SteveR Posted July 13, 2005 Share Posted July 13, 2005 I've just emailed Tescos and asked them if they'll be extending the stores that sell it. Will post back any response I get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chiefvinso Posted July 13, 2005 Share Posted July 13, 2005 there was a list of places sellin it posted about 3 months ago, it was only a trial then - not sure if they've extended the list since..... not up north yet anyway, not reached the good people yet Being a liverpool supporter I will let this comment stand lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnA Posted July 13, 2005 Share Posted July 13, 2005 ... that they do not have to state it by law on the pumps. correct, they do not So in brief, optimax is 98 ron hope that helps. in brief, they've *claimed* that it is 98, but until they stick it on the pumps they cannot be held liable by Customs & Excise if it is found to be less than that. Hope it helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chilli Posted July 13, 2005 Share Posted July 13, 2005 So it seems like the order of preference is: Tescos 99 (if you can get it) BP Ultimate Shell Optimax Regular Although the difference between ultimate and optimax seems small I look forward to trying some 99ron Tesco's juice then L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnA Posted July 13, 2005 Share Posted July 13, 2005 I've had varied experiences with BP Ultimate, I'm not sure that quality is consistent around garages. Optimax varies even more. Esso SUL is not too bad either, worth a shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerotop Dave Posted July 13, 2005 Share Posted July 13, 2005 I can't notice any difference between Shell Optimax, BP Ultimate or Tescos 97 Unleaded. I tend to use Optimax and Ultimate because everyone says you should and I'm a sheep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kopite Posted July 13, 2005 Share Posted July 13, 2005 I'm a sheep. good job CJ's on holiday not about to read that!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyh Posted July 13, 2005 Share Posted July 13, 2005 does any body have any idea where i can get this tesco 99 ron fuel from im in felixstowe near ipswich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveC Posted July 13, 2005 Share Posted July 13, 2005 Some time ago I tested Shell Optimax against regular unleaded over a distance of a couple of thousand miles for each fuel. The only differences I found was that with Optimax it cost more to fill up and I got 1 MPG average less to the gallon! I tried BP Ultimate (not over any considerable distance) and it again didn't seem to give any better performance than regular unleaded. I can't recall if there was a MPG rise/fall for Ultimate. Perhaps there is nothing to be gained by using a higher octane fuel than 95 RON in a standard UK Supra, which I believe is set up for 95 RON fuel. That said, I will probably give the Tesco stuff a go if it comes to our area. It surely can't be any worse than Optimax from my experience! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted July 13, 2005 Share Posted July 13, 2005 Steve...it's not really about MPG...it's about being able to make more power safely without Detonation. But yeah your UK will be less bothered about using 95 than a J-spec. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveC Posted July 13, 2005 Share Posted July 13, 2005 Alex......I tried Optimax hoping that Shell's claims to better performance with Optimax were true, rather than simply wanting more MPG! I see your point for less risk of detonation for modifed and J-spec cars. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chilli Posted July 13, 2005 Share Posted July 13, 2005 yeah i must admit my j-spec seems to boost higher and therefore go better on higher octane fuels, but I have not measured or tested it accurately, all subjective at this time. It reaches 1 bar on 97/98 ron which is good considering it still has both cats on and no boost controller (but it is running a jap ecu chip apparently - yet to take ecu top off to check that though), on lower octane I think the boost is slightly less So for me I think it makes a difference, not really concerned with the mpg aspect, I drive a 1.4 clio when that is an issue lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foodfreak Posted July 14, 2005 Share Posted July 14, 2005 I've used Teco's 99 ron for the last 2.5k Miles, Car pulls much cleaner between 1.0 & 1.4 bar. much cheaper than optimax too, 94.8p per litre around here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnA Posted July 14, 2005 Share Posted July 14, 2005 ...Perhaps there is nothing to be gained by using a higher octane fuel than 95 RON in a standard UK Supra, which I believe is set up for 95 RON fuel. ... Oh yes there is mate The UK spec is indeed geared around 95RON, but it's similar to the JSpec in that it can advance timing quite a bit to take advantage