There are 3 diesels in the family - and all of us have nnoticed that when we use supermarket fuel (especially Tesco) we get 3 to 5 mpg LESS than we do when we fill up with Shell.
Fortunately, our Shell garage sells at the same price (sometimes cheaper - even with Tesco 5p off a litre) than the local Tesco and Morrisons, but I've tended to use Tesco simply to get Clubcard points.
At £1.10 a litre though, I say stuff the clubcard!
Anyone else noticed this?
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I am sure that before long this thread will be full of scientific evidence to prove that there is no reason for one brand of diesel to be more efficient than another. All I can tell you is that....... without question over 130000 miles........ my Mondeo gets better fuel economy with Shell diesel ( standard issue ) to the tune 3 to 5 mpg.
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Ditto, same result and same impact on MPG on an Audi A3 2.0TDI, VW Touran 2.0TDI and Land Rover Freelander TD4. For what reason I don't know, nor do I care. All I know is that on Shell diesel, which sells for about 1p different maximum to supermarket diesel in most areas I frequent, means the car uses less, runs smoother and runs quieter. Maybe the sound and smoothness are psychological but the MPG result is the same tank to tank.
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Same when we had a 1980 Mercedes 300D - it always ran much smoother and further on Shell than anything else.
MVP
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yup - another Shell advocate here
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Reminds me of the old Shell ad in the 70s
Keep going well
keep going well
keep going well
on Shell, Shell, Shell
;0)
I always use it.
-----------------------------------------------
2005 Ford Mondeo Zetec 2.0 TDCi 130ps
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I agree out PD engined Seat get's better MPG from Shell Diesel. However I always find I get the best mpg from French diesel regardless of car. Auchan's bog standard at 90p per litre gets me at least a further 20 miles from a tank full.
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Shell and Sainsbury's work best in the Mondeo. Usually go for Shell as its cheaper round these parts.
Cheers
DP
--
04 Grand Scenic 1.9 dCi Dynamique
00 Mondeo 1.8TD LX
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I can only endorse what has been said here. Recently I have been running a company supplied Nissan Navara on Tesco diesel for the club card points as I'm getting through lots o fuel! The car has always been quite noisy in the engine dept, so much that I have frequently been checking the oil in case its low (it never was).
Last week I filled up with shell diesel and the car was much quieter and smoother, I thought I'd filled up with the shell premium (optimax?) diesel. Having checked the reciept it was the 'standard' diesel. Although it didn't seem to improve the range of the car, I'd recommend it for the running improvements alone.
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I found my previous car (Mondeo TDCi) also ran smoother and did more MPG on Shell than on Tesco. I believe the Shell diesel has a higher cetane rating (so above the standard for diesel?) and therefore ignites more easily.
But I used to get Tesco diesel for clubcard points and I also go to the Tesco store often whereas the Shell garage is a bit of a detour and not on route anymore.
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i use shell when i can
i use sainsburys only if i am totally totally disparate....like once in the last five years,theres always a queue ,customers are always in dream land with all the time in the world ,they all want to pay by debit card but arent sure how to use it ,then to top it all i hear 'do you want cashback'? and 'have you got a necter card'?
i go in shell its professional its quick its easy to pay and my vehicles run better on it in my opinion
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>>we get 3 to 5 mpg LESS than we do when we fill up with Shell.<<
Whilst Reading this thread and drinking my coffee, friend just made the comment that one supermarket may add more detergent to thier diesel, which would mean less diesel per litre, therefore slightly less mpg!
Billy
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 29/11/2007 at 19:03
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Its a group experiment waiting to be done really.. well the MPG bit.
Needs SWMBO`s to do the fueling and *not saying where from*, neck to neck fill ups, repeated several times.
to take the `placebo` effect out of it ;)
Regards
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Well said. A "double blind" test is the only way. The human mind is a fickle device - if you think you've got a better product your brain will ensure that you perceive the benefits.
Marketing men have known this for years - starting with washing powder.
659.
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I agree with most of the posts, Shell is the best in my car. I have recommended Shell to several friends, some of whom were sceptical, but they all came back and agreed with me.
I keep thinking of Bing Crosby, must see the doctor.
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I run Shell or Tesco when it is discounted. I calculate all my mpg figures.
Hav eto say the only pattern is a 1-2 mpg variation around 57mpg - which is my long term average.
