BP unleaded low MPG

[Frosted]

Hi all,

Has anyone else experienced poor MPG using BP unleaded? I normally see 62mpg (calculated by filling up each time not the car displayed MPG) on long runs and normally use Tesco, Shell or Texaco. I filled up with BP unleaded just before another long run and only made 52MPG - quite a drop and there was nothing particularly different about the trip (2019 Corolla 1.8 Design).

I'm just going to avoid BP stations in the future but was just wondering if this is a known issue.

[Cyker]

TBH BP is usually too expensive for my tastes!!

Not heard of it as a known thing tho', but since the fuel hikes I've used Esso, Shell, Sainsburys, Asda, Tescos, Morrisons, Texaco, Harvest Green, and a bunch others depending on what the fuel prices app says is the cheapest  and honestly can't tell the difference between any of them!!

 

[TonyHSD]

Well, I had exactly opposite experience and my local BP 95 E10 or 99 E5 are my favourite. The car does best mileage, has the longest range when full, accelerates fastest and the engine is quietest too, no engine knock, no drama . The transition between ev and petrol is the smoothest too. The thing is that between two petrol stations of the same company the fuels can be very different and this is a good example. Been talking about this for some time now, happy you report that. , thank you., just confirm my thoughts  👍

Btw where I live there are two Shell garages in 2 miles radius, one is very good fuel and the other is poor quality because always when fill up there the engine got some anomalies and it’s noisier and less responsive. 

[FROSTYBALLS]

By us BP E10 is only 1p per litre more expensive than our Tesco Extra - mind you they are across the road from each other.

We travelled to Colleston (18 miles north of Aberdeen) last Friday/Saturday using BP E10 (450 miles approx) and not got appreciably less mpg than using other petrol.

[Frosted]

Thanks all 🙂 looks like just a bad batch and/or filling station in that case.

[flash22]

The change in the weather may have something to do with it, the last few weeks it has dropped by 15ºc, use of the heater/AC or cost of fuel may be a factor

my yaris doesn't like the E10

 

Tesco is Esso base fuel iirc

[Derek.w]

I used E10 since it appeared at the pumps & have achieved the same miles to the gallon going off the  car computer and the MyT app.

[Cyker]

It does vary a lot between cars. I remember with my old diesel, it was very sensitive to different fuels; Sainsaburys was my goto, but I'd tried Esso, which it hated (Sooo noisy and lack of power), and Shell V-Power (Which it loved - audibly smoother and noticeable more responsive, with a slight loss for torque at low RPM but more power at higher!)

My dad's old Verso D4D on the other hand didn't seem to care what you put in it. I swear it could probably run on veggie oil  

I think the hybrid system in my Mk4 masks any difference in fuel performance too well, plus the car was engineered to run on E10; Although older cars can run on E10, they weren't designed for it, so the performance will be impacted more.

I think the main rule with petrol stations is use ones that are fairly busy - Whenever I've heard of people with problems, it's usually from a petrol station that doesn't see much turnover, so the fuel isn't being cycled out and is sitting in their tanks for longer. I suspect this has been made worse by the change to E10, which apparently has a shorter shelf-life than E5 or E0.

 

[Dylanfan]

In the early eighties I remember an article in a Diesel Car magazine (remember those) where they did some checks on different fuels. At that time they found that BP was very poor with a very low burn factor, I think it was called “cirtane” or something. I’d noticed that my car did not like it and I’ve never used BP since.

[Derek.w]

I have known a Honda Civic many years ogo that hated supermarket petrol.

[Frosted]

It was indeed a quiet BP petrol station which could explain it - I'll stick to busy ones from now on. Appreciate all the comments 🙂

[Rhymes with Paris]

24 minutes ago, Dylanfan said:

In the early eighties I remember an article in a Diesel Car magazine (remember those) where they did some checks on different fuels. At that time they found that BP was very poor with a very low burn factor, I think it was called “cirtane” or something. I’d noticed that my car did not like it and I’ve never used BP since.

I think the term was a cetane rating which I understood was akin to the octane rating on petrol, relating to how easily it ignites.

I can't remember the diesel car magazine, but did buy a new Citroen ax diesel in 1989.

Can you remember the "buying cars"mag around that time? I used to get it and enjoyed reading it, I think Quentin Wilson was one of the writers, before he started doing TV adverts.😄

Anyone who has tried to set diesel fuel alight, for example while trying to burn a concrete mixer drum out, will understand just how difficult it is in comparison with petrol where the vapour burns at the slightest spark.

 

[Cyker]

Exactly right!  

 

1 hour ago, Derek.w said:

I have known a Honda Civic many years ogo that hated supermarket petrol.

Was it a riced up turbo'd Type R perchance...?  

[AndrueC]

Winter's coming. I filled up this evening and it comes out as only 63mpg. That was Tesco fuel.