of the higher detonation 'floor' offered by high-octane fuels. The difference between 95 and 99RON is quite noticeable. Reset the ECU after filling up with good fuel (say something clearly labelled at the pump as 97RON or higher) if you can't wait for 100odd miles for the ECU to adjust itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian C Posted July 14, 2005 Share Posted July 14, 2005 For the vocal minority detractor (s?) of Optimax STILL banging on and on about how it's pretty much 95ron the moment it reaches the pumps, despite the letters from Shell and plain business sense and usage of it in high performance cars for years and years with no problems and all the other hard evidence staring them in the face, this: http://www.mkivsupra.net/vbb/showthread.php?t=42503&page=1&pp=15 also shows that someone on here experienced det only detectable on det cans with optimax, but with BP Ultimate in the tank it was loud enough to hear while driving. "So I put some BP Ultimate in the other day and kept the boost on standard since, today I took it out for a spin and put it to my setting for 1.2bar and pulled away from an almost standstill. As it was boosting on No2 straight away we could clearly hear 'det' (the first time I've heard it myself so far) and it was unmissable so I backed off straight away. .... So 100% posistively audible det on BP Ultimate, so I'm assuming that on Optimax its only detting a little so hence why only Nod has heard it with his head to the engine under boost." Even taken in isolation that says to me that Optimax has better anti-det properties than BP Ultimate. With the mountain of evidence that it is indeed *minimum* 98RON on it's side as well, including the letters from Shell that are court-admissable evidence, I think I'll quite happily stick to it. Ironically this will probably be one of the few technical posts by me, Terry, Digsy, Alex, Mig, et al that won't be copied and pasted 'elsewhere'. Rant over. Dunno about the Tesco fuel but given the choice of 99 octane vs 98+ octane with anti-detonant properties I'll stick to Optimax. Besides, there are 2 Shell garages within a mile of me -Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted July 14, 2005 Share Posted July 14, 2005 All of this is IMO...a estimate based on some facts. I believe one of the guys on here works for Tesco and confirmed that they buy petrol in from 3 different supliers. No one is sure who is supplying the 99RON...but it's not BP Ultishite and it's unlikely to be Shell's V-Power...best guesses are Texaco or Esso. This 99Ron fuel has to conform to a British Standard for Super Unleaded (97+) but it's worth noting that as it is cheaper there is likely to be a reason for it. I would hazard a guess that this Tesco fuel is standard 95 Ron Unleaded which has been mixed with Toluene to get it to 9RON (perfectly suitable for our use!) but without featuring the extra ingrdients that make some other fuels more expensive. I'm talking about the additives that promote a clean burn and help to clean/protect your engine. Texaco Clean System 3 is the most highly rated fuel for its cleaning properties... If you are lucky enough to be in the area where the 99Ron Tesco fuel is being tested you'll notice how cheap it is this is why I'm guessing you're using a Unleaded that's been boosted by Toluene...simple and very effective, though my assumption could be thrown off if Tesco's are actually using it as a loss leader. I would use a cleaning/advanced SUL every 4th tankful...Texaco or Optimax would be my preferred options. As a clean fuel system will benefit you more than the couple of quid it adds to the bill every now and again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted July 14, 2005 Share Posted July 14, 2005 For the vocal minority detractor (s?) of Optimax STILL banging on and on about how it's pretty much 95ron the moment it reaches the pumps, despite the letters from Shell and plain business sense and usage of it in high performance cars for years and years with no problems and all the other hard evidence staring them in the face, this: You forgot to add that V-Power from Shell is 99-100RON on the continent...so 98+ ain't exactly hard for them to achieve. in fact we probably get V-Power from time to time anyway. You can understand why they don't have a marking on the pump...it would have to read "98/99/100RON (delete as applicable)" or "98+" probably neither is allowed for being ambiguous...or some such bollox. But I'm confident that Shell would have been sued by now by someone if it's fuel wasn't sufficiently RON'd up. It's not like it's a small, fly-by-night business FFS! But don't let logic ruin a moment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imi Posted July 14, 2005 Share Posted July 14, 2005 You can understand why they don't have a marking on the pump...it would have to read "98/99/100RON (delete as applicable)" or "98+" probably neither is allowed for being ambiguