Diesel - Shell V-Power VS BP Ultimate

Mikey

Mikey

Mikey

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Shortly I won't be doing much mileage and TBH should prob have run better fuel in my 123d for the last 30k that I've done in 12 months.

I've got both Shell and BP very local to my home, so going forward thinking of running the higher priced diesels. Anyone got much experience between the two?

Longer term I'll be changing the car for a petrol motor, but it's a case of finding a car that I like and am willing to spend a fortune on. Catch 22. A couple of friends of mine have suggested leasing an R Golf, but never looked at leasing TBH.

Anyway for now, question of fuels.
 
My mondeo st tdci runs better on BP then it does on shell. Regular diesel and ultimate.

For petrol I'd go vpower all day everyday.
 
Vita said:
My mondeo st tdci runs better on BP then it does on shell. Regular diesel and ultimate.

For petrol I'd go vpower all day everyday.
Click to expand...

Yes when I return to petrol it'll be Shell V-Power.

Diesel I'm leaning towards BP Ultimate
 
The Which report did specially say they couldn't justify premium diesel on the basis of the tests done on their 'typical' cars. Where as they did find premium petrol produce better bhp figure especially on the turbo petrol Golf (I think). And there is no way they can tell if the claims for cleaning effect is true. I also remember they tested diesel additives which they also did not find any improvement in bhp nor mpg. Again, they cannot verify claims for cleaning effects. The report did raise a valid question, would you trust multi-billion pound companies with hundred if not thousands working in labs claiming added cleaning effect or a much smaller outfit selling you an additive? It could be all marketing :-)
 
As Vita mentioned, my Mondeo (same engine as the ST) loved BP ultimate and was a calculated 4MPG better than supermarket over 2000 miles. However the extra cost vs MPG means I'd have to do somewhere around 9K-10K miles before I got a single "free" tank from the extra MPG (£80 tank for free).
 
Surely working towards a free tank is a silly way to justify (or to not justify) this though?

Regardless of miles done to get a "free" tank, if it's cheaper per mile to run V-Power or Ultimate, then it's cheaper. No messing about, working out how long to get a free tank, it is just cheaper.

My old man thinks he saw a 4 mpg difference between supermarket and V-Power. On his motor, that's about 10%. Compared to the 5-6% difference in price, means he is cheaper to run on V-Power, regardless of miles done.

I have just discovered a local Shell actually does V-Power Diesel near me. I didn't know before, as I am rarely passing that particular outlet, but was there today, and filled up.

My 530d is now averaging around the 40 mpg mark on regular Morrisons diesel. As I am often passing Morrisons, and find it better than Asda, I usually fill up there. I have just worked out (on my fuel consumption spreadsheet), that I need to gain 2 mpg to pay off the extra cost of the V-Power diesel. Or in other words, and extra 30 miles in the tank.

Not actually very much. And as Gun9 states, the additives put in by these multi-billion dollar companies may well be worth it alone.
 
Haven't seen much in the way of an increase in mpg for either V-Power Nitro or BP Ultimate but I have been plumping for Shell Nitro for the last few months purely down to local availability. My nearest Shell station which has diesel Nitro is at Cumbernauld and they always have it available at the pumps. My nearest BP station sits literally yards from the petrochemical complex at Grangemouth - Europe's largest complex of its type. And they very, very rarely have Ultimate Diesel available at the pumps. The irony is overwhelming.

So Shell V-Power Nitro it is. Our 4007 Irmscher feels a bit more quiet, responsive and 'peppy' but having fed it in my early days of ownership, a diet of fuel from wherever was nearest which invariably meant Tesco/Asda stuff and then having issues with the fuel filter and going into 'limp home' mode a year ago I'm erring on the side of caution and going for better quality fuel from now on, proved/perceived or otherwise. Makes me feel better and costs a measly few pence extra over supermarket fuel. Ultimately (excuse the pun) - stick in your car what fuel makes you feel happiest. If it ain't broke, dont try and fix it.

Or conversely - if it ain't broke, get a bigger hammer. :p
 
A tad off topic but I've recently started adding Redex to my van's fuel tank and noticed that I get about a 10% increase in the mileage at least. However, the van always runs better in the warmer weather so I'm not sure if it's down to that or the the Redex!
 
My diesel started to hesitate a bit from time to time. A couple of tanks of Shell V power and it was far more responsive and the hesitation has gone.

I think the detergents are better rather than the overall power/MPG saving.
 
I know it's not diesel but I had an EML on my petrol peugeot 307 for 8 months, I filled up one day with v-power as they had ran out of normal unleaded. Within 2 miles that EML went out and stayed out ever since. V-POWER must have cleaned something.
 
All of the premium diesel is just normal diesel with small amounts of 2 stroke oil added. Was told this buy a shell rep at a shell garage who was filling his shell company van with the oil himself before using normal diesel (something all shell reps are told to do apparently).

My TFSI petrol unit runs better on normal petrol, on vpower etc it is a bit sluggish and laggy, I really expected the opposite!
 
Minstadave I get exactly the same. It loves Momentum but Momentum is rare where I live. I get 400 to a tank on ASDA fuel (which is the cheapest available) around 350 to a tank on Momentum (and better performance) but only 300 if that...on vpowernitro+
 
I thought I'd try some BP Ultimate in my derv today. Made a noticeable difference. Car seems a lot more smoother, and power seems a little bit more noticeable.
 
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