Premium Diesel

Joe_Horner

My experience: Been running diesels now for about 12 years, putting whatever is to hand in the tank. Not noticed any difference at all between brands yet.

My current Pug 405 is on 208k miles and has been run on supermarket / whatever's there fuel for its whole life and is on its original pump and injectors - I know the previous (first) owner so know its history well. It still gives "book" performance in terms of acceleration and comfortably exceeds its factory claimed fuel economy on overall (43mpg against 39 claimed) and long runs (touching 50mpg against claimed 45).

Perhaps, in the long run, the extra detergents etc would keep it cleaner but 10p+ per litre extra for "premium" over 208k miles is around £2k extra in fuel,which would more than pay for having it cleaned properly if it ever needed it!

Marktheshark

Put the extra in a jar and save it for when the DMF packs in.
No fuel will make that last any longer.

Ranger8

I use nothing else but Shell V-Power Nitro+ diesel in the diesels and petrol in the petrols, convinced you can`t buy a better fuel and worth the pennies difference.


http://www.shell.co.uk/motorist/shell-fuels/shell-v-power-nitro-plus.html

patman99

A friend of mine purchased a Citreon Picasso with the 72bhp 1.6HDi engine and with 88k miles on the clock.
Near to where he lives is a hill and when he first had the car, he would have to drop to 2nd to get up the hill. General acceleration was extremely slugish and the car was very unresponsive.

I suggested that he avoid supermarket fuel and use branded instead. A year later and the car can cruise up the hill in 4th without loosing speed. It is also very responsive and the acceleration is enough to spin the wheels.

I have had diesels over the last 15 years and have noticed a marked drop in both performance and mpg when running on supermarket fuel. Mind you, all the branded stations round my way are either cheaper than, or matched to, the price of the supermarkets anyway, so nothing to be saved by using non-branded fuels.

Zandoni

Thanks for your comments everyone. It seems to be one of the things that there's no positive answer too.


I think I'll just have to give it a try for a while.

mcpitman

Zandoni wrote: »

Thanks for your comments everyone. It seems to be one of the things that there's no positive answer too.


I think I'll just have to give it a try for a while.

Personal experience, I use Millers+Supermarket fuel, but also do 32k miles a year, mainly mway based.

I do know that most of the branded fuel manufacturers (BP, Shell, Esso) etc all recommend at least 3 tanks of the "good stuff" before it fully takes effect.

Strider590

I don't know about Diesel, but I know BP ultimate unleaded doesn't contain the bio ethanol required under EU law for standard unleaded fuel (see E5 and soon E10 petrol). Meaning you get upto 5% more MPG per litre of Ultimate (97ron), than you do with the standard stuff.

http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/car-e10-fuel-tests/1229024

Bio ethanol is just a filler, like taking out a quantity of fuel and replacing it with water (almost literally, as bio ethanol is hygroscopic).

In practice the additional cost of ultimate/super makes it no more an advantage.

It may sound far fetched, but if people understood what octane rating was actually about, then they'd get it too.

Octane rating = better resistance to pre-ignition/pinking/knock. It's got sweet FA to do with power.

sk240

I have recently changed to the shell nitro+ Diesel (from supermarket fuel), and have gained 4-5mpg! my thinking is that with the car now having 55K miles on the clock that the DPF is getting a bit tired, so with the cleaner burning fuel its having to do a lot less regenerations.
and along with the better burning fuel am gaining quite a bit, so in my case it appears to be worth the extra 6-7ppl

almillar

my first diesel car

no positive answer

How about a more positive question - What car, engine, age, mileage is the car, and what will your driving pattern be?

Paradigm

Strider590 wrote: »

It may sound far fetched, but if people understood what octane rating was actually about, then they'd get it too.

Octane rating = better resistance to pre-ignition/pinking/knock. It's got sweet FA to do with power.

That's not strictly true though is it? If IIRC you run a track car with a very high compression ratio... bet you don't put standard 95 octane in that!