Soldato
- Joined
- 27 Mar 2013
- Posts
- 9,150
I logged in ok on the app (altho i dont use fuel and go). The last time i filled up the guy told me the new blend was a rebrand it was even higher octane (not sure if thats ******** tho).
Shell to re-launch V-Power imminently
- Thread starter Rainmaker
- Start date
Man of Honour
I just won't drive much until it's fixed. too much reliance on the convenience of paying virtually now to go back to ancient methods of payment 
Well that was... intelligent. :/
All three (and others, including Gulf Endurance 99 and Essar 99) are actually made by Essar at Stanlow, so the base fuel is the same. Only the additive package differs, though Shell would have you believe - and tbh they're probably correct - that theirs is far superior. Is it really worth 10ppl or more extra though? I tend to alternate between them depending on convenience, and tbh in my particular car and in my particular location I tend to find Tesco M99 gives the most top end. V-Power does tend to feel more free and grunty low down (that'll be the 'friction modifier' then), but there's really not much in it for the money. M99 and a shot of redex goes like rocket fuel, I found out by accident recently. I'd always put Redex in the snake oil box, but having looked it up (MSDS etc) it actually contains a fair amount of aromatics - something M99 lacks. It's still four quid a tank cheaper than V-Power and goes like stink.
V-power (the additives at least) do work and prevent buildup, but you need to use them long term. You cant just stick a few tanks full in it and expect it to be squeaky clean
V-power (the additives at least) do work and prevent buildup, but you need to use them long term. You cant just stick a few tanks full in it and expect it to be squeaky clean
But on a car less than a year old, there is no build-up to clear, so the point is moot... This is especially the case when it's just a 3 year lease.
Shell's own scientists say one tank of V-Power will clear 60% of existing build-up on an old car; so I reckon one tank a month is enough to keep a new lease car clean enough for purposes. Besides, M99 and Costco fuel have these additives too. It's not a binary choice of running dirty liquid tar that'll destroy your engine in a week, or Shell's OMGWTFAWESOME super clean fuel. Not that their marketing department would like you to think anything different.
I buy based on performance and then price. After that I don't really need to care. I'm pretty sure there are many multi-100,000 mile engines still happily plonking along after decades of supermarket's finest, so restricting to just one tank a month of Shell's fuel will not be the imminent death of the engine.
Man of Honour
I get V-Power because it's the most convenient, and my car runs on 98 minimum for optimum performance/economy. None of the other stations offer the convenience part. Nothing feels greater than opening an app, choosing the pump number, filling up, then driving off. No chip and pin, no faff with declining 2 chocolates for £1 at the counter, no fumbling.
Until the system goes down...
Until the system goes down...
Haha yeah, I feel your pain. My car wants 98+ too. I'm lucky to be central between several company-owned Shell stations (cheaper V-Power), a couple of Tescos with M99, and two Costcos selling 99. Win. My iPhone has been buzzing all morning about needing to make a new account for the Shell app. Then another lot to say no really, please make a new login soon and link it. Then finally a third - saying 'Oops, please don't do that actually. We've gone and broken it' (paraphrased).
How do you measure the performance ?But on a car less than a year old, there is no build-up to clear, so the point is moot... This is especially the case when it's just a 3 year lease.
Shell's own scientists say one tank of V-Power will clear 60% of existing build-up on an old car; so I reckon one tank a month is enough to keep a new lease car clean enough for purposes. Besides, M99 and Costco fuel have these additives too. It's not a binary choice of running dirty liquid tar that'll destroy your engine in a week, or Shell's OMGWTFAWESOME super clean fuel. Not that their marketing department would like you to think anything different.
My car is designed to run better on 98+ RON, so I buy 99 RON and above. One local station sells next to no fuel, and the two times I've been forced to fuel up there the car has run like I'd removed half the horses - so I avoid that one. Now it's down to price.
Man of Honour
I doubt it runs like it's got half the power, but instead just feels like it's not as free revving as it usually is, especially from mid rpms.
At least that was my experience in Scotland. Back to normal a few tanks of Vpower later.
At least that was my experience in Scotland. Back to normal a few tanks of Vpower later.
Soldato
My car is designed to run better on 98+ RON, so I buy 99 RON and above. One local station sells next to no fuel, and the two times I've been forced to fuel up there the car has run like I'd removed half the horses - so I avoid that one. Now it's down to price.
I bet for your particular car it's all placebo and it'd run exactly the same on regular unleaded. Do they really even bother to tune it for high octane fuel? It's just a run of the mill engine, not exactly highly strung.
It's a 2.0 TSI with a fuel table that recognises 98 RON and above fuel. Getting to and driving above three figure speeds there is definitely much more grunt and willingness, where it feels much more reigned in and flat on 95 RON. It also returns between 5% and 10% better fuel economy on 99, as it was designed to do and as the manual states it will.
Some performance cars are tuned for 98 as standard. My GT86 is, but it will run fine on 95 but a slight power loss.
Soldato
I get that, I just don't believe that Skoda would find it necessary to map a Superb to run on 98.
Most likely just recommended for optimal MPG. It's probably better to have a car tuned for 95 if your using it every day TBH (because it's cheaper).
The 2.0 TSI and 2.0TFSI Engines all recommend 98 as far as I know, whether it's in a Skoda or an Audi doesn't make much difference.
Mine certainly says 98 on the filler cap.
Exactly. They don't say 'Yep, a 280/220/whatever horsepower engine - but it's for Skoda so don't bother tuning it properly'. It runs at specified power on a specified fuel. They're quite explicit that you'll not get full power on 95 RON fuel, which makes sense. Either they don't give you the claimed horses because they didn't 'bother to tune it', or they have managed to get the specified power on lower RON fuel (which itself would be an achievement). It's the same engine and everything else as the Audi counterpart - I don't get why people think the Skoda badge means they somehow bodge it. Most of the items under my bonnet have the Audi rings and logo lol.