Murco fuel

WhiteCobra · 24 Oct 2010 at 23:18

Well my theory still hold's some water if it's only recently they've done this.. Personally there isn't a shell anywhere near where i live... Just supermarkets/BP/TEXACO, and none of them brand their standard fuels.

+edit+ "costing no more than standard fuel"

So it isn't standard fuel? They've just managed to make a superior fuel cost effective and are using marketing names to shift it and earn customers. If what you are saying is true then yes their fuel is superior.. As for all the other companies, I think not.

[TW]Fox · 24 Oct 2010 at 23:18

To be fair I bet most of its snake oil. I honestly doubt your HDI engine performs any different regardless of fuel.

Rainmaker · 24 Oct 2010 at 23:20

WhiteCobra said:
Well my theory still hold's some water if it's only recently they've done this.. Personally there isn't a shell anywhere near where i live... Just supermarkets/BP/TEXACO, and none of them brand their standard fuels.

No they recently changed the name to FuelSave. It's been marketed as Diesel EXTRA for years now with the same "better than the other pap" spiel.

[TW]Fox;17643691 said:
To be fair I bet most of its snake oil. I honestly doubt your HDI engine performs any different regardless of fuel.

Actually I get significantly better performance and economy on Murco fuel, hence my OP. Shell is decent too but I prefer the extra 'grunt' on Murco stuff. We're not talking petrol here remember; a bit higher cetane and denser stock really can make a big difference to performance.

[TW]Fox · 24 Oct 2010 at 23:22

Significantly?

ShakenNstirred · 24 Oct 2010 at 23:22

all fuel in this country has to meet the British standard
so there is no sub standard fuel

yes the car may run better on a certain blend of fuel from a well known name, but its not going to get damaged running on a supermarket fuel

Rainmaker · 24 Oct 2010 at 23:22

WhiteCobra; an example of how Shell pushed Diesel Extra as being superior to other (especially supermarket fuels):

Shell said:
Shell Diesel Extra is designed to maintain the long-term operating efficiency of your vehicles, helping you get the most out of your business investment.

This improved diesel fuel contains advanced cleaning agents designed to support more effective combustion in your engine. This helps to increase fuel efficiency by up to 3%* in commercial vehicles by keeping fuel injectors free of carbon deposits.

Shell Diesel with fuel economy formula is now available in more than 10 countries in Europe. We sell this product under different names in different markets including New Shell Diesel and Shell Diesel Extra.

Shell Diesel Extra can help:
• Avoid rising fuel consumption
• Prevent increased emissions and smoke
• Reduce fall-off in performance
• Lower fuel system corrosion
• Reduce foaming when refueling
• Reduce maintenance costs

Source.

Rainmaker · 24 Oct 2010 at 23:25

[TW]Fox;17643707 said:
Significantly?

To my mind, yes. I struggled to hit 40mpg a lot of the time on Tesco stuff, it really was poor and smoked like buggery. Murco stuff returned no less than 45mpg and often 50mpg over the same driving week on week. A return to Tesco fuel always dropped MPG to the high 30s or early 40s tops.

I realise this doesn't mean it applies to every car, and all fuels, UK-wide. But that's my experience. Since Shell and Murco cost me LESS than Tesco fuel I saw no need to go near them with my bargepole again.

ShakenNstirred said:
all fuel in this country has to meet the British standard
so there is no sub standard fuel

yes the car may run better on a certain blend of fuel from a well known name, but its not going to get damaged running on a supermarket fuel

Nobody said it would (certainly not I). My point was that when you can get a better "built" fuel (extra additives to keep the engine clean, lubricated and such) for less money than supermarket "bare minimum EN spec" stuff - well, why not?

WhiteCobra · 24 Oct 2010 at 23:32

taken from your quote

"Shell Diesel with fuel economy formula"

They've added their special recipe to make the fuel better. So this in my eyes isn't standard fuel. Good on them for making a better fuel at a competitive price. No other company seems to do it, that i know of, so I'm going to assume their selling pretty much the same as the supermarkets...

Rainmaker · 24 Oct 2010 at 23:34

WhiteCobra said:
taken from your quote

"Shell Diesel with fuel economy formula"

They've added their special recipe to make the fuel better. So this in my eyes isn't standard fuel. Good on them for making a better fuel at a competitive price. No other company seems to do it, that i know of, so I'm going to assume their selling pretty much the same as the supermarkets...

Erm, isn't that the whole point? You've just said it yourself. Shell sell their 'standard' fuel at 'standard' (supermarket) prices but it's higher spec, more 'enhanced' stuff that is better for your engine in the long run. Murco fuel seems much the same, and I find it hard to believe big brand fuel is as basic as most supermarket stuff.

Put it this way, nothing smokes in a diesel like Tesco stuff...

[TW]Fox · 24 Oct 2010 at 23:41

Rainmaker said:
To my mind, yes. I struggled to hit 40mpg a lot of the time on Tesco stuff, it really was poor and smoked like buggery. Murco stuff returned no less than 45mpg and often 50mpg over the same driving week on week. A return to Tesco fuel always dropped MPG to the high 30s

Wait so you are reporting an MPG range of between 50mpg and high 30mpg's on the same car simply through a change in the brand of diesel?

What car is this?

Rainmaker · 24 Oct 2010 at 23:43

[TW]Fox;17643807 said:
Wait so you are reporting an MPG range of between 50mpg and high 30mpg's on the same car simply through a change in the brand of diesel?

