Shell Petrol/ Diesel pricing - a cautionary tale

Belenus

facade said:

If it is petrol you are leaving sitting that long, you want to make sure you are getting alcohol free (Esso super is supposed to be alcohol free) if you leave E10 sitting that long you will be in for expensive bills.

The motorbike repairers are full of 'bikes that have been left sitting all Winter with e10 in the tank, and now won't run properly.

I am aware that  E10 can damage some metals and plastics etc but what difference does it make to have the same E10 fuel sitting in the tank rather than regularly using fuel and refilling?

Does stored E10 change in some way over time that makes it more corrosive or damaging?

ontheroad1970

This is normal at Shell garages across the country.  A bank of pumps may contain 'fuelsave' and V power petrol and V power Diesel.  They are marked above the pumps or next to the pumps.  It is annoying, but also annoying to others if you wait for a fuelsave diesel in front of you and aren't drawing it from the V-Power pump.  Not your fault...

35har1old

Phossy said:

It may be my own stupidity, but I can't shake the feeling I've been subtly manipulated too. 

I just filled up with Diesel at a local Shell garage that is under new ownership - I know that as it advertises it with the bold tag 'Under New management - Lower fuel prices'. It advertises 144.9 p/ litre for Diesel (and 142.9 for Petrol) so I thought I'd have some of that. When I went to pay it turns out to be 175.9 p/ litre as I'd filled up with 'V-Power'. The cashier took me out pointed to the big sign that said 142.9 and 144.9 and then took me to the pump and said, but the V-Power is 175.9 / p/ litre. The price isn't advertised anywhere. The pump has 3-nozzles, 2 are yellow and one is black/ brown. I used the black/ brown one (V-Power Diesel).  The cashier showed me that the two yellow ones were actually Unleaded Petrol and Diesel (bog standard diesel) and the prices for these were as advertised. I am feeling equal parts stupid and conned. 

Even at 144.9 your paying way over the odds diesel  price 137.9

facade

Belenus said:

facade said:

If it is petrol you are leaving sitting that long, you want to make sure you are getting alcohol free (Esso super is supposed to be alcohol free) if you leave E10 sitting that long you will be in for expensive bills.

The motorbike repairers are full of 'bikes that have been left sitting all Winter with e10 in the tank, and now won't run properly.

I am aware that  E10 can damage some metals and plastics etc but what difference does it make to have the same E10 fuel sitting in the tank rather than regularly using fuel and refilling?

Does stored E10 change in some way over time that makes it more corrosive or damaging?

The extra alcohol helps oxidise the fuel into gummy deposits quicker, absorbs moisture from the air as the tank cools down after warming up, and slowly decomposes into ethanal, which in turn decomposes into ethanoic acid.

I don't use e10, as stated above, Tescos e5 is only a few pence dearer than e10, and most of the cost will be offset by the increased mpg with e5 over e10, so I put it in The Other Car.

The Car I Care About only has Esso e5, which is supposed to be ethanol free.

When you do a very low mileage like me, an extra 15p or so a litre doesn't significantly add to the running costs- the biggest ones are insurance & tax.

photome

35har1old said:

Phossy said:

It may be my own stupidity, but I can't shake the feeling I've been subtly manipulated too. 

I just filled up with Diesel at a local Shell garage that is under new ownership - I know that as it advertises it with the bold tag 'Under New management - Lower fuel prices'. It advertises 144.9 p/ litre for Diesel (and 142.9 for Petrol) so I thought I'd have some of that. When I went to pay it turns out to be 175.9 p/ litre as I'd filled up with 'V-Power'. The cashier took me out pointed to the big sign that said 142.9 and 144.9 and then took me to the pump and said, but the V-Power is 175.9 / p/ litre. The price isn't advertised anywhere. The pump has 3-nozzles, 2 are yellow and one is black/ brown. I used the black/ brown one (V-Power Diesel).  The cashier showed me that the two yellow ones were actually Unleaded Petrol and Diesel (bog standard diesel) and the prices for these were as advertised. I am feeling equal parts stupid and conned. 

Even at 144.9 your paying way over the odds diesel  price 137.9

that depends where you live of course

photome

OP if it makes you feel better, I did exactly the same thing at a shell station about 10 years ago and I  drive 30000 miles a year . you will only make the mistake once tho

HillStreetBlues

photome said:

OP if it makes you feel better, I did exactly the same thing at a shell station about 10 years ago and I  drive 30000 miles a year . you will only make the mistake once tho

In the long and distance past I also did it, and yes only did it once.
But I never felt manipulated or conned (as OP), just annoyed with myself.

Stateofart

Belenus said:

facade said:

If it is petrol you are leaving sitting that long, you want to make sure you are getting alcohol free (Esso super is supposed to be alcohol free) if you leave E10 sitting that long you will be in for expensive bills.

The motorbike repairers are full of 'bikes that have been left sitting all Winter with e10 in the tank, and now won't run properly.

I am aware that  E10 can damage some metals and plastics etc but what difference does it make to have the same E10 fuel sitting in the tank rather than regularly using fuel and refilling?

Does stored E10 change in some way over time that makes it more corrosive or damaging?

It's a fallacy - E10 is fine and has been for years.  Cars have been designed to run it for 20 years now.

Bonniepurple

OP - I’ve nearly done it a couple of times at Shell.  I’ve lifted the nozzle and then, just before I started fuelling, spotted the higher rate.  I’ve plonked the nozzle straight down again, but in the meantime the pump has been registered as in use, so it has to be reset by the staff before I can refill with the normal diesel.