Cheap Petrol False economy

[pyrorus]

I commute to work and back everyday approximately 80 miles a day round trip and always used to fill up at the local supermarkets as there a few pence a litre cheaper. I usually use just over 3/4 of a tank (about £50) a week getting to work.

One day I was running late and needed to top up and rather than make the usualy detour to the supermarket stopped off at a BP to refill, I topped it up and it came to a couple of quid more as youd expect.

My surprise came the following week when I went to fill the car up and the needle had only gone down halfway, I'd done the same amount of miles at the same speed, the only difference was the fact Id been to a BP.

SO thinking it was just my imagination I thorght Id go the BP garage and try it again. It cost me £40 quid to top up.

Ive done this for the last few weeks and my car is definately using less petrol when I go to a BP than it does at the supermarkets.

Has anyone else found this and that the cheap petrol is actually a false economy.

Rus

[RainbowsInTheSpray]

So where is all the BP publicity telling us of this wonderful benefit..?

[Al Mac]

You really need to give MPG figures and how much it saves :) But I doubt it ;)

[nickmack]

Could well be external factors affecting it, the standard petrol (i.e. normal 95RON) usually comes from the same refineries and indeed gets delivered on the same trucks whether it goes to BP or Tesco.

[Glad]

Hi, Martin’s asked me to post this in these circumstances: I’ve asked Board Guides to move threads if they’ll receive a better response elsewhere (please see this rule (http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=1009335#post1009335)) so this post/thread has been moved to another board, where it should get more replies. If you have any questions about this policy please email abuse@moneysavingexpert.com (abuse@moneysavingexpert.com). :)

[guss]

All petrol comes from the same refineries in a particular area ,its the additives that are added by the tanker drivers on delvery that make the difference and affect economy . Its well known that some supermarkets skimp on these !! i have regularly experienced what the original poster mentioned and usually find that if you buy petrol from a mainstream oil company site, near a supermarket one the price is pretty much the same but the petrol gives better mpg due to the correct additives being added in the correct amounts . I have heard quite a few people comment on this but was confirmed to me by a relative who is a tanker driver .

[stamford]

All petrol comes from the same refineries in a particular area ,its the additives that are added by the tanker drivers on delvery that make the difference and affect economy . Its well known that some supermarkets skimp on these !! i have regularly experienced what the original poster mentioned and usually find that if you buy petrol from a mainstream oil company site, near a supermarket one the price is pretty much the same but the petrol gives better mpg due to the correct additives being added in the correct amounts . I have heard quite a few people comment on this but was confirmed to me by a relative who is a tanker driver .


So what happens does the tanker driver disconnect the big pipe then give it a few shots of additive from his hand held spray ? Two squirts for Asda and three at Tesco- Sounds a bit of an old wives tale

[mikey-mike]

.......was confirmed to me by a relative who is a tanker driver .

think he's pulling your leg

[vansboy]

So what happens does the tanker driver disconnect the big pipe then give it a few shots of additive from his hand held spray ? Two squirts for Asda and three at Tesco- Sounds a bit of an old wives tale

LOL!!

Not quite as easy as that!! The driver selects, using a card, the appropriate product, at the point of loading, depending on which fuel is going where.

As for the post, where is all the BP promotional blurb, well it IS there & has been for a few months, since they did a big push on their premium fuels.

& Shell have recently re-branded Optimax to V Power.

I'm a convert to Shell, as I do appreciate there is a difference. Plus the added extra of the filling stations in Luton, price match Asda, on unleaded & diesel, usually.

This means that although Vpower )my choice) is more expensive than unleaded, it's still worthwhile. Equates to around 7% dearer, but a similar increase in fuel economy.Cleaner engine, too - the additives are detergents,as well!

There is also the loyalty poins scheme, with Shell, worth between 1-3p/ltr discount, depending on your litres purchased & current offers.

So yes it IS worth buying a premium product!!

VB

[LizEstelle]

So where is all the BP publicity telling us of this wonderful benefit..?

I think this is the most telling comment here.

[tomstickland]

I've gone the other way. I use any old crap now and I haven't noticed a significant difference. I meant to keep records but lost interest TBH.

[southernscouser]

I've gone the other way. I use any old crap now and I haven't noticed a significant difference. I meant to keep records but lost interest TBH.

Where exactly do you put the hosepipe on your bicycle Tom? :confused:

:p ;)

[mustrum_ridcully]

Well I've noticed the same from Shell petrol as well, when compared with Sainsburys petrol that I usually used I would get about 50 miles more out of a full tank of petrol. Giving me probably 42mpg instead of around 38mpg. OK there could be other factors at play here as well I don't deny that...

As has been said it is the additivies that Shell, BP et al add to their petrol that seems to make a difference. Yes the British Standard for petrol does specify a minimum amount of detergent for petrol, but I suspect that the big petrol co.'s either use better detergent or better amount of the stuff.

[MiserlyMonkey]

Slightly off-topic but I once filled my tank up at a Sainsbury's garage with just under 46 litres of unleaded which is a bit strange as my car supposedly had a capacity of 45 litres, and no I hadn't run it empty, it wasn't even showing a warning light yet. :confused:

[Zebedee69]

I fill up at Tesco which is the cheapest around locally.

I use my Clubcard and Cashback Credit Card together to get the best bang for my buck.

Think thats the best way to go........ Im happy anyway! Never noticed a massive difference in Economy - Il be going diesel when my MOT runs out (Next June) Peugeot 106 or a Saxo Diesel. Super Economy Ahoy!!!

[vansboy]

I fill up at Tesco which is the cheapest around locally.

I use my Clubcard and Cashback Credit Card together to get the best bang for my buck.

Think thats the best way to go........ Im happy anyway! Never noticed a massive difference in Economy - Il be going diesel when my MOT runs out (Next June) Peugeot 106 or a Saxo Diesel. Super Economy Ahoy!!!


I think that Tesco also offer a premium priced fuel, at some filling stations, now, too.

So EVEN THEY are telling us there's a difference!!

VB

[lil_me]

Some find a difference some don't. Also as it's getting colder you may get better fuel economy.

[tomstickland]

I think that Tesco also offer a premium priced fuel, at some filling stations, now, too.

So EVEN THEY are telling us there's a difference!!

Octane rating. Not going to make much difference on most cars, certainly not worth the price difference.

[lil_me]

There is a difference for cars which are mapped to run on it, just a waste in most other cars IMO. There was also research done into the 'premium' fuels in performance engines, and the Tescos one came out the worst.

[peterholland]

bought some bio diesel from central bio fuels yesterday car still working from Charles henry street at 74.9 per liter and doing my bit for the green house gases my car is solar powered

[computersaysdoh]

bought some bio diesel from central bio fuels yesterday car still working from Charles henry street at 74.9 per liter and doing my bit for the green house gases my car is solar powered

. . . and I run my car on wind power.

[carl310166]

I have always used Tesco diesel in my PD engined Golf.

Last month i used BP Ultimate diesel to see if the extra cost was worth more MPG, at 99.9 a litre,i was hoping so.

Unfortunately my fuel light came on at 480 miles instead of the normal 500 plus, so i was very disapointed at the result, so i went back to Tesco.

I have been told that the ECU may take a while to get used to the new fuel, or if i dissconnect the battery for half a hour, then reconnect, the ECU will then adjust to the new fuel.It could be a load of rubbish though ???