What car is this?

****roen Berlingo. I'm not saying the Murco fuel was magical and made a huge MPG increase. I'm saying Tesco fuel is so bad I may as well have peed in the tank. The "increase" on Murco fuel was actually only hitting advertised MPG ranges anyway... The Tesco fuel simply massacred economy while smoking so badly you could hardly see out of the back.

Maybe our local Tesco just has a really bad, water filled storage tank? LOL

EDIT: Please remember that the Murco and Shell close to me are actually cheaper than Tesco on average, as due to their locations they compete heavily with one another whereas Tesco is further out. In other words, I'm not trying to self-justify spending 6ppl extra on "Ultimate" fuel when I said the above... I was actually saving money by using what was, for my vehicle, the better fuel.

[TW]Fox · 24 Oct 2010 at 23:48

Rainmaker said:
****roen Berlingo. I'm not saying the Murco fuel was magical and made a huge MPG increase. I'm saying Tesco fuel is so bad I may as well have peed in the tank.

I don't normally do this, I'm usually quite a rational guy who always forms his posts properly and engages in constructive debate. But on this occasion I am going to break from the norm.

You think that the diesel used in a Citroen Berlingo can vary fuel economy from late 30mpg's to over 50mpg?

LOLOLOLOLOL

Rainmaker · 25 Oct 2010 at 00:05

[TW]Fox;17643852 said:
I don't normally do this, I'm usually quite a rational guy who always forms his posts properly and engages in constructive debate. But on this occasion I am going to break from the norm.

You think that the diesel used in a Citroen Berlingo can vary fuel economy from late 30mpg's to over 50mpg?

LOLOLOLOLOL

I don't think, I know. And I didn't say "over" 50mpg I said on Tesco fuel I regularly got late 30s to early 40s, and on proper stuff (i.e. not Tesco) I got mid 40s TO 50mpg over a week of the same driving. That's a difference of around 5mpg, not at all infeasible in a diesel.

The fact is visually evident. Tesco fuel leaves plumes of grey smoke trailing behind whereas other fuels don't. The car also felt incredibly underpowered and economy was demonstrably down. Why is this so hard to believe? For all you know my local Tesco just happens to have a tank full of all kinds of crud and water and the fuel is not up to scratch or something. Or maybe Tesco fuel just really is rank. *shrug*

[TW]Fox · 25 Oct 2010 at 00:09

So why doesn't every diesel leaving a Tesco forecourt leave plumes of smoke?

Rainmaker · 25 Oct 2010 at 00:11

[TW]Fox;17643956 said:
So why doesn't every diesel leaving a Tesco forecourt leave plumes of smoke?

Actually I know several people in this area (diesel owners) who refuse to use Tesco for this very reason (smoke and low economy). I don't assert it to be a national phenomena, nor even an absolute local one - I'm simply saying my car - and apparently those of some others I know - absolutely hated Tesco fuel and ran like a dog on it.

In fact a quick Google search shows up much the same thing. "It's only Tesco diesel I avoid"... "Tesco fuel is very smoky"... "I wouldn't use Tesco unless I really had to."...

This Mondeo thread demonstrates my point nicely:

http://www.fordmondeo.org/forum/printpost.php?tid/795791/

stoofa · 25 Oct 2010 at 11:08

It's funny but once one person says something it seems to be cool to jump on the bandwagon.
I am convinced that I could convince the internet, with some well placed posts in various threads on various fofums that any one product is rubbish and should be avoided.

I've met people who go on about supermarket fuel.
"Why do't you use it?"
"Oh because it's rubbish compared to the "named" fuel"
"How do you know that?"
"Oh I read it somewhere....."

If Tesco (for example) make rubbish fuel why does anyone use them?
Why doesn't every diesel leaving the forecourt smoke?
Why doesn't every petrol leaving stutter and misfire?

Because the truth is that there is absolutely nothing wrong with the supermarket fuels.
The additives added to "brand names" aren't going to make that much difference over the years that you run the vehicle.
The MPG difference is within tollerance.
Yes I used to be a V-Power whore in my Octy vRS but I'm getting "within tollerance" MPG from Momentum 99.

Jez · 25 Oct 2010 at 11:27

panthro said:
All fuel for Murco comes from Milford Haven, which is (or was) a BP owned refinery built using BP standards. So if thats anything to go by Murco fuel isnt too bad.

Milford Haven refinery is a BP owned site is it? Built by BP to "BP Standards" you say?

I would be interested to know where your source for this is?

panthro · 25 Oct 2010 at 11:42

Jez said:
Milford Haven refinery is a BP owned site is it?

I would be interested to know where your source for this is?

Sorry, I was referring to the Amoco refinery in Milford Haven, which isnt technically a BP refinery, but seeing as Amoco was merged with BP I just said BP thinking no one would notice....so I will change that statement to Amoco.

Jez · 25 Oct 2010 at 11:50

panthro said:
Sorry, I was referring to the Amoco refinery in Milford Haven, which isnt technically a BP refinery, but seeing as Amoco was merged with BP I just said BP thinking no one would notice....so I will change that statement to Amoco.

Nothing to do with BP at all, they were in no way connected at the time of build. The facility has not been anything to do with Amoco for a very long time now, since the Amoco UK aquisitions by the french.

I have...quite an insight into Milford Haven. I was confused as to where you could possibly have read that it was anything to do with BP

panthro · 25 Oct 2010 at 11:53

Same here, but nothing to do with the existing oil refineries