Does Supermarket Fuel Produce Lower MPG?
Discussion
Tesco are starting a 10p off each litre of fuel for a £60 in-store shop (see Hot UK Deals). A discussion about that offer had some people saying that they only ever buy Shell fuel as despite it being more expensive than the supermarkets, you get better value for money due to an increased MPG.
Is there any truth in that? Have any of you ever tested this theory? Where do you buy your fuel and why?
Is there any truth in that? Have any of you ever tested this theory? Where do you buy your fuel and why?
bigfatnick said:
it comes from the same refinery, some people say it has different additives. I've never seen a difference between tesco's/asda poverty fuel and shell/texaco/bp poverty fuel.
Snobs, i tells you. (probably not a good thing so say on Pistonheads - snobbery matters.)
I previously worked in the Grangemouth refinery.Snobs, i tells you. (probably not a good thing so say on Pistonheads - snobbery matters.)
You are correct that they all get their fuel from the same refineries, but not from the same areas.
Supermarkets, Texaco and the like filled their tankers from another area of the refinery.
Main players (Esso, Shell, BP) got theirs centrally in the refinery from different storage tanks.
J.B.R. said:
I previously worked in the Grangemouth refinery.
You are correct that they all get their fuel from the same refineries, but not from the same areas.
Supermarkets, Texaco and the like filled their tankers from another area of the refinery.
Main players (Esso, Shell, BP) got theirs centrally in the refinery from different storage tanks.
So what went on in these areas? You are correct that they all get their fuel from the same refineries, but not from the same areas.
Supermarkets, Texaco and the like filled their tankers from another area of the refinery.
Main players (Esso, Shell, BP) got theirs centrally in the refinery from different storage tanks.
alfabadass said:
Not in the slightest!
There is crap petrol and good petrol even amongst the "brands".
Total, Texaco, Murco = complete s
t!
Sainsburys and Asda? Total bks.
Shell, BP, Tesco Momentum, Esso = awesome! Smooth running, etc
Of all the fuels I have tried, all seemed to give similar results. Exceptions were:There is crap petrol and good petrol even amongst the "brands".
Total, Texaco, Murco = complete s
t!Sainsburys and Asda? Total b
ks.Shell, BP, Tesco Momentum, Esso = awesome! Smooth running, etc
BP Ultimate (98 or 99 RON whatever it is). Car definitely felt a bit more lively than usual
Texaco. Worst tank of petrol I've ever used. Car wasn't noticeably sluggish or anything but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't make it do the late 30's/early 40's in MPG it usually gets. It was down in the doldrums. Tank of tesco regular and it was back to normal. So could of just been a slightly off batch, but that was the first and last time I'll use Texaco if other options are available.
I work for a company that supplies additives to many of the UK fuel suppliers and the answer is yes fuel qualities do differ between companies.
All base fuel in a particular area will come from the same refinery but each company then has its own type and amount of additive added.
Each company will define a minimum performance level that its fuel much achieve and this is achieved by using different additives or more or less of the same additive.
In terms of mpg then yes one of the benefits of a better fuel is more efficient burning and hence less fuel required to achieve the same bang !
All base fuel in a particular area will come from the same refinery but each company then has its own type and amount of additive added.
Each company will define a minimum performance level that its fuel much achieve and this is achieved by using different additives or more or less of the same additive.
In terms of mpg then yes one of the benefits of a better fuel is more efficient burning and hence less fuel required to achieve the same bang !
alfabadass said:
Not in the slightest!
There is crap petrol and good petrol even amongst the "brands".
Total, Texaco, Murco = complete st!
Sainsburys and Asda? Total bks.
Shell, BP, Tesco Momentum, Esso = awesome! Smooth running, etc
Which is odd, I commute about 116 miles a day, and I find the following in terms of best return for mpg.There is crap petrol and good petrol even amongst the "brands".
Total, Texaco, Murco = complete s
t!Sainsburys and Asda? Total b
ks.Shell, BP, Tesco Momentum, Esso = awesome! Smooth running, etc
1) Shell V+
2) Murco
3) Shell regular/BP
4) Esso (two different stations, same low return)
5) Any supermarket fuel.
ETA : I don't rely n my trip computer, which is about 5mpg out or real figures.I use a iPhone app which I log how many litres I have filled,filled or non filled tank, how many miles till last filled, price, location, all useful for anal detail obsessive like me, but also gives a real cost of how much your car costs.
Edited by Harji on Saturday 28th January 22:29
Otispunkmeyer said:
Of all the fuels I have tried, all seemed to give similar results. Exceptions were:
BP Ultimate (98 or 99 RON whatever it is). Car definitely felt a bit more lively than usual
Texaco. Worst tank of petrol I've ever used. Car wasn't noticeably sluggish or anything but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't make it do the late 30's/early 40's in MPG it usually gets. It was down in the doldrums. Tank of tesco regular and it was back to normal. So could of just been a slightly off batch, but that was the first and last time I'll use Texaco if other options are available.
BP Ultimate is 97 RON, VPower and Tesco Momentum is 99 and noticeably better in the Legacy.BP Ultimate (98 or 99 RON whatever it is). Car definitely felt a bit more lively than usual
Texaco. Worst tank of petrol I've ever used. Car wasn't noticeably sluggish or anything but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't make it do the late 30's/early 40's in MPG it usually gets. It was down in the doldrums. Tank of tesco regular and it was back to normal. So could of just been a slightly off batch, but that was the first and last time I'll use Texaco if other options are available.
bigfatnick said:
it comes from the same refinery, some people say it has different additives. I've never seen a difference between tesco's/asda poverty fuel and shell/texaco/bp poverty fuel.
Snobs, i tells you. (probably not a good thing so say on Pistonheads - snobbery matters.)
One of my old cars (172 Cup) seemed to burn through Tesco 99 compared to other super I normally used (Shell or BP). Heard it said its the bio-ethanol content that causes this but I have nothing to back this up.Snobs, i tells you. (probably not a good thing so say on Pistonheads - snobbery matters.)
Agree with you the 95 Ron will show little difference if at all.
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