Notices
ScoobyNet General General Subaru Discussion
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

good news for SUL runners - Start using shell.

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 15 August 2001, 10:36 PM
  #1  
ptholt
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
 
ptholt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 3,846
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Post

Was speakin to a contact inside shell today.

As from 14th Sept they are changing SUL in there pumps to something that is supposedly the same / to do with the fuel Ferrarri uses in its race teams.

It has a higher octane rating than normal SUL and Shell is doing it specially for those with high performance cars in mind.
I could not get any offical octane rating, only told that it was 'significantly higher' than current SUL at the pumps.

It will be the same price as Shell's current SUL.

It is already being shipped to certain Shell stations (It will be added to existing tanks of SUL, with the idea that by the 14th Sept the tanks will be full with the new stuff as the normal shell SUL will have been used by then.)

Shell have already got new promo material already printed ready to start advertising this new SUL for its launch on 14th Sept.

(This may also tie-in to other threads running which quoted cars running better on Shell SUL than Esso).

I know of one garage near me that is currently selling the new stuff, but its still badged as Shell SUL. Will let you know how the car goes when i get a full tank of it tomorrow.
Old 15 August 2001, 10:42 PM
  #2  
EvilBevel
Scooby Regular
 
EvilBevel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 1999
Posts: 3,491
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Post

In short: Shell will be doing Optimax in the UK as well ?
Old 15 August 2001, 10:45 PM
  #3  
Blue
Scooby Regular
 
Blue's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 487
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Talking

My local garage says the new stuff is 98 Octane.
I didn't know Esso did SUL, thought they'd stopped selling it 18 months ago (who cares anyway - Shell gets my vote)
Old 15 August 2001, 10:46 PM
  #4  
coyote
Scooby Regular
 
coyote's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Post

I've been running exclusively on Optimax for about a year now. Compared to the other Aussie fuels, it's outstanding. Only problem is you have to reduce your oil change intervals (although they won't tell you that).
Old 15 August 2001, 10:46 PM
  #5  
rob oneill
Scooby Regular
 
rob oneill's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Runcorn, NW England.
Posts: 1,562
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thumbs up

I like the sound of that very much, especialy as the only garages local to me that sell SUL are Shell anyway.
Old 15 August 2001, 10:59 PM
  #6  
DT
Scooby Regular
 
DT's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Posts: 558
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Post

trouble is Shell is sooo expensive. In Swindon the Shell garage charges 10p more for SUL than NUL per litre. Thats 7p more than the Esso stations. You could by the Esso SUl and add an octane booster for less.

May be Esso will respond with a comparable product at a cheaper price.....................?

Old 15 August 2001, 11:16 PM
  #7  
ptholt
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
 
ptholt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 3,846
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Post

From what i've read/seen the esso sul has a lower octane rating than advertised anyway (a lot quote a higher rate on the pump than your actually getting).

But imagine this new stuff plus octane booster - sounds like fun to me!

Saying that, if i was that worried about the cost of fuelling i wouldnt have bought a scoob, and definately not my sti!! hehehe - more expensive SUL with higher rating + octane booster sounds cheaper than an engine rebiuld to me



[This message has been edited by ptholt (edited 15 August 2001).]
Old 16 August 2001, 09:14 AM
  #8  
DT
Scooby Regular
 
DT's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Posts: 558
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Question

ptholt

Good point - might explain why Esso is cheaper.

Anyone know a way of checking Octane ratings of fuel?

Does it cost more to produce SUL hence the price hike, or is it that demand is less and as it's a specialist fuel they feel they can charge more? Is the tax higher? Questions, questions

Old 16 August 2001, 10:12 AM
  #9  
BarryK
Scooby Regular
 
BarryK's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 2,375
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Cool

Why does a dog lick its bollocks?
Old 16 August 2001, 10:32 AM
  #10  
glen4
Scooby Regular
 
glen4's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Ford Pick up, Yee Haa
Posts: 758
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Talking

'cos it can?
Old 16 August 2001, 10:35 AM
  #11  
Andy Tang
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (3)
 
Andy Tang's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: UK
Posts: 13,274
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Question

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by coyote:
<B>Only problem is you have to reduce your oil change intervals (although they won't tell you that).[/quote]

Can you explain why. I'm not that mechanically minded!

Thanks
Andy
Old 16 August 2001, 10:38 AM
  #12  
BarryK
Scooby Regular
 
BarryK's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 2,375
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thumbs up

Zackly.
Old 16 August 2001, 11:31 AM
  #13  
bren simpson
Scooby Regular
 
bren simpson's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Posts: 178
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Question

Yeah, Coyote, please explain

Bren
Old 16 August 2001, 01:20 PM
  #14  
Lunchie
Scooby Regular
 
Lunchie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Surrey
Posts: 377
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Post

ptholt

I don't believe that Esso has a lower octane value than any other SUL petrol. The octane rating is a min governed by a British Standard and so would be illegal to sell wrongly described octane (trade descriptions, etc.) The real differences in petrol are the additives that are put in.

Lunchie
Old 16 August 2001, 01:48 PM
  #15  
coyote
Scooby Regular
 
coyote's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Post

I don't know enough about oils to tell you exactly why except that it involves the new additives in the fuel (it leaves your engine very clean). Suffice to say that oil analysis shows that oils degrade at a faster rate when this fuel is used. In lots of cars - not just mine. I asked my oil guru if I should stop using the fuel and he said definitely not. Just reduce the change intervals which is not a problem as I use a long life oil anyway.

On the subject of RON.. Random tests have been done over here using a knock engine and the fuels have always been right on the money or slightly over.
Old 16 August 2001, 02:46 PM
  #16  
WALKER
Scooby Regular
 
WALKER's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 728
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Post

Filled up wiyh Optimax tonight along with 50 ml of NF Octane booster............yipeeeee!!!!!!!
Old 16 August 2001, 04:13 PM
  #17  
Jza
Scooby Regular
 
Jza's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,959
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Post

Sorry guys, but +7p a litre is worth it if you get 98 RON!!! Thats about £4 a tank full. Well worth it to me!!!

Bring on the BHP baby!!!!!!!!!!

Jza
Old 16 August 2001, 04:30 PM
  #18  
Chris.Palmer
Scooby Regular
 
Chris.Palmer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 835
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Angry

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by Lunchie:
<B>ptholt

[snip]

The octane rating is a min governed by a British Standard and so would be illegal to sell wrongly described octane (trade descriptions, etc.)

[snip]
[/quote]

If this is the case, why doesn't somebody (Trading Standards?) do BP for selling SUL 97 RON in Pumps labelled 98 RON
Old 16 August 2001, 04:34 PM
  #19  
Paul Olson
Scooby Newbie
 
Paul Olson's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2000
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Cool

But don't you feel a bit pissed off that LRP now only costs 1p more than Unleaded, and is actually SUL + Additive?

Fortunately my weekend car runs on LRP, which is lucky as it has a 6.3 litre engine.
Old 16 August 2001, 05:24 PM
  #20  
ptholt
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
 
ptholt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 3,846
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Post

Chris.p thats what i meant when i said above 'From what i've read/seen the esso sul has a lower octane rating than advertised anyway (a lot quote a higher rate on the pump than your actually getting).' Some of the older Esso stations i use quote the original SUL fig of 98 still.
Old 16 August 2001, 05:29 PM
  #21  
DT
Scooby Regular
 
DT's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Posts: 558
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Angry

Jza: "Sorry guys, but +7p a litre is worth it if you get 98 RON!!! Thats about £4 a tank full. Well worth it to me!!!"
Ptholt "if i was that worried about the cost of fuelling i wouldnt have bought a scoob.."

I've seen you guys and others post stuff like this before and don't agree. Yes I bought a Scoob knowing that it's not economical, but you seem to be suggesting that whatever petrol co.s charge you'll pay happily

As with most folks I would assume, about 70% of my driving is back & forth to work in traffic at normal speeds. Thus this makes the extra 7ppl even more expensive for the 30% of the time when I might see a (small) benefit.

We should be forcing petrol companies to offer fuel cheaper and at a realistic & competitive price not giving them a blank chequebook.

Cheaper, quality petrol, means more backlane blats for your money IMO.

Old 16 August 2001, 05:38 PM
  #22  
Fizz
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (1)
 
Fizz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Stourbridge
Posts: 1,813
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 2 Posts
Angry

Well good for shell! Of the four garages in our area, one never did SUL and the other three have had recent referbishments and don't sell it at all now...... Only Esso really seems to be consistantly stocking SUL in all the areas areoun here!
Old 16 August 2001, 05:41 PM
  #23  
CELL
Scooby Regular
 
CELL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Posts: 495
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Post


Does anyone know why 98 RON SUL was reduced to 97 RON? ages before i got my scoob i would have placed any money on SUL being 98 RON, although i have never had the need to use it before i noticed it was there sort of thing.

When i got my scoob and whent to fill up i was rather surprised to see 97 RON on the pump.

Did the price of it drop when it was reduced to 97 RON? and why reduce it anyway?

Anyone?
Old 16 August 2001, 05:45 PM
  #24  
Tiggs
Scooby Regular
 
Tiggs's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Posts: 9,307
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Post

DT,

fair point, i got a subaru because it was "cheap" for the performance, if i had money to burn i'd have looked at £40k cars.

tiggs
Old 16 August 2001, 06:04 PM
  #25  
DT
Scooby Regular
 
DT's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Posts: 558
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Post

Cheers Tiggs,
This site is bad enough for sucking your wallet dry, without throwing fivers out the window everytime you pass a gas station

Old 16 August 2001, 08:24 PM
  #26  
nitro
Scooby Regular
 
nitro's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Post

WALKER
Adding 1 ml per litre of NF to 98 made that much difference ????? Should give you around 6kw extra @ the wheels.
The NEW Nitrous web site should be up by the end of the month.
Old 16 August 2001, 10:03 PM
  #27  
Matt Churchill
Scooby Regular
 
Matt Churchill's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Gloucestershire
Posts: 1,348
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thumbs down

Good news, but the only Shell garage near me that did SUL, stopped about 3 months ago!!

Maybe 2 bottles of octane booster a time is the answer

Matt
Old 16 August 2001, 10:10 PM
  #28  
ptholt
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
 
ptholt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 3,846
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Post

You misunderstood my meanings re fuel + scoobs.

I meant if i was that concerned about fuel types and the amount of fuel used etc. I would have bought something more economical.

As for petrol being lowered, course i would love it to be!

Start my new contract today and it cost £30 there and back.
Methinks i'll have to start using a motorbike
Old 16 August 2001, 11:25 PM
  #29  
cooper
Scooby Newbie
 
cooper's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Post

Indeed i run a franchise at two shell petrol stations of which at one we launched 'SHELL OPTIMAX' yesterday (weds) as a trial along with 4 other sites.

This fuel is totally unlike super unleaded and the shell team who design the ferrari f1 fuels have basicly started from scratch and come up with a far superior unleaded like no other in the uk. The octane rating is minimun of 98 and will give all med-high powered cars upto a 5% improvement in acceleration . i have beeen using it for three weeks (4 tanks of 60 litres) and the stuff is like rocket fuel and thats just in my vectra sri 2 litre.

This fuel is the real mccoy and cannot be compaired to any other companys super unleaded i.e bp or texaco + is different from optimax abroad i.e Australia (british optimax is designed for speed of acceleration where as in some other countrys it’s the favourite cos its great on economy-enviroment etc etc)

Hey bp might have fancy internet cafes in their petrol stations but does it make your car goe faster guys and gals.........????????

Shell optimax will role out country wide over the next couple of weeks.
Old 17 August 2001, 05:09 AM
  #30  
EvilBevel
Scooby Regular
 
EvilBevel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 1999
Posts: 3,491
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Post

I guess this is how urban myths start off ...

I really wonder why Shell designs a "racing" fuel only for the UK, call it Optimax (like in Germany), lowers the octane rating (99 RON in Germany), and claims that cars will "run quicker" with it. Confusing ... Like coyote says: it will do zilch, nada, nothing for Scoobs up to MY00 unless there was some ignition retardation already in the ECU. It may (don't know) give a difference on the MY01 with it's much more "active" ECU.

Oh, and one small other thing... there will be no difference - unless the UK is totally different from the rest of the world - in the SUL fuels you buy from the bigger sisters. Do some research on distribution logistics, and you will understand why the base fuel is exactly the same apart from the additives package.

This must cost Shell a fortune BTW, just to please the 1 % performance car owners.

Also funny why in the home land of Ferrari, you can only buy 95 RON (max) and nobody ever heard of octane booster there ...


Quick Reply: good news for SUL runners - Start using shell.



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 07:03 AM.