184PS Premium Diesel Test

[smk82]

Having read some of the "fuel range" threads, I can see that most people with the 150ps 2.0 TDIs are achieving over 500miles per tank (approx) after the first few months. I like to see how the 184ps crowd are comparing against that? I currently have 5900miles on the clock, and have been getting (According to the DIS about 45/46mpg - which is approximately correct (when compared to manual calculation). I haven't yet broken the 500mile/tank mark, but have been close a couple of times.) I've generally been running the car on the supermarket diesel as its cheaper (not ASDA though!), but though this month as an experiment I'd try the premium super diesels (BP Ultimate etc) for 3 -4 tanks to see if I notice a benefit. (I know that some people say they are a con/marketing bla, bla, but my folks tried running their A3 2.0T petrol on the higher petrol and found a measurable benefit, so I figured it was worth a go. )I know it will take about a 1/4 tank to flush out the remaining old fuel from the car, but so far it does seem to start quieter than before. Time will tell if the mpg is better as well... Will keep people updated..

 

[synthdood]

In my 2.0FSI (Petrol, non turbo) the difference is huge! I think this is due to the higher octane number (RON98) though more than the "ultimate" additions. Diesel is a different story I think.

 

[smk82]

I would expect that for a petrol. Saw a fifth gear test for the "premium diesel" and it gave an extra 5hp at the top of the rev range if your really booting it (which I'm not yet). Just doing it as a bit of an experiment...

 

[snakehips]

I think I do get a little more top-end power when I use premium diesel but that could just be psychological. I don't measure mpg itself as it's not particularly important to me.

 

[cuke2u]

And how are the tests accounting for the difference in road conditions, ambient temperatures, engine temp etc etc. I think any driver results can be taken as unscientific and inconclusive...

 

[T-800]

I run The RS3 on Shell Vpower Nitro+ used to run the previous S3 on the same however i did try some 95ron unleaded in the S3 once and to me it didn't run as smoothly

I also run a Renault Master Sport 125DCi van and i only run this on either Shell Vpower Diesel or normal Shell diesel, i did read an article somewhere that Shell fuels are very good for engines, i think the same article had stripped down a couple of different engines that had been run on it all the time and compared them to a couple of similar engines that had been run on 'normal' supermarket fuels, there was quite a difference internally.

 

[smk82]

Whilst obviously I can't ensure that all test conditions are accounted for and regulated to that extent to see what differences are purely down to the fuel - surely that in itself is a point however? We all note how that the mpg/performance figures supplied by car manufacturers never match real world conditions because they control all these variables to the n'th degree (taping up cracks, higher tyre pressures, minimal weight, no traffic, smooth roads - list goes on when generating the figures). This is purely for my interest (and the forum if they want to read it)..

 

[PilotAudi]

Call me a cynic but I tried Premium Diesel several time last year in 3.0V6 Tdi quattros and the Mrs 170 Tdi quattro 8P..

I was wanting to notice a benefit but quite frankly couldn't so went back to Cooking Diesel.

On the Petrol front I have asked that new S3 is fuelled with Premium petrol (how will I know?!!) and will see how it goes.

 

[smk82]

your a cynic..

 

[Itguy]

Well I've been using momentum 99 in my Z4 3.0i this week (was using sainsburys 97) and it has improved mpg by about 2. Now 34.4 which is mixed town and country driving, no motorways.

 

[cuke2u]

Funnily enough the weather has also got warmer this week too and my mpg has improved by 2 as well using supermarket fuel....

 

[Itguy]

Fair point - hasn't linked those two together. I would say id see what it's like in the next cold snap over the weekend, but I'll be driving my new S3 then!!

 

[Flibble]

Octane rating for petrols makes a difference due to timing advance, diesels don't have that so premium fuels don't have the same potential to make a difference. I think they're a scam myself.

 

[smk82]

Its the cetane rating which matters with diesels. Apparently typical bog standard diesel is 51 cetane, whereas the ultimate/vpower is 55

 

[steeve]

Motor Cycle News ran a Yamaha R1 on a dyno with normal and higher octane pump fuel. The result no measurable difference in power output. Could that be down to modern electronics optimizing the engine settings?

