Is it worth paying more for premium diesel/petrol?

[Peter103]

Two or three months ago some members on here were advocating the use of 'Cetane' fuel additive for diesels, I usually buy supermarket fuel, so I bought some on eBay, cost about £22 for 5 litres, but you only use 1/1-5ml, per litre of fuel and it should improve mileage , performance, and keep injectors clean, at that ratio of use, 5litres could dose 5000 ltrs of fuel so its a lot cheaper than the expensive diesel. I've been using it now for 2/3 months and MPG, is perhaps slightly improved, but the general feel of the car is a much more lively performance, and if it also keeps the injectors clean, will continue to do so. Several others on here said they would give it a go, so wondering what they think of it.

 

[trapperjohn]

Talking of Bentleys! I have just seen one of the Bentley 4x4s Hooning round my local area. Unable to give an opinion on the car as it was moving so fast.

 

[Doodle]

If you want a proper octane boost , try to get a tankful of AVGAS , which I think is around 130 octane !

You're thinking of the traditional 100/130 Avgas. Unfortunately in this instance there's more than one yardstick, Aviation lean and Aviation rich.

The former is closer to the measurement process we recognise on the pumps at the forecourt.

I believe 100/130 has been mostly replaced by 100LL (low lead)

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Talking of Bentleys! I have just seen one of the Bentley 4x4s Hooning round my local area. Unable to give an opinion on the car as it was moving so fast.

There's one around here, often seen parked on double yellows outside the Tesco Metro, in metallic pink.

 

[flowrider]

deleted

 

[Charles Morgan]

Two or three months ago some members on here were advocating the use of 'Cetane' fuel additive for diesels, I usually buy supermarket fuel, so I bought some on eBay, cost about £22 for 5 litres, but you only use 1/1-5ml, per litre of fuel and it should improve mileage , performance, and keep injectors clean, at that ratio of use, 5litres could dose 5000 ltrs of fuel so its a lot cheaper than the expensive diesel. I've been using it now for 2/3 months and MPG, is perhaps slightly improved, but the general feel of the car is a much more lively performance, and if it also keeps the injectors clean, will continue to do so. Several others on here said they would give it a go, so wondering what they think of it.

I've just used the cetane booster and it has been superb - definitely less knock, noticeable improvement in refinement and possibly slightly better economy but that is not a scientifically robust observation.

 

[Darrell]

Talking of Bentleys! I have just seen one of the Bentley 4x4s Hooning round my local area. Unable to give an opinion on the car as it was moving so fast.

They are horrid. The Jag 4x4 with all the kit on is much nicer.

 

[tron]

Ettore would have laughed his silken socks off.

"The fastest lorries on the road."

 

[grober]

Ironically now both owned by ------Volkswagen AG

 

[HB]

I'm sitting in Dubai where there are more Bentayga than we have Nissan Jukes. They're everywhere!

 

[219]

Ettore would have laughed his silken socks off.

"The fastest lorries on the road."

.... and when chastised about the poor braking performance of his own cars , equipped with brakes on the rear wheels only : " My cars are made to GO , not stop "

 

[HorseandJockey]

I have a W222 S Class and have filled up with Tesco diesel and Sainsbury's diesel. The car runs much better on Sainsbury's and with far better mpg. This is on a regular run of 150 miles by motorway

 

[1chris]

Always use V power in my W205 C250, definitely runs smoother with les mechanical noise from the engine, whether it improves mpg i have no idea, i just fill it up when the dashboard tells me to

 

[SW18]

I believe 100/130 has been mostly replaced by 100LL (low lead)

I think Avgas 100LL is the standard stuff now. Not sure what it would do for car engine performance, but it costs so much it makes V-Power look a bargain!

 

[190]

Leaving octane ratings out of the equation, if there is a difference between fuel brands then surely the issue is that the fuel specification BS EN 228:2012 is inadequate. The manufacturers should be designing engines to meet a fuel spec and the fuel spec should be definitive enough to specify any parameter that could impact on the engines operation.

It's said that all fuel comes from the same tank and it's only the add pack that can be different between brands. Why can't the fuel spec pin down the add pack so we can stop worrying about where we buy our fuel.

 

[BIRMA]

Leaving octane ratings out of the equation, if there is a difference between fuel brands then surely the issue is that the fuel specification BS EN 228:2012 is inadequate. The manufacturers should be designing engines to meet a fuel spec and the fuel spec should be definitive enough to specify any parameter that could impact on the engines operation.

It's said that all fuel comes from the same tank and it's only the add pack that can be different between brands. Why can't the fuel spec pin down the add pack so we can stop worrying about where we buy our fuel.

I believe I read somewhere that V-Power was only produced in a small number of refineries.

 

[GeeJayW]

EN228 defines the inspection properties of the fuel (gasoline) and not its formulation or boiling curve, both of which varies due to a number of factors such as the crude oil it comes from, the refinery it's made in, market forces for the streams used in the blending processes, which country it's intended for, which season, etc..

EN590 does the same thing for diesel.

The base fuel used for regular grade is often made available to a number of retailers and is typically referred to as an exchange product. This saves thousands of tanker loads of esesentially similar products being shipped all over the country. The additive package is usually a proprietary formulation and is added at the terminal. It's a bit like when you ask for a soft drink at the bar and the barman presses the appropriate button.

Some premium fuels also use exchange base fuels though some are unique to the particular company. Again the additive package formulations are proprietary.

There's no need for the fuels to be exactly the same, indeed if that were mandated it would add substantially to the cost.

 

[Petrol Pete]

There's one around here, often seen parked on double yellows outside the Tesco Metro, in metallic pink.

They got Tesco in Compton..? DAMN BRO, get the F**k outta here !

 

[markjay]

Leaving octane ratings out of the equation, if there is a difference between fuel brands then surely the issue is that the fuel specification BS EN 228:2012 is inadequate. The manufacturers should be designing engines to meet a fuel spec and the fuel spec should be definitive enough to specify any parameter that could impact on the engines operation.

It's said that all fuel comes from the same tank and it's only the add pack that can be different between brands. Why can't the fuel spec pin down the add pack so we can stop worrying about where we buy our fuel.

There are various standards for automotive oil e.g. API, ILSAC, and manufacturer-specific standards, and yet many brands that 'meet or exceed' a certain minimum standard claim to be superior to other brands who also meet the same standard.

The standard is the lowest common denominator, but individual products can still exceed it, or otherwise have additional properties not covered by the minimum standard (via additives etc).

 

[GeeJayW]

There are various standards for automotive oil e.g. API, ILSAC, and manufacturer-specific standards, and yet many brands that 'meet or exceed' a certain minimum standard claim to be superior to other brands who also meet the same standard.

The standard is the lowest common denominator, but individual products can still exceed it, or otherwise have additional properties not covered by the minimum standard (via additives etc).

Yep.

The main difference between fuel specs and oil specs that whilst fuels are specified by their inspection properties, i.e. density range, vapour pressure and so on, oil standards are mainly linked with performance or protection properties, i.e. wear and cleanliness of engine components following a particular engine test.