scooby_matt

The nearest Shell garage to where I live is nearly 8 miles. I normally use BP ultimate cos the BP garage is about 2 miles away.
Is it worth the 16 mile round trip for Optimax?

scooby-tc

iTrader: (2)

100 yards

Trap2Terrorist

iTrader: (3)

My nearest Shell is about 15 miles and I can't be arsed to drive the 30 mile round trip to fill up each time (also considering that's about an eigth of a tank as I get 240 miles to a tank).

If it's an enjoyable drive and you don't mind travelling there, then go for it.

I'm having my car mapped tomorrow () so I'm running it on the fuel I'll normally put it, which is Texaco SUL. No point in mapping it to Optimax then running it on 97RON fuel.

Spec'c'57

iTrader: (1)

nearest optimax is 15ish miles but tesco's is closer.... 99ron for me......

Mica Blue

Less then a mile away for optimax

scooby dancer

cant get this tesco 99 ron by me but only 1/4mile from good old optimax

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

About half a mile My nearest petrol station sells it

CyprusScooby

Remember that the Tesco 99 Ron is ONLY 98 Octane!
This was from the official response from Tesco Fuels as posted on this site!

Supermarket fuels are know to contain ALOT of detergents which can cause damage to your engine. I had a mate that used to use only 98 Octane Safeway, ASDA & Tesco petrol and when his engine went bang, the cause was found to be due to poor quality petrols!

Like everything, its cheaper for a reason.

Nick Read

I'd like to see this link where Tesco Fuels admit to committing an offence by selling sub-standard fuel. It's also weird that detergents in 'branded' petrol are great for your engine and that's why the 'branded' super UL costs so much more, yet detergents in 'supermarket' fuel somehow have the exact opposite effect and will blow up your engine. Apart from anything else, the '98 octane' supers from Safeway etc were NEVER 98 octane and I don't know anyone else who thinks they were. They were 97, and this was clearly labelled on their pumps. Many supermarkets didn't even used to sell any form of super unleaded at all! I'd also be interested to find out where the supermarkets' own refinery is where they specially churn out low octane, sub-standard fuel to compete with the established players in the fuel market?

The supplier of Tesco 99 is 'Greenergy' which explains why no-one else has it, and if you follow this link you can get the technical spec sheet in pdf form which clearly shows as much detail as you want on the fuel characteristics, something which I doubt ANY of the other major fuel suppliers would be willing to do for the public. http://www.greenergy.com/products/99_octane.html

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

Tesco 99 Ron produces less knocklink activity on a friends Impreza than Optimaz does.

CyprusScooby

This is off particular interest in me, as I'm importing a Type-R into the UK next month. If this 99 Octane Tesco fuel is so good, is their any need for me to get my car mapped for Fueling? Im certainly not going to use Octane Booster all the time. And on a further note, do I really need a Knocklink?

Have to hope that this Tesco Fuel will be available in Scotland.

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

If you aren't going to get it remapped then I'd say that you definitely need a knocklink. I'm not sure that tesco 99 Ron and octane booster would be enough but only a knocklink will tell you for sure.

Nick Read

Well my wagon was imported brand new in 1998 and the 2nd owner who I bought it off certainly always used Optimax and apparently the first owner did as well. 109k miles later and the engine still runs sweet as a nut, no leaks, smoking, rough running or any outward signs that there's anything wrong. I'd say there's no reason why you shouldn't just fuel it with Optimax at 98 octane, and then Tesco's 99 when you can get it. Octane boost is a pain in the **** and not cheap either when we're all paying nigh on a quid a litre for fuel anyway.

I was going to get mine mapped but then again, the ECU is supposed to retard the ignition a little for lower octane fuel anyway. It would be stone age technology if it didn't. And the proof of the pudding is in the eating - the fact is I've not got a knocklink, but then I've also had no problems with an engine that has been run on 98 its whole life and is still going strong on high mileage. If on a very hot day I decide to lug it in 5th gear at 30mph up a steep hill, towing a caravan, and I hear it pinking - then I'll know I've got a problem.

Otherwise I think all this talk of knocklinks is a little over-cautious, IMHO of course. Not that I doubt their value in certain applications, and I know lots of people on here find them useful if only just as a reassurance rather than an actual tool, but it's the thin end of the wedge for a road car I think - one minute it's a knock link, then it's half a dozen gauges all over the top of your dash, then it's driving around with a lap top in the passenger seat etc etc. Where does it all stop?

16vmarc

About a mile

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

back to topic about 3 miles.. BP is closer but its 10p L more expensive and not so good

Nick_o_Teen

250 mile round trip skye to inverness and back, fill up tank and 20 litre can, get home tank empty 20 litres didn't last long either, cost me a fortune so got Andy f to map an apexi power fc on my sti ra, so can use sul now yippee.

~DrEaM~

6miles round trip or 4 miles for Tesco 99ron

nik52wrx

0.5miles for Tesco Premium unleaded.

Used Optimax in past and never noticed any difference except in the wallet.
Unless your driving an import i think its all in the mind.

Mikkk

Choice of 9 shell stations within a 6 mile radius.
0.7miles for closest

alloy

300 yards!

Adz Turbo

0.1 of a mile!

Jamesemt

4 miles...soon to be 16 miles
BP is less than a mile away, so it's going to be Ultimate for me

robby1

walking distance

RJMS

iTrader: (2)

I use a mixture of Optimax and Tesco 99 RON on both my cars, Tesco seems better on my Impreza, but (surprisingly) even more so on my (chipped) Alfa 146 than on the pretty much standard (for now) Scoob.

8 miles Optimax, 10 miles Tesco although Optimax is generaly far more convenient.

R25 sti

12 miles for Optimax,and alot more for Tesco,s.