Esso Super Unleaded

[dribble]

Hi chaps,

I have got around 3700 miles on the clock now, and the engine felt nice and broken in about 2200. I have been using BP Super Unleaded, and that seems to be fine. Obviously after the engine had losened up a bit the car now bursts into "performance mode" :-D

I took the car for a long ride (250mile round trip), on the way back I thought I would stop off and get some juice for the beast.

I pulled into a service station on a dual carridgeway. I chose the "Super Unleaded" as I didnt want my baby to drink the watered down stuff.

I filled her completely up, paid for it ;-), and then attempted to continue my journey.

I pulled away as I would normaly, and it seemed a little bit sluggish. "oh well, must be because of the extra weight" This happened throughout the power band and revs.

The car carried on this poor performance until I gave it some of the old faithful (BP).

Just wondered if anyone else has tried this fuel, and had any bad experiences?

-Lee

[Kavey]

I've never had a problem with Esso Super Unleaded, in fact a garage near me was one of the few that had 98 RON Super (most are 97 RON, even from Esso). However the thing has always been getting stung for Super price-wise.

Now I use Optimax exclusively - for me it feels the best power-wise, and is only a few pence more than standard unleaded - no brainer. By far the best petrol I've tried and especially good for my Altezza which in an ideal world would be drinking 100 Octane fuels as in Japan...

Asam

[marshy]

Just wondered if anyone else has tried this fuel, and had any bad experiences?

My three local garages are Esso, Shell and Spar. At Esso I use the Super (97 RON), at Shell their Optimax (98 RON) and heaven only knows what Spar sell. I can tell the difference when using Optimax but the other two seem identical. My old CVH XR2 used to fly with Optimax, it was like running on rocket fuel.

If the Esso garage does not sell much of the Super then the fuel in their tank will be old and it does go stale.

[norkep]

I'll only Optimax for my lady, none of that diet stuff

[yoshi]

Optimax was better for my Lex, octane booster from silkokene will see the 100 octane for Jap-import cars.

All you UK owners are fine with Ron 95-98.

[yemgi]

The problem you had may be caused by the fact that the garage fuel tanker has just been refilled.

It makes movements in the tank and the water that always stay in the bottom (louder than unleaded stuff) due to condensation.

With these movements, water is mixed to fuel and it lowers performances and can even break the engine (it is a real problem for diesel engines as Peugeot HDi or Renault DCi as it destroys the fuel injectors) :(

BEWARE of the fuel delivery truck

[UKPulse]

The big gotcha is that it seems the petrol companies 'swap' tankers/products under their Exchange Agreement.

This means that when you go to a Shell garage, you could actually be pumping BP or Esso gas into your tank! :o

The problem I have with this is that if you want to fill up with Shell Optimax because you want your car to perform better, how do you know you're actually getting what it says on the pump? According to this Agreement, some other petrol company's tanker could have made the last delivery...

Maybe this Exchange Agreement only applies to the bog standard (RON 95) stuff, otherwise we'd have them under the Trade Descriptions Act? Who knows, the whole thing looks very fishy to me

[Zee007]

Said it before, and will say it again........Optimax all the way!!!!

[ifraz]

Said it before, and will say it again........Optimax all the way!!!!

It's shame that not all Shell Service Stations sell Optimax. It can be a pain sometimes trying to find one that does

[woggledog]

Never tried Optimax when I had the avensis, but spend the extra chucking it in the Is200 now.

On a good run, I can get Over 550 miles out of a tank running on optimax. that's close to the 35mpg that lexus quote.

Well worth the extra dosh

[Matthew_McNally]

On a good run, I can get Over 550 miles out of a tank running on optimax. that's close to the 35mpg that lexus quote.

do you just let it run downhill or something?

550 miles is about 100 miles more than my best - damn good going.

