Is supermarket fuel good enough?

[Fingy]

From what I know there is very little profit in petrol, profits are from the random stuff you are tempted with in the shop.

[dazzer89]

Originally Posted by Hom3r

I've been using supermarkets to get my fuel for at leat 15 years and have never had any problems.

I think it is just a ploy by the oil companies to scare you in buying from them.

Supemarket fuel is of low grade and has added bio diesel like reclaimed oil.

Get two diesel cars and run them for 10,000 miles, one on Supermarket fuel and the other on branded like Shell or Esso.

Take apart the high pressure diesel pumps and notice the damage to the one that's been running on Supermaket fuel.

I've got a Mercedes S320 CDI and I wouldn't dream of using Supermarket fuel, I'd sooner drive the extra 5 miles to get a branded fuel.

I laugh when I see the ques at the local Tesco for so-called cheap fuel @ 2p cheaper a litre than a braned fuel up the road, all they are saving is 8p per gallon, 8p's worth of petrol isn't going to get them far.

[Halcyon]

Dazzer, do you have any evidence to prove this?

[haydnwalker]

Supermarket Fuel is the same as any other fuel. Tesco actually source their fuel from Esso Fuels. I'm not sure which fuel companies are used by the other supermarkets though.

Dazzer: Where do the supermarkets get their "lower grade" fuel from?

Answer: The same refineries that the branded fuel stations do. The difference with branded fuel stations is (especially BP) they rip you off. The Branded stations are just franchises, so they aren't owned by the actual fuel companies, but independent dealers who get to set their prices etc.

well supermarket diesel does contain a percentage of bio diesel ,i know this because it tells you the percentage on the pump ,i also know that some diesel cars/vans cannot use bio diesel but i dont know if that means 100%bio diesel or the mix that supermarkets sell

I had heard that by 2010 all diesel in the EU had to contain a percentage of bio diesel can any one confirm this

Most forecourt diesels are now 7% bio. I believe that this is due to an EU ruling, although I've not been able to track the linkage down yet.

---------- Post added at 22:06 ---------- Previous post was at 22:04 ----------

Originally Posted by dazzer89

Get two diesel cars and run them for 10,000 miles, one on Supermarket fuel and the other on branded like Shell or Esso.

Funny that you've not noticed the stickers these two brands in particular have started putting on their pumps, stating that their diesel is now 7% bio.

I've got a Mercedes S320 CDI and I wouldn't dream of using Supermarket fuel, I'd sooner drive the extra 5 miles to get a branded fuel.

A fool and his money are quickly parted ...

[Welshchris]

The Only people i will never fill up with is ESSO and thats through personal prefernece from years ago. Years ago there were Two Esso garages in our town and my dad would obviously use the closest one and started having a lot of problems with his car and so did quite a number of people who used there start having problems. Turns out it was linked to high water content in the fuel. Not long after this Esso shut up shop on that garage and was completly demolished with nothing said by them even though there were a number of complaints.

Originally Posted by Chris

Most forecourt diesels are now 7% bio. I believe that this is due to an EU ruling, although I've not been able to track the linkage down yet.

here you go


yes that is percentage of FAME added to all diesel sold in the EU now regaurdless of the seller

so the answer is that basically all EU diesel is the same doesn't matter if it's shell ,texaco or morrison .Having said that there are other additives that premium brands may add to give a enhanced product that differs to other brands but they all have to meet the same minimum standard
EN590

[roger skillin]

This remind of the myth where idiots think pubs water down their beer LMAO

Originally Posted by roger skillin

This remind of the myth where idiots think pubs water down their beer LMAO

I think it's one for Mythbusters



there was another myth that Ansells beer went downhill when the stopped using canal water to make their beer ,it must be true my grandad told me

[Kymmy]

Only difference between sellers of petrol is additives, the petrol is the same no matter where you buy it from as for example in Manchester it'll all come from the Irlam depot.

I notice though a lot of people on here are getting confused between regular and super which is purely the octane rating.

Supermarket petrol will have less additives in it (added when it's pumped into the tanker) which may be detergents or a better lead alternative. Over a 1000 miles it won't make much difference but over 100,000 you may see a difference but then again it all depends on the state of the engine, oil used, last serviced, style of driving..etc.. but on a test bench there are noticeable results..

So in short buy cheap and there shouldn't be an issue, in fact buying cheap at a supermarket where there's high demand is likely to give you fresher petrol (it does have a shelf life) than buying from a branded garage in a smaller part of town.

[dazzer89]

Originally Posted by Halcyon

Dazzer, do you have any evidence to prove this?

Gee Diesel Services at Hucknall near Nottingham. Ask the owner there about Supermarket Fuel and the damage it does to high pressure diesel pumps.

Unless he has performed experiments in controlled conditions, I can't see how his status as a garage servicing mechanic qualifies him to make an authoritative statement about the fuel.

[roger skillin]

Originally Posted by martyh

I think it's one for Mythbusters

Yeah lets give it to Adam and Jamie to investigate while Carrie dances in a skimpy bikini

[dazzer89]

Originally Posted by Chris

Unless he has performed experiments in controlled conditions, I can't see how his status as a garage servicing mechanic qualifies him to make an authoritative statement about the fuel.

But these mechanics (as you call them) see the damage done to high pressure fuel pumps and turbos by supermarket fuels on a daily basis.

Gee Diesels are Delphi agents and have all the technology in their garage to monitor wear and tear on fuel pumps, turbos and injectors.

He's not a bad mechanic, he's got the contract for the Ambulance service in Nottinghamshire and is the local agent for Venson, the company who supply Nottinghamshire Police with all their vehicles.