Where do you fill up your Rav4

[PAISLEY1903]

Not wanting to start ww3 on supermarket v brand but where do you fill up ?

My old diesel Kuga ran like a dream on BP and hated Asda fuel.  No idea why - it just... knew! 🙂

I will be filling up my Rav4 for the first time shortly and was thinking of moving to Asda where my wife fills up with unleaded.

Just wondered where you fill up!  For the wife its the cheapest!  For me im not so sure now moving to Petrol for first time.

[philip42h]

At a petrol station ... any E10 will do just fine.

I'm sure that posh petrol is great, but the RAV4's engine is tuned for economy rather than performance and runs just fine on standard fuel.

[MyOpinionIsWorthless]

Sainsbury’s (esso) super unleaded (e5) every time

[Lawnmowerman]

I use Esso, BP or Shell - I think their formulations are worth the premium. Having said that, I view my car purchases as keepers - if you follow the modern trend and lease for 2 or 3 years then perhaps it doesn't matter so much. Trouble is, every time I think I have a keeper I change it within 2 or 3 years - duh (circumstances dear boy - OK I like young cars). I was quite happy to keep my current RAV until the price drop on the PHEV happened - I am easily swayed it seems.

However, in the main I use Esso. I have a fuel card from Fuelpecker (anyone can get one) and it is used like a charge card. You are debited 2 or 3 days later. The real bonus being that you save 3p per litre on Esso fuel stations prices for their standard unleaded fuel  and more for Supreme. After all every little helps - oops I don't use theirs.

These are the discounts that apply...........

 

Discount at Esso sites

Discount	Fuel type
3p	Synergy unleaded
4p	Synergy diesel
5p	Synergy supreme + unleaded
6p	Synergy supreme + diesel

Discount at all Shell sites

Discount	Fuel type
1p	FuelSave Unleaded
1p	FuelSave Diesel
1p	V-Power Unleaded
1p	V-Power Diesel

 

[PAISLEY1903]

17 minutes ago, Lawnmowerman said:

I use Esso, BP or Shell - I think their formulations are worth the premium. Having said that, I view my car purchases as keepers - if you follow the modern trend and lease for 2 or 3 years then perhaps it doesn't matter so much. Trouble is, every time I think I have a keeper I change it within 2 or 3 years - duh (circumstances dear boy - OK I like young cars). I was quite happy to keep my current RAV until the price drop on the PHEV happened - I am easily swayed it seems.

However, in the main I use Esso. I have a fuel card from Fuelpecker (anyone can get one) and it is used like a charge card. You are debited 2 or 3 days later. The real bonus being that you save 3p per litre on Esso fuel stations prices for their standard unleaded fuel  and more for Supreme. After all every little helps - oops I don't use theirs.

These are the discounts that apply...........

 

Discount at Esso sites

Discount	Fuel type
3p	Synergy unleaded
4p	Synergy diesel
5p	Synergy supreme + unleaded
6p	Synergy supreme + diesel

Discount at all Shell sites

Discount	Fuel type
1p	FuelSave Unleaded
1p	FuelSave Diesel
1p	V-Power Unleaded
1p	V-Power Diesel

 

How do I join this @Lawnmowerman can't find a site to register , only a login site

[PeteB]

I used Tesco about 50% of the time from 2013-2016 in a Gen 3 Prius, and almost 100% Tesco since then in a Gen 4 Prius (39,000 miles) and my Gen 5 RAV4 (19,000 miles).  All regular 95 RON unleaded.

Never had any issues (touch wood!).

I've only filled once since 1 September (on the 10th), so I've no idea what concentration of E10 is in my tank, but I'm expecting a slight drop in mpg by the time I'm running 100% on the new mix.

[ernieb]

The manual says it's designed to run on E10 so I guess that's how it was tested?  As @philip42h  says above it's not an engine designed for performance but for economy and in particular to charge the Battery and run the motors which it seems to do running at about 2500rpm and 40% efficiency.  

I've used the local Sainsbury's fuel for years whether it was diesel or petrol and never had any issues and the economy has been more than acceptable.  

[Yugguy1970]

I sometimes wonder that because super burns cleaner with less linking you would get a little more efficiency.  But I doubt it's worth 20p a litre.

I need to read up a bit more on Atkinson cycle engines.

[philip42h]

11 hours ago, PAISLEY1903 said:

Not wanting to start ww3 on supermarket v brand but

... that's almost inevitable ... 🙂

From the handbook: 

• EU area: You must only use unleaded gasoline conforming to European standard EN228.
  Select unleaded gasoline with a Research Octane Number of 95 or higher for optimum engine performance.
• Except EU area: You must only use unleaded gasoline.
  Select unleaded gasoline with a Research Octane Number of 91 or higher for optimum engine performance.

With the EU, regular unleaded is 95 RON, in other geographies regular unleaded may be only 91 RON. Toyota say that the engine will deliver optimum performance with 95 RON fuel (in the EU). There is no harm nor benefit in using higher octane ratings. See also: The facts about fuel: which RON is best for you? (It's Australian so regular is only 91 RON). It's worth noting that the engine in the RAV is naturally aspirated (no turbo) and uses variable valve timing.

These days my nearest and most convenient source of fuel is Tesco, so that's what I use - and I now use their regular 95 RON fuel rather than their more expensive Momentum 99 RON fuel. But many will prefer to use branded fuel - Shell, Esso, BP etc. which may be justified due to the additional cleaning additives they use. Whether this is truly justified, or just marketing / brand loyalty is neither here nor there. Folk are free to choose what they want.

