What fuel do you use in your car?

[ringway]

Can't beleive I've just put diesel in the escort.


This has made her really rather ill.

 

[badgx]

RAC will do a good job flushing the crud out.

 

[Gaz66AMG]

Shell V Power
I only did approx 5k miles a year.

 

[chic0821]

Asda, green hose

 

[davymead]

Synergy Supreme +

 

[Engadine]

I always try for V Power. Filled up with Esso"s 99 yesterday in one of my other cars after having to stick a bit of E10 just to avoid running out. Over the years I have used V Power in all my cars almost all the time, and when driving through Germany always get the 100 RON when available.

I honestly can't say I have been able to tell the difference between the different fuels when driving. I like to think there's a difference, but then I also think my cars drive better when they're clean...

I haven't seen any definitive back to back performance test figures on expensive vs cheaper fuels. Does anyone know of any?

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Shell VPower unless I’m in Devon or Cornwall, where She’ll stations are thin on the ground. Great that Esso now offer 99 RON Super Unleaded, as it means there’s somewhere other than Tesco giving more options I’m in that part of the world.

 

[ube63]

Texaco and Essar premium fuels are also 99 octane. Possibly good alternatives to Shell, Esoo and Tesco if you have Texaco or Essar garages where you are based.

 

[DSM10000]

And round and round and round and round, and round.

Like the Oozlum bird!

 

[A.J.]

I am surprised there so many people using V Power at todays hideous prices. I did try V Power just before the prices went sky high but found it was no better than E10 so it's E10 for me

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

I am surprised there so many people using V Power at todays hideous prices. I did try V Power just before the prices went sky high but found it was no better than E10 so it's E10 for me

Aye, but had you noticed that the owners using V Power are all owners of AMG engined vehicles?

You're doing the right thing, a normal engined, newer car will be fine with E10, but not so much an AMG (or BMW M3/M5)

That said, I've had to take ordinary BMW 6 cylinder and 4 cylinder BMW's to France these last two years, "what with one thing and another," and each time I've found that they misfire lightly on French Supermarket E10, while I haven't had that problem at all in the UK.

Bottom line: always judge for yourself.

Myself: I always think the easiest way of saving money on fuel is to either not drive at all - which saves a lot - or just to go light on the accelerator - which only works some of the time. But if we aren't driving most of the time over 100mph, what's the point of having an AMG? Just to give the valet guys something to have fun with?

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[Engadine]

On the fuel flap of my C63S, it says 98 RON, with 95 RON in brackets after. And then lists E5 and E10.

I’m not quite sure what this means. Or I know what they mean but not sure what the syntax means. Should I avoid 95? Is 98 better for the engine’s longevity (how? Valves?) or does it generate more power (presumably through changes in ignition timing) or…?

But I stick to V Power or the Esso and BP 97 equivalents to be safe. Not sure if I’m wasting money.

 

[f17ant]

VPower or Tesco Momentum

I won’t lie the car does feel slightly punchier on Tesco Momentu

I do roughly 5k miles a year so don’t mind paying extra for fuel

 

[Steve84N]

@Engadine it means you can use either. However, the car needs 98 or higher to run at its best, even more so for you being mapped to more power.

Using 95 will result in less power as timing is retarded to avoid knocking but the engine can accommodate it. Most super unleaded petrols contain more additives than regular which can help keep things cleaner inside the engine.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

On the fuel flap of my C63S, it says 98 RON, with 95 RON in brackets after. And then lists E5 and E10.

I’m not quite sure what this means. Or I know what they mean but not sure what the syntax means. Should I avoid 95? Is 98 better for the engine’s longevity (how? Valves?) or does it generate more power (presumably through changes in ignition timing) or…?

But I stick to V Power or the Esso and BP 97 equivalents to be safe. Not sure if I’m wasting money.

It means that you should use a minimum of 98 RON (which is what you car is designed to use) but you can use 95 RON in an emergency.

Whilst your car will run on 95 RON - it will temporarily adjust the ignition timing to prevent knocking and protect the engine from damage - it’s not recommended.

Your engine will produce less power and introduce an unnecessary risk whilst running in 95 RON, so stick to 98 RON or more on a car like yours.

Esso, Shell and Tesco all offer 99 RON, which is even better suited to your car than 98 RON, and should maximise the power generated by your engine.

Tesco is usually the least expensive 99 RON fuel by far. Tesco unleaded is already amongst the least expensive and the coat premium for 99 RON is only around 7p.

Finally 99 RON tends to be a maximum of E5 and often has no ethanol content at at all) and so you are likely to find improved fuel economy whilst using 99 RON.

Finally do not switch from 95 RON to 99 RON and back again, just use 99 RON and stick to it unless you have no alternative.

 

[Dickster]

I’ve always used premium, whatever is available. But my SL only does 2-3k miles pa.

 

[ALFAitalia]

Finally 99 RON tends to be a maximum of E5 and often has no ethanol content at at all) and so you are likely to find improved fuel economy whilst using 99 RON.

I stand to be proved wrong but I thing that officially the ONLY E0 fuel in the country is Esso Supreme Plus 99. Other may or may not have less than 5% ethanol but Esso are the only one that say that Supreme Plus 99 has zero percent (except in some remote areas of the country).

 

[c3nturi0n]

AMGs are designed / optimised for 99RON.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I stand to be proved wrong but I thing that officially the ONLY E0 fuel in the country is Esso Supreme Plus 99. Other may or may not have less than 5% ethanol but Esso are the only one that say that Supreme Plus 99 has zero percent (except in some remote areas of the country).

Pump labels state the maximum Ethanol content rather than the actual Ethanol content so it’s difficult to be sure. Even for the same brand, the actual blend varies by location and batch, and could be anywhere between 0% and the maximum.

Esso is often described on Internet forums and websites as being Ethanol free however the exclusions account for around half of the UK - at the time of writing Devon, Cornwall, North Wales, North England, and Scotland are all excluded.

I dare say thy other fuel companies could say the same but have chosen not to as it avoids any liability in the event that it must be blended for supply reasons, and avoids resulting ambiguity of defining which areas do an don’t have a blend of Ethanol.

It’s much easier and safer to stick with the Government definitions for Ethanol content, both for the fuel companies, distributors, fillings stations and of course drivers. Most people don’t really care about anything other than price and availability.

 

[Fastcar155]

Hi , well Mercedes recommend 99 octane petrol in my M276 engine.

I prefer Shell V Power but recently Esso 99 octane will do.

Have used 95 octane as I trial on one occasion but I am General Slow so no difference in my car !