Petrol engine - use super unleaded?

Bl4ckGryph0n

It should say so in the fuel filler cap like in a Golf R is has 95 behind it like 98 (95) meaning that is the minimum but they recommend 98. Iirc

MrMister111

Says nothing on my fuel filler but manual says as above screenshot

Bl4ckGryph0n

I can’t see a screenshot but if the manual say 98 (95) then I’d fill it with 98 or above where available, but also wouldn’t worry about using 95 if that is the only fuel available. The first figure is generally what the car is setup for, and the second is minimum required if recommended is not available.

mikeysthoughts

I use premium/super every 1 in 4 tanks on the Suzuki Swift, and every time on the motorbike (FJR 1300).

It definitely makes a difference to smooth power delivery and higher bhp on the bike. Less certainly so on the Swift, but if it helps the bike, it can't harm the car, right?

Epicurus

Just to dispel a few myths in here:

There are only 3 active refineries in the UK and these do not supply the whole of the UK, we are net importers.

The brand you see on a pole sign does not mean that is the brand of fuel you are getting.  As an example, Esso do not run a single petrol station in the UK, a handful are run by Tesco and the rest by dealers.  The bulk of Esso branded sites are now supplied by Greenergy, which is majority owned by Tesco.

All fuel retailed in the UK has to meet BS/EN and labelling standards, so premium unleaded must be 95 octane, super unleaded minimum 97 etc.  Other than that, the fuel is all the same.  The only difference might be the level of bio-content and also what additives are injected from a separate tank after the tanker is loaded at the terminal - think V-Power, BP Ultimate, Momentum etc.

Additives are best summed up as a large scale version of putting Redex into your tank, yes each manufacturer claims they have the best but then if they can get away with selling you other people's fuel are you going to believe anything else they say?

The worst thing you can put in a petrol tank is ethanol, currently around 5% in UK petrol but due to rise to 10% by 2020.  A few suppliers still supply bio-free petrol favoured by classic car, motorbike and lawnmower enthusiasts alike.

Bl4ckGryph0n

You are saying myths were mentioned in this thread, and you say that all fuel is the same. That is quite a bold statement. Would you mind expanding on that with your qualifications, and ideally supported with some evidence.

gg13533

The refinery in Grangemouth supplies petrol to a number of suppliers (Shell, BP,supermarkets etc). Only difference is the additives that each supplier chooses to add. Obviously there are the different RON grades but within a RON grade the basic fuel comes from the same tank for all suppliers

Sonic67

Presumably whatever you buy has to meet a standard and millions use it.

My previous car was petrol and I used to stick the cheapest stuff I could find as I didn't care and it was being run into the ground.

Is All Petrol & Diesel The Same? – SimpleMotoring.co.uk

Let’s start with some known facts:

All fuels sold in the UK conform to the relevant British Standards. This means that they should all work in roughly the same way and you can mix them freely in your car’s fuel tank.

The standard petrol and diesel that’s sold on garage forecourts is mixture of two things:
‘Base’ fuelAn additive packageThe base fuel is the same for all companies – in fact, it usually comes from the same tanks at the local fuel refinery/distribution centre. What varies is the additives package that goes into the fuel. These additives packages are secret recipes of extra ingredients that help keep the engine clean and improve lubrication inside the engine cylinders.

Each fuel company has its own additives packages and these are different. So it is possible (but not common) for some drivers to feel that their car responds better to the additives used by one fuel manufacturer over those of another.

What About Supermarket Fuels?
There are all sorts of stories that go round about supermarket fuels, but the fact is that supermarket fuel tanker lorries are often seen filling up from the same tanks as branded fuel lorries (e.g. Shell, BP) – so the chances are that most of the time, the fuel they sell is the same, although again, it may have different additives packages.

However, one common story about supermarket fuel is that some supermarkets don’t have a regular fuel supplier. Instead, they buy odd lots of fuel from wherever it’s cheapest, including abroad. This could (if it happened) lead to supermarket fuel having a more variable set of additives than branded fuels.

Not many people really know the truth about this business, and they are not the kind of people who will reveal all on the internet. Unfortunately, that means we will have to keep guessing as to whether there is any meaningful difference between supermarket fuels and branded fuels.

Bl4ckGryph0n

So it is not the same....

Epicurus

You've somewhat over simplified what I said.

I've said there are only a handful of sources of fuel in this country and it all has to meet the relevant BS/EN standards, and they supply the same fuel to everyone who draws it from them.  I also said additives can be added to a tanker during the loading process at the terminal.

In terms of my "qualifications," unfortunately I can't say anything that might help reveal my identity on an open forum like this thanks to the new NIS Directive that came into force this year, the penalties are quite severe.  Let's just say supplying fuel is what I do.