Super diesel vs basic supermarket offering

[Jondi]

Not being certain this is the right section for the question, I have taken the chance and hope my guess will be excused or the Editor/Moderator will move it if necessary.

I have read much with regard to the so called super diesel fuels (Shell V-Power, BP Ultimate, etc.) but have as yet failed to find any specific consensus as to the value of spending extra per litre on them. I am also well aware (who couldn't be) of the advertising of them and claims made for their use but see very mixed responses from users as to these claims being verified.

Are there any within the Forum who have experience of consistent use of both fuel types and their effects/advantages/disadvantages with regard to long term affects?

With hopes not to have caused an uproar of controversy, your opinions/experiences would be appreciated.

 

[KennyN]

I have tried both in my `10 CLS350d, MPG seemed to be similar ,but it would be impossible to quantify unless doing exactly the same driving from tank to tank. Couldn't notice a difference in performance either as for all the time you drive with the throttle at 100% it would be difficult to feel the difference.

The only way that it could be measured is by exactly the same cars with the different fuels doing a side by side comparison , acceleration / MPG / in gear acceleration. I wonder if this has been done , and if not why not ???

Kenny

 

[whitenemesis]

The advertising thrust seems to be towards cleaner engines, rather than greater mpg. Though one might expect the latter as a result of the former.

As said above it would be very difficult to test the mpg advantages on the open road..

 

[PovertySpec]

One is just basic light oil, suitable for all diesel engines.

The other is the more expensive snake oil, designed for the superior driver's diesel engine.

 

[range rover]

I tried BP Ultimate when I first got this car and brim to brim no difference in mpg with BP regular diesel.
A few weeks ago I was in Inverness and one day we went up to the John O' Groats, on the way back I thought I would fill up just to be safe, the mpg at this stage was nudging 40, I called in to a Tesco station and filled her up.Within a mile or so the mpg went to 40 then slowly but surely down to 35-36,I couldn't believe it, it did rise again, very gradually, but I never saw 40 again. I don't use supermarket fuel ordinarily, but I will be really desperate to want to go to their pumps again.

 

[shine]

I have been using Shell V-Power Nitro+ rated at 99ron in the CL for three weeks now and my 0 to 60 times are up three tenths of a second.
I have not yet calculated if MPG are any better.

 

[ampwhu]

I liken this 'super fuel' the same as buying bottled water or coffee shops. complete waste of time and a con.

just use normal fuel from one of the 4 garages. Shell, Esso, BP or Texaco.

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

+1 re not using supermarket fuels and sticking to the premium brands. It's the damage done to the parts of the engine you can't see that concerns me ie. clogged egr valve and additional wear to the fuel system etc.

As an instance, I bought my son's Ford Focus diesel off him when he got a company vehicle and he always filled up with Sainsburys diesel. I have run the car since I acquired it from him exclusively on BP diesel and the difference is quite noticeable in pulling from low revs, especially top gear, and generally running smoother.

Probably doesn't matter to those who change their car regularly but to those that tend to keep a car I would always advise using premium fuel.

As regards the super diesel fuels I haven't noticed any difference but you might be better treating the car to Millers diesel fuel additive which raises the cetane level for better combustion my 210 seems to run slightly cleaner with it.

 

[Some guy on the internet]

Just buy pure cetane and add it at 1 ml per litre & see what happens. If nothing try 1.5 or 2 ml.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1L-2-EHN-...266?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item35db0e35ca

At the 5 litre price it's worth finding someone to split it with you.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-EHN-5L-...915?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4d227b6ccb

 

[television]

Or just add some Millers fuel additive it does raise the cetane level

 

[Some guy on the internet]

You know best TV.

 

[rf065]

I tried BP Ultimate when I first got this car and brim to brim no difference in mpg with BP regular diesel.
A few weeks ago I was in Inverness and one day we went up to the John O' Groats, on the way back I thought I would fill up just to be safe, the mpg at this stage was nudging 40, I called in to a Tesco station and filled her up.Within a mile or so the mpg went to 40 then slowly but surely down to 35-36,I couldn't believe it, it did rise again, very gradually, but I never saw 40 again. I don't use supermarket fuel ordinarily, but I will be really desperate to want to go to their pumps again.

