Afternoon all.

It's all very odd. I've seen the many other threads where people sing the praises of Shell's new V-Power, yet for me and my MY00 Classic UK Turbo we just can't share the joy.

I've just finished tank 3 of V-Power and it's safe to say that my Classic doesn't like it. I'd always used Optimax and the car (standard except for centre de-cat and H&S b/box) was always nippy. With the changes on the forecourt I filled up with V-Power one day and oh dear. Something just wasn't right. The car had lost some of its grunt. It was instantly noticeable.

This has been the same for tankfuls 2 and 3, from different Shell garages within the South Bucks area. Optimax used to deliver 300-330 miles from a tank. V-Power only gives 250-270.

I'm just stunned that whilst everyone else seems to be getting on fine, my Impreza doesn't like the new taste.

Perhaps just a cooincidence, I decided to fill up with Tesco 99 last night and assess matters after a couple of tanks. The nippyness has returned though so it's only MPG that I'm now interested in.

With Tesco 99 at £0.939 though, it's not all doom and gloom.

Jonts.

 

Same here

 

I posted a couple of replies to posts about my classic and V-power and was shot down as a blasphemer ! so I am glad that other classic owners are seeing the problems with sticking V-Power in their classics. What are the symptoms ??

I had to get mine remapped to resove the problems, I spoke to Bob Rawle about it and he knew what teh problem was and how to fix it.

 

Hmm i was going to give this a try but might skip it. Think an ECU reset would help speed up the learning process?

 

As I understand it, the 2000 Classic has a knocksensor and the ECU adjusts depending on the fuel you use. I know it doesn't adjust as quickly as the Newage ECU - maybe this is the problem and it will come good given time ?

 

Thanks for the replies so far. It's actually quite reassuring that I'm not the only person with an Impreza that doesn't like V-Power.

Interesting points about the ECU, the time it might take to learn/adjust to the new fuel, and whether a reset might speed-up the process, but if I was jumping from 95 or 97 octane to 99 then I could appreciate the ECU's lag but 98.6 Optimax to 99 V-Power..?

For me, I think I'll run with Tesco 99 for a few tanks and see how things go. If everything returns back to normal (e.g. mpg and grunt (which already has done)) then I'll try V-Power again and see if an ECU reset does the trick. However, it's hard to justify the extra expense if Tesco's stuff works fine, is cheaper, and you have to faff around to get a more expensive fuel working.

Pity those who have real problems to worry about eh!

Jonts.

 

just put a full tank of vpower in my00 classic ... only time will tell

 

You get 300 - 330 miles a tank! Are you sure you have a turbo under the bonnet?!!

 

LOL, yes

Typically the low-fuel light can come on anywhere between 270-300 miles and I've driven another 30, filled up to the top and worked out there was a few litres left.

Of course, it all depends on what I've been doing. If it's been a week of pootling around then 300+ has been easy. If I've been having a little play then the light might even come on at 250. I must confess, I don't tear up tarmac like I used to.

Jonts.

 

I was thinking the same as I've also got a MY00 UK Classic T2000 and if I get 270 mile from a tank I'm doing well. Most of my driving is stop start on dual carriage ways on the way to work which gives 22-26 mpg but on a decent motorway run can get up to 30mpg. Have noticed better fuel economy using V-power as getting 24mpg at least on a regular basis where as with Optimax was getting 21-24mpg. I've not has any problems with a drop off in performance, infact it's been the opposite to be honest and with every tank of V-power the car seems to be going better and better.

 

My newage turns its nose up at V Power too, im back to my esso super

Simon

 

My98 , Just does not seem as happy on V Power as it is/was on Optimax or Sul

Dean

 

Thats what i was thinkin! blimy i get 200-240 off a full tank if im lucky
Thats with some motorway miles too.
Im on my 3rd tank of V-Power and my classic seems to love it, went on a run out with the SMACS lot last night over the cat and fiddle and the exhaust popped a few times when coming off the throttle so i have to say i like it

 

I've only just put my first lot of vpower in so far too early to comment on it but have the other classic owners who've tried it and not been overly impressed reset their ECUs, pretty easy to do? I believe the classic's ECU is pretty quick to retard ignition if det occurs but quite slow to advance it, so would take time for it to realise any benefits from a higher ron.

As a side comment, I also noticed poorer fuel economy with Tesco 99ron, not too sure whats going on there??

