Theres a lot of "my mate said" or "a taxi driver said" and magical claims of extra MPG and broken engines saved, petrol running out of exhausts - spare me - how the hell did it get through the cylinders. I think the whole thing is bull "the tanker drivers put additives in" - I don't think so, refineries sell fuel to their best customers the supermarkets - again I don't think so, after all they don't get poor fruit, fish, meat etc so why should fuel be any different However people do buy "organic" and pay a premium price or "Tesco Finest" like my missis - one born every minute?

Ellesmere Port provides the fuel for most of the North of England, companies don't have their own refineries, its in a big tank - tankers with all sorts of liveries just fill up and go, round the clock in any order.

However, the very best fuels may well be kept and treated separately but regular fuel - common sense says not

With that in mind I accept there may be some benefits in additives, after all they do increase the Cetane value of diesel and provide extra lubrication and cleaning, probably useful for a low miler like me who gets all his fuel from Tesco- so I've bought some.

I said I wouldn't rise to the debate - but hey again I've nothing better to do  Geoff

Well...as a relative new comer to FFRR I've certainly opened up a good talking point! I've both enjoyed and learnt an awful lot that I wasn't expecting...including the Weatherspoons business plan I'm due a fill up tomorrow and plan to opt for the premium Diesel. I also plan to try some BG244 at the weekend. I'll report back soonest with my experience. I wonder if it will help with my warm start problem? Possibly a camshaft sensor? I only got the RR at 104 and it now has 116k so I don't know what fuel was used to that point - maybe no premium fuel was used and the damage is done? Again, thanks for all the opinions, thoughts and suggestions on BP V TESCO diesel

you're not the first to bring this subject up and we have had many 'discussions' on it in the past and we always come up with the same conclusion that both fuels are differently the same...

I reckon they had the best idea in Mad Max 2 - everything has a V8 and runs on pig sh@t gas. How's that for an additive . . .

 Where do you go after one of these . . . ?

Just got off the phone to Tim at Opie Oils ordered 5L of Millers Diesel Additive to add to my Tesco fuel when I fill up (once every couple of weeks).

Got to say nice guy, excellent customer service and knowledge as well as a fair price.

Some will say I've just bought a gallon of snake oil others would say its a good investment in protecting, preserving and getting the best out of my engine.

Who knows, who cares -  Geoff

Run my old bus on Morrisons,Sainsburys and Asda as im tight.

One thing I have noticed recently, that its stopped leaving a smoke grenade when I boot it.

So all I can presume is something is wrong or even they've started adding additives Three things in a blokes life his dog,his car and a Cornish pasty,nothing else matters.

2010 Range Rover Vogue SE Santorini Black, Arabica Aniline seats

Previous cars
1973 Mini 1000
1971 Hillman Avenger
1975 Chrysler Sunbeam
1981 Ford Cortina
1985 Volvo 340
1989 VW Golf
1989 Volvo 240
1991 Volvo 240
1991 Jaguar Soveriegn
1996 BMW 730
2003 Honda CRV
1999 Jaguar Soveriegn
2003 Range Rover HSE Epson Green with Sand trim.

When i fill up with LPG it has no miracle additives to enhance my driving experience. Yet the 12 year old V8 L322 just keeps rolling on.

^^^

+1

And it leaves a lovely clean engine!!

Due to this thread, I asked a friend with a doctorate and also a degree in Chemical Engineering/ currently working at a major UK refinery to find out answers to some of the questions and this is the reply, summarised by me (I'm neither a chemical engineer, an engineer, a scientist or a mechanic and therefore it is summarised in my words, in good faith and any disagreement with the content, I won’t challenge):

* There is a difference between branded and supermarket fuel.

** The refinery produces fuel which meets all of the necessary specifications/regulations.

*** Then, when, for example a major branded tanker arrives at the refinery, in addition to loading up with the fuel, they add their own secret mix of additives to the fuel. These additives differ between the branded companies and is guarded as to the ingredients. The additives are designed to clean the engine as it runs so as to prevent problems over a long period of time. Apparently, the additive really does work and is not a gimmick.

**** Supermarket fuel, on the other hand, does not necessarily come from a local refinery. Apparently, it can arrive from far afield including mainland Europe, if they can get it at a better price. It will in any event meet all of the necessary specifications/requirements; however will not necessarily contain the additives. It does not damage your car it just means that, for example, valves could get more deposit build ups over a long period of time.

***** The other issue is the difference between basic and enhanced fuels, as one example Shell Vpower. This is considered to be very good indeed as; for example, the petrol burns cleaner and might well result in a smoother acceleration/ better performance experience from the car. It is a purer fuel. You should not notice any difference in performance in an ‘ordinary car’, but in performance cars it does make a difference. However, as it burns cleaner, it helps keep your engine cleaner and so, even for an ordinary car, it is considered to be worth putting a tankful of branded enhanced fuel in now and again.

So, that info, along with my previous logic and what I have learnt from this thread means that reference so called 'normal cars', I will continue to fuel with supermarket fuel (using time to time tanks of enhanced branded fuel); & for so called performance engines, I will continue to use enhanced branded fuel (as I have done for years anyway).

Thanks for that, PLD!

I'm going to continue on with the VPower in the SC.

Excellent I am glad the professor confirmed the pro side of Premium brands.

As I also said in my area between Watford, Rickmansworth & Amersham the premium brands tend to price match the Supermarkets as there is a huge amount of competition so really no point in using them at all.

Click image to enlarge

^^^ That report really just confirms what we all thought... Nice write up.
I have also read that there has been problems with Vpower Petrol eating through rubber fuel lines....  Previously..
Vogue SE TD6
Defender 90 2.4
Defender 110 TD5
Vogue 3.5 EFI


Last edited by Contraband on 9th Jan 2014 6:30pm. Edited 2 times in total

Just to add fuel to the fire......

We usually run shell in the hiluxes and they run fine all of the time. Recently however one was filled with a tank of supermarket fuel, it pretty much immediately threw up a fuel filter light.

It did the same last year after putting some supermarket fuel in, we swapped the filter reset the light, and off we went for another year until more supermarket fuel was added. Make of that what you will, engine still ran fine no difference but the fuel filter sensor wasnt happy....... Wasnt a water in fuel fault either. There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
KIA E-Niro 4+
2021 Discovery 5 D300 MHEV commercial

Pld118

I really appreciated the time and effort to get us a definitive answer.

I did find the whole thread a bit ironic given my mechanic explaining that ALL UK fuel was significantly better than what we get in North America. We were just talking petrol, but 'low sulphur' diesel is a very new thing here.

Gone off topic big time, as this was about DIESEL  .
Experience is the only genuine knowledge, but as time passes, I have forgotten more than I can remember
Volvo V70 P2 2006 2.4 Petrol 170bhp Estate SE
MG Midget Mk1 1962

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