Petrol - supermarket vs Vpower

[capese21]

On 10/02/2017 at 11:34 PM, AmbroseJohn said:

I do believe some people even think Bob Geldoff and Eddie Izzard know what they're talking about. :)

Both are deluded imho. 

My car runs smoother on Shell compared to Tesco fuel then again I may also be deluded.

[J Henderson]

I'll throw this in here... 

 

Whilst attending Driver CPC training a couple of years back, the instructor was a former tanker driver who operated out of the Grangemouth refinery and one of the claims he made regarding supermarket fuel, was that it was basically all the sub-standard crappy stuff that wasn't good enough to be used in a "brand" fuel. So, instead, this "sludge" would be shipped out to a refinery in The Netherlands that was allegedly operated or funded-by the "big four" Supermarkets, and there it would be refined or re-refined, and subsequently get shipped back to the UK as "supermarket fuel".

Whether this is true or not, who knows, but I didn't trust supermarket fuel long before I heard this. The internet is filled with conspiracy theories, rumours and people questioning the quality of what's being sold by the likes of Tesco & ASDA. Are they all wrong? Are they all nutjobs? Usually in this type of "urban myth" scenario, there's an element of truth at the base of it all. Plus, as a former BMW owner, I'm all too aware of some of their engines being ruined by cheap, poor-quality fuel in the '90s.

 

[capese21]

1 hour ago, Kodiak Sky said:

Plus, as a former BMW owner, I'm all too aware of some of their engines being ruined by cheap, poor-quality fuel in the '90s.

That was down to BMW engines having nikasil process aluminium liners which was affected by sulphur in some fuel and not always cheap supermarket stuff.

The one story which is true is the Tesco & Morrisons fuel contamination of 2007.  No main branded fuel company was involved so it seems.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motoring/dirty-fuel-blights-thousands

I will continue to fill my GS up with supermarket fuel around one tank in 4.  I definitely notice the difference driving it.

 

Ed

[doog442]

1 hour ago, Kodiak Sky said:

I'll throw this in here... 

 

Whilst attending Driver CPC training a couple of years back, the instructor was a former tanker driver who operated out of the Grangemouth refinery and one of the claims he made regarding supermarket fuel, was that it was basically all the sub-standard crappy stuff that wasn't good enough to be used in a "brand" fuel. So, instead, this "sludge" would be shipped out to a refinery in The Netherlands that was allegedly operated or funded-by the "big four" Supermarkets, and there it would be refined or re-refined, and subsequently get shipped back to the UK as "supermarket fuel".

Whether this is true or not, who knows, but I didn't trust supermarket fuel long before I heard this. The internet is filled with conspiracy theories, rumours and people questioning the quality of what's being sold by the likes of Tesco & ASDA. Are they all wrong? Are they all nutjobs? Usually in this type of "urban myth" scenario, there's an element of truth at the base of it all. Plus, as a former BMW owner, I'm all too aware of some of their engines being ruined by cheap, poor-quality fuel in the '90s.

 

BMW fully endorse supermarket fuel and you will get laughed off a BMW forum nowadays if you suggest otherwise apart from the odd petrol head.

How does the sub standard crappy stuff manage to serve the majority of the UK driving population ? 

 

[capese21]

2 hours ago, doog442 said:

BMW fully endorse supermarket fuel and you will get laughed off a BMW forum nowadays if you suggest otherwise apart from the odd petrol head.

 

10 years ago some fuel which the majority used without issue did cause BMW some sleepless nights though!! 

[GSLV6]

I don't believe that lorry driver's tale.  If it were true then the cost of shipping and re-refining this "sludge" then shipping back would have made the cost more expensive than premium branded fuel by a long way!  (unless of course it was the re-refinement of byproduct he was talking about and I don't know the chemistry involved to be able to comment further on that).

There were issues a decade ago and I recall that many vehicles also suffered oxygen sensor failures around this time due to poor fuel causing (somehow) carbon build up on the sensors.  This, in turn, affected the fuel/air mixtures and some engines were damaged.  Most owners affected seemed to get the sensor failure (engine warning) light flagged up very quickly and there was a lot of debate to the causes at the time but general consensus from both manufacturers and garages was poor supermarket fuels.