Ditto for 1,000 miles on VPower diesel.
Proven to make minimal difference.
Noise? Quieter when oil is changed . When car is warm. Rest of time no idea.. I do not have any measuring device.
madf
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IMO my Volvo S40 TD always ran smoother and quieter when filled with Shell compared to BP, Esso etc.. Wasn't brave enough to ever try supermarket diesel.
Now I'm just sticking with Shell in my Mazda diesel but I@ll might try something else one day for the sake of it :)
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I have run 80,000 miles in my Transit 2.5DI (admittedly an old design) all over Europe, using whatever was available, from pure biodiesel to pure 'out of the ground' diesel and never ever noticed any difference whatsoever.
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If using "branded" fuel makes 1MPG difference, it'll be worth buying.
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Further to BB's comments, avoid ANY service station with a mini-market or an M&S food outlet! Charmless, thoughtless nerks leave their cars at the pumps and go in and do a 3 day food shop and come out laden with soft porn and motoring magazines, pork scratchings, crisps and loudly coloured fizzy drinks. Nightmare, but I blame the garages for not making them move off the pumps and/or not providing enough parking.
Edited by Armitage Shanks {p} on 29/11/2007 at 17:56
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im sure its all in the mind , surely it all comes from the same refineries so it doesnt matter whos selling it at what pumps....pure hogwash!!!
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I've always found Shell better - more mpg and smoother. Thats with both an old 306 and a C4. Did try optimax a few times. Can't say I really noticed the difference except for the price. The added benefit is its usually cheaper than my local Tesco too and on my way to work.
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And it all meets the British Standard applicable to such fuels. Do the 100K mile a year truckers use Optimax and such? Perhaps their trucks aren't commong raill
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Remind me - what was that shell petrol that burnt out cavalier engines called.
BTW - I too think the same is true of Shell V power petrol - the car definitely runs better and I get better mpg with it.
All those that say it is hogwash miss the point that the additives specific to the fuel brand make the difference.
And if it was all the same how come it was only supermarket fuel that screwed up the oxygen sensors not long ago.
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I think it was called "Formula Shell"
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And if it was all the same how come it was only supermarket fuel that screwed up the oxygen sensors not long ago.
Not really evidential - the problem was caused by the accidental addition of diesel anti-foaming compound to the wrong tank - containing petrol - in a tanker between Rotterdam and the UK. The compound contained silicon, some of which ended up deposited as a thin layer of glass on the oxygen sensors of the cars it was burnt in.
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of course its hog wash, where is your scientific data to support your (5mpg) better fuel economy with shell , it can only be done under lab conditions to get a true figure, its as if you fill up with different brands and then drive on the same roads in the same conditions with identical loads, driving style, congestion etc etc .....utter twaddle
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And it all meets the British Standard applicable to such fuels. Do the 100K mile a year truckers use Optimax and such? Perhaps their trucks aren't commong raill Most trucks now are common rail and have been for a while. Whats made a big difference has been the use of Auto boxes in trucks which have meant that the old gaps between two drivers getting two different figures on the same run have all disappeared.
Where I currently work every artic does 9.75 mpg on the same work.
Five years ago one guy would hit 10 and other wouldn't hit 8 !! When I worked with large car transporters that was the worst some would do 5 mpg in a head wind up the M6 !! and people wonder why there's a delivery charge !!
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"I have run 80,000 miles in my Transit 2.5DI (admittedly an old design) all over Europe, using whatever was available, from pure biodiesel to pure 'out of the ground' diesel and never ever noticed any difference whatsoever."
Same here Spospe - and I have done 500k in various diesels over the years.
By the way, an earlier poster said "Auchan diesel in France at 90p a litre" Auchan diesel is about 1 euro and a bit (12 centimes) a litre - that's 80 p a litre - my local Shell is 108.9, Tesco/Sains is 106.9 - but then the froggies obviously have a cheaper source than us (and must have lots of North Sea oil) Also obviously the price of petrol is going up so rapidly because we pay in dollars and the pound has gone up so fast recently against the dollar (irony or sarcasm - I don't know). Please explain.
--
Phil
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Meant to add link to diesel prices UK and Europe
www.theaa.com/onlinenews/allaboutcars/fuel/2007/Oc...c
Uk 20 odd p a litre more than all except Norway - someone is taking the mickey - could it be the Gov??
