Supermarket Fuels

[peteo48]

Sorry to bring up this old chestnut again but I have just seen an Asda Tanker at a BP filling station just outside Warrington. It was delivering fuel not just parked there.

Are you really getting a premium product at a branded station?

[Jocko]

Myth or Fact? - Supermarket fuel can damage your car

Myth

Supermarket fuel tanker lorries often fill up from the same tanks as branded fuel lorries– so most of the time the fuel they sell is the same, but premium fuel may have different additive packages.
https://www.allstarcard.co.uk/this-matters-fuel/fleet-news/supermarket-fuel/

So unless you buy their Premium fuel, you could get Asda petrol at the BP station - at BP prices!

[Kenneve]

Hi Guys, Can I tell you a story.
Back in 2003 I purchased a brand new Landrover Freelander and after driving it for a couple of months, I was of the opinion that it was not performing as it it should, in terms of general smoothness and Mpg etc. I spent 44 years at Landrover so I know a bit about the vehicles.

When I spoke to my dealer about my concerns, his first question was, "What fuel are you using?" to which I replied 'Supermarket'. He then said, "Try a couple of tankfuls of branded fuel, Shell, BP or whatever and then come and see me"

I did as he suggested and I have to report, there was a significant difference, so much so that the increase in Mpg more than covered the increase in fuel cost.
Now, I know of course I are talking diesel rather than petrol and is was 16 years ago, but I maintain there is a similar difference in petrol as well, certainly my Jazz runs better on branded fuel
Petoe48 may be right regarding Asda tankers  and the difference in performance may well be down to the additives, I just don't know, but I have never used cheap fuel since.

[peteo48]

What struck me about the Asda tanker was I've seen branded tankers off loading fuel at supermarket petrol stations but not the other way round.

These days, more often than not, it seems to be a third party carrier like Wincanton but the Asda tanker is the first time I've seen this.

[guest4871]

It was a third party haulier transporting fuel in a tanker painted in ASDA livery containing BP spec fuel from a third party depot,............

unless, of course, the driver was completely muddled (or had run out of fuel himself and was topping up or worked for British Airways and had a flight plan for Edinburgh for a flight destined for Dusseldorf).  I once boarded the wrong plane. It happens.

Petrol is a standard regulated product. It is only the different additives which the brand owner adds that make it different.

[culzean]

Sorry to bring up this old chestnut again but I have just seen an Asda Tanker at a BP filling station just outside Warrington. It was delivering fuel not just parked there.

Are you really getting a premium product at a branded station?

On many sites I have seen posts by tanker drivers saying that the additives are added when the destination of tanker is known and it is leaving the main depot.  This makes sense as the base fuel is the same and it is only the additive package that boosts the RON rating and extra cleaning abilities.  I have noticed better performance and smoother running with higher octane in both Jazz and Civic,  the best was probably Tesco 99RON ( maybe just an octane boost with no extra cleaners though) but I don't go past Tesco very often - I will fill up with Ultimate 97 every so often, but will also put a glug of Redex injector cleaner in the tank every couple of months, particularly now I don't do anywhere near the miles I used to.   

I use Redex in motorbike and lawn mower as well, especially over winter ( the petrol in their tanks is actually very pink)  and where the bike and lawnmower used to be difficult to start after winter layup ( understatment LOL ) they now virtually spring into life - there is no placebo effect or confirmation bias in that,  it is very objective - they used to be hard to start, sometime a can of eazy-start or a carb strip down,  now non of that is remotely necessary....

[123Drive!]

There is certainly difference using Shell V-Power compared to supermarket on my 2009 i-shift. All I can say it's try it, especially on a longer journey. The only problem is the extra cost, but if you can afford it, then why not.

[bill ericay]

Sorry to bring up this old chestnut again but I have just seen an Asda Tanker at a BP filling station just outside Warrington. It was delivering fuel not just parked there.

Are you sure it was delivering fuel?

Isn't it possible that Asda buy their fuel from BP filling stations to re-sell at a cheaper price at Asda petrol stations?

[Jocko]

I tried V-Power and the car felt better, but the minor improvement in mpg (actually, the second tankful gave no improvement) was far outweighed by the increased cost. The only reason I run the Jazz is for the economy of the thing. Otherwise I would still be running my Volvo, And the Volvo on Supermarket petrol was far smoother and livelier than the Jazz on V-Power!

[Jocko]

Isn't it possible that Asda buy their fuel from BP filling stations to re-sell at a cheaper price at Asda petrol stations?

I wonder how long it would take to fill a tanker from a petrol pump? 

[bill ericay]

I should have saved that post for April 1st !

[culzean]

Isn't it possible that Asda buy their fuel from BP filling stations to re-sell at a cheaper price at Asda petrol stations?

I wonder how long it would take to fill a tanker from a petrol pump? 

I think you would need a calendar rather than a stopwatch.

You never really appreciate how quick a petrol pump puts fuel into the tank of your car until you put petrol in from cans - the cans take ages and you always spill some..

[peteo48]

Sorry to bring up this old chestnut again but I have just seen an Asda Tanker at a BP filling station just outside Warrington. It was delivering fuel not just parked there.

Are you sure it was delivering fuel?

Isn't it possible that Asda buy their fuel from BP filling stations to re-sell at a cheaper price at Asda petrol stations?

Yes - all its hoses were connected unless it was sucking BP Petrol out!

[Jocko]

I should have saved that post for April 1st !

Don't worry. I got the joke!

[peteo48]

I should have saved that post for April 1st !

You dangled the bait and I bit