 

mine loves it, my00 uk, modded to 350/350

mind you i did have it mapped using it, (bob rawle)

managed 29 MPG on my 3rd tank of it, normally lucky to get 20
and have NEVER had 300 miles on a tank

 

Am now on my second tank of V power (MY99 UK) and cannot tell the difference, yet! It sounds the same goes about the same (although it seems to have developed a slight hiccup in low rev power delivery).

But I am going to give it one or two more tankfuls to be sure and then, if no change, save myself the money and go back to normal. I have not, though, seen a drop in mpg, seems to be about the same. So you are most certainly not alone!

I have long been of the theory that normal 95 if operfectly fine for UK cars and have always used it.

 

I'm still on the same (first) tank of Tesco 99 so it's still a bit early to thoroughly compare it and V-Power, but the briskness is definately back again. Will probably also take another tank or 2 for the ECU to decide it's happy again and give me back my mpg.

Regular 95 even in a MY99 Turbo..? My paperwork and the sticker on the filler cap says to use 'Super' (MY00 so effectively the same.) Still, if you're not seeing any issues then that's great, although if you boost around a lot I'd thought detonation may be a risk for you..?

Jonts.

 

I'm off to get a tank of V-Power this evening, it came here to Finland at the beginning of the summer and was priced at 1.56€ a litre, seems it can't be selling too well coz i noticed yesterday they've dropped it down to the same price as 95ron - 1.229€ a litre
When i bought my MY05 WRX, the dealership told me that it can run on 95 and 98, which was the benefit over having an STi as that could only use 98.

Hoping that it does improve the response, can't see much sense in paying extra for more mileage, coz if you continued with cheaper 95ron, you'd probably get the same mileage for the same expenditure??

 

Alright guys...

haven't noticed much of a difference either using V Power - Tesco 99 isn't up here yet and with V Power at 0.92p a litre i've used it the last 5 tanks. Petrol consumption seems about the same (around 220miles a tank)

I have noticed that LOW REV HICKUP though as someone else mentioned on low end acceleration...

BRING ON THE TESCO 99!!!!!

 

You lucky boy, mine does 200 on a full tank

 

How do you do an ecu reset on a STi type R 1998? Is it the same for all years? Excuse my ignorance!!

 

The easiest way is to disconnect the battery overnight.

 

I know several people who run UK Impreza's and have NEVER used Super, these cars are now have well over 100k on the clock, and as I am sure you know, it has the old knock sensor to change the timing.

 

No one suggested you were a blasphemer for your comments on Vpower - if you re-read the thread you will see that it was a question as to what was wrong with your car, which when asked only resulted in abusive comments from yourself. Since two of the most proflific mappers of Scoobs in the UK posted on that thread and could not comment on the issues you were having then they were possibly related specifically to your car.

Using higher octane pump fuel WILL NOT require a remap - however without a remap your car may not fully take advantage of the extra power that is potentially available. You would seem to be in very distinct minority.

It sounds as if there are other people on this thread (and other threads on Snet) who have the same age car as you and have had no problems.

 

I have also noticed that LOW REV HICKUP mentioned on low end acceleration...
I thought it was just me being paranoid
93 WRX, Gems ECU, 343bhp

 

If I am honest my car has always run best on Shell 95, it sounds smoother at idle, it seems to accelerate better at lower revs and I cannot tell the difference when giving it some stick. Frankly I am going to go back to 95.

 

wagon 95 always used tescos 99 ron and i never seen 200 miles from a tank ?? am i just driving the car to hard or have i got a smaller tank than all the others ?? full decat different ecu air filter fuel pump and injectors

 

From My MY99 manual:

"Your engine is designed to use only unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of 95 or higher"

The car will not run as well as on SUL and will have less protection against det.

People who change for one tank and expect to notice an immediate big difference will most likely be dissapointed though. For a start the ECU has to "learn" the new petrol and the classics are significantly slower to do this than the New ages. Secondly, whatever petrol you put in there is still sloshing around with whatever quantity of the old stuff you've got in there etc... so it's not pure SUL straight away.

Ns04

 

My STi seems a touch better on Tesco99 than V-power, but the saab loves V-Power- it makes a hell of a difference.

 

Just filled the MY03 up with V Power and the stuff has a really bad smell YUK!

Seems ok on mine but mines not a classic