Supermarket Fuel

[Daveyonthemove]

I know thousands of people use it and never have a problem, but occasionally they prove why they are experts at food, and not fuel:

http://www.forecourttrader.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/5511/Tesco_diesel_causes_car_trouble.html?utm_source=newsletter_weekly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%2BWeekly

[AURISTR01]

Exactlyfor the reason I why I avoid supermarket fuels, this happened a few years back where it caused similar issues.

I always use Shell and never had any issues till this day partly because the prices are the same here.

Though I can understand those who dont intend to keep the car long term couldnt care what problems develop overtime.

[cabcurtains]

My last tank of Tosco dropped the figures to 39 (last week), the current tank of V-Power is showing 46 in similiar conditions.

[Daveyonthemove]

Both your posts mirror my own findings.

The prices are usually the same, the fuel goes further and you can still get money off, you just need a loyalty card.

(Got my money off voucher yesterday :) )

[RichE]

We don't use supermarket fuels either. We live in a village so it only has one garage so we always use that (Jet) but if I had the choice, it would be Shell everytime.

[mrpj]

I avoid supermarket fuel and use Shell usually but I remember them having some alleged problems a few years ago. They brought out this super duper Optimax or Optomax (can't remember exactly), similar to their higher octane "go faster snake oil" unleaded of today, and it was reported to have caused untold trouble when used with some engines at the time. Shell obviously denied any link but strangely enough the fuel was withdrawn - I wonder why?!

I don't know if it's still the same but when Jet was introduced they just bought the cheapest they could on the spot market?

[dervdave]

I avoid supermarket fuel and use Shell usually but I remember them having some alleged problems a few years ago. They brought out this super duper Optimax or Optomax (can't remember exactly),

Optimax

[Mooly]

I tried Shell petrol 12 months ago (the new "fuel saver" fuel they were advertising). So I switched to Shell for every fillup and experienced within a short space of time noticeably poor running (Auris 1.33). On motorways there was a feeling of constant "hunting" as if you were slowly coming on and off the gas when travelling at constant speed. The effect was subtle but there non-the-less. Over 2 or 3 thousand nothing changed. The car often felt flat and lacking in any performance. It was reminiscent of pushing the choke in a little too early back in the good old days.

Now all that coincided with my switch to Shell.

I then reverted back to Esso and there was NO change, I had to disconnect the Battery and let the ECU relearn but the difference was amazing. The original performance was back and there was no hint of any poor running under any conditions.

Coincidence... I don't know. All I can say is that all the problems coincided with switching to Shell.

As to problems with specific retailers... it happens. There have been cases in local papers where it has been big names that had supplied poor fuel.

And as to supermarket fuel. Many many years ago when I had a Carina II, I could detect a difference in running supermarket vs big name brands and particularly on cold starts. That car had a carburettor though and it was in the days when supermarket fuel was claimed to lack the additive packages of big names, the detergents and so on.

Today we run our 1.4 Corolla on Morrisons petrol and I am always amazed how well it runs for a 9 yr old car. The performance is faultless.