I have always been a user of supermarket diesel, simply because its cheaper.

I have always viewed premium fuels with suspicion, thinking they just bung a bit of additive in there bringing it to the quality it should be anyway. And charge more for it, and I think we pay enough for fuel already in this country.

The only time I noticed a difference was once in Germany. They had three grades of diesel, so I tried the top one in my old Merc Sprinter van, and the difference was staggering: 5mph at the top end, smooth and quiet as you like and more MPG. But I am not sure we get that grade of diesel in the UK.

I am also quite interested in the controversial subject of adding 300mls of two stroke at fill up (historical topics here and here). We routinely used to use this in vans a few years ago with good results. The reported benefits seem similar to premium diesel.

My neighbour has started running his RRS on one of the premium diesels, the BP one I think. He seems to feel its smoother, more responsive and quieter on it.

So a few days ago, I decided to have myself half a tankful just to see if I noticed a difference. I am a bit undecided at present; it does seem just a tad quieter and more responsive. But it might be in my head.

I did a search here and found a historical topic here. But as that is two years old, I thought why not open the discussion again and add a poll this time.

So please vote, and lets chew the subject over. If you use premium diesel, or have done, what are your thoughts?

been doing a little googling and apparently with higher compression engines, which are designed to run on premium fuel, premium will provide some additional power:

http://www.cartalk.com/content/premium-vs-regular-1

i'm a complete novice re: this topic, so it would be good to hear the views of some other "experts". Recently bought a 2007 RRS HSE TDV6 for a Pimp-My-Ride-Project.
DONE: Meduza front bumper, AB rear bumper, AB tailpipes, calipers repainted, rear upper tailgate upgrade, side steps, AB front grille, AB side vents, rear LED lights, clear side repeaters, integrated daytime running lights, LED headlights.
TO DO: color code sills and pillars.

I don't use premium fuel such as the shell plus nitro or anything but I would never put supermarket diesel in my car. I was told a lot of horrid stories from the guys that remapped my old car and some as advertised as bio diesel.

I think it's just like everything else in life, you get what you pay for

tanloverluke wrote:

been doing a little googling and apparently with higher compression engines, which are designed to run on premium fuel, premium will provide some additional power:

http://www.cartalk.com/content/premium-vs-regular-1

i'm a complete novice re: this topic, so it would be good to hear the views of some other "experts".

Fuel for tesco or shell is from the same tank, it's the additives that each company add that make the difference

I found my car more economical by around 2 to 3 mpg after switching to shell instead of tescos

It will also take more than half a tank to gain benefits of it, try four or five full tanks

Can't comment much on diesel yet but 15 mpg avg with Shell V Nitro Unleaded & that's short journeys with a 8.5 yr old Sport 2 mpg more after a good 8 months of using nothing else  16MY Estoril Blue SVR.............
17MY Autobiography Dynamic - Corris Grey - WOW.
14MY Autobiography Dynamic - SDV6 - Fuji White
12MY Autobiography - SDV6 - Santorini Black - Dual View - Rear Entertainment - Sunroof.
12MY Autobiography - SDV6 - Orkney Grey - awesome ;(
2005 Java Black - 4.2 V8 Supercharged First Edition- will never be forgotten ;(

I went from "the cheapest I can find" diesel to strictly putting regular Shell diesel in my previous RRS and noticed an improvement of 2-3 mpg after a few tanks. Then started using Shell V Power Nitro+ diesel and didn't find it too much more economical. However, based on what I've read about it, I have continued with it believing it is better for the engine. My current RRS hasn't had any fuel other than Nitro+ diesel.

Our RRS in this country are mapped to take any s h 1 t fuel we may have in this country, hence why there is the scope to have it remapped and gain a few more horses. I think the real gains are hidden deep in the engine and if a premium diesel is used all the time, then you may get longevity out of your engine. My sport has only ever had Shell Nitro+ in it from 2 miles on the clock. Now on 19800 miles. Do i get any extra mpg out of it? I don't think so. Averaging 29 mpg A to B. Computer reading. Does it run any quieter? I have no idea, because its had Shell fuel in it from new. Does it give me extra ooph? It certainly doesn't pull away from a roundabout or pull away from a junction having just coasted up to it any quicker But as we know, there is another topic on that subject. One thing i have noticed though, my exhaust tailpipes are always clean and not sooty. Mine is a RRS1 SDV6.

