Do you buy premium/'ultimate' petrol or diesel ?

[umslopogaas]

My understanding has always been that supermarket fuel comes out of exactly the same refinery storage tank as premium brands, its just that supermarkets buy in bulk, stick their own label on it and discount the price accordingly. I've been buying petrol in the local Morrisons for several years and have never noticed any ill effects ... but admittedly, since I'm sure there wont be any, I dont waste time looking. I think this brand loyalty has its roots in a distant memory of the immediate post-WW2 period, when there were problems with shortages, dodgy quality and it really did pay to play safe and pay a bit extra for "Go Well, Go Shell" quality. I recall that my dad was quite fanatical about seeking out Shell.

[PatrickOD]

So far not much compelling evidence to warrant the extra cost

Alison

Everybody has taken a much more serious view of your original question than I have. The truth is, I buy my fuel in £20 units when needed. That's it. I use the same place all the time. I hear these dreadful stories about fuel smugglers; taking the dye out of red diesel; not being able to trust even the most reliable suppliers, etc etc. So far, no ill effects, but the rumours persist that dodgy fuel is big business, and the authorities take a serious view of the problem. I just sail along and don't worry about it - perhaps I'll get my comeuppance one of these days. If you do worry about these things, and cost in general, you might be interested in this:

http://www.fuelthoughts.com/2011/02/dont-be-fooled-by-tricks-you-dont.html

There's too much information here for me.

[mangerton]

I recall that my dad was quite fanatical about seeking out Shell.

Was he a Bing Crosby fan?

http://www.tellyads.com/show_movie_vintage.php?filename=VA0163

Shows the power of advertising!

[Paul Sherratt]

I'm surprised by all this forum discussion of petrol as I'd fondly imagined that most forum members
would be going to work etc, on an egg !

http://www.pickinglosers.com/files/u11/egg.jpg

[aeolium]

Or cooking oil.

[Mr Pee]

Or Ploopy Plops.....

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/technology-video/gadget-inspectors/7937165/Poo-powered-car-test-drive-Gadget-Inspectors.html

[Gordon]

We have 2 diesel cars, one a large estate 7 years old [100k miles] and the other a small one new two years ago [17k miles]. The large one does about 45mpg on a long run and the small one well over 55 and can touch 60. Most engines improve mpg from new but degrade in later life, especially of they are not well maintained and go out of tune.

I did a careful experiment on both cars over several months with these super fuels and found a very small improvement that was barely statistically significant in the larger car and no improvement at all in the small one. The additional cost is not justified for either of my cars. These fuels are meant for high performance engines whose combustion conditions are extreme. I never consciously put super diesel in either car but have been known to put some in by mistake.

As to supermarket fuel and additives in general: a college friend of mine used to work for Shell in fuel research. He assures me that supermarket fuel is indeed the same as any other as it emerges from the refining process and it meets appropriate standards [eg EN226 - see this and other standards named on the pumps ] but that's all. The differences in price do reflect volume purchases by supermarkets but the branded fuels do have additives that are omitted from supermarkets so the branded ones tend to exceed the basic standards. These additives may not improve mpg but may help protect your engine by improving combustion, help it to avoid diesel injector and particulate filter clogging [these a feature of cars that do too many short journeys eg school runs in cold weather] and help prevent valve damage etc. If you tend to keep a car for a long time and have bought from new and wish to keep in good order then it is worth considering branded fuels for this reason but if not stick to supermarkets. In my area at present there is very little difference in price at supermarkets and big brand filling stations. I see a much greater difference - sometimes several pence - between down here in the S of England compared to Cheshire and N Wales.

[Ferretfancy]

When in Basingstoke, do you turn right or left at the second set of traffic lights after the by-pass? Just wondered.

[Flosshilde]

When in Basingstoke, do you turn right or left at the second set of traffic lights after the by-pass? Just wondered.

[Mr Pee]

When in Basingstoke, do you turn right or left at the second set of traffic lights after the by-pass? Just wondered.

Well surely that would depend on where you wanted to go??

Talking of roads and traffic lights, I am waiting with baited breath for the A3 Hindhead Tunnel to finally open. Rumour is 6am on Wednesday, although nothing has been officially announced, possibly to avoid the risk of a lot of people turning up to try and be the first through. As one who drives to London fairly frequently, this will make a huge difference to the journey, as well as providing significant environmental benefits to the Devil's Punchbowl, with the old A3, which currently cuts right through it, being returned to nature.

If only they would do the same with the A303 as it passes Stonehenge.

[Flosshilde]

Or Ploopy Plops.....

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technolog...nspectors.html

Interesting - & with a few unintentional (?) touches of humour - "to eco-warriors it is a product that is more exciting than a plateful of organic, Fairtrade mung beans: methane gas"; "Mr Saddiq's idle thought during a weekend drive with his in-laws "

& a missed connection - "This suggests that even if we commandeered the contents of every sceptic tank and soil pipe in the country we could only power 148,000 cars – less than 1 per cent of the 31 million on the road. “This is not a solution to the planet’s ills,” says Mr Saddiq. “But think of the huge amount of organic matter that would otherwise end up in landfill.” ". Doesn't landfill produce methane gas? Landfill sites I've seen usually have a standpipe burning off a gas, which I've always assumed was methane.

[Ferretfancy]

Oh Mr Pee!

It was my little joke, as the gnat said in Alice.

ferret

[Flosshilde]

Oh Mr Pee!

It was my little joke, as the gnat said in Alice.

ferret

Ferret, Mr Pee doesn't understand jokes

Talking about roads being opened, Glasgow has the honour of hosting the most expensive stretch of road in Europe - the recently opened M74 'missing link' - 5 miles for nearly £700m! It was probably unique in being rejected by a public enquirey, as it had no discernable benefits & considerable environmental impact, but the Government went ahead with it anyway

[Mr Pee]

Ferret, Mr Pee doesn't understand jokes

Au contraire, I understand jokes perfectly well. Example:-

Q. Why does a seagull fly over the sea?

A. Because if it flew over the bay it would be called a bagel.

It's just that I've never found anything remotely amusing about Basingstoke.

[Gordon]

When in Basingstoke, do you turn right or left at the second set of traffic lights after the by-pass? Just wondered.

Never go to the place - except through on the train!!!