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Phil
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someone is taking the mickey - could it be the Gov??
You mean not every other European country pays such ridiculous level of fuel duty and is too gutless to object in any meaningful way. Those protests in 2000 made a huge difference, they got petrol back down below 80p/litre, and for a good few years. Maybe time for another go? ;-)
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Hi Phil it was me re the price the curent price in Calais is 1.22 Euro's a ltr which is dead on 90p. Interestingly when the price started to Rocket the French Govenment actually proposed a windfall tax on their profits !! can you imagine our lot saying "oh we'd rather you didn't put the price up" Best place by far to fill up is Luxembourg.
Interestingly the French govenment cited that prices at present hurt farmers, industry, public transport and the motorist (yes in that order) and that it was Frances duty to resist being held to ransom by the dollar.
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"You mean not every other European country pays such ridiculous level of fuel duty and is too gutless to object in any meaningful way."
How did you gather that!!!!???
Yep, same as we allow all this rubbish about using public transport instaed of cars - would love to, but where I live there ain't any suitable. And I also notice, that in the city with the best public transport system in UK there ain't that many MPs/Gov ministers who get on the tube/buses.
" it was me re the price the curent price in Calais is 1.22 Euro's a ltr "
Sorry Paul, I'm out of date - when there at end of Oct it was 1.05 at Auchan, Boulogne, and I went by AA prices fore current price. Anyway at current euros exchange rate 1.22 euros is 86p and even given your local bank exchange rate it is 20p a litre less than my local supermarket - must be all there North Sea oil and dollar against euro -
I euro/pound goes up against dollar can someone please explain how our oil prices, prices in dollars, go UP?????
Please - I am thick
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Phil
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would love to but where I live there ain't any suitable.
You mean you don't live in Central London?! I thought everyone did ;-)
Here in County Durham the public transport is utter rubbish too. Hourly bus, doesn't take me where I need to go. Bearing in mind the journey to work takes under an hour by car, if I were to go by public transport it'd be.... an hour's bus ride, followed by a short walk to the station, then two 20 minute train journeys, followed by a 15 minute walk. Whyever do people use these automobile things? It's beyond me!
Back to petrol tho, until I have a problem with supermarket fuel it's all my car's going to get (unless the local BP decides to reduce its prices by 4p/litre). If I drove a diesel I'd adopt the same approach.
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I usually run my (petrol) car on Tesco and Asda petrol, and don't notice any drop in performance or economy from BP. Noticed a slight increase in oomph with Ultimate, but not enough to justify the extra 8p/litre they charge at my local BP! Didn't notice any increase in MPG either.
Strangely, there's a Total service station up the road from me, which I don't normally use because it's usually a good 3p/litre more than Tesco. Filled up there once when I was running low, and the car had absolutely no power and fuel consumption was dire until the next fill-up. Previous car didn't like Total petrol either. Very odd - surely can't just be my imagination? Bearing in mind it runs fine on Esso, BP, Shell, and all the supermarket stuff.
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>>surely can't just be my imagination? <<
Sorry to disappoint but according to a couple of posts above it IS your imagination or total hogwash.
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I've stuck with Shell for about 3 years. The prices in Notts are cheaper than the supermarkets, they have shorter queues, and with the Shell Citi Card and Shell Drivers club, together, I get at least 5p off every litre no matter how little I buy. At the moment I am getting 9p a litre off due to special vouchers they sent me, making it a cracking 94p a litre for diesel - NOT!.
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Does anyone know to what degree fuel pumps are calibrated? it would seem that 1 or 2 % either way would account for much. Now quite easy to calculate with fuel around £1 a litre.
Edited by dieselbob on 29/11/2007 at 20:55
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There is no tolerance as such, but the indicated price must not exceed the calculated price on the quantity delivered. The standard test is carried out on 2, 5 10 & 20 litre deliveries at minimum, maximum and medium delivery rates. The allowable deviance is 0.5% short measure, or 1% over.
Most forecourts give ~0.4999% short measure, as the metering systems are incredibly accurate.
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Most forecourts give ~0.4999% short measure as the metering systems are incredibly accurate.
If they're that accurate, then why should we legitimately pay this 1/2% extra on an already (comparatively) expensive product?
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