Many of these cars were new-ish at the time, so the issue was taken as credible and investigations were ordered into supermarket fuels.  However (there is one) a little perspective is also a wonderful thing.  Many cars were far from new, or at least were high mileage.  Good practice seems to be to renew oxygen sensors between 50 and 100K miles on all vehicles to ensure efficiency is maintained and better mpg/lower emissions.  Many cars having issues were clearly higher mileage and had probably not been properly maintained so were more susceptible to these issues causing serious running problems.  How widespread the issues actually were, I don't know, save to say no-one that I knew suffered any ills from using Tesco or Morrison supermarket fuels at that time.

They may all come from the same refinery, but additives do vary, and cleaner burning fuels one would think are better for the health of your engine, hence I only put one tank in 4 or 5 in from supermarket petrol stations.

 

[Jamesf1]

Last Tuesday I needed to fill up again. Did so with a tank of Vpower. Almost straight way mty MPG has gone back to high 29-low 30 from the mid 26 - low 27 of the Supermarket unleaded. I can tell the car has a little more pep also. Guess she likes the good stuff.

[messi]

You get what you pay for. I will never use supermarket fuel, only v power shell in my car. Supermarket fuel is cheap for a reason, its rubbish. 

[Glover]

I always use supermarket fuel and never had any problems. The biggest change I've had is this weekend, changed back to eco from normal mode previous mpg 25; new mpg 35.1.  Not totally similar conditions but big enough difference to suggest that eco has some impact.  Roll on summer and high 30s, low 40s (temperatures and mpg)  Although unless I start driving in the Sahara the temperature figure is highly unlikely but judging by last summer the mpg is definitely achievable. 

[Glover]

Ambrose John, did you race at the Pod? I used to go there in the 70s in the days of Dennis Priddle, Clive Skilton, Gary Goggins, Stripteaser etc.  Halcyon days.  Also saw Big Daddy the great Don Garlits. I can remember a Chevelle SS; was it yours (sorry guys going way off topic!)

[Rebecca]

I've only ever used shell nitro in my is250. Don't use it for possible gains in performance or slightly better mpg. I use it for the extra detergents in the fuel as apparently the is250 can suffer with carbon build up and Im hoping it will prevent possible future problems. 

[AmbroseJohn]

I usually use Morrison's but their unleaded is now £1.209 a litre, so this weekend I filled up at the local Shell station for £1.189. I saved over a pound, wow.

Anyway I did a ninety mile round trip, to see Lincoln City knock us out of the FA cup. Mostly motorway M55 M6 M61 M65, cruise control @ 80mph and guess what................................. no difference at all, still 31.5 mpg.

[AmbroseJohn]

1 hour ago, Glover said:

Ambrose John, did you race at the Pod? I used to go there in the 70s in the days of Dennis Priddle, Clive Skilton, Gary Goggins, Stripteaser etc.  Halcyon days.  Also saw Big Daddy the great Don Garlits. I can remember a Chevelle SS; was it yours (sorry guys going way off topic!)

I was there for Garlits too.

I never raced my road cars. We ran a blue Cortina with yellow stripes called Hybrid AM56 (how ironic is that) The dictionary definition of hybrid at the time was "a cross between two thoroughbreds" which we thought was apt being a Ford with a Chevrolet engine. The engine block came from Mike Hailwood's Formula 5000 car. We fitted a 327 crank to make it 5300cc.

I could go on and on about those days, about the cars and the people (many of whom are no longer with us) but I'm sure other people would get bored.

[Jamesf1]

16 hours ago, Rebecca said:

I've only ever used shell nitro in my is250. Don't use it for possible gains in performance or slightly better mpg. I use it for the extra detergents in the fuel as apparently the is250 can suffer with carbon build up and Im hoping it will prevent possible future problems. 

Same here. But the better MPG I've seen in the GS- which curiously I didnt  in my IS250 - is a definate bonus

[Britprius]

23 hours ago, AmbroseJohn said:

I usually use Morrison's but their unleaded is now £1.209 a litre, so this weekend I filled up at the local Shell station for £1.189. I saved over a pound, wow.

