Fuel Selection

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anonymous
  • Start date Start date
A

Anonymous

Guest
Hello everyone, Just bought a Z4 2.5i Sport Roadster, 2 years old and only 4200 miles. Oh yes its an Auto, my choice, and yes I know all you puritans would not approve of the auto.
My question is fuel selection, should run in on Shell "V" power or just use normal 95 ron ?.

Will put some pics on soon.

cheers

roller
 
I've always used the Shell V Power since I got mine. Not sure it makes any difference though :? I thought I'd read the in the book the BMW recommend 97 ron, maybe not though.
 
Highest grade of Shell or Chevron. However, in my area, I find that I get 1.5mpg~2mpg better when I fill up with Chevron compared to Shell. This is from 3 years of mileage/fuel consumption logs I've kept for the car.
 
IMO....

Shell and other higher rated RON fuels give better thorttle response, just a TAD sharper.

Also I like the cleaning agents in V power so I would recomened using it every few tanks.

I generally use 95 if I'm going on a 'boring' journey, i.e a motorway somewhere and back, then use 97+ RON fuel for 'general use' fuel. I don't use my car for commuting BTW.
 
I've used the best since getting it. The slightly higher price is offset by slightly better MPG and the car certainly is more 'perky' on it.

Takes a tankful to purge everything and truly benefit, so stick with one.

Tesco for me as it's local and has good reviews.

Of course it will run on anything available at normal pumps
 
Have used both types of fuel in mine, not really noticed any difference tbh. But prefer to stick with V Power.
 
I almost always use Shell V Power where i can, but since there aren't any really close to home or work i sometimes use 97 from the garage near my work.
 
Lucy said:
I almost always use Shell V Power where i can, but since there aren't any really close to home or work i sometimes use 97 from the garage near my work.
Click to expand...

I'm in the same situation. The nearest V Power station is around 30 miles away, so whilst it's a good excuse for a run out (then again, who needs excuses?!), it negates any mpg improvement for me. If I'm passing one and need fuel though, it would be my fuel of choice. Second choice for me would be Sainsburys Super as I used it in my previous Imprezas and when hooked up to diagnostics, the car's ecu was allowing full advance, full boost and full throttle opening as the fuel was capable of sustaining it. The (very well respected & past British rally champs) garage were surprised when I told them I only ever used Sains super..!! Next choice would be Bp ultimate, then anything SUL by Esso, then any regular unleaded by a known fuel firm (Shell, bp, esso, total, texaco etc). Even though the Tesco SUL has had great reviews, I wouldn't use Tesco fuel unless I needed a splash to get me to the next garage as I hear of so many people with sensor issues on a wide variety of makes after solely running their cars on it.

I also do the same as Shabba, if I know I'm off on a boring regular low speed run around the M25 or something and know I'll use a tank crawling around, then I'll pop some regular in, go easy on the throttle then revert to SUL when normal roads beckon.
 
Voodoo - I think the Tesco issue has grown to an urban legend of ongoing damage, following a problem of a couple of years back that a supplier sent contaminated fuel to Tesco stations and it destroyed a lot of sensors and cost a lot of money in compensation.
 
CJ, true, there was a batch a while ago that damaged sensors, but I've spoken to a few folk since who seem to have had a few problems, including my GF. I've suggested to my GF to try a different fuel and she's had no problems since. She's mentioned to me a few people where she works with similar issues and she's asked them what fuel they use and they've all said Tesco. Maybe it's a coincidence as so many people generally use Tesco fuel, hence the incidence rate will be higher anyway. :?

I must add that personally, I haven't had any issues when I've no options on fuel and used it (99 SUL) myself and I know the Impreza mob rate the 99 very highly. I should also add that the issues I mentioned above are regarding the regular unleaded as opposed to the 99 SUL that Tesco do.

I also think that any differences between the SUL's are mainly all in our heads (except for the Shell VPower)..!!! :lol: :fuelfire:
 
I was using normal 95 ron and then decided to give Tesco's 99 ron and really have noticed the difference. It seems to have a little extra power and seems quicker and more responsive on the accelarator. Thats the results from my 2.2i so I would assume the results maybe more noticeable in a 3.0i.
 
Voodoo said:
CJ, true, there was a batch a while ago that damaged sensors, but I've spoken to a few folk since who seem to have had a few problems, including my GF. I've suggested to my GF to try a different fuel and she's had no problems since. She's mentioned to me a few people where she works with similar issues and she's asked them what fuel they use and they've all said Tesco. Maybe it's a coincidence as so many people generally use Tesco fuel, hence the incidence rate will be higher anyway. :?

I must add that personally, I haven't had any issues when I've no options on fuel and used it (99 SUL) myself and I know the Impreza mob rate the 99 very highly. I should also add that the issues I mentioned above are regarding the regular unleaded as opposed to the 99 SUL that Tesco do.

I also think that any differences between the SUL's are mainly all in our heads (except for the Shell VPower)..!!! :lol: :fuelfire:
Click to expand...

Fair enough Voodoo. We all end up with preferences and as can be seen from this thread there are supporters of a few different brands. V Power looks a leader here.

As side benefits of Tesco to me - it's close, they offer 5p off tokens and we shop there anyway and Mrs CJ collects buckets full of points and as some sort of premier level get 4:1 value. Meaningless but it amounts to a 4% discount on sales which is well worth having :thumbsup:
 
What is the octane rating recommended in your user manual? Anything with a higher octane rating can be used safely but is mostly overkill.

I use Petro-Canada octane 94 myself.
 
I've switched back to Tesco 99 from Shell Vpower, seems to like it and mpg is decent too.
 
Maybe there's more difference in the UK between brands, but here in the US, it all flows through the same pipeline with additives placed later (before delivery to the stations). That said, I usually use BP, Shell, Exxon or even Sam's club-especially stations that appear to "turn over" gasoline faster than some out of the way station. The formulations summer/winter are different here in the states so I want fresh stuff. I always use "premium" grade--here it's around 93 octane (equivalent to your 97, iirc). I always get better mileage with this, but our cars can handle either one.
 
I used to just run on the normal stuff... now I use V power and wouldnt go back :thumbsup: Car is smoother and more economical on it :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom