysler Customer Assistance Center N.V.
Gaetano Martinolaan 10
NL-6229 GS Maastricht, The Netherlands

Phone Nr: 00800 1 777 7777
mailto: CustomerService.UK@cac.daimlerchrysler.com

so, there you have it. notice how nobody helped with the enquiery about BP Ultimate! still at least i know it shouldn't damage anything using something a bit less.

 

[cl 600]

98 Ron

98 ron is increasingly difficult to find in Ireland. some esso stations used to have it but in the last couple of months it has disappeared. Shell optimax is no longer available here but shell sell "v power" which is still only 95 octane but they charge 10% more for it!! The CL 600 prefers 98 but will run ok on 95 due to knock sensors ect. I like to use 98 every 3rd or 4th fill when I can get it. I see it as giving the car a treat.The manual just says that that the car will not reach maximum speed using 95 octane. Any advice from Irish members about where to get 98 octane? Best of luck with your SLK 55 AMG. There is one advertised for sale in Dublin at the moment for ?119,000.

 

[andy_k]

The manual just says that that the car will not reach maximum speed using 95 octane. Any advice from Irish members about where to get 98 octane?

I'd also be wondering where in Ireland the lack of "maximum speed" would really be an issue

Andy

 

[chipray]

This may have been mentioned in previous threads, but there seems to be a bit of a scam in the UK regarding the price and availability of 'Super' unleaded. If there is a higher duty rate, that might explain the higher price but why the scarcity of suppliers?

Here in France (and probably Germany, Spain, Italy etc) all petrol stations sell '98 sans-plomb' at only a centime or two higher than 95. This could explain the unhelpfulness of Merc Cust Services in Holland, as they probably think all UK petrol stations sell 98.

 

[SLinKyjoe]

good point. Shell Optimax is 98.6Ron so they say. all opther super or premium unleaded is 97RON. normal stuff is 95.

i spoke with the dealer, they said they fill ALL their cars with 95ron from the nearest station (Total). seems that unless you take it to a track you wont see the full benefit of 98RON altho they have never run tests. the fuel economy mite be worth trying. the LAST SLK i had made no difference bewteen 95 and 97/98. but this may have some better electronics.

it certainly compresses your spleen with normal stuff in and it is being run in for the first 1000miles so no going above 4500rpm. well not much anyway. oh go on then, maybe a few times.....

 

[blu]

For info, in case its not been noted elsewhere, Tesco has been trialling, and last I heard was about to roll out, 99RON in place of LRP.
Jim

 

[Myros]

Johnny German

can get Super-Plus, which I always fill the C280 with when in the land of the wurst and bierfest. It's 99 octane. I just put plain 97/98 Super in the SL. They also have, at some Aral stations I think, 100 octane for all the turbo-nutter-b*st*ards. The prices do vary though , I think about 5cents more for Super when we were there in September. Still only 1 Eu 23cents though, abou 83 pence a litre.

 

[SLinKyjoe]

what i have noticed is that the SLK runs in S mode with a lot more responsiveness than C mode. it also holds gears and stuff. I have been filling it with 98Optimax just to see. I shall run it around 1`000miles than shove some sainsburys rubbish in it to compare.

 

[angus falconer]

If you want real rubbish go to the Morrison's filling station in Camden. It's the old BP garage but near what was Safeway's so I guess the site went with the supermarket.

I went to this shrine of Northern tat last weeks as my wife was shopping in Stables Market and I thought "might as well fill up and get a free parking spot". Big mistake - not one 98 RON pump to be seen. Whan I went in it was even worse - err.....got any sythetic oil for my C43....?

They had various tubs of whippet fat but nothing for the discerning motorist. Now why does that not surprise me.

When I finally left the filling station I kangarooed down Camden Road. The C43 wouldn't have pulled a greased stick out a dog's a**e for the next two miles. As a precaution I have asked BSG Mercedes to check out my MAF but it's an odd coincidence.

For those you who think I am anti-North I am actually from Scotland. I am just anti-Morrisons - they have turned retailing into art form of nastiness and degradation. The attitude seems to be "here's something cheap and nasty - what did you expect for 5p?". The filling station slooked like it should have been full of Trabants of something.

It's the world's first anti-aspirational retailer. I once made the mistake of (accidentally) going into one of their stores. It was still branded Safeways outside but inside it was all mid 70's eatern bloc products. And it had a a pie stall. Says it all really.

 

[angus falconer]

OK so the problem was a MAF slowly deteriorating, a faulty coil pack and two dodgy HT leads.

I still won't go back to Morrissons though. Not for all the pie counters in Lanacashire.

 

[pentoman]

It's taken you don't like morrison's then?

 

[Silver Arrow]

Not for all the pie counters in Lanacashire

Where's that then? An odd place in Scotland?
Surely you are not referring to the County Palatine?

If so perhaps a course in fettling may be in order.

 

[angus falconer]

Not for all the pie counters in Lanacashire

Where's that then? An odd place in Scotland?
Surely you are not referring to the County Palatine?

If so perhaps a course in fettling may be in order.

lol

my geography is better than my spelling, honest

 

[nicky]

Not for all the pie counters in Lanacashire

Where's that then? An odd place in Scotland?
Surely you are not referring to the County Palatine?

If so perhaps a course in fettling may be in order.

The place you refer to in Scotland is called Lanarkshire,and its not odd.......

 

[mlc]

Morrisons!

I feel I should defend Morrisons as they are a client of our company.

If you dont like their product range, shop elsewhere, clearly you are not their demographic.

Whilst they may not have a 98 Rom fuel available I can't really beleive that they dont dispense fuel to the required standard.

Who buys oil at a supermarket forecourt for an MB? Did you really think they would have a suitable product, or at a price that you would be prepared to pay?

However, regardless of all the above - bring back Safeway all is forgiven

Mark.

 

[Myros]

I take umbrage at that

as Morrisons are from Bradford, which is definitely Yorkshire.
Holland's pies, Accrington's finest might get you back on track.

 

[angus falconer]

I feel I should defend Morrisons as they are a client of our company.

If you dont like their product range, shop elsewhere, clearly you are not their demographic.

Agreed

Whilst they may not have a 98 Rom fuel available I can't really beleive that they dont dispense fuel to the required standard.

No - it was coinidental - my MAF was on its way out

Who buys oil at a supermarket forecourt for an MB? Did you really think they would have a suitable product, or at a price that you would be prepared to pay?

Fair point although all the "proper" service stations sell high grade sythetic oils - the BP service station previously on this site sold high quality oils for the 17 years I have been in London....

...and Safeways sold good food nearby too......

However, regardless of all the above - bring back Safeway all is forgiven

Mark.

Hear hear

 

[SLinKyjoe]

Morrisons once employed a certain slinky as (and this is my only real claim to fame) there first male checkout operator. i was so special that even Mrs Morrisons came to use my till.!!!! they sell crap tho. and not enough range either.....cheap tho.

i dont think this makes any difference to the petrol they sell tho, its all sourced from shell.

Heres a good point. the headquaters of morrisons is next to a MB dealership. and a mcdonalds.....and a big fish and chip shop called mother hubbards.In fact it is on the road that leads to where the bronte's were born....round the back of morrisons is a office complex where Team McLaren are based...and should I look out my window,,,oh look, i can see the roofs of all them buildings. Mind you they are a few miles over there to the right a bit.