I've heard that Esso SUL is the best you can get, although Optimax has a higher octane rating.
I've also heard that Optimax has been known to cause some rough running occasionally.
Is this true or do I need to syringe my ears...

 

You need to use search before you syringe your ears

 

Esso SUL for me - doesn't feel as torquey with optimax

 

Optimax for me........ Maybe a bit mad but I'm sure I notice a big difference if I use Esso.

 

It is purely psychological, do you honestly think that you can tell the difference between a car with 98RON and a car with 97RON.
You have all fell for the Shell marketing ploy.
As long as you don't use NUL don't lose sleep over which brand of SUL you use.
This is directed at UK owners not Jap imports by the way.

 

Is the supermarket stuff as good as 'the leading brands'?

 

Please do a search on this as it has been done to death..... a number of times

 

Sipie, so what? [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img] Some people cant be bothered to search through pages of scoobynet to get an answer that they can get quickly. Stop being ignorant. If someone asks you for the time in the street do you say "go to the phone kiosk in town and ring the speaking clock"? [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img] Thats the whole point of this site, an area for discussion (sometimes a bit futile).

 

My wife used to work at a Tesco filling station and was told by the tanker drivers on numerous occasions that it was Esso fuel.
AFAIK they only sell one type of unleaded (95RON) not a super unleaded, at least the branch she worked at did.
HTH

 

AFAIK supermarkets dont sell any form of super unleaded (97 ron or more) only "premium" (95 ron at the best of times)

 

My local Tesco use to sell SUL but not checked recently as I only use Shell fuel.

 

Formula Shell buggered up my old Cortina [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img] I am not going down that road again with the Optimax stuff.

 

I do not have an esso garage near me, but all the other SUL fuels (including supermarket stuff) do not give me the performance of Optimax.
Cold running and engin pick up below 3000 revs seems to be smoother and with less lagg.
But again, I have never tried esso.

 

supermarket fuel is different from say shell/bp/esso fuel, the difference is the additives i.e if you fill up at lets say tesco in dunstable or shell in dunstable(my garage ) if you are using ulg95 it will be the same base fuel, i.e from the same terminal(storage tank basiclly) in hemel hempstead but the shell fuel will have additives put in it, optimax on the other hand is not sul97 with different additives, the base product is not super unleaded.

mike

 

esso every time.

 

EEESSSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! I cant scream it loud enough. Optimax is no good for scoobs, my V5 type R used to stutter in 3rd and 5th on Optimax, i'm also sure that optimax helped make my engine go pop. Also i've heard many people say Optimax has a shelf life of a week or 2. If you leave in your tank and go on holiday for example it wont run as well.

I had a friend at Imperial College in London that did a study on fuels and ESSO has the least aditives and most pure FUEL content, you will get more mpg and power from ESSO. BP is also good, Shell has a lot of aditives and is good once in a while to clean the engine(not in your scoob). The worst is Texco,its crap at everything, if you dont believe me try it and i bet you get less mpg and performance on Texco. Supermarkets is pot luck, you mainly get BP or Texco, but you it be anything.

USE ESSO, IT ROCKS, TRUST ME!!!!!!!

[Edited by Paul STi 5 - 5/23/2003 3:44:11 AM]

 

I,ve noticed that the quality of Optimax is differnt from other shell garages. Something must be wrong because the car feels crap this week because I used a different Shell Station.... does anyone else notice this.

[Edited by blue-scoop - 5/23/2003 4:26:52 AM]

 

If I buy Optimax from the Oxford services I get miles better performance when compared to the Optimax from my local two petrol stations, one of which is worse than the other. I sometimes wonder if standard fuel is being served up at them as the car has stuttered etc right aftter filling up. I also wondered if there may be moisture getting in to their tanks?

As the fuel is the same price at all 3 local places I go to the services to fill up these days.

:-)

Mike

 

Think I will keep with Esso (and besides I live about 1 mile from the cheapest garage i know of - Esso on main road between Watford and Northwood - 72.4NUL and 78.9SUL!!)
Price tends to vary slightly day to day but always seems to be around 5p a litre cheaper than the competition, its even cheaper than the local tescos!
Just don't ask me why its so much cheaper, it always has been

 

Otimax plus Millers Octane booster = get in,sit down,hold on then enjoy the rush !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I am another owner (99MY UK, FSSH, Motorsport Oil, cooled down)
where the engine went BANG using Optimax.

This is obviously a coincidence isn't it ? - like STI5 above !!!

IF YOU LIKE A RISK AND HAVE A WARRANTY, USE OPTIMAX.
IF YOU DON'T, USE ESSO/BP SUL OR HAVE £2500 READY 'JUST IN CASE'

 

My car runs far better on Optimax and feels more eager, smoother and gives better mpg. If thats bad then bad is good in my book (or car). Use what you feel is best is the best way.

[Edited by chrisp - 5/23/2003 9:27:38 AM]

 

On a UK car they are designed to be able to run on 95 RON unleaded so do you 100% that the fuel caused the failure ?

 

Bluto22b

But if you discussed something to death a year ago would you then just say "great, lets talk about it all over again"... that's almost politics

There is a purpose for a search facility and surely it's healthier for an old thread to be dragged up and added to, rather than everyone having to re-type all their original comments which on a subject like this will undoubtedly still stand

You sound angry mate

Be happy

 

I have used the search, but found some very conflicting answers.
ok .. so

What fuel do I use in a my93 WRX Jap import Wagon, I know a minimum of SUL, but do I really need octane boosters. also i have heard (again rumor) that because the wagon is a lower BHP it isnt as much of a problem, is this rumor or fact ?

Cheers all
BTW WTF does WOT mean ? ive worked out most of the other shorthand but this one is still a mystery to me

 

Sorry guys for causing trouble!
I know this has been spoken about before, however I thought it would be a good idea to discuss it again as Optimax has been out for a while now, and so hopefully there are people out there with some experience of it.

RANT MODE ON:-
Things do change and evolve over time, that is the purpose of BB's like this. Were not politicians are we? - 'I refer my good friend to the search facility'
All I was doing was inviting any new comments regarding the subject.
RANT MODE OFF:-

 

WOT wide open throttle (giving it some welly)

 

The clouds part and all becomes clear, some posts now make sense to me.

Cheers

 

Here is an easier dilema for you;

"Which came first, the chicken or the egg?"

After lots of searching on various forums on the SUL vs Optimax issue, I reckon there is not a definitive answer.

Whatever floats your boat........

 

My quote:
I am another owner (99MY UK, FSSH, Motorsport Oil, cooled down) where the engine went BANG using Optimax.

your reply:
On a UK car they are designed to be able to run on 95 RON unleaded so do you 100% that the fuel caused the failure ?

ANSWER:
I am not really going to say "Optimax blew up my engine" when even the technical experts don't know for sure. That would be libelous?

What I will say is that I was one of those 'meticulous' Subaru owners who spared no expense or care on my car. Out of experience (as this is what this Bulletin Board is about) I will never use Optimax again over SUL.

As you say, I'm happy for you to make your own mind up.