Just wondering if anyone is, or has used Shell V-power Diesel..?
I've started using it given that it's only a quid or so more expensive than a standard tank. Back in the days when I had a sportier machine, it was V-Power petrol all of the way, but this is the first time I've used the stuff with the Saab.
Over on pistonheads, there seems to be a number of threads, and generally people are undecided, despite some good evidence from Fifth Gear, opinions are still fairly divided.
Apparently the key benefits for diesel owners ranges from slightly more power (Fifth Gear test) better cleaning properties and slightly better MPG.
I'm on my first full tank (last one bing 50%) and so far I've not noticed much, but to be fair, I haven't measured anything either!
Just wondering is anyone is using it, and what your thoughts are?
I've got an 06 TiD 150 and have used both BP Ultimate and v-power diesel on a couple of fill ups and haven't really noticed any difference, apart from the extra cost. Haven't seen any advantages.
I only usually run my 2.0 Aero on Tesco super unleaded (99 RON). I've driven over 30,000 in the car since I've had it. I reckon I get 8-10% more miles out of a tank of petrol - c.350-360 between fills.
Super unleaded only costs 3-4% more. Therefore, there is a cost saving for me. The car definately feels more powerful with super unleaded.
From my recollection of Fifth Gear when they tested super unleaded in Petrol cars the biggest gains in power were around 8% but only in a turbocharged car - I think it was a subaru. Not much gain in a n/a car.
Premium petrol is a totally different thing to premium diesel.
With Petrol it's about the octane and a lot of the more high performance engines will be tuned to run on it and therefor run better on it. With diesel it's about cetane rating and that is a whole lot more complicated but in a nutshell it will just effect the injector timing as an end result.
In my experiance there is no value in using premium diesel and there have been hundreds of threads all over many car forums which come to the same conclusion. You will never get the cash back in improved mpg, performance or the perceived "cleaner" system it will give you. You will get sunday drivers people who swear by it and school run mums who hate it, everyone has an opinion. I have used it all at one point or another and taken a lot of intereset in the results as I used to work in a fuel filter lab, in short it's a waste of cash because your engine is designed to run on within certain tolerances and adapt accordingly, the only way you will get majorly different results is to push past those tolerances and the fuel you buy won't do that
If you want to get more out of your diesel add a shot of Millers or 2t oil to bump the cetane up a bit and see what it does.
I worked for Fram for a year in the R&D lab. Lot of interesting stuff.
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