Hi-Octane Fuels

[SB1500]

Do those premium fuels really make a difference to your cars health and performance?

I don't think so. People will argue that they do due to a higher concentration of ethanol etc.. boasting ridiculous gains of 30% on power etc. I can't see it! Just a marketing gimmick...

EXCEPT, for people with high end cars and finely tuned engines that specifically state they require these higher grade fuels.

Does anybody have the technical understanding of chemistry to be able to say whether or not they make a difference?

 

[StevenRB45]

Don't have any chemical understanding (that you couldn't google anyway) but switching my swift from supermarket 95 to V-power increased fuel economy by about 5% overall (figures taken from fuelly). Also I've always run current car on 99...(manual recommends 98 it but it can run on 95) and I average 40 mpg most people get about 37-38.

It depends on your engine though both of those had engines designed to work on Japanese fuel which is higher octane then adapted to 95. In terms of power if there was a difference it's negligible in the cars I've used it in, they pull a bit more smoothly from low revs and and a little more torquey (in the swift a hill on my commute required 4th on 95 but no down shift on 99).

I'm quite happy to pay the extra but as getting the couple of extra mpg covers the cost of the fuel pretty much but I very much doubt it makes a huge difference. On a bog standard European engine without a turbo it's very marginal of they have any effect at all.

 

[Ziggy122]

Difference between 95 and 99

Smoother and more torque i found too

plus its a more refined fuel with extra addatives in there too

So going from the north to south of the country? its a Darn good way getting it cleaned out

Ziggy

 

[portland_bill]

On a lowly tuned 60hp Panda it is doubtful you'll get any gain. Any improvement in fuel consumption is likely to be break-even or a cost due to the higher fuel price. Engines designed to run higher octanes will benefit. The Panda, unlikely. Although there will be some placebo effect.

 

[Ziggy122]

On a lowly tuned 60hp Panda it is doubtful you'll get any gain. Any improvement in fuel consumption is likely to be break-even or a cost due to the higher fuel price. Engines designed to run higher octanes will benefit. The Panda, unlikely. Although there will be some placebo effect.

If u get any performance itll be tiny
1 or 2hp
But I did find it made engine run **** loads better and smoother
A gopd run cleaned it up nicely too
Peppy afterwards when I went bk to 95

Ziggy