What you have just descibed is normal in Scotland, lots of hills, usually windy too, MPG figures randomly fluxuate like this, nothing to do with the garage you used. On trips to Europe, my MPG figures do not rise until I've passed Carlisle.

Russ

 

[AMGeed]

Or just add some Millers fuel additive it does raise the octane level

As regards the super diesel fuels I haven't noticed any difference but you might be better treating the car to Millers diesel fuel additive which raises the octane level for better combustion my 210 seems to run slightly cleaner with it.

You know best TV.

Along with Malcolm210, I guess he does

 

[Rappey69]

I have a 750cc single cylinder in one of my toys. ok its petrol..
It certainly sounds less rattly on the more expensive fuel, but certainly dont notice any change in anything else.
As for my car, absolutley loads of stupidly short journeys for the past 6 years, 261,000 miles, cheapest fuel available and it loves it !!! Always an amazingly low readout on mot emissions !
I had a mk2 diesel golf 1.6 before that and that thing ran on pure veg oil and other "fuels" and engine was still running strong when i finally got rid of it after 10 years and 225,000 miles..
so do we really need an expensive better fuel to preserve our engines when the cheap and supposedly nasty seems perfectly adequete ?

 

[jp williams]

Or just add some Millers fuel additive it does raise the cetane level

Just arrived in Andalucía after 1650 miles. OBC shows 55.9mpg for the entire journey.192,000 miles on the clock.


I used one tank of Shell V power nitro, one and three quarter tanks of basic diesel, one half bottle of redex, cruise control wherever possible, a light right foot wherever necessary and anticipatory skills.

There is in my view no one single sure fire way of improving one`s fuel consumption!

Regards

 

[Jondi]

It would appear that a). I unintentionally caused a small amount of friction - my apologies for that - and b). there is no clear cut, demonstrable advantage in spending money on the 'super' fuels.

It appears a little sad that companies such as Shell and BP produce fuels for which they actually appear to have little in the way of specific evidence in support of their claims. The cost of the research and development for such fuels can only come from charges within the overall cost of all fuel sold and as a result puts prices up for everyone. Perhaps the same is also in part true of those who sell various additives which claim to protect and enhance engine performance although they could easily be at greater risk as such as DPF cleaners would be seen to fail far quicker.

An interesting topic nevertheless.

 

[Martin Jennings]

I get no appreciable difference between regular and "super" diesel to be honest, I use regular diesel and a shot of 2 stroke and all is smooth and returning 50+mpg all the time

 

[ssc]

I rarely use supermarket fuel, have always fill up with Shell and one a month put in v power the difference in acceleration is vey noticeable. I guess you need to have an engine that can benefit from this (dare I use the word "super fuel" i.e. if you have a 1.4 and put in v power its a waste of money you will not notice the difference if any at all, my car is a 3ltr turbo diesel and it feels like its been chipped or remapped with v-power in it, even when I put v-power petrol in my 124 230E it definitely has marked improvement in acceleration. Just my two pennies worth on the subject.

 

[ssc]

Also agree with TV i.e. "using Millers" with ordinary fuel does raise the cetane levels for diesel version or octane levels for the petrol version.

would not use it with super fuel though as diesels can only benefit from a certain cetane index above that is just waste, as for petrol engine to high an octane can burn your valves so I'm told

 

[Richard Hinds]

My Mercedes is a Petrol, but my diesel Nissan Navara ran noticeably better on Shell V Power, compared to standard Shell diesel.
In my wife's diesel Nissan X Trail, I couldn't detect any difference between Shell V Power and standard Shell, apart from the price!
As a result of those un-scientific tests, I concluded different engines respond differently to the enhanced fuels, and the only way to tell if your diesel engine vehicle will like an enhanced fuel is to try it out. If you can't "feel" the difference, then don't waste any further money.