Anyway I did a ninety mile round trip, to see Lincoln City knock us out of the FA cup. Mostly motorway M55 M6 M61 M65, cruise control @ 80mph and guess what................................. no difference at all, still 31.5 mpg.

Your Morrison's is expensive. I filled up today at my local Morrison's "Leominster" at £1-16.9 four pence cheaper than yours.

John

[royoftherovers]

Just now, Britprius said:

Your Morrison's is expensive. I filled up today at my local Morrison's "Leominster" at £1-16.9 four pence cheaper than yours.

John

Four pence cheaper John =4p x 4.546=18p per gallon cheaper (3 shillings and sixpence). My doesn`t life change quickly ?

 

Regards

John

[Britprius]

1 hour ago, royoftherovers said:

Four pence cheaper John =4p x 4.546=18p per gallon cheaper (3 shillings and sixpence). My doesn`t life change quickly ?

 

Regards

John

Thats About what i paid for a gallon when I started to drive

John

[AmbroseJohn]

2 hours ago, Britprius said:

Your Morrison's is expensive. I filled up today at my local Morrison's "Leominster" at £1-16.9 four pence cheaper than yours.

John

It used to be the cheapest and the other stations had to keep reducing or go bust. Maybe Morrison's are seeing if it works the other way too. It hasn't so far.

[royoftherovers]

10 minutes ago, Britprius said:

Thats About what i paid for a gallon when I started to drive

John

I cannot be certain but I think I can remember paying £1 for 8 gallons i.e. half a crown (2/6) per gallon.

Happy days they were and I was earning £4.50 each week and I aspired to wanting to save up enough to buy a Rover.

My how times change.It`s all relative I suppose.

 

 

Regards

John

[AmbroseJohn]

Petrol is the same value that its always been, it gets you 30 miles down the road, same as always. It's the value of the currency that changes.

Our coinage used to contain silver, which gave it value but that ended in 1946. In 1946 a Half Crown (12.5p) would buy a gallon of petrol. If you melt a 1946 Half Crown the value of silver content would still buy a gallon of petrol. Before 1919 all silver coinage was 'sterling' 90%, then  it was reduced to 50%. In 1947 all the silver was removed from new coinage. Even our copper coins are no longer copper. Our money has been stolen from us, bit by bit over the years.

Our currency now has no value, it's just we're all dreaming the same dream but as soon as we all wake up to the facts, I'm afraid it's all over and that time is not so far off. Better to have the real gold and silver and leave the paper stuff for the dreamers. :)

When we switched to decimal currency in 1971 prices started going through the roof and everyone blamed decimalisation but the real reason was Nixon ended the gold standard, which had been agreed in 1944, thus devaluing all the world's currencies overnight.

One day I'm sure all my useless information will be useful. :)

 

[Jamesf1]

I remember when this forum was all fields.....and you  could get your Lexus serviced and get some chips on the way home, see a film at the local picture house and still have change from 5d shilling tupence. Tell young people today and they dont believe you.....

[royoftherovers]

11 minutes ago, Jamesf1 said:

I remember when this forum was all fields.....and you  could get your Lexus serviced and get some chips on the way home, see a film at the local picture house and still have change from 5d shilling tupence. Tell young people today and they dont believe you.....

Me thinks that you`ve been drinking too much Mackeson young man !

 

Regards

John

[Britprius]

17 minutes ago, royoftherovers said:

Me thinks that you`ve been drinking too much Mackeson young man !

 

Regards

John

Why is it we complain about petrol at circa £6 a gallon when we happily pay £25 to £30 for a gallon of beer,

John.

[royoftherovers]

Supply and Demand John. Who wants to demand petrol to drink?  :):):)

 

Regards

John

[doog442]

9 hours ago, Britprius said:

Why is it we complain about petrol at circa £6 a gallon when we happily pay £25 to £30 for a gallon of beer,

John.

..a gallon of real ale down my local is £17

Some of us have to drink in the supermarket of pub chains to enjoy a decent price ..