/matt idly observes that some wag may have coloured in woggledogs dial - so it looks like the car redlines at 2500 revs

:D :D

[ricky_is200]

I don't think I ever got over 400 from a tank - normally less than 350! (and that was on Optimax)

[bloofire]

I thought optimax was 88.5 RON.

[bloofire]

Oops

98.5 RON

[kev dood]

they do RON RON RON!!!!!!

550 miles - that must be rolling down hill on the motorway!

I must admit that I have now swopped to Optimax and get about 2 to 2.5 mpg more than I used to. Overall that saves me pennies just on the additional cost of a fill up!

Apparently not all cars benefit from it though (makes I mean not IS's) as they require some sensor (mag... something). If not got it then cannot sense the higher RON rating or something - could be talking out my rear seat here!!

[Jan_]

The first time I tried Shell Optimax, it was mixed with half a tank of Tesco's petrol.... got 350+ miles from a full tank. 50/50 Motorways and heavy traffic.... I think this figure compares well with what I've read from other IS200 owners.

I think it makes the car a little more responsive... although the engine maybe starting to loosen up (only done 1200 miles so far). However - it definitely makes the engine sound / run smoother.

Shell's main website sends you on a wild goose chase if you want to locate a garage selling Optimax :iraqi-info-minister:

:winky: Here's the Optimax Garage locater!!!

www.shellstation.biz

[TonyGoose]

Shell's main website sends you on a wild goose chase if you want to locate a garage selling Optimax :iraqi-info-minister:

Huh ? Someone call ?

Chase me, chase me :D

:iraqi-info-minister:

[dribble]

Yeah since that day I have never had anything in the tank less than 97 RON...

Mind you the baby is due for its first service, and is feeling sluggish, so hopefully it comes out like the "Enterprise".

I think I can get about 400 out of a tank full and that AINT driving conservatively!

:duh:

[javaboss]

I filled my Lex up with Optimax for the first time last week. It was two thirds empty. I couldn't believe the price! 80.9 pence a litre! The normal unleaded was 74.9p a litre! The car didn't feel any different at all! I will keep trying and see how it goes!

[Bazza-old]

Hi chaps,

I have got around 3700 miles on the clock now, and the engine felt nice and broken in about 2200. I have been using BP Super Unleaded, and that seems to be fine. Obviously after the engine had losened up a bit the car now bursts into "performance mode" :-D

-Lee

its nowhere near run in yet

im upto nearly 8000 and it justs keeps getting better

[Fidgits]

Im at 23000, and only half way to running it in.....

[Monster-Mat]

A BIG NOTICE IN THE WAY THE CAR RUNS WILL BE FELT AT 10,000

after its first service

[Kavey]

I filled my Lex up with Optimax for the first time last week. It was two thirds empty. I couldn't believe the price! 80.9 pence a litre! The normal unleaded was 74.9p a litre! The car didn't feel any different at all! I will keep trying and see how it goes!

If you've not been using Optimax, it'll take a few tankfuls to 'clean' the gunk in your engine to realise the full potential.

The best test is to use Optimax for a while, let it run down, then use normal unleaded. I could almost guarantee you'll notice the difference and lack of performance in the 95 RON fuel, and head straight back to Optimax... :winky:

In my opinion, it's worth the extra....

[TonyGoose]

The best test is to use Optimax for a while, let it run down, then use normal unleaded. I could almost guarantee you'll notice the difference and lack of performance in the 95 RON fuel, and head straight back to Optimax... :winky:

Hmmm, i don't get the choice ...

There's a little sticker inside my petrol flap saying ...

'Use 98 RON'

Now my name isn't RON but i'm heeding the advice and using windoze 98 all the same

:iraqi-info-minister:

[puresilk]

Optimax unleaded is over 99 RON so I have read somewhere!

Anyways you can blatently feel the difference with optimax, the car is smoother, quicker at accelerating and it can give upto an extra 10 BHP depending on your car!

It also cleans out the entire fuel system!

So once every 4 fills I use optimax!

:zee: