gadge

may b good stuf but why only down. south can you tell me ?

Ian Cook

check the Shell website they are working on getting it up north its a matter of logistics apparently !

SDB

Shell are also being very supportive towards us.. they have taken out a banner advert on scoobynet (which you may have seen) and are the only company that seems to be making moves towards higher octane fuels in the UK which is a MAJOR bonus for import owners.

I only run on optimax now. I think we should show them as much support as possible so they continue to roll it out across the country and we all get the benefit of it.

It's only available in one location in northampton (that I know of) so far and I think they're doing that throughout the country bit by bit.

Cheers

Simon

stevencotton

I would love to fill up with Optimax every time but at 83.9p a litre it's 4p more a litre than SUL. Sure, that's just a couple of quid extra a tank but it all adds up. I don't understand why I can buy it in Watford for 79.9 yet in Ware it's 83.9, do the franchises decide?

Steve.

Ian Cook

Hi Steven, its a very long and boring discussion the way prices are made at sites, no the Franchises do not choose the price, but it depends on how close a competing garage is, what price they charge for fuel etc etc then the final price is settled by the distributor Shell/Esso/BP etc etc

SDB

In the garages I've seen it at, it's always been LESS expensive that SUL?

JackClark

86.4p and a 15 mile drive here. Good roads though.

JohnS

iTrader: (1)

It's to do with logistics

They are only producing Optimax at the Shell refinery in Stanlow (I think), which means it will take several months for most of the service stations in England and Wales to get their first (and then regular) deliveries of the fuel.

Scotland is due to get it's first deliveries of the fuel in 2002, although Shell could only narrow that down to some time in Q1.

Currently SUL is 86.9p per litre at my local station, with NUL selling for 77.9, so if I could get Optimax at 83.9p per litre I would be well delighted

stevencotton

Must admit I haven't really noticed that much of a difference over SUL yet, perhaps some smoother mid-range pull but I'm only 1/4 way into a full tank. I shan't be choosing Optimax over SUL unless they either reduce the price or I'm in Watford, just seems silly the same stuff is priced so wildly different depending where you go.

Steve.

GreenMachine

Found some in Nottingham at 79.9

Richard Work

This is quite embarssing to tell you all, but there is a cautionary note in there somewhere....

Be very careful filling up with Optimax, as it is very easy to fill up with LRP by accident. How do I know? I did it yesterday. Shell are really pushing the branding and links with Ferrari therefore everything associated with Optimax is red - teh handle colour of LRP!!

In my defence, I was a bit lost in London and my mind was elsewhere when I filled up - but it shows that it is an easy mistake to make and I know of at least one other Subaru owner who has made the same mistake. The result was a 2 hour wait for the AA to pick me up and drop me off at Risborough 4WD and £120.

Hope it doesn't happen to you!

Cheers

Richard

Dan A

Found, Shell garage just out of leeds,
79.9 , Got a tank of that then.......

Cheers

Dan

Kev S

It's available at most Shell stations in the Derby area, and some on my work route in Cheshire.

Don't use anything else now.

Kev S

pat

I have noticed an improvement with Optimax roughly similar to the effect of stuffing a bottle of Millers into a tak of SUL, which is a Good Thing (TM)

With regard to filling up with LRP by accident, guess what I was running before Optimax? Yep, I was running LRP as I found it was less sparkly (my description of what an engine sounds like close to det) than with SUL, I assume the introduction of MMT into the LRP improved the RON of the fuel over and above the SUL.... anyway, as long as you don't have any cats, running the car on LRP for one tank probably won't do any damage.... no more then stuffing Millers in on a track day (do people with Cats use Millers?)...

Anyway, the thing people seem to be forgetting is that Optimax is not a step forward, rather it is a (welcome) step BACK... back to the 98 RON we had before leaded was phased out late 1999. Shame it doesn't go back further to the 100 RON we used to have with five star... one can but hope It is good to see though, that at least ONE major petrol company actually cares and is producing decent fuel again. Nice one Shell!

Cheers,

Pat.

detheridge02

Optimax at 77.9 at South Anston, S.Yorks. I wouldn't run my WRX on anything else.

After an ECU reset the MPG is improving by the tank load (maybe because it has cleaning agents which is getting the cr*p from NUL out of the engine). Now getting an average 300 miles per tank whereas SUL was around 230 - 250. Still driving the same. Also I'm getting much better / punchier acceleration from standing than I did before. Slight improvement in higher gears as well.

Could it be the case that grey import owners (like myself) would see more benefits than UK owners? Being that greys are setup for 100 RON and UK's would be geared for either 95 or 97?

[This message has been edited by detheridge02 (edited 28 September 2001).]

BarryK

For thsoe around Leeds/ Bradford Dews Bailiff Bridge 79.9p.

It's also at the services at Hartshead on the M62, but don't know how much, bound to be dearer.

The Saint

detheridge02

300 miles per tank - are you sure ????

I average 220-250, but once had 275, driving
v-e-r-y slowly.


The Saint

steve McCulloch

Well I will only now be using Optimax - nothing else comes close!

Having about 2000 gauges in the car - one being the Knock Link - I used to get a little bit of det now and again (over and above 'normal' engine noise) with Super and one bottle of millers.

Now I use Optimax with one bottle of millers to give me circa 100.5 ron (98.6 ron plus circa 2 points for Millers on 50 litres) and the gauge doesnt register.

This stuff is a must for modified or imported cars. I'll be carrying around a couple of Jerry cans so that I dont get in a position where I have to use ordinary super.....

Well done Shell - amazed the other firms have not done anything - then again its their loss!

babber

The Saint,

Don't forget that some earlier scoobies have 50 litre tanks and the later cars have 60 litre tanks. I can get around 300 miles from a tank on a run, air con. on. I have managed 340 miles, but was driving like Miss Daisy.

Cheers Phill C

boomer

I filled up today at 79.9ppl, AND i got a free key-ring!!

mb

Subarussian

81.9p in London

rjh

I've filled up a few times with Optimax - it's definitely better. I disconected the battery for 1/2 hour to reset the ecu after the first tank full just to clear the settings.

Makes the car much smoother and more responsive, just touch the throttle now and it shoots off I get better mpg as well - I got 30mpg on a long run (driving steady but not slow), 24mpg with my lead boots on I used to get 20-22mpg and have only got 30 once before (during the petrol crisis driving extremely slowly). Putting NUL back in (just to check) and it felt like the handbrake was on! Couldn't tell the difference between NUL and SUL tho.

Think it's 78.9 in Coventry.

Richard

mook

....And not just for scoobs too, I've used it in my Rover turbo for a few tank fulls now and it feels like the difference between normal unleaded and Super. I'm impressed, smoother running, nice pickup, and the fuel economy is improving again. I used to get about 260-270 miles from a 42 litre fill on unleaded, upto 300 from the same on Super and my last fill on Optimax was 320 (although the last 50 was very light footed ), so it works out cheaper per mile anyway.

As you guys say above, anyone with a sports/modded car would be advised to use it, and help push the other companies into improvements

MyDreamCar

Hey Green Machine!!! - noticed you hail from Notts!! - I am living down the road in Grantham - ive been filling up where u have - give me an E-mail on Dianobol@aol.com if u would be interested in meeting up for any future Scooby meets!!!
Cheers,
Phil