mangogrooveworkshop
|
| posted on 1/12/05 at 06:00 PM |
|
|
Supermarket fuel debate cont
This is a copy of an email that was sent to us at work.(Email edited)
Comments gents
From: Debbie Crawford/UK/Tesco [mailto:debbie.crawford@uk.tesco.com]
Sent: 15 March 2004 23:31
To: mango@locostbuilders.co.uk
Subject: Tesco fuel quality
Hope the following helps.
All fuel supplied to Tesco meets the relevant Bristish Standards as well as
the Government Fiscal Specification for Ultra low Sulphur Fuels.
As part of our supply agreements, all unleaded and Diesel fuel contains a
detergent additive, as recommended by most leading motor manufacturers,
meeting their performance requirements. These additives are supplied by the
oil companies.
There is no such thing as "Supermarket" fuel - Supermarkets do not own or
run oil refineries. All fuel is supplied by either major UK refiners or
major European refiners.
To ensure ongoing quality, we independently test forecourt samples to
ensure compliance with the product specifications and ensure there is no
contamination.
Tesco is the biggest independent retailer in the UK with a market share of
about 12%. We therefore sell 1 in every 8 litres of fuel in the UK,
equating to around 2.5 to 3 million customer a week and growing.
Why Pay More?
---- Disclaimer ----
This is a confidential email. Tesco may monitor and record all emails. The
views expressed in this email are those of the sender and not Tesco.
Tesco Stores Limited, Tesco House, Delamare Road, Cheshunt, Herts, EN8 9SL:
company number 519500.
_____________________________________________________________________
[Edited on 1-12-05 by mangogrooveworkshop]
|
|
|
|
|
Humbug
|
| posted on 1/12/05 at 06:30 PM |
|
|
Not sure what your point is? Oil companies supply fuel to supermarkets, and Shell (and presumably others) might produce different blends/additives for
sale in their own filling stations?
It doesn't say that what Tesco sells is the same as Optimax, if that's what you're implying
|
|
|
Fozzie
|
| posted on 1/12/05 at 07:05 PM |
|
|
Hmmmm,
Did anyone not see the (IIRC) 5th Gear petrol test on tv a couple of weeks ago?
They were testing Shell Optimax, BP Ultima and supermarket fuels against each other, for different applications.
This followed Hellfires excellent thread from a couple(ish) of weeks previous, to the programme....
Fozzie
'Racing is Life!...anything before or after is just waiting'....Steve McQueen
|
|
|
Deckman001
|
| posted on 1/12/05 at 07:25 PM |
|
|
But did they test Tesco's 99 Ron stuff ?????? Makes me missus's Focus quicker !! 
Jason
|
|
|
Fozzie
|
| posted on 1/12/05 at 07:44 PM |
|
|
Yup, I am sure they did Jason!....
Shell Optimax came significantly out on top (rolling road tested), giving more bhp (8-10), and more torque, over the supermarkets
'best'.
Ultima (BP) was just a bit better than the supermarkets 'best'.
Verdict....
1 Shell Optimax, by far!
2 BP Ultima
3 Supermarkets 'best' (only just behind BP)
Fozzie
'Racing is Life!...anything before or after is just waiting'....Steve McQueen
|
|
|
Deckman001
|
| posted on 1/12/05 at 07:45 PM |
|
|
 Oh ok, thought they only checked the basic UL
Jason
|
|
|
Fozzie
|
| posted on 1/12/05 at 07:50 PM |
|
|
No, they did the supermarket 'best', because they were testing the 'best' from BP and Shell.
It would have been a pointless exercise to test against ordinary UL.
'Racing is Life!...anything before or after is just waiting'....Steve McQueen
|
|
|
Deckman001
|
| posted on 1/12/05 at 07:54 PM |
|
|
Copied from 5th gear , doesn't really say other than Ordinary unleaded ?????
Jason
http://fifthgear.five.tv/jsp/5gmain.jsp?lnk=601&featureid=143&pageid=272
Renault Clio
First up was the new Renault Clio, an ordinary family runaround.
On ordinary unleaded the Clio produced 81 bhp.
On BP Ultimate, it produced 81 bhp.
And on Shell Optimax, it was, you guessed it, 81 bhp.
So it seems an engine geared towards economy simply can't take advantage of the extra performance fancy fuel can offer.
[Edited on 1/12/05 by Deckman001]
|
|
|
Fozzie
|
| posted on 1/12/05 at 08:01 PM |
|
|
That was only ONE of the tests!..In fact the first test, there were about 3 different tests IIRC
And yes, I stand corrected on the supermarket 'unleaded' bit, but we did see the programme, and we both remember them saying the
supermarkets 'best'.
On the link you posted, look at pages 3-4 inclusive
[Edited on 1/12/05 by Fozzie]
[Edited on 1/12/05 by Fozzie]
'Racing is Life!...anything before or after is just waiting'....Steve McQueen
|
|
|
Fozzie
|
| posted on 1/12/05 at 08:24 PM |
|
|
Forgot to say, (but did on t'other thread), that we tested these fuels ourselves a few years ago now.
In my modern tin-top the optimax and ultima, made no diference what so ever over the ordinary unleaded.
But in our race engines (the oldies), and in the fozzmobile, Optimax was found to be better by far....In Our Experience of course!
'Racing is Life!...anything before or after is just waiting'....Steve McQueen
|
|
|
smart51
|
| posted on 1/12/05 at 08:57 PM |
|
|
Basic fuel is distilled by the refinaries and is loaded into trucks for many branded forecourts from the same tank. Fuel additives are mixed into the
fuel depending on the brand. These include benzine for unleaded or sodium for LRP or lead for leadded. They can include detergents and other fuel
improvers. Supermarkets are said to have fewer additives to keep the cost down and so will be "less good" over time. Some people suggest
that your engine won't cake up in deposits too quickly so occasional use of cheap fuel will do no harm.
The other side of the arguement is that some fuel is more distilled than others. Sure, they all meet the minimum standards but that doesn't say
much. Some fuel is fairly pure octane / iso-heptane. Other fuel is made from higher fractions of crude which is "cracked" using a
catalyst into ligher hydrocarbons. Low grade fuel can be treated with octane boosters to make up the octane level. Many types of fuel may be 95 RON.
that is octane (100 RON) plus other lower RON stuff such that the average is 95. I would guess that cheaper fuels more lower grade stuff in there
than expensive fuels.
Which story is right? I don't know. Perhaps the truth is a bit of both.
|
|
|
steve_gus
|
| posted on 1/12/05 at 09:07 PM |
|
|
friends that have had imprezas and audi rs6 say the type of fule they use has a big effect on power. Unless run on Optimax, the impreza was several
tens of hp down - im guessing the engine efi detected lack of octane / whatever, and reduced power for safety.
atb
steve
http://www.locostbuilder.co.uk
Just knock off the 's'!
|
|
|
Doc
|
| posted on 1/12/05 at 10:14 PM |
|
|
If your cars ecu can adapt to the octane rating of the fuel then you will notice a performance difference but if your ecu doesn't you
won't.
I could certainly feel the difference in my Impreza and if you didn't use all the performance it used to do 20-30 more miles on a tank of
Optimax compared to 95 unleaded, whereas it made bugger all difference in my wifes 206.
|
|
|
