supermarket petrol

2

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  • Not in the slightest - it depends totally on whether the engine would 'knock' on three star with it's timing as it should be. If it's timing was designed with three star in mind there would be no difference. The higher the octane rating the higher the resistance to knocking. Cars that specified (in the old days) 100 octane fuel needed this due to their optimum timing. Any less and knocking might result.
  • jjames_3
    jjames_3 Posts: 363 Forumite
    balsingh wrote:
    I remember my dad used to have an early 80s Nissan Sunny - we were told to run it on 4*. Thats what it said in the owners manual and thats what the dealer recommended.

    When dad upgraded to a BMW 5-series, he was told to use 3* - and it did say that in the book. Strange eh!!!

    Japanese engines have always been a bit sensitive to fuel types, and do usually work better with higher octane stuff.

    I suspect that's what is up with my Hyundai vs crap Tesco petrol; Mitsubishi-derived engine....
  • Cardew
    Cardew Posts: 29,036
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    This subject is discussed endlessly in motoring forums and for every person who claims Supermarket petrol gives less mpg there is another person who claims it gives better. All totally subjective opinions.

    One fact is beyond dispute – Supermarkets and the main oil companies get their fuel from the same refineries.

    Now if the ‘magic’ ingredients that, say, Esso add gave better MPG than Supermarket petrol do you not feel they would get it verified by an independent body(AA/RAC motoring magazines etc) and you would never stop hearing about it in the media.

    An objective test would very easy – get some identical cars put in different makes of fuel and drive them in convoy swopping drivers every so often.

    Also if the ‘magic’ ingredient had any proven advantages do you not feel that the rival suppliers would have the fuel analysed and that ingredient added to their fuel?

    The facts are that there is absolutely no proof that brand X gives better MPG than brand Y and the oil companies are very careful not to claim so – lest they contravene advertising regulations.

    They are even very careful about their claims for the higher octane fuels – stressing the performance advantages.
  • robnye
    robnye Posts: 5,411
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    well said............
    smile --- it makes people wonder what you are up to.... ;) :cool:
  • Notebook
    Notebook Posts: 285
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    ruined it - I was enjoying the thread!!
  • Inactive
    Inactive Posts: 14,509 Forumite
    One thing for absolute certain, I remember Tesco fuel, ( amongst others ) causing serious problems to users vehicles a few years ago, I have avoided Tesco Fuel ever since.
  • Hammyman
    Hammyman Posts: 9,913 Forumite
    Inactive wrote: »
    One thing for absolute certain, I remember Tesco fuel, ( amongst others ) causing serious problems to users vehicles a few years ago, I have avoided Tesco Fuel ever since.

    For the love of god...

    It was one bad batch out of the billions of litres they sell. Do you avoid everything that you read about which has been sold with a defect? If so, why are you using a computer?
  • nice 5 year old thread well done sassy one, oh hang on
    Nothing to see here, move along.
  • Hammyman wrote: »
    For the love of god...

    It was one bad batch out of the billions of litres they sell. Do you avoid everything that you read about which has been sold with a defect? If so, why are you using a computer?

    Quite true and do people honestly recon there have never been problems with the "big" manufacturers? (whose petrol comes from the same refineries and same oil as the supermarkets)

    It may surprise some to hear that its not just Tesco that has had a balls up!
  • PsiDOC
    PsiDOC Posts: 354
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    Hi all. I work for one of those refineries. What you get at the pumps at the supermarket is excess production that's bought on the spot market. The difference between it and what you buy at the franchised station? Nothing at all.
    Unless the company makes a big song and dance about some new additive it is using then you can guarantee it's not there. Remember Formula Shell from the 90's? It lasted about 2.5 years and was axed by shell and the advertising etc slipped into obscurity.
    Also that thing with tesco a couple of years ago. That was due to silicone in the fuel that destroyed the oxygen sensor in the exhaust manifold - O2 sensors and silicone doe not mix! That tanker load fuel actually came from russia - someone trying to save a few pennies by shopping abroad I guess.

    Psi
    Near a tree by a river, there's a hole in the ground.
    Where an old man of Aran goes around and around....

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