Have once put diesel plus in the car, with no difference in performance or economy.
It's funny reading through the post here and some of the myths and beliefs.
One our clients sends fuel all over the southwest, and yes all the fuel comes from the same tank but it's not the same fuel delivered or pumped. Asda leave certain cleaning agents out hence being 5p litre less, sainsburys add some but not all. If you took a sample from Asda and local shell or BP, you will get different analysis to Asda.
We do millions of miles a year, use BP or Shell depending on what's available and have Texeco fuel on site. We still get 6-8 mpg but as many others, wouldn't put supermarket fuel in anything decent. 2x TDV6. SE and HSE. Both returned to sender with issues👀
TDV8 Sport HSE...... Gone. Loved it but it didn't love me!!
Now rolling in MY10 Fullfat TDV8 Vogue. Slammed it to go round corners🙈
Cruising daily #56 mph in a Volvo V8. 😱
Lots of other toys in the cupboard...😜

Not being an expert I don't know how true this is but since I don't do a million miles a year, I concluded that sticking to Nitro+ won't break the bank: http://www.shell.co.uk/gbr/products-servic...iesel.html

Simple1 wrote:

and yes all the fuel comes from the same tank but it's not the same fuel delivered or pumped

Many years ago, as a spotty teenager in the late 80's, I used to work in petrol stations. The company had six of them branded as Texaco and Mobil. This was in four star days (unleaded was a new and fangled invention around that time) and before 'premium diesel' existed.

The company had a contract to buy fuel from either Texaco or Mobil. But to make extra money, they used to have middle-of-the-night cheaper deliveries from a company called EOS (it might have been Emergency Oil Services). Sometimes we paid cash for those back then to the tanker driver; a cardboard box full of fivers and tenners.

The rules must have changed since, but back then we had to close the station when we had a delivery. So they were better at night when it was quieter. I used to do nights, and also had the task of dipping the tanks (long wooden dipstick) to make sure the drivers had not stiffed us. We had to dip the tanker and our ground tanks before and after and do the maths to be sure we got the right amount before we handed the box of cash over.

As you do, I ended up having a cup of tea, a smoke and a chat with the tanker drivers, and then was when I learned that all the fuel was the same. It all came from the same tanks in Trafford Park and was delivered to different branded stations. Shell and BP tankers would fill up at the same ports as the plain white EOS ones. Back then, it wasn't unusual for a station to have the odd drop of red diesel on the quiet either. The station could make a few grand extra, and diesel dipping was almost unknown then. The taxis would never know.

I am sure its all different now, and much more accountable. But the idea never left me that it all comes from the same big tank and is delivered to different branded stations as different products.

What is to stop them dropping standard diesel in premium tanks? And charging ten pence a litre more?

I stopped using Tesco's diesel after hearing stories of blocked fuel filters etc, I now only fill up with regular diesel from Shell filling stations.
Personally i don't see any benefit in using premium diesel. 2015 Golf R DSG
Gone 2013 Mercedes C220 CDi AMG Sport Plus
Gone 2008 2.7 RRS HSE

I used to run my old Disco TD5 on whatever I could get. After having it tuned to nearly 200 bhp it would put out a haze shall we say. Then started using the std Shell stuff, this is before all the super diesels, much less smoke,haze.

Then tried BP Ultimate , due to the higher cetane levels it was quieter, the TD5 needs all the help it can get!!!!

So used to use the std Shell stuff all the time. Would put a tank of V-Power now and then to clean up instead of a bottle of gloop. So I did find the super fuels better but that was on a tuned diesel.

My new RRS2, I have a cheap Shell garage nearby and get Shell points ,, but will also use super from what ever garage I can. The wife's 400 hp Focus drinks nothing else but Shell V Power.

When I get the RRS remapped it will stay on Super fuel.

So what have I found?

My old Disco was better on the better fuels.

RRS2 has only ever had Super on it so can't tell there.

Supermarket fuels are cheap, why?

Think food as well.

Tesco basics, Tesco normal then Tesco Finest. Same for fuel.

My TDv8 RRS and FFRR used to run more smoothly and quietly on branded fuels than they did on supermarket diesel. My last Evoque and my new one run well on either supermarket or branded but the new one hates diesel from ASDA , it runs poorly and I can not get more than 36 mpg on Asda's diesel whereas it will easily get 45mpg on any other branded or supermarket diesel 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW

I firmly believe that cheap supermarket fuel has killed the injectors in my D3, due to lack of lubrication...
As well as poor running when cold, in the winter months

However, it regularly returned 30+mpg on supermarket fuel, whereas it rarely sees over 28.5mpg on regular Shell/BP diesel...