But when I've used the 98 RON I always think both car and bike have seemed to run more smoothly.

 

[smk82]

so how have people with 184PS cars being fairing in the mpg/ total miles per tank stakes?

Most I've had out of mine so far is ~490. I'm averaging about 460/450miles out of a tank (which is disappointing), with just over 6000 miles on the clock. In theory (if we ever (which we never do!) take Audis combined mileages as accurate) I should manage about 760 (if 67mpg)). I know I never will get near this, but I still thought I'd get over 500 to a tank!

 

[Migwire]

so how have people with 184PS cars being fairing in the mpg/ total miles per tank stakes?

Most I've had out of mine so far is ~490. I'm averaging about 460/450miles out of a tank (which is disappointing), with just over 6000 miles on the clock. In theory (if we ever (which we never do!) take Audis combined mileages as accurate) I should manage about 760 (if 67mpg)). I know I never will get near this, but I still thought I'd get over 500 to a tank!

I get that out of a full tank on my 115ps tdci Focus so will be rather happy getting that out of my 184ps tdi come Friday. To start with anyway....

 

[smk82]

Well, I can report that I'm onto my second tank of BP Ultimate and there does seem to be an improvement. The first tank was fairly std at about 450miles, although the engine did seem to run smoother/start quieter. The second tank however, I've covered 200miles, and the DIS is still reporting a further 360 miles possible. Granted that was mostly motorway, but still the possibility of finally getting over the 500miles/tank is looking promising.

 

[Migwire]

Well, I can report that I'm onto my second tank of BP Ultimate and there does seem to be an improvement. The first tank was fairly std at about 450miles, although the engine did seem to run smoother/start quieter. The second tank however, I've covered 200miles, and the DIS is still reporting a further 360 miles possible. Granted that was mostly motorway, but still the possibility of finally getting over the 500miles/tank is looking promising.

How much more does BP Ultimate cost?

 

[smk82]

When I last filled up it was £1.44/litre. Normal diesel around where I live is about £1.35/litre, so about 9/litre more. Equates to about £3/fill ish. The question is whether it will maintain the distance as I won't be doing a huge amount of motorway driving the next few days

 

[Craig_d1]

Never understood the need to buy premium fuel. All the forecourt sellers buy their diesel from the same refinery. It's all the same stuff. I guess the premium diesel has additives added after it leaves the refinery, added to the tanker that picks the stuff up.
You can buy addititives and do it yourself though. Just had a quick look and a bottle costs £13.99(Millers Diesel Power Ecomax 500ml in halfords for example) and it lasts for 10 refuels, so £1.399 a fill. That's a 1/3rd of the price of buying it on the forecourt in premium fuel form.
Personally, I haven't done that either, and only used the millers bottle as a quick example, but might try it. Read a story in autoexpress that seemed to say it does make a difference, or one of the bottles did. Prob good to give your engine a clean out every so often.
But in reality, driving styles, weather conditions, congestion etc will have a far bigger impact on mpg

 

[vegnomeat]

New quattro 184 Ps, 480 for the last tankful.

 

[smk82]

So far into the last 1/4 tank. DIS reading about 90-100 miles remaining and covered @395 miles. Might just make it...

 

[rdgc]

New quattro 184 Ps, 480 for the last tankful.

That's impressive, was it all motorway mileage? Also out of interest what mode was your drive select in?

I'm struggling to get more than 400miles out the same car with mixed local/motorway driving...

Thanks!

 

[PilotAudi]

Call me a cynic but I tried Premium Diesel several time last year in 3.0V6 Tdi quattros and the Mrs 170 Tdi quattro 8P..

I was wanting to notice a benefit but quite frankly couldn't so went back to Cooking Diesel.

On the Petrol front I have asked that new S3 is fuelled with Premium petrol (how will I know?!!) and will see how it goes.

