Does anyone use Premium Diesel in the car?
Discussion
I've had the 535d for a year now and have always used Tesco and Sainsbury's finest, however the other day I was getting low so pulled up at an expensive Shell SS. As I was paying over the odds and fuel is cheap anyway I decided to go for a full tank of Nitro+ for the cleaning properties I had read about (although, had I looked at the price before I filled up I may have changed my mind 
).
Anyway after about 25 miles (what was left in the tank), the next day when I drove the car if did feel notably smoother from cold. The outside temperature was about 6degrees however, whereas for the previous weeks it had been hovering around 0 degrees when I started the car, not sure if that makes a difference?
Having now done about 200 miles on this stuff the range has consistently extened about 20 miles from the norm and the car feels smoother all the time, but maybe my little brain has been duped.
One thing I will say whilest waiting for the screen to demist this morning is that there is very little smell, and what little there is, isn't that unplesant, unlike the really stinky fumes I normally get.
EDIT: Forgot to mention I haven't experienced any difference in performance, and I have been trying here and there!
).Anyway after about 25 miles (what was left in the tank), the next day when I drove the car if did feel notably smoother from cold. The outside temperature was about 6degrees however, whereas for the previous weeks it had been hovering around 0 degrees when I started the car, not sure if that makes a difference?
Having now done about 200 miles on this stuff the range has consistently extened about 20 miles from the norm and the car feels smoother all the time, but maybe my little brain has been duped.
One thing I will say whilest waiting for the screen to demist this morning is that there is very little smell, and what little there is, isn't that unplesant, unlike the really stinky fumes I normally get.
EDIT: Forgot to mention I haven't experienced any difference in performance, and I have been trying here and there!
I used to put around 500ml of low ash 2 stroke oil in every tank and it ran noticeably smoother on ticker over.
I have done with nearly all my diesels, the Merc 270cdi made the most difference, after filling up just one tank without adding it the engine sounded rough as. In fact I didn't realise my wife had been to Cambridge and back and used half a tankful and then filled up half a tank again without adding any oil. I thought there was a problem with the car the next morning, I took it down to my local guy to get the codes read. It was only when she said she had been to a friends in Cambridge for lunch that I relaised she had filled up without adding the 2 stroke.
I tried it again with and without and it was noisier everytime without, and not a subtle difference either.
Having said all that, her current X3 is a 20d (2013 so the 184bhp N47 I think) and adding oil makes sod all difference, so haven't bothered.
So do think the different fuels can make a difference, but I would rather stick 500ml of 2 stroke in at £2 than pay £5 more on upgraded fuel.
There have been folk showing cars that have had 2 stroke added over long mileages and the parts, especially injectors, are incredibly clean compared to cars that just get filled up on regular diesel.
I have done with nearly all my diesels, the Merc 270cdi made the most difference, after filling up just one tank without adding it the engine sounded rough as. In fact I didn't realise my wife had been to Cambridge and back and used half a tankful and then filled up half a tank again without adding any oil. I thought there was a problem with the car the next morning, I took it down to my local guy to get the codes read. It was only when she said she had been to a friends in Cambridge for lunch that I relaised she had filled up without adding the 2 stroke.
I tried it again with and without and it was noisier everytime without, and not a subtle difference either.
Having said all that, her current X3 is a 20d (2013 so the 184bhp N47 I think) and adding oil makes sod all difference, so haven't bothered.
So do think the different fuels can make a difference, but I would rather stick 500ml of 2 stroke in at £2 than pay £5 more on upgraded fuel.
There have been folk showing cars that have had 2 stroke added over long mileages and the parts, especially injectors, are incredibly clean compared to cars that just get filled up on regular diesel.
When I had a 120D I always used BP Ultimate or Shell V-Power Diesel (or whatever it was back then).
The reason was that I'd looked into all the swirl flap horror stories and decided to replace them with beautifully machined blanking plates instead. After taking numerous gubbins off and getting to the swirl flaps, I found that they were coated in a disgusting dieselly mess. It was utterly filthy compared to what I've seen previously in petrol engines. This changed my way of thinking about diesel and I decided that anything I could do to keep the fuel system cleaner would be a positive thing. Thus I switched to using the ultimate/V-Power fancy fuels with their advertised cleaning benefits.
The reason was that I'd looked into all the swirl flap horror stories and decided to replace them with beautifully machined blanking plates instead. After taking numerous gubbins off and getting to the swirl flaps, I found that they were coated in a disgusting dieselly mess. It was utterly filthy compared to what I've seen previously in petrol engines. This changed my way of thinking about diesel and I decided that anything I could do to keep the fuel system cleaner would be a positive thing. Thus I switched to using the ultimate/V-Power fancy fuels with their advertised cleaning benefits.
I know people say it doesn't make any difference, but I keep away from supermarket fuels. My friendly mechanic things it makes a big difference on diesel engines and he's no axe to grind either way.
My usual Shell station normal diesel is 1 or 2p more than the supermarket, so it's not worth thinking about. Every so often I get enough Shell points for a £10 B&Q voucher so that offsets the extra cost as well. (Other high street stores are available).
My usual Shell station normal diesel is 1 or 2p more than the supermarket, so it's not worth thinking about. Every so often I get enough Shell points for a £10 B&Q voucher so that offsets the extra cost as well. (Other high street stores are available).
bennyboysvuk said:
When I had a 120D I always used BP Ultimate or Shell V-Power Diesel (or whatever it was back then).
