Petrol for Boats and Cars

[alec]

I have noticed that I seem to get much better fuel economy when buying petrol at BP, Esso stations etc rather tha petrol bought from supermarkets.

Anybody else noticed this ?

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Freebee]

a bit unlikely that as supermarket petrol comes from the oil majors just badged differently. Even the shell's,bp's and Esso of the uk share resources.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Spuddy]

I vaguely remember many things - sign of ageing, I suppose - one of which was something about better economy from certain brands ( possibly Texaco, Esso, Shell) plus certain other virtues because of the extra additives bunged in. This was supposed to account for some of the price differential. Where these additives were put in I don't know, but it was in the Telegraph so it must be right.
I think I'll just drift away again now.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Alex_Blackwood]

There was much discussion on this subject in the CSMA Magazine some time back.
The general opinion was that better milage was obtained from "Branded" fuel than Supermarket products. I have used a mix of products over the past year and cannot tell the difference. However I do use diesel! It is certainally common hearsay that Supermarket brands do not contain the detergent additives that are in the Branded products.
As far as the additives going in. I remember in the 60's watching a small Shell Mex/BP. coaster exiting the locks at a refinery port. A Land Rover with a 45gallon drum rolled up, the drum was slung onto the vessels deck and the LR driver called out to the Mate. "Stick that in the tanks your cargo is not BP Super, it's Shell with ICA"!

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[AlexL]

The supermarket petrol did not contain a lot of the additives in 'branded' fuel, although I think that may have changed recently.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[vyv_cox]

The basic hydrocarbons product is supplied to road tankers on a regional basis, e.g. all Scottish petrol comes from BP Grangemouth, all NW England from Shell Stanlow, etc. The tanker driver adds the additive package for his particular brand. Although supermarkets now advertise "with additives" you can be certain that this is a low-cost, not highly researched package that they buy on the open market. The majors invest considerably in additive packages and their products will contain a cocktail of spark aiders, detergents, economy boosters, etc. These are likely to produce better running and economy in a modern engine.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[andy_wilson]

I agree with all of that...

... but lets be honest about this, on the road you can't really tell the difference, either in performance or econony.

On a track, a driver with the skills of a robot might show a marginal difference (and lets face it, top class drivers don't get a Super Licence if they can't pump in lap after lap with clock like consistency).

On the road, a cold damp morning is far more likely to make you think she's pulling a bit better up the hill than any cocktail of additives.

Honest.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Avocet]

Re: I agree with all of that...

For the last 3 years I've used Safey petrol as they do a stonking good deal if you spend money on your shopping there - typically 5 - 8p per litre off on my weekly shop. As my car is about to go "round the clock" for a second time I guess there can't be that much wrong with it! On the other hand, I've recently started using that Shell "Optimax" stuff. I can't say the car is much quicker (maybe a little but hard to tell) but it certainly idles better and runs smoother. Too early to say if the economy has improved but as I kept fastidious records of the Safeway fill-ups, I'll see what the Optimax does in the next few months.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[vyv_cox]

Re: I agree with all of that...

I recall that when the improved performance fuels began to be introduced, around 1987-8, it was generally observed that economy improvements of 2 or 3 mpg could be gained. Other things have improved since then, so maybe the improvements would be less now, don't know.

I agree that some of the fuel improvements introduced at that time were as much a marketing exercise as a real technical improvement, but having had some involvement with the research that went into it, I can say that in some cases the benefits seen by the engine were dramatic.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[ex-Gladys]

Re: I agree with all of that...

These days modern cars couldn't give a stuff about the petrol (or diesel) because the engine management systems re-map to take account of what is happening in combustion. Having seen all companies tankers (including Tesco and Safeway) coming out of fuel depot gates, you're reliant on a tanker driver dropping the appropriate additives in... Pay the extra 5-8p per litre on Optimax if you like, but you'll have to do at least 10% better in mileage to benefit, and that ain't going to happen. You can get 10% better, but it's all down to the way you use your right foot.

<hr width=100% size=1>Larry Botheras

Anderson 26 "Amber"

 

[Trevor_swfyc]

Re: I agree with all of that...

Have a look at a map of the British Isles with the position of all the oil refineries. Petrol is a commodity and is traded as such. Distribution costs are kept to a minimum by trade offs. Special additives should be blended in at the point of leaving the terminal but who controls this and how can you the customer be sure its been added in the correct dose or even at all.

Ps This post has been done on a pentium 4, 2.4 GHz with 512 MB of PC4200 RAM
with an Asus P4T533 motherboard, but what really makes it fly is Eastern Electricity!

All the best Trevor
Ex Shellhaven.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[alec]

Re: I agree with all of that...

I always set the trip when filling up. The car does around 460 miles on a tank using BP petrol compared to around 420 miles using Sainsbury’s or Tesco.
The mileage is fairly consistent as the car commutes 80 miles each weekday. In the summer months I can sometimes get 500 miles out of a tank.
Can’t say I have noticed a better tickover etc but the pumps at the moment are saying something about ‘improvements ?’ in it’s petrol.

I have no connection or shares with any oil companies (regrettably)


<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[gjgm]

Re: I agree with all of that...

I think that if some one had miraculously made petrol 10pct more efficient we would hear about it. Hard to say why it appears you do better with one fuel than another.You may be doing similar mileage, but perhaps not always similar conditions or speed. Think you would need to be more scientific .

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[andrewbarker]

Want a bet?? If you go down to Avonmouth Docks where the refined stuff is distributed, you'll see all the supermarkets' tankers filling up from one set of tanks & Shell & Texaco (to my knowledge) from their own tanks.

<hr width=100% size=1>