alistair64 said:
Apologies if this has been covered many times before, but are you guys ok with using supermarket Super Unleaded, as oppose to normal 95 octane from a trusted brand (Shell, Esso, BP, etc.)?
I figured any 98 octane fuel will be 'better' in that it will contain more detergents to clean the engine.
Today I put in half a tank of Sainsbury's Super at £1.70 per litre, which was only 8p more than their standard unleaded, so pretty good in today's climate so I thought.
Am I misguided and should I stick to the well-known brands?
Supermarket Super Unleaded is A-OK and I mostly use Tesco Momentum 99. Occasionally I do visit a Shell fuel station and fill up with their Shell V-Power.
Taken from https://www.tesco.com/help/petrol-stations/ - “What are the benefits of using Tesco Momentum99?”......
“Momentum 99 contains a special blend of additives to help keep the fuel system clean and working at its best. Additionally, the higher octane level (99 compared to 95 for regular unleaded petrol) gives improved overall engine performance for those cars that are able to take advantage (generally sportier models).”
I don’t use any other fuel additives, cleaners etc as Jaguar specify not to do this, and for those within the warranty period they state that it could affect the warranty coverage (exhaust emission control systems).
Taken from https://www.ownerinfo.jaguar.com/ "Fuel and Refuelling – Petrol Engined Vehicles" (screenshot attached)
"
CAUTION"
“Use high quality fuel with detergent that meets the specification defined by EN228, WWFC5 cat. 5 or the national equivalent. Low quality fuel can damage the engine and reduce engine performance.”
“Do not use leaded fuels, fuel additives, or fuels with lead substitutes, e.g., manganese-based. Doing so may adversely affect the vehicle's exhaust emission control systems and the warranty coverage.”
“Fuel system cleaning agents should not be used, unless approved by the vehicle manufacturer. Inadequate cleaning agents may damage the fuel system.”
Also, Auto Express has a section entitled "What do car fuel additives do and are they any use? Fuel additives claim to improve your car's economy, performance, or both - but do they really work?" https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-news/33200/fuel-additives-are-waste-money
Included in the link...."In general, these additives work best on older, high mileage engines that have either been neglected or missed out on regular maintenance. You're unlikely to see any benefit on a newer, well-maintained vehicle."
"The reality is that if you own a car that's less than 10 years old that has been well maintained, there really isn't any need to use any of these kind of additives, as the car's electronics and fuel system will be optimised to deliver the best mix of performance and efficiency in the first place. And if that's the case, it begs the question - if fuel additives are so good, why don't car makers recommend them? And why are they not commonly found at petrol stations across the country? In reality, they sort of are. If you feel like your car could do with a bit of a boost, then a better value alternative than an additive could be to use a higher octane forecourt fuel than regular 95 octane. Even supermarket chains offer 99 octane fuel these days for a few pence more than regular petrol, and leading fuel retailers make grand claims about the effective 'cleaning' that high-octane fuels can achieve."
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