The reason was that I'd looked into all the swirl flap horror stories and decided to replace them with beautifully machined blanking plates instead. After taking numerous gubbins off and getting to the swirl flaps, I found that they were coated in a disgusting dieselly mess. It was utterly filthy compared to what I've seen previously in petrol engines. This changed my way of thinking about diesel and I decided that anything I could do to keep the fuel system cleaner would be a positive thing. Thus I switched to using the ultimate/V-Power fancy fuels with their advertised cleaning benefits.
Ive always ran the bling diesel and when I couldn't I would add millers to it. When my flaps came out they were surprisingly clean, I was expecting a gooey mess.The reason was that I'd looked into all the swirl flap horror stories and decided to replace them with beautifully machined blanking plates instead. After taking numerous gubbins off and getting to the swirl flaps, I found that they were coated in a disgusting dieselly mess. It was utterly filthy compared to what I've seen previously in petrol engines. This changed my way of thinking about diesel and I decided that anything I could do to keep the fuel system cleaner would be a positive thing. Thus I switched to using the ultimate/V-Power fancy fuels with their advertised cleaning benefits.
I have always (until recently )used Shell /BP diesel, sometimes using the Nitro/Ultimate upgrade. I always keep an accurate record of the mpg ( after every refuel as I brim the tank ). I have found that the car ( Alfa 156 JTDM 150 remapped) returns lower mpg with these so called Premium fuels. So after a long time of always using Shell (mainly) I have now started using Tesco's standard diesel. The car drives just the same, if not better and the mpg is unaffected at a constant 43 mpg ( no matter how the car is driven which seems unusual to me !)
Time will tell as they say, the car has now done 122,000 miles. I do periodically put a dose of Forte Diesel treatment through the tank ( at about 1/2 a tankful to a bottle) which I presume does a similar job to the so called Super Diesels.
Time will tell as they say, the car has now done 122,000 miles. I do periodically put a dose of Forte Diesel treatment through the tank ( at about 1/2 a tankful to a bottle) which I presume does a similar job to the so called Super Diesels.
RicksAlfas said:
I know people say it doesn't make any difference, but I keep away from supermarket fuels. My friendly mechanic things it makes a big difference on diesel engines and he's no axe to grind either way.
My usual Shell station normal diesel is 1 or 2p more than the supermarket, so it's not worth thinking about. Every so often I get enough Shell points for a £10 B&Q voucher so that offsets the extra cost as well. (Other high street stores are available).
Here in Northern Ireland up to a short while ago, all fuel came from the same depot in Belfast to all outlets.My usual Shell station normal diesel is 1 or 2p more than the supermarket, so it's not worth thinking about. Every so often I get enough Shell points for a £10 B&Q voucher so that offsets the extra cost as well. (Other high street stores are available).
I suppose they add in additives but the fuel was the same from the very start.
Also for petrol, the highest ron you can get is 97 if you can find it. I'd be all over that Tesco 99 stuff if I could get the chance.
I usually fill up with supermarket fuel once a week then with Shell V-power once a month. If I miss out on the V-power, I start to notice a roughness/slight drop in consumption around the middle of the second month.
Previously in old Citroen and Mercedes diesels, I use to add (new) vegetable oil at about 1 part oil to 4 parts diesel and it gave a similar result.
I hadn't heard of adding 2 stroke oil to the fuel but might give that a try.
I live in Scotland where all diesel fuel comes out the same refinery (Grangemouth) so all the fuel is identical apart from additives.
Previously in old Citroen and Mercedes diesels, I use to add (new) vegetable oil at about 1 part oil to 4 parts diesel and it gave a similar result.
I hadn't heard of adding 2 stroke oil to the fuel but might give that a try.
I live in Scotland where all diesel fuel comes out the same refinery (Grangemouth) so all the fuel is identical apart from additives.
The family bus is a 2l TD Ford Smax. I always fill with what the wife calls 'posh' diesel . She refuses to and uses supermaket fuel. The car pulls a lot more smoothly when I have filled it up and I'm sure it chucks out less black soot out of the back. I don't know that it's actually any faster, but you don't have to try so hard to get the thing moving and this shows in slightly better economy as well. All in all makes the thing a far less unpleasant experience.
That was the other thing about adding some 2 stroke, there was absolutely zero black smoke coming out the back of the ML when I did, the moment the thing was filled up without adding it it started to smoke, and by the end of the tank you could clearly see it in the rear view mirror in the car lights behind you as you accelerated.
I still can't get my head round how 500ml added to 80 litres of diesel can make such a big difference.
I still can't get my head round how 500ml added to 80 litres of diesel can make such a big difference.
I have an f11 535d and I filled the tank yesterday with Shell Nitro (or whatever their premium diesel is called). The previous two fills were with Shell standard diesel. Perhaps my imagination, but the car definitely felt more responsive from the off. The tank was nearly empty when I filled it if that could have anything to do with it? ie do impurities gather at the bottom of the tank?
Peter
Peter
gizlaroc said:
I still can't get my head round how 500ml added to 80 litres of diesel can make such a big difference.
I always think that about Miller's etc - the dilution level is not far off homeopathic levels.Interesting your comments relate to Merc's 270CDi - tried most things in mine and I can't tell any difference. For MPG I seem to get the best from Sainsbury's City Diesel.
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