Fuel Additive?

[BMB - 77]

Just picked up my car after it’s first service-oil change only- and it got a clean bill of health. Well it should it only has 5000 on the clock!
They did however recommend that I should add a fuel additive. Is this required or just another way to extort money out of me?
Any advice appreciated.

 

[AndyKnight]

Sounds like a way to extort money if you ask me. What fuel do you use?

 

[BMB - 77]

Tesco momentum as often as I can. It’s sounds like a bit of a scam to be honest.

 

[maninthestreet]

This was an Audi main dealer?

 

[BMB - 77]

Yes.
I can’t remember if it was the Audi or my last car handbook that said that fuel additives should not be added.

 

[Vertigo1]

First service at 5k? How old is the car - are you on fixed intervals?

 

[BMB - 77]

Year old car. I service my car once a year even though I only do about 5000 miles per year.

 

[Flying Scotsman]

I can not speak for Tesco fuel, but all the major brands have additives to keep fuel injectors clean and assist in gunk and corrosion build up. I have heard mechanics tell customers that some no name brands are questionable over long term use for combustion build up issues. I think the OP was given a line of you know what. Especially after the first service when all they do is an oil change and visual inspection, so why was this recommendation given.

 

[Tom.H]

I ran the R32 on Tesco Momentum for the majority of the 9 years I had it, never had any issues whatsoever. It was actually recommended to me over BP Ultimate by a rolling road company I used.

 

[TYb]

I tend to swap between Tesco momentum and Shell V Power depending on which way I go home. It may be in my head but the V power tends to feel a little more responsive.

I do not intend to add additional additives, I think that would have put me off going for an S3 if that's a further expense.

 

[Retroman]

Many main dealers are selling OE fuel additives these days - I know Toyota, BMW and Mini do. It's happened with modern "direct injection" cars which direct the centre of the combustion explosion close to the piston crown to efficiently extract more engine power. This has caused some cars, particularly those doing short journeys, to get a carbon build-up in the inlet valve area because of lack of combustion "cleansing heat" in that area. Older "port injection" cars do not suffer the same problem. The additives probably just increase the octane level so that there is a slightly hotter, cleaner combustion - but this does not completely counteract an engine design problem. Whether these additives do this any better than premium grade petrol is debatable. I believe that on some of the newer VAG engines the injector system squirts some of the mix into the port/valve area, when the engine is not under load, for cleansing purposes.