F10 M5 fuel

F10 M5 fuel

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Discussion

JG 911

Original Poster:

13 posts

109 months

Friday 1st May 2015
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Pick up my new M5 on Tuesday (v excited), do these cars prefer a certain flavour of fuel? There's a BP garage close to where I live and a Shell garage 15 mins away. I guess BP ultimate and shell vpower are similar but what about Tesco's super unleaded?

Anything else I should be aware of, or is it essentially a five series with a big engine?

zainster

440 posts

175 months

Saturday 2nd May 2015
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Tesco momentum 99 or Shell V Power will do nicely. I don't bother with anything else.

JMBMWM5

2,283 posts

197 months

Saturday 2nd May 2015
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TESCO 99 just fine.

HoHoHo

14,980 posts

249 months

Saturday 2nd May 2015
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Don't think I've ever put anything but regular unleaded in mine.

It's as fast as fk on that wink

Jazzer

1,665 posts

203 months

Saturday 2nd May 2015
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Only the very best for mine.....V-Power all the way......it's noticeably better when in attack mode!

theboss

6,878 posts

218 months

Saturday 2nd May 2015
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V-power in mine. I've had a few tanks of Tesco 99 and it seems fine. I put another fuel in it on one occasion, pretty sure it was super, but got noticably less miles to the tank despite not driving any differently.

I wouldn't allow mine to become contaminated with regular fuel!

HoHoHo

14,980 posts

249 months

Saturday 2nd May 2015
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Would be interesting to see the difference of an M5 using regular and one using V Power (or similiar), I'm not sure there would be much between them?

theboss

6,878 posts

218 months

Saturday 2nd May 2015
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There's a good explanation quoted here -

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=100...

Your M5 will definitely run optimally on super, whether the difference is noticable to you or not! I would have thought that even without driving it hard it will overall "feel" better, smoother running and marginally improved consumption. Try running it to near empty and then filling with super - it might take a few miles for the ECU to "learn" that it has higher octane fuel and adapt ignition timings accordingly.

Wills2

22,669 posts

174 months

Saturday 2nd May 2015
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Utterly subjective, but I can tell a difference, always try to put 99 V Power in when its not available I put BP 97 and I can feel the difference it feels better on the V power stuff.

The handbook states the car makes full power on 98+ and I want the car to run at its best.

zeDuffMan

4,054 posts

150 months

Saturday 2nd May 2015
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HoHoHo said:
Would be interesting to see the difference of an M5 using regular and one using V Power (or similiar), I'm not sure there would be much between them?
Why would you think that?

HoHoHo

14,980 posts

249 months

Saturday 2nd May 2015
quotequote all
zeDuffMan said:
HoHoHo said:
Would be interesting to see the difference of an M5 using regular and one using V Power (or similiar), I'm not sure there would be much between them?
Why would you think that?
Simply because mine appears to be very, very fast on normal fuel and if you are talking about a minor improvement (will you will), it's a 10th here or there rather than seconds, so not noticable.

zeDuffMan

4,054 posts

150 months

Saturday 2nd May 2015
quotequote all
HoHoHo said:
zeDuffMan said:
HoHoHo said:
Would be interesting to see the difference of an M5 using regular and one using V Power (or similiar), I'm not sure there would be much between them?
Why would you think that?
Simply because mine appears to be very, very fast on normal fuel and if you are talking about a minor improvement (will you will), it's a 10th here or there rather than seconds, so not noticable.
Well it's not nitrous oxide, the peak power figure will only be a few per cent different. You'll probably find you get quite a few more miles to the tank to make paying the premium more than worthwhile though, and you'll feel the engine running more smoothly as well.

Wills2

22,669 posts

174 months

Saturday 2nd May 2015
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Again and I have to caveat this with fact that it's just my subjective view, but I find that on V power the car is more aggressive, louder exhaust more pops and bangs on hard upshifts etc it feels less refined but in a good way.

It feels toned down with anything else.


hawker1986

57 posts

108 months

Saturday 2nd May 2015
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I know of people having engine failures from not using appropriate fuel in their 350zs surely the M5 is also recommended to be run on super to avoid these sort of issues? Or am I making stupid assumptions

Found a link
http://www.350z-uk.com/topic/56308-what-can-happen...

Edited by hawker1986 on Saturday 2nd May 20:01


Edited by hawker1986 on Saturday 2nd May 20:06

Wills2

22,669 posts

174 months

Saturday 2nd May 2015
quotequote all
Recommended fuel grades are 95-98 (it runs full power on 98) which oddly enough isn't available in the UK so you have to use 99

HoHoHo

14,980 posts

249 months

Saturday 2nd May 2015
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On the inside of my fuel flap the little sticker says '95 Ron minimum', so I guess 95 is OK to use.

Cemesis

771 posts

161 months

Saturday 2nd May 2015
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It will make less power on 95 RON. I myself don't understand why someone who bought or leased a £70k car would look to save £3 per tank.

Use the best stuff you can.

HoHoHo

14,980 posts

249 months

Saturday 2nd May 2015
quotequote all
Cemesis said:
It will make less power on 95 RON. I myself don't understand why someone who bought or leased a £70k car would look to save £3 per tank.

Use the best stuff you can.
Money isn't the issue or has ever crossed my mind, it's fast enough as it is and I'm simply interested in opinion.

I will almost certainly start to use high octane from now on yes

Edited by HoHoHo on Saturday 2nd May 21:02

bitchstewie

50,782 posts

209 months

Saturday 2nd May 2015
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Keep in mind one of the big things with v-power and other higher "premium" fuels has always been the cleaning additives as much as the higher octane rating in the petrol versions (vs. the diesel).

Jim1556

1,771 posts

155 months

Monday 4th May 2015
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There is a noticeable difference in quality of fuel between brands, it's a question which comes round every few months.

Google it, 5th gear did a review using a 330bhp Impreza (I think) and the difference between supermarket fuel and Shell V-Power was 10-15hp.

I myself have noticed either smoother running and/or more fuel economy.

I only ever use Shell fuel for my daily, and V-Power for my M3 - your M5 is an £80k car, are you really quibbling over a few pence per litre? confused