best fuel source (diesel)

[cyanescent]

Well.. I always used to fill up at Tescos (53 reg A3 2.0L TDI Sport)... but the other day I filled up at Esso, and I was very surprised.. on my work run (8 miles) I seem to be averaging 3-5mpg more.. I'd never seen 51mpg on this car before.. Always thought that diesel was diesel.. Clearly not.. Working it out it looks like over a tank I'd be getting the equivalent of about a gallon more in terms of mileage over the tesco stuff.. so the 50p extra per tank in cost for filling up at Esso is completely obliterated by the ~£5 saving in mileage.. So.. I was wondering whether people had a particular favourite. Any comparison figures out there?

 

[Boydie]

I have used BP Ultimate the past two fill ups and i have noticed a bit more MPT (miles per tank)

since i have 19's and a full sounds system my MPT has gone down a bit since when the car was standard

always in and around 500miles per tank - usually fill up around 450miles

 

[steve184]

not sure how you cold test this accurately though ithout being clinical about it. How an you factually say the diesel is causing the extra range when there are other factors involved? I mean that month you could have stopped at less traffic lights or done less cold starts or whatever - the only way you could tell if you counted all these things and made sure you did the exactly the same on each tank of fuel - which is pretty much impossible!

 

[Boydie]

i have been monitoring my tank miles every fill up and the ultimate seems to provdie more miles

 

[Amchlolor]

Sorry to sound so cynical,but after 6 years of running a diesel myself,and looking after a fleet of them for the company,any perception that one brand of diesel is better than the other appears to be like saying your TV works better using one supplier of electricity over another.
If you notice some sort of 'placebo effect' by using fancy diesel,great.
Anecdotal evidence ain't going to convince me though.
I'd have to see a proper test,using exactly the same criteria.
My own monthly fuel figures car wildly,even if my mileage doesn't.
Weather,traffic conditions and even my mood dictate how I drive.

 

[Staz]

Sorry to sound so cynical,but after 6 years of running a diesel myself,and looking after a fleet of them for the company,any perception that one brand of diesel is better than the other appears to be like saying your TV works better using one supplier of electricity over another.
If you notice some sort of 'placebo effect' by using fancy diesel,great.
Anecdotal evidence ain't going to convince me though.
I'd have to see a proper test,using exactly the same criteria.
My own monthly fuel figures car wildly,even if my mileage doesn't.
Weather,traffic conditions and even my mood dictate how I drive.

Bowfer I am normally on your side about things but this time you're being a bit mad! lol

 

[Amchlolor]

Bowfer I am normally on your side about things but this time you're being a bit mad! lol

Err,hang on.

People are claiming they notice a difference in MPG using different fuels under completely uncontrolled conditions and I'm the mad one ?

Oooookay...;-)

 

[Staz]

was refering to comparing diesel with electricity! lol made me chuckle tho

 

[h5djr]

I normally use Shell Diesel, mainly because they have two filling stations near me that sell Diesel at a competitive price.

I filled up this afternoon and the price for Diesel was 94.9p/litre. At the same filling station the price of Un-leaded petrol was 95.9p/litre. Diesel was actual CHEAPER than Un-leaded petrol.

This is the norm on the continent, usually by something like 10-15p/litre, but this is the first time I ever seen it cheaper in the UK.

 

[Vertigo1]

I always use "big brand" stations, mainly Shell, but generally because they're no more expensive than the supermarkets. When the supermarkets are a penny or two cheaper there tends to be a ridiculous queue and frankly, I'd happily pay the extra just to not have to waste an extra 15 minutes of my life waiting. Even at a 2p differential, it's only a quid extra for a full tank!

 

[Orothon]

I'm sure I remember reading an article somewhere that stated that both petrol and diesel will normally come from the nearest refinery and therefore BP will be selling pretty much the same as Shell, Tesco, Asda etc... The only difference is with the 'Ultimate' fuels where each company has their own special formula and therefore those fuels have to come from a particular refinery.

 

[h5djr]

If that is the case, how come that Tesco and Morrisons had a problem with their un-leaded petrol some months ago when Shell, BP, Esso and many other did not?

 

[mikep]

Having driven diesels for the best part of 15 years I've never noticed any difference between cooking diesel and Shell or BP other than the price. Given the choice between Shell and Tescos in Norwich at the same price I'd choose Shell, but it's nothing to do with whether I think I'll get more out of a tankful, I don't. However using a cetane booster does make a difference, usually about the price of the bottle of booster per tankful, so there's not a whole lot of point!

 

[BennyB0Y]

Regarding fuel differences I get my diesel from Shell. But have you also seen the slightly more expensive stuff Shell has called "V-Power Diesel"? Is that stuff supposed to give it a little extra to travel a little further? Either it IS a better/different fuel or we are seriously being bullsh**ted by the oil industry.
I've been driving diesel for 7 years, and recently got the A3 about a month ago. Mind you the last car I had was a 1.9 TDi (VW Golf - '96 Model + engine) and it had a fuel saver in it. It felt like I hardly ever had to fill it up. Now I have the A3 2.0 TDi and it feels sometimes like the fuel indicator moves like the minute-hand on a clock! (Ok, maybe I'm exaggarating here). But then I think to myself "this IS a slightly bigger engine" and it combusts more fuel. So many factors to consider though... the older was a 5-speed, 90bhp and had done in excess of 60,000 miles. The new A3 is a 6-speed, 170bhp and hasn't even reached the 4,000mile mark yet.

 

[giblets46]

I'm with mike on this one, go for the cheapest, if they are the same, go for premium brand (they have detergents etc in), as far as I know, there is no diesel version of the RON rating to account for consumption.