Have now done 1100 miles with 4 fill ups, have alternated 95 and 98 and have not noticed any significant difference yet.

 

[Itguy]

I noticed inside the fuel flap on the S3 it lists 98 first then 95 after.

It can take 3 tanks of fuel for the engine to fully adapt itself to a higher octane fuel as it listens for engine knock and very cautiously advances the timing over a period of time. If it detects any knock it pegs it right back again for safety. (Ergo, if you alternate tanks of 95 and 98 the engine will run with the advance setup for 95 all the time).

I think the amount of time it takes to adjust is actually based on injector cycle times, it is on others but can't be sure on the S3.

 

[smk82]

Well I did a partial fill up when the car had 35 miles still to go according the DIS and had covered 465 miles. So it might have just made it. One thing I have noticed though is that my average mpg has appeared to improve. It was ~42/42 now I'm getting 46-52 without trying too hard...

 

[cuke2u]

So you guys using expensive fuel haven't noticed that the ambient temperature has gone up about the same time your mpg also got better?

 

[smk82]

I know that will have some bearing on the test, but i was seeing some improvements before the weather started to warm (quieter starting for one). I'm not saying its better generally however. Will be running one more tankful, then moving to standard "garage fuel" BP diesel to see if I notice anything.

 

[cuke2u]

But any tests, to be meaningful, have to be run within a constant not a variable....

 

[vegnomeat]

It was mostly motorway cruising at 70mph, I used the auto drive option.

Regards

Veggie

 

[s3_trev]

There is more to it than just MPG though. I run the premium stuff, and if I had a diesel id do the same. And in neither instance would it be about MPG, more about the quality of the fuel and (important) additives it has. Supermarket fuel is complete rubbish for example! At least where I come from anyway.

 

[Craig_d1]

Fuel Brands Performance Test

Tried looking if anyone had done a proper test of fuel and found this

 

[s3_trev]

Just sharing this relevant recent post from another user.

http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/audi-s...o-fuel-ruined-my-beautiful-a4-v6-2-5-tdi.html

 

[jbs2472]

I had a similar issue with Morrisons fuel a few years back, and can't remember now what part went wrong but they paid the £270 bill, £55 for the fuel and a £50 shopping voucher as the AA confirmed it was the fuel that caused the issue.

 

[cuke2u]

There is more to it than just MPG though. I run the premium stuff, and if I had a diesel id do the same. And in neither instance would it be about MPG, more about the quality of the fuel and (important) additives it has. Supermarket fuel is complete rubbish for example! At least where I come from anyway.

Comes from the same refinery though and they are all to the same British Standard. There will always be scare stories about contaminated fuel but this is usually the fault of the filling station not testing their tanks. I think there might have one instance a little while back where something went wrong at the suppliers however this is normally human error.

 

[Andy1608]

I have the 1.6TDI. £50 from 1 notch on the fuel gauge and I got 520 miles. Coming from the S3 I've lost out on power but saving a fortune in fuel and running costs. I use sainsbury every time, closest to me a log either asda but I get the nector points at sainsbury

 

[s3_trev]

Comes from the same refinery though and they are all to the same British Standard. There will always be scare stories about contaminated fuel but this is usually the fault of the filling station not testing their tanks. I think there might have one instance a little while back where something went wrong at the suppliers however this is normally human error.

It may come from the same refinery originally, but its what happens after this and before it gets put in your tank that makes the difference, i.e. the engine saving additives.

 

[Flibble]

I have the 1.6TDI. £50 from 1 notch on the fuel gauge and I got 520 miles. Coming from the S3 I've lost out on power but saving a fortune in fuel and running costs. I use sainsbury every time, closest to me a log either asda but I get the nector points at sainsbury

Bear in mind nectar points are only worth 0.5p/litre, so if Asda is more than that cheaper than Sainsbury's it's better to go there.

 

[smk82]

I had no choice recently but to fill up with the morrisons fuel (I saved 6p a litre though). Immediately feel the difference in the car however (or at least I think I do). Feels more sluggish and doesn't start as willingly it appears. Range drops as well.