Alternative to V-power

[Alex_225]

Right, I've been feeding my Lupo Sport a diet of V-power after initially putting the usual Shell 95 in.

Now I've just driven 120 miles and need to fill up, just over half a tank left, I usually like to leave with a full tank. Thing is I've got here and the bloody shell doesn't have V-power, hasn't for two weeks as they prioritised the diesel and normal fuel after the strikes.

Question is, what is a decent alternative. Didn't want to mix RONs so whats the next best alternative?

Any advice/opinions would be helpful.

[Boy'dup]

ADDITIVES!

[Pepsi]

I always use Sainsburys super in my Lupo, not sure if it makes a difference between any fuels but seems to idle a bit better on super, and it's the cheapest super around me.

Although I suppose the difference isn't much cost wise, whats the going rate for V power at the minute?!

[fatttty]

tesco 99.. thats if you can find a large enough tesco garage that does it

[atoms]

BP Ultimate - 97 RON

Esso also do a super, don't know what it's called though. So you have plenty of choice, with the above

[Petes 16V Sport]

1. Tesco 99.

BP ultimate is the same as Sainsburys super as far as I know. (BP supply sainsbury) 97 ron

Esso super is called supreme and is 97 ron.

Total do excellium again which is 97 ron.

[jamiea7x]

sports are designed to run on 98 ron so i wouldnt bother with 97 if uve been giving it 98 i wouldnt put anything less in or im sure youll feel a difference after a while

[Defcon5]

1. Tesco 99.

BP ultimate is the same as Sainsburys super as far as I know. (BP supply sainsbury) 97 ron

Whilst BP do supply Sanisbury, BP use a different mix of additives, (of a much superior standard)

Also I believe Tescos 99ron uses lots of ethanol to boost the ron?

[Alex_225]

Looks like its Tesco 99 or finding another Shell and hoping they have V-Power.

I could probably get all the way home on what I have, but I know the top of the tank in some cars drops at a different rate to the bottom. Well my Clios always have! lol Don't fancy getting half way down the M4 and having to pull over and fill up with subtandard fuel at stupid service station prices.

I guess worse case is that I whack £10 worth of 97 in and continue filling with V-Power when I get home.

[CasperGTI]

I have the same issue, there is 1 garage that has it, the other 6 around me have been sold out for ages.

To be honest, 3-5 octane isnt really going to be noticable. If you do fill up with an alternative i would run it completly empty, as in past zero before you fill up. I think that tescos are supplied by shell anyway but dont hold me to that.

John

[bossjohnc]

Whilst BP do supply Sanisbury, BP use a different mix of additives, (of a much superior standard)

I'd really like to know what your source of this info is, as I've heard differently.

[Defcon5]

I'd really like to know what your source of this info is, as I've heard differently.

From another forum, was a long post from somone who worked in the industry. Ill try and find it.

[Unheard]

A mechanic i was talking to when i took my car for its MOT was telling me Pistonheads did a fuel test. They tested shell

v-power against Tesco 99 on a rolling road. The Tesco juice came out better but by a minute amount.

You could probably get that sort of decrepancy by going to two differant shell stations and filling up with the same v-power.

I always find when i fill the car up with v-power at the shell near to Gatwick it feels really rough compared to my local shell.

Filling half the tank with lower RON will not really make much noticable difference especially if you are going to be burning it straight away

As far as i know the Sport and GTI are actually tuned to run closer to 100RON so an octane booster may be the way to go.

Proper leaded fuel use to have an average octane rating of 99.7 so higher octane fuels are just a bit of a scam to make money

if you as me.

[Defcon5]

A mechanic i was talking to when i took my car for its MOT was telling me Pistonheads did a fuel test. They tested shell

v-power against Tesco 99 on a rolling road. The Tesco juice came out better but by a minute amount.

The Tesco used 5% bio-ethanol, is this a good thing or not?

[Petes 16V Sport]

The Tesco used 5% bio-ethanol, is this a good thing or not?

Good for power as higher ron rating. Bad for fuel economy as lower fuel capacity than ordinary petrol. However as of now all fuels in the UK contain 5% bio-fuel, and for the majority of petrols this is bio-ethanol so its not likely you'll notice any difference between fuels anymore. (before the implementation of the renewable fuels directive only tesco 99 contained ethanol)

[Petes 16V Sport]

A mechanic i was talking to when i took my car for its MOT was telling me Pistonheads did a fuel test. They tested shell

v-power against Tesco 99 on a rolling road. The Tesco juice came out better but by a minute amount.

They did indeed do a test. However this was Optimax (the 98 ron predecessor of v-power) compared to tesco 99, not v-power compared to tesco 99, which would probably provide similar levels of performance.

Test results can be found here:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.a...mp;f=57&h=0

[Unheard]

They did indeed do a test. However this was Optimax (the 98 ron predecessor of v-power) compared to tesco 99, not v-power compared to tesco 99, which would probably provide similar levels of performance.

Test results can be found here:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.a...mp;f=57&h=0

Ahh, thanks for that i did have a little search to see if i could confirm what he had said but could not find anything. Its still a good test despite its with optimax and not v-power. The test needs to be re-run using v-power. Texaco also sell a 99 RON at some some stations i have been to but i have never filled the lupo with it!