In the old days, with a 4.4 2.2 D-CAT auto I'd go well out of my way to fill up with Shell V-Power diesel and was convinced, subjectively, that the engine ran better on that. I only filled with BP once - the experience was dreadful so I'd never use BP again. Subjectivity and prejudice are wonderful things ... 😉

[Yugguy1970]

Aye, the good old bum dyno. 😁

[Lawnmowerman]

11 hours ago, PAISLEY1903 said:

How do I join this @Lawnmowerman can't find a site to register , only a login site

Oh dear, it used to be open to all - perhaps that was until they had achieved an acceptable customer base. I must say that there are not many things in life where you seem to get something for nothing (i.e. 3p worth of fuel every litre).

A colleague in my work who is a real car nut signed up at the same time as well - others think petrol is like tap water (the same everywhere) and just buy the cheapest.

Perhaps contact them and enquire - a shame if they are closed to new customers. Although I have to say the resources required to administer private users rather than commercial customers must be onerous.

Just select the contact link and it opens a dialogue box - let us know how you get on.

LOGIN

+44

 

 

Password reset

Questions? Contact customer.service@fuelpecker.com

 

 

[Stivino]

5 minutes ago, Lawnmowerman said:

others think petrol is like tap water (the same everywhere) and just buy the cheapest.

I can assure you that any fuel you buy in this country will be more like any other fuel, than one water will be to another water.

 

[philip42h]

11 hours ago, Lawnmowerman said:

I have a fuel card from Fuelpecker (anyone can get one) and it is used like a charge card.

From the Caravan Club website:

[Lawnmowerman]

2 minutes ago, Stivino said:

I can assure you that any fuel you buy in this country will be more like any other fuel, than one water will be to another water.

 

Not in my 25 year plus career as an experienced After-sales Manager with Rolls-Royce, Audi and VW. But perhaps water standards differ greatly now. Although my father (who worked for the Water Board) explained the strict conditions that they had to adhere to when processing potable water I would be surprised if there was a great deviation (but that is not my area of expertise).

[Lawnmowerman]

3 minutes ago, philip42h said:

From the Caravan Club website:

Thanks Philip - that is a shame.

Sorry for raising anyone's hopes.

[Stivino]

9 minutes ago, Lawnmowerman said:

Not in my 25 year plus career as an experienced After-sales Manager with Rolls-Royce, Audi and VW. But perhaps water standards differ greatly now. Although my father (who worked for the Water Board) explained the strict conditions that they had to adhere to when processing potable water I would be surprised if there was a great deviation (but that is not my area of expertise).

🥱 I too have had a chequered career but, I wouldn’t want to bore anybody with it as I have nothing to prove.

 Although , I do think it would be a good idea if people here had to list their qualifications in their profile as it is obvious from some of the posts I read that many people are not in the position to be doling out advice. I’m referring to mainly technical matters.

 

[Lawnmowerman]

2 hours ago, Stivino said:

🥱 I too have had a chequered career but, I wouldn’t want to bore anybody with it as I have nothing to prove.

 Although , I do think it would be a good idea if people here had to list their qualifications in their profile as it is obvious from some of the posts I read that many people are not in the position to be doling out advice. I’m referring to mainly technical matters.

 

I prefer modesty to braggarts 😂.

Yes, I think it would be surprising to see the many and varied careers amongst members - quite a few surprises I would imagine.

👍👍👍

[Heidfirst]

5 hours ago, philip42h said:

In the old days, with a 4.4 2.2 D-CAT auto I'd go well out of my way to fill up with Shell V-Power diesel and was convinced, subjectively, that the engine ran better on that. I only filled with BP once - the experience was dreadful so I'd never use BP again. Subjectivity and prejudice are wonderful things ... 😉

Tbh, having had 2x 2.2  D4D Avensis I also thought that Shell gave best results although I would only give it V-Power about 1 in 5 fill ups (not so much for performance but to keep it cleaner).

[PAISLEY1903]

Dont think I will bother with Asda despite being cheapest but I do have an ESSO and a BP next to me both have so so reward schemes.

[Rav Rob]

I go to the cheapest possible, the local independent is at 128.7p.

I don't believe there is tangible differences in fuel brands, it all comes from a very limited number of depots for all brands.

I do believe that 'calibration' of the pumps varies, even though legally they should not and should be checked, sometimes I find it surprising how much (value wise) the tank seems to take at some places, I suspect they are dispensing slightly smaller gallons. 

 

[Catlover]

Bob, how do you figure that out ( smaller deliveries).

[ernieb]

30 minutes ago, Rav Rob said:

I go to the cheapest possible, the local independent is at 128.7p.

I don't believe there is tangible differences in fuel brands, it all comes from a very limited number of depots for all brands.

I do believe that 'calibration' of the pumps varies, even though legally they should not and should be checked, sometimes I find it surprising how much (value wise) the tank seems to take at some places, I suspect they are dispensing slightly smaller gallons. 

 

The delivery of fuel is tested independently of any garage, I’ve seen the trading people checking into a calibrated vessel. There is variation in any measurement system but I doubt very much any of us would be able to notice that on a tank by tank basis.

[Rav Rob]

6 minutes ago, Catlover said:

Bob, how do you figure that out ( smaller deliveries).

Not looked at it scientifically, if I had time I would and report any suspicious petrol stations, its just a gut feeling that its taking a bit more to fill than it should, especially some of more shabby stations.

[Rav Rob]

1 minute ago, ernieb said:

The delivery of fuel is tested independently of any garage, I’ve seen the trading people checking into a calibrated vessel. There is variation in any measurement system but I doubt very much any of us would be able to notice that on a tank by tank basis.

I doubt there has been a lot of testing last couple of years, but happy to accept I may be imagining it, maybe some are over generous instead 😉

[ernieb]

@Rav Rob, totally agree that some pumps even at the same garage fill the tank very slowly. I’ve also experienced with some slow fill pumps the situation when the pump gun just constantly cuts out, now that is a pain.