[APS]

5 hours ago, Frosted said:

Has anyone else experienced poor MPG using BP unleaded? I normally see 62mpg (calculated by filling up each time not the car displayed MPG) on long runs and normally use Tesco, Shell or Texaco. I filled up with BP unleaded just before another long run and only made 52MPG - quite a drop and there was nothing particularly different about the trip (2019 Corolla 1.8 Design).

I'm just going to avoid BP stations in the future but was just wondering if this is a known issue.

More likely that you may have had bad luck with head wind. You often don't notice it while driving, but it can make a big difference one way or the other.

[TonyHSD]

2 hours ago, Frosted said:

Thanks all 🙂 looks like just a bad batch and/or filling station in that case.

Reading you original post second time, I think. Because you filled up first time at this Bp the pump may have clicked off earlier then usual and got less litres in the tank. Doing the calculations will make a significant drop in the mpg. Happens to me too. No way under other conditions to loose 10+ mpg, temperature hasn’t dropped so much yet and even with the all other variables still should be similar average mpg overall +/-5mpg. Winter time up to 10 mpg loss it’s normal. Yes, wind, load, rain, wet, cold indeed, does effect the fuel consumption. Perhaps fill up again full at the same garage and see what the calculations will be. You can get a bottle of stp or redex petrol injector cleaner and if the engine doesn’t run smooth and quiet just add on and it will drive nice again. 👍

[Dylanfan]

1 hour ago, Rhymes with Paris said:

I think the term was a cetane rating which I understood was akin to the octane rating on petrol, relating to how easily it ignites.

I can't remember the diesel car magazine, but did buy a new Citroen ax diesel in 1989.

Can you remember the "buying cars"mag around that time? I used to get it and enjoyed reading it, I think Quentin Wilson was one of the writers, before he started doing TV adverts.😄

Anyone who has tried to set diesel fuel alight, for example while trying to burn a concrete mixer drum out, will understand just how difficult it is in comparison with petrol where the vapour burns at the slightest spark.

 

Yes that’s it “cetane”, it was a long time ago. I seem to remember that BP diesel only just met the British Standard. I had a Citroen CX Safari 2.5 turbo diesel that did about 45 to the gallon with a top speed of 120😇

[Cyker]

"Allegedly"   

[Derek.w]

There a lot of cars out there than only run on super unleded.

(High performance cars)

[Dylanfan]

11 hours ago, Cyker said:

"Allegedly"   

At the time the CX turbo diesel was the most economical car on the road, one was driven from Lands End to John O’Groats on a tank full; they never said how fast they drove😁. That one of mine could cruise at 80+ all day so the 120 could have been true for the very slippery saloon. Great memories.

[Trewithy]

I have read the above comments with interest as I filled up at Texaco for the first time a couple of weeks ago.  The tank is just under half full now and the dash is reading 58mpg.  This is the first sub 60mpg reading I have ever had, didn't get even that low last winter.  Hopefully normal consumption will be restored when I get back to my usual Tesco fuel.

[forkingabout]

Weather is getting colder = average mpg will drop, just a fact of life.

I use Tesco Momentum as its easy to get hold of, worked well in my previous vehicles plus recommend to me by several mechanics I know in the trade.

[TonyHSD]

Agreed for the weather. Temperature is getting down and the mpg will follow immediately even though you don’t use as much heat now for heating inside yet still the thermal efficiency is affected. My car usually start to drip around 3-5 mpg this time of the year then another 3-5mpg when I fit my winter tyres on., from low 60’s I am down to low 50’s in cold months with some periods that I can see even 48mpg. 
For the fuel to be the reason to get lower mpg it is not gonna be only low mpg but also spluttering engine work, knocking, slow acceleration and not responsive accelerator plus more noise , metallic noise like from worn timing chain accompanied by tiny high frequency vibrations.. With good fuel the hybrid engines are smooth as 6 cylinder real motor 👌

[bigblock]

I have noticed with the 2.0 ltr engine that it seems to react almost instantly to temperature changes. When the temps went up in the 30 C + I was getting 60 + mpg easily on the day. But now at around 15 C to 20 C outside it's already down in the mid fifties mpg today. I have had as low as 45 mpg at 5 C or less outside in the winter months. My average over the past 2 1/2 years is 55.4 mpg calculated by tank to tank. I drive it normal and don't go all out for economy most of the time.

[DC_Ms]

52 minutes ago, bigblock said:

I have noticed with the 2.0 ltr engine that it seems to react almost instantly to temperature changes. When the temps went up in the 30 C + I was getting 60 + mpg easily on the day. But now at around 15 C to 20 C outside it's already down in the mid fifties mpg today. I have had as low as 45 mpg at 5 C or less outside in the winter months. My average over the past 2 1/2 years is 55.4 mpg calculated by tank to tank. I drive it normal and don't go all out for economy most of the time.

Still a very good avarage for the 2.0 I would say 👍