General Gone for a tank...

[Stu DemonD]

..ful of Tesco 99 RON

Having been a great advocate of Optimax in the past, but decided my local Total was more convenient, and cheaper, I have being running 95 RON normal unleaded for some time. Plus I have an aversion to supermarket fuels, and lack of detergents

Anyway, my local Tesco now doing the 99 RON stuff, as per here. Ok, it has been mentioned on this site before, but am interested to see if any other Stilo owners use it, or have tried it out?

This is my first tank, but I was on vapours before - so hopefully in the system now - my first impressions are

 

[Stu DemonD]

Oh, and as for price, I check on the Petrol Prices website http://www.petrolprices.com/

Normal Total 95 is, or was, 90.9p per litre; this Tesco stuff is 93.9p in my area.

 

[dave]

whats Total got to do with it?

 

[Stu DemonD]

Because Total is my local petrol station, about 500 yards away - Tesco is further afield....

 

[Big Black Stilo]

Did it make a difference?

I have never bothered with it being a 1.2 and when I filled up my ibiza with it a few years back it just made it knock louder

 

[Stu DemonD]

A few years back? But Tesco have only just started doing the 99 RON - remember, some cars run differently on Shell Optimax and BP Ultimate, so not all supers are the same...

Gave the car some extra push today - it does seem smoother, but it really needs another 'nutty' 2.4 owner to try it out as well

 

[Oldschool]

A few years back? But Tesco have only just started doing the 99 RON - remember, some cars run differently on Shell Optimax and BP Ultimate, so not all supers are the same...

Gave the car some extra push today - it does seem smoother, but it really needs another 'nutty' 2.4 owner to try it out as well

EVO magazine recently made a test on different fuels with a Golf GTI, which was quite interesting.

The race fuel obviously came out best with the highest power and torque gain. Tesco 99 RON came out very well together with BP Ultimate a bit better than Optimax.

In case some people have some doubts about their one off experiences with a brand consider this. All fuel suppliers (producing) use their own additive package, which can have adverse effects when mixed. Before you haven't got the second load of fuel, which virtually guarantees that you have one brand only in the tank you might not see the full benefits.

Anyway Stuart, sounds encouraging and I will try it.

 

[Koa]

I find the higher octane fuel to be a lot better, I switched back to 95 one week and the car was really lethargic in comparison and a bit more jumpy through the gears, so I think if you have a selespeed then it's a very wise choice to go with the 97-99

 

[Stu DemonD]

Well, I did try using the Total Super, but I was just aggrieved at the cost premium [I do 50 miles a day minimum] - so I swapped back to normal 95 RON....

All I need now is to dig out my old Clubcard and get some points

 

[Big Black Stilo]

A few years back? But Tesco have only just started doing the 99 RON - remember, some cars run differently on Shell Optimax and BP Ultimate, so not all supers are the same...

Gave the car some extra push today - it does seem smoother, but it really needs another 'nutty' 2.4 owner to try it out as well

it was optimax I think

Sorry to confuse!

 

[mat-nos]

i run it on higher ron all the time!!
will never go back to 95 ron in the 2.4 but it doesnt half drink it when you get a bit heavey with the right foot!!

 

[StiloBoy]

I've tested Optimax, and i mean tested, about 5 tanks back to back, from full to empty tank! I've seen about a 50-60 mile increase in range, and thats on the 1.2. No gain in performance, other than the fact your going further on a tank, which obviously suggests your not having to press go pedal quite so hard to maintain steady speed!

Anyway, who says supermarket fuel doesn't have detergent in it? I'd say its mainly detergents, as on the really crap stuff you can see a definate reduction in economy and running quality with some supermarkets fuel!

I tend to stick with Sainsbury's when i can, plus their Super U/L is usually only a penny dearer than most other firm U/L. But at the mo i'm skint, so i'm using Sainsbury U/L cos its a penny cheaper than anyone elses U/L.

 

[ABZSTILO]

Now this is interesting Although not applicable to my JTD, my previous habit was Lancias, specifically the Beta Volumex. Mine was slightly 'tweaked' and myself and a pal (who prepares Subarus for rallying) played around with different fuels/fuels with additives etc to find what the car liked best. This was done with back to back tests on a rolling road as well as several tanks of each fuel run through the car in 'real' conditions (it was my daily commuting car after all) for comparison
The results were what we anticipated - Optimax (BP Ultimate wasn't available then) laced with Millers Octane booster :devil: was the best performer in the car. The old VX went like the proverbial off a teflon coated shovel with that fairly meaningful combination - more than enough to scare the wee laddies of Aberdeenshire in their Impreza Turbos :devil:
Key thing was, we ran a comparison with a modern car - as it happens a Honda Civic - and there was next to bugger all difference on the Honda
We surmised that unless the car was intended to run a higher octane fuel - eg. Impreza Turbo - it wouldn't make much difference as the engine management would take care of everything. Pretty much every petrolhead I've spoken to locally about this has perhaps noted a marginal increase in MPG but not much for performance - so I'm genuinely intrigued that (especially on the smaller engined cars) you guys have appreciated a change. Would be interesting to see if that's true across all the petrol Stilo engine sizes....

Maybe will have to try the same thing with 'performance' Diesel fuels?????

 

[jasper]

I've been using either BP Ultimate or Optimax in the Abarth for quite some time now..

I find both to make a difference. The BP I feel gives a smoother drive with no drop off in power across the rev range, while Optimax feels less smooth but feels like it gives even more power.

Regardless of whether they really do give any more power - I wouldn't use anything else as at the very worst case scenario they are going to benefit most modern cars because of the high detergent level in all 'premium' petrols.

 

[1.8Stilo]

Ive always ran mine from day 1 on Super unleaded 97-99ron! I tend to use sainsburys Super, just because it closer to me.. i do use the 99ron tesco superunleaded too though! I'd say i fill her up atleast 3times a month from full to empty and i use sainsburys twice and tesco once out the three! and i can say i do drive my car quite hard and i tend to get between 30-35mpg and more on motorway journeys... when ive heard of other 1.8 stilo owners getting under 30mpg? Do i put this down to the fuel and that the car gets a full service every 6K?

EDIT: oh the 2nd service is done by myself, just A/filter, plugs, oil filter and new oil - god i couldn't affoard a 2nd service at fiat wiv there prices lol

Also on about servicing... fiat should do the servicing plans like others garage do and you pay a once off premium for them when you buy the car! I know with fiat, in my opinion you tend to get alot of car for your money but there servicing price are quite high i feel anyone else agree???

 

[wotnowarninglight]

Fast approaching 33k and just recently been doing redex with every other tank and finding its accelerating a lot more smoothly & quickly Filled up last night and noticed that local Slainsbury are flogging super unleaded (97 Ron) at the same price as premium ULS (95 Ron) thought the super were supposed to be dearer... had I been paying attention would have had the super instead :bang:

 

[mbarratt2]

Also on about servicing... fiat should do the servicing plans like others garage do and you pay a once off premium for them when you buy the car! I know with fiat, in my opinion you tend to get alot of car for your money but there servicing price are quite high i feel anyone else agree???

A lot of people who have bought all in one service packages from the likes of Volvo, BMW/Mini say that the dealers lose interest in doing the work to a high standard as there is no financial incentive. Judging by the standards demonstrated by many Fiat dealers when there is money at stake I dread to imagine their attitude when they have already received the money in advance!