Poll on which fuel most of us use?
I have been using BP Ultimate unleaded in my S1 (with an Emerald ECU) instead of Shell ‘V-Power’ (Optimax). Any experience or thoughts on which is better? I recall 5th gear did a piece about 2 years ago that revealed either gave performance increases for a clever ECU.
I always believed that these fuels only gave benefits if the engine/ECU had knock sensors or if not that it was mapped using the fuel in the first place. The Emerald usually falls into the latter on the K series.
BP ultimate 102 usually gives better gains than Vpower 99 as it should having a RON of 3 higher but I’ve heard that it also has a definate tank life too, ie the gains diminish rapidly the longer it is in the tank.
I keep hearing good things about Tesco 99 as well but I’ve only ever used Vpower in decent quantities and it’s always been ok.
I’m a Tesco man me’self
I’ve tried all 3 and not noticed any real difference, so I went for the cheapest - which is Tesco.
Optimax screwed up my Corrado engine, after a couple of years use it started cutting out and felt crappy. The moment you put BP97 or any other regular unleaded it was fine again.
So I stay away from Vpower, even though I think it does give a bit more power than the BP. You can hear the engine note is smoother with the BP and it is what I use now.
Tesco is full of sand I knew that way before there was all that fuss a year ago. Everytime you fill there your lotus gets heaver…
yes i have found that the bp is smoother,and more resposive than v power.mine is an s, could not comment on the standard exige though.
Cheapest Super I can find or even just normal UL.
Only difference I found on the VHPD was between UL and any Super. Ran smoother on Super but no discernable difference in power.
There seem to also be a LOT more Shell Garages about too!!!
Shell, it’s better than BP.
That explains the extra 5mph through the craners mate!
There is more crap talked about with reference to fuel than there is about the K series versus Honda.
It is f***ing simple. BP Ultimate is 98RON, Shell V-Power is 99RON, they are both bloody expensive but BP even more so, so if you have a JDM Honda engine as I do that is mapped for Jap 100RON fuel to give max power, then use Shell. This of course applies to any other engine that is mapped for more than 95.
If your engine does not recognise the difference then use 95RON.
tut
ps I can not get Tesco 100RON, otherwise I would use that.
'There is more crap talked about with reference to fuel than there is about the K series versus Honda.
’ - Agreed
BP is 97RON
Vpower leaves the depot at over 100RON but get’s it’s high RON value by using addetives that degrade as the petrol ages so it can drop to around 98.