Deepseaskateboard
Senior member
Always Vpower
Fuel brands and octanes [Poll included]
- Thread starter Skysurfer
- Start date
Deepseaskateboard
Senior member
Pondrew said:Shell must be rubbing their hands with you mugs about.
How much more is V power than normal E10? 10%? Fuel is expensive enough without volunteering to pay more for no benefit that I have ever seen proven.
I put it in the diesel too.
I do it because of the detergents which are supposed to keep the engine clean. Had loads of friends with DPF issues but the 530 runs well on Vpower diesel.
Also the Z is direct injection, so it helps with the carbon deposits?
It’s my understanding. I use redex on both too. Why not. :driving:
Mr Tidy
Lifer
I run my Z4 Tesco, Esso or Shell because they are the only E5 fuels I know of that are 97 RON and BMW recommend a minimum of 98 RON whenever possible. Usually Tesco beacuse their E5 is usually about 15p per litre cheaper!
So while I ticked "supermarket" it will only ever be Tesco, unless there is no other option.
FWIW BMW also recommend at least 98 RON for my 330i that has the same N52 engine as facelifts, so you may want to RTFM OP! :lol:
So while I ticked "supermarket" it will only ever be Tesco, unless there is no other option.
FWIW BMW also recommend at least 98 RON for my 330i that has the same N52 engine as facelifts, so you may want to RTFM OP! :lol:
lucasxdiniz
Active member
Preference in this order:
Tesco Momentum, Supreme 99+, V-Power.
At least in most places in the UK, both Momentum and Supreme are Ethanol free and possibly 2 RON points higher than V-Power.
Video on this.
I used my 3.0si as a daily and watched my mpg quite closely then, in my experience, no ethanol 99 fuel returned 2-3mpg higher on average. I also think anytime the 3.0si saw the fuel needle go up the RON adaptation was reset - notice how much richer/more pops you get immediately after filling up. This behaviour can be manually triggered in INPA once you reset fuel/RON adaptations, so I don't believe the "it takes a while to learn" comments. I haven't really noticed the same behaviour in my M.
Tesco Momentum, Supreme 99+, V-Power.
At least in most places in the UK, both Momentum and Supreme are Ethanol free and possibly 2 RON points higher than V-Power.
Video on this.
I used my 3.0si as a daily and watched my mpg quite closely then, in my experience, no ethanol 99 fuel returned 2-3mpg higher on average. I also think anytime the 3.0si saw the fuel needle go up the RON adaptation was reset - notice how much richer/more pops you get immediately after filling up. This behaviour can be manually triggered in INPA once you reset fuel/RON adaptations, so I don't believe the "it takes a while to learn" comments. I haven't really noticed the same behaviour in my M.
Sure, the Millbrook Report (see attached) confirmed that V-Power (referred to as Fuel D) is the best fuel on the market from a cleaning properties perspective (albeit marginally).TomK said:
The report was published in 2012…nevertheless it is the latest authoritative study on fuel in the UK (to my knowledge anyways).
V-Power’s cleaning properties are patented and so until I see a report which substantiates that Momentum 99 is cleaner than V-Power I will stick by the Millbrook Report.
In terms of base fuel being the same and the additives varying, I have a friend at BP who told me this over a beer many moons ago. I never questioned him, however a quick Google search supports his claim.
Momentum 99 being the best fuel in terms of value for money is my opinion…but when comparing it to the only other 99 RON fuels available in this country (V-Power and Synergy Supreme+) it is pretty obvious…
I have run all of my cars (past and current) on V-Power. Even when I drive to Europe I factor in stops at Shell garages which have V-Power.
The only exceptions to this is when I took my E46 M3 to Corsica which only has 95 RON and one time in Switzerland where I was doing a day of mountain passes, wasn’t near a Shell so put in a tank of Eni 98 Tech+. Neither had a detrimental impact on my car and sometimes I ponder over my allegiance to Shell.
Shell do offer decent benefits and often I get free water or snacks when I visit the petrol station, which I guess makes up for the difference I could be saving at Tesco…in addition to the peace of mind that the cars are being run on the cleanest fuel available.
But in all honesty, it’s not something I worry about (life is too short). Also if you have shares in the company then you care less about buying their fuel…although half of it goes to Rachel…
Pondrew
Lifer
R60BBA said:
Despite all the 'reports' in the world, I have had 300,000 miles of experience with a myriad of cars. I have never, ever used 'the best fuel' and have never had a car go pop, or need an engine rebuild, or even broken down.
I seriously believe all this 'cleaning detergents' stuff is bollox.
OK, you lot may be nursing your old cars to keep them going by using the 'best' fuel, whether it's a placebo or not. Maybe it would be worth calculating how much that is costing against buying another car with less mileage which doesn't need so much looking after?
It's worth mentioning that the cars we are talking about are just old, not highly tuned performance engines. My wife's daily produces more bhp and torque than almost all the Z4 range of engines and she puts in the cheapest E10 she can find. The car is groovy.
The day I have an engine go pop and it can be categorically blamed on cheap E10 fuel, I will listen. Until then it's all 'car forum' bollox IMO.
Same as 'which tyres will make my car better' type threads.
PerryGunn
Lifer
Whatever the truth, the petrol companies would have covered their arses by ensuring they have their own studies that back up their claims.R60BBA said:
...bit like 'New Daz' washes whiter than 'Old Daz' which washed whiter than 'Even Older Daz' - all of which leaves us assuming that clothes washed in 'Very Old Daz' came out looking like they'd been dipped in shite....
Jollygiant
Member
Super all the way, wether that's Tesco Momentum or BP super.
I did pay £1:55 a litre for V Power once and it didn't seem to make any difference, so won't do that again.
I did pay £1:55 a litre for V Power once and it didn't seem to make any difference, so won't do that again.
deltasierra
Member
Used E5 in E85, never missed a beat, I use E10 in the G29 runs great. We have a lot of industrial machines and I’ve learned the hard way using cheaper alternatives costs a lot, so I make sure I stick to recommended, fuels, filters and oils for drivetrain, not so concerned with suspension/brakes.
So there is both UK and EU legislation governing petrol and diesel quality, there are also British and European standard for automotive fuel that specifies a minimum/maximum requirements for petrol and test methods to prove suitability, this is BS EN 228:2023. There is not a limitation on what additives can be added, just that these additives most not make the fuel unacceptable and of course they still have to pass the standard quality tests set by the standard. All fuel has additives.
Petrol production is a continuous process, and therefore the same ingredients will be used throughout the process everyday. Each refinery has multiple lines running different grades E5 or E10 and with different octane levels, if it was all the same then each "super" petrol would have the same octane level, as you would not advertise 97 if you are actually receiving 99.
So in reality all petrol is not the same, however they all have to meet minimum requirements and I can bet you a years salary that the cost difference between grades is actually negligible. By all means fill up with the best one you can afford, it is of course your choice, just be aware that unless your car requires E5 @ >97 the benefit does not give any noticeable difference or benefit rather than you're own imagination, influenced by clever marketing professionals, and the only true beneficiaries are the operators who make more profit at your expense.
As Perry stated, if you are going to sorn your car for the winter it makes sense to reduce the ethanol content and limit the amount of air volume in the tank to reduce moisture content.
Petrol production is a continuous process, and therefore the same ingredients will be used throughout the process everyday. Each refinery has multiple lines running different grades E5 or E10 and with different octane levels, if it was all the same then each "super" petrol would have the same octane level, as you would not advertise 97 if you are actually receiving 99.
So in reality all petrol is not the same, however they all have to meet minimum requirements and I can bet you a years salary that the cost difference between grades is actually negligible. By all means fill up with the best one you can afford, it is of course your choice, just be aware that unless your car requires E5 @ >97 the benefit does not give any noticeable difference or benefit rather than you're own imagination, influenced by clever marketing professionals, and the only true beneficiaries are the operators who make more profit at your expense.
As Perry stated, if you are going to sorn your car for the winter it makes sense to reduce the ethanol content and limit the amount of air volume in the tank to reduce moisture content.
roblightbody
Member
Tesco Momentum 99 across all our cars.
Bluebottle
Member
Tesco is next to my workplace, but even when it wasn't, I have used Momentum 99 almost exclusively in my BMWs and SAAB 9000AERO. I have been told my Z4 N52 will not benefit, but feel it is more responsive and has detergents.
I admit to being daft, but when not available I will drive a few miles for Esso or another 97 RON. Occasionally use Shell V power, but it very expensive and does not seem better than Momentum to me.
I don't know who else watched this JAYEMM video recently, but I found it very interesting.
https://youtu.be/Pwk_u71Izpg?si=P8mMjPwtmj1FVbzm
I admit to being daft, but when not available I will drive a few miles for Esso or another 97 RON. Occasionally use Shell V power, but it very expensive and does not seem better than Momentum to me.
I don't know who else watched this JAYEMM video recently, but I found it very interesting.
https://youtu.be/Pwk_u71Izpg?si=P8mMjPwtmj1FVbzm
Bluebottle
Member
Jollygiant said:
I recall paying over £2 for Momentum a few years ago when prices were stupid, they seem fairly stable nowadays.