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Petrol: supermarket vs shell etc

Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2019 8:55 am
by redbikejohn
Just a curious question. I always used to fill up at a tesco or asda petrol station as I travelled past both on my trip into work. I've always been very pedantic about my mpg on my xt660z as it's so economical. I know exactly how far I can go on a tank until reserve and then again the limit till almost empty. However in April i started a new job and now fill up at a shell as its local and I dont pass any cheap petrol station on my commute. Very early on I noticed a jump in mpg (for the better) and i thought it was just an anomaly but it's been consistently better ever since, a good 20 plus miles per tank. Anyone else sad enough to notice this ? ðŸĪŠðŸĪŠðŸĪŠ
Just out of interest my last tank was 335 miles!

Re: Petrol: supermarket vs shell etc

Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2019 9:13 am
by Scott_rider
I don't know about the exact MPG but I try to use Shell petrol whenever I can because I find my bike/car run better on it and they do seem a bit more economical, for some reason :? In particular, I like using V-max 99 in the car as I can definitely feel the extra 'shove' when using it but it is pricey so I reserve it (no pun intended :roll: ) for special occasions. I reckon that the Shell fuel might be a bit 'purer' than the supermarket fuel??

p.s. how many miles have you done now on the Tenere?

Re: Petrol: supermarket vs shell etc

Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2019 9:31 am
by Billy Bananahead
Similar situation here.
I've been using Esso Supreme diesel in my nearly new Transit Custom. Costs more as you say but I've got an Esso fuel card which reduces the pump price. Seems to get more mpg, I always fill the tank to full, and also runs smoother but also I find it's helping the DPF to clean as the fuel has more detergents.
That's the thing i'm trying to help really as I've had two forced regens from Ford, before using the cleaner more expensive fuel, and don't want to spend money on a new DPF when the warranty runs out in January.
Sorry can't be of more help.

Re: Petrol: supermarket vs shell etc

Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2019 10:10 am
by Tramp
Yep My tens the same always use mainstream fuel or tesco ultimate and in winter I use high octane fuel.... All supermarket fuels have bulking agents and non of the expensive cleaning agents... Its well documented...

Re: Petrol: supermarket vs shell etc

Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2019 10:16 am
by zimtim
Several points
Yes get slightly better economy using Shell fuel although with the KTM it can also depend greatly on how and where I ride off road I get 33mpg, average on road 43mpg and when touring (I tend to be more relaxed and take my time) I get 50mpg.

But yes with Shell I will easily get another 20miles or about 10% increase.
As with the shell VPower stuff I don't get any improvement in mpg but the bike definitely prefers it and seems to run that bit better. So I tend to alternate the normal shell with VPower as purely a cost saving exercise. .

With the diesel car I just use normal shell but if going on a long will give it a drink of the good stuff.
Only tend to use the supermarket fuel if I get one of those 5p off vouchers, with the shopping. Again saving will be offset by the bottle of whisky in the trolley.

Also note that first couple of fill ups after a service mpg is best then a slow decline until it reaches a plateau for a while then will decline again slightly as it closer to needing a service.

I use an app called
https://www.fuel.io/
To log all costs, it also gives you mpg etc and can allow you to note what type of riding you happened to be doing etc,

Re: Petrol: supermarket vs shell etc

Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2019 10:30 am
by Richard Simpson Mark II
All true...I used to run regularly from South Wales to West Devon on my KTM 950.

Usually had 'branded' petrol in the tank. But one time I had to do the run early in the morning. The regular garage was closed so I used the more expensive of the Tesco petrols on offer, and my fuel light came on 10 miles earlier.

More recently, the engine light started coming on on my old Ford Focus. Switching to the 'Super' option and using BP or Shell fuel has cured it. Recently my filling station ran out of Super, so I put half a tank of normal in, and the light came on once it had used most of that. Filled up with Super again and all was well.

I'd previously noticed that my Pampera did more miles on Super, so I use it in everything now...even lawn mowers and chainsaws etc.

Re: Petrol: supermarket vs shell etc

Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2019 10:38 am
by redbikejohn
Scott_rider wrote: ↑Wed Dec 04, 2019 9:13 am
p.s. how many miles have you done now on the Tenere?
106 400 😀👍

Re: Petrol: supermarket vs shell etc

Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2019 10:55 am
by paul_tim2000
Strangely the main bike (Guzzi Stelvio) shows very little difference when commuting, pretty constant 40mpg whatever the petrol.

The car however gives 5%-10% less range when filled in the local Asda / Morrisons compared to the local Shell garage. Decision on where to fill depends on Price difference and where/when I need the fuel.

Re: Petrol: supermarket vs shell etc

Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2019 11:01 am
by Scott_rider
redbikejohn wrote: ↑Wed Dec 04, 2019 10:38 am
Scott_rider wrote: ↑Wed Dec 04, 2019 9:13 am
p.s. how many miles have you done now on the Tenere?
106 400 😀👍
Nice one 8-) 8-)

Re: Petrol: supermarket vs shell etc

Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2019 11:06 am
by catcitrus
Some branded fuels now have the E5 label--even the super stuff--so you are buying liquid, non combustible oxygen, so fuel economy based on volume will reduce. Generally the higher spec fuels, such as shell, burn quicker and are less prone to detonation so release more energy near TDC=better fuel economy. Porsche (way back) fitted knock sensors to every cylinder and automatically advanced the ignition to just shy of detonation--hence very noticeable improvement in fuel economy and performance.