Super - Super Unleaded!!!

[budaholic]

Hi guys....

A local petrol station has just installed a new pump, selling 99 octane unleaded for around 91p a litre.

But....... it's a Tescos petrol station!!

Does anyone know any reason not to use this instead of Optimax?
Who supplies Tesco fuels?

Bud

[blackmonday]

budaholic said:

Hi guys.... A local petrol station has just installed a new pump, selling 99 octane unleaded for around 91p a litre. But....... it's a Tescos petrol station!! Does anyone know any reason not to use this instead of Optimax? Who supplies Tesco fuels? Bud

Is it labeled "Tescos Finest Petrol"?

[R1C HHY]

My local tesco does super unleaded 99 as well, 85.9p.

[stringbag]

There is lots of talk about cheap, inferior petrol from supermarkets, but I can't work out how this can be when none of them have their own refinery.
Do you honestly think that a refinery is going to stop production while they alter a few parameters in their enormously expensive cracking process just because it is a Tesco tanker at the pump rather than a Shell one?
I don't think so, but wait to stand corrected!

[Baldy67]

I'll have to look out for that at Tesco's as Shell have just sold their local station to Murco or somebody. Is the 99 alright to use or will it be unsuitable like the 95 stuff?

[Terminator]

stringbag said:

There is lots of talk about cheap, inferior petrol from supermarkets, but I can't work out how this can be when none of them have their own refinery.

I have it on good authority that Tesco's petrol is refined by Esso and Sainsbury's is Shell. What happens where Esso and Shell share refineries is anyone's guess

[dtuson]

Richard,

Your Griff will run fine on 95 octane fuel. It's always nice to top it up with 98 where available, but don't put yourself out to get it.

[s2art]

stringbag said:

There is lots of talk about cheap, inferior petrol from supermarkets, but I can't work out how this can be when none of them have their own refinery. Do you honestly think that a refinery is going to stop production while they alter a few parameters in their enormously expensive cracking process just because it is a Tesco tanker at the pump rather than a Shell one? I don't think so, but wait to stand corrected!

The base stock is the same as Shell/esso/bp etc. The difference is the additives. Optimax for example has a lot of detergents.
In the past supermarket fuel was cheaper as they didnt add as much of the relatively expensive additives. Hence the possibility of the engine coking up and the dreaded black sludge.
AFAIK the situation is still the same.

[ariddell]

I thought Sainsburys used BP fuel as my local branch has its super (97 RON) branded as "Ultimate", incidentally the Chimaera seems to run far better on Optimax where as my main car hates it.

Doesn't seem to be any info on the Tesco web site about their fuel but will need to give it a try next time i am passing.

[KormaChameleon]

Supermarket fuel comes from the major refineries: BP, Shell, Esso etc It's down to locality not exclusivity: i.e. in some areas in Scotland it's BP Grangemouth refinery, Hampshire Esso Fawley refinery etc

The additive packs are different for the various outlets. These may affect performance in your car: lubricity, detergents etc

If you want bad fuel - try running your car in Romania as we did last year in our 4500 mile trip in Europe (as reported in Sprint magazine earlier this year). The one and only time we had problems starting and running the car.

[Podie]

Terminator said:

Jeez... don't smoke in here, you'll set the place on fire

[sheddybong!]

Every drop of petrol you put in your tank North of Hadrian's Wall comes from BP Grangemouth, regardless of what it says on the pump.