Petrol/Diesel Prices



The basic diesel is pretty much the same no matter where you buy it and subject to the same European standards, obvs different when you get to the high octane or specialist ones but unless you're running something special these are a waste of money anyway for the substantial price hike.
 
It’s common knowledge that the fuel companies include different additive packs. Sticking to something like Shell is an insurance that you will never know the true value of because nobody runs two identical cars, at the same time, in the same way, with one exclusively on supermarket fuel and the other on Shell. Basically, some people are happy to pay the difference for a difficult to quantify benefit and some are not. I think people saying the car drives better on one versus the other is a placebo effect. Personally I put shell in for the sake of a couple of quid per tank.

Yep additives.
I've driven diesel audis for 20 years now and the two specialist non dealer garages I've used for service and repair have both told me NOT to use supermarket fuel. These chaps appear to see enough damaged engines etc to arrive at their conclusions.
 
The supermarkets sell base grade fuels, these have no additives that clean your engine, these additives also improve mileage through helping the engine be more efficient. Buying fuel from a quality branded oil company service station is far superior than buying base grade products. Shell, Esso, Texaco, BP all develop their fuels to be very high quality whether you buy the standard or the super grade fuel. At best if your going to buy the stuff at the supermarket alternate with a quality fuel fill up. Fuel is like anything else you get what you pay for, excluding motorway service areas who generally take advantage of their geography to over charge.
 
Last edited:
The supermarkets sell base grade fuels, these have no additives that clean your engine, these additives also improve mileage through helping the engine be more efficient. Buying fuel from a quality branded oil company service station is far superior than buying base grade products. Shell, Esso, Texaco, BP all develop their fuels to be very high quality whether you buy the standard or the super grade fuel. At best if your going to buy the stuff at the supermarket alternate with a quality fuel fill up. Fuel is like anything else you get what you pay for, excluding motorway service areas who generally take advantage of their geography to over charge.
This. I worked in a technical job for BP. All fuels meet a minimum standard but are not the same
All the fuel is basically the same, we used to live near a fuel distribution depot near Southampton. You would see all the tankers for Esso, Shell, Texaco, Tesco, etc all leaving. Allegedly some of the oil companies add some extra detergents but no one has ever proven that. I have only used supermarket petrol and diesel for the last 10 years with no Ill effects.
Pretty sure the Hovis factory makes brown and white bread and both go out in Hovis lorries. They probably make bread to different recipes for supermarkets too, but it doesn't mean it's the same loaf with the same ingredients. Different specifications can be made at any factory and fuel blending facilities are no different.
 
Last edited:
I was once told by a very reliable and honest mechanic never to use supermarket fuel under any circumstances. In his words it's "shite". The bloke has been a godsend when it comes to looking after my vehicles and those of others I know so I'm happy to take him at his word.
Exactly what I was told
 

Back
Top