What Petrol Shall I Use?

[Madnurse]

Just wondering if it is worth using Super Unleaded in my IS200 (either BP Ultimate or Shell Optimax)......any benefits or just just worth sticking to the normal being Shell or BP 95 Ron......I never use Supermaket fuel!

[TerryD]

Just wondering if it is worth using Super Unleaded in my IS200 (either BP Ultimate or Shell Optimax)......any benefits or just just worth sticking to the normal being Shell or BP 95 Ron......I never use Supermaket fuel!

What wrong with Supermarket fuel? It all comes out of the same storage tanks at the refineries.

[edeath]

I find that it is slightly smoother with 99RON (Tesco 99 or Optimax) and you get a bit more mileage with it. However the car is fine with standard fuel - the ECU has been tuned to it for the UK. When the manual states use premium fuel that is for the US where i think they can get around 93 ron at the pumps: so is saying use 95.

[Parthiban]

I tend to use Optimax whenever I can, as the engine sounds and feels a lot smoother, and is, while almost negligible, a tiny bit more responsive.

Sometimes I do actually also get improved fuel economy, but this tends only to be on longer runs - around town haven't noticed much of a difference.

[Madnurse]

Just wondering if it is worth using Super Unleaded in my IS200 (either BP Ultimate or Shell Optimax)......any benefits or just just worth sticking to the normal being Shell or BP 95 Ron......I never use Supermaket fuel!

What wrong with Supermarket fuel? It all comes out of the same storage tanks at the refineries.

My Husbands Escort Cosworth tuned to 372bhp would jerk like mad on Supermarket fuel! Also my old Corrado VR6 would not run well off supermarket fuel, they dont put in the additives according to a friend of ours that works on the tech side for Aston Martin.

Found in the past that Shell Optimax is excellent, but this was on the Corrado with some mods that made 201bhp on rollers and my Husbands Escort Cosworth. Just wondered if it would be that bit better on a Lexus 2.0 6 cylinder 24v, think mine is 153-4bhp but not had her RR'd yet.

[sparkystav]

I found this through google:

Generally supermarket petrol is of a lower grade to that of the major manufacturers, even though the octane ratings are the same.

To raise the octane rating of cheap petrol, the suppliers will "butanise" the fuel by literally blowing Butane through it. This raises the octane rating and allows it to be sold according to the British Standards.

Depending on the supplier / supermarket further additives are added to the mixture when it is loaded on to the distribution lorries. You may remember a while back Morrisions had a problem with Silicon contamination in its fuel. This would have occurred at this point.

It isn't just the supermarkets that use additives. Most of the manufacturers will have some sort of "cleaning detergent", or "performance increasing" chemical in them.

To muddy the water further, the quality also depends on the distribution depot in the area you are in. For instance fuel supplied from the Thurrock depot will be slightly different to that of the Liverpool depot.

Personally, of all the supermarket brands I have found Asda and Morrisions petrol to be the worst for performance an fuel consumption. Tesco's however seems to be the best.

Not a lot to the showing the other side though

[Madnurse]

Great find Stav

[Asi]

i use v power and i notice the car runs alot smoother and get better mpg if you drive normally.

[Lexus_GR]

When i will have my university's VBOX in my hands (for my phd of course ) i'll perform some tests with different octane rating and with stock/kn filter to find any differences :)

[link005]

ive used bp ultimate and it does make the engine cleaner also and more mileage

[colbecoz]

ive used bp ultimate and it does make the engine cleaner also and more mileage

Must admit I fill up one tank full Shell optimax then one tank ordinary and keep alternating. I find this give me smooth running and good mpg. I got 422 miles on a tank last weekend and the petrol light had just come on. Don't use Asda crap, I find it knocks the running and smoothness to pot. Anyways, if you get the Shell points card, you can save on refills every now and again too.

Oh and by the way, I wasn't doing pipe and slippers driving to get the good mpg return.. :winky:

Col....

[aztecbandit1]

My car hates shell optimax, it runs like crap on the stuff for some reason? feels like its bogged down and the handbrakes still on?

The best one i've found that seems to make my lex come alive is the Sainsburys super plus and the tesco 99ron when i can get it, just seems to suit my car for some reason? and always get good mpg from them :) (but thats probably about to change now its got the s/c fitted )

[kenfoxy]

I've never tried the Sainsburys stuff in my IS200 but it works great in my 6MPS (supposed to run on 98+ octane). At least as good as V Power (Optimax). With all you read about supermarket petrol being inferior (or worse) I have put it down to my imagination. Nice to here from someone else who also likes it. This whole petrol thing has got me completely puzzled.

[The Transporter]

Do the maths.... Your car is perfectly suited to 95RON juice and the cost outweighs the extra milage...

As for keeping your engine clean... When was the last time anyone here needed to do a decoke?

It is a lot of slick marketing selling folk stuff that they don't need.

[Andrew - D]

I used to use Asda fuel in mine just there standard stuff. I thought it was the best because it always seemed to be a fair few pence cheaper than anywhere else near by and made the drive to high wycombe worth while. I didnt have any problems with the car running on this at all i have to say. However reccently i have been using esso's standard fuel and i am sure i am getting atleast 40miles more from a tank. I am sure it lasts longer and the car seems to like it so i will carry on using that. Although having read this thread think i might give shell optimax a whirl.

[Steviewevie]

I use Sainsbury's standard petrol and my car runs perfectly fine on it.

[edeath]

Sainsburys are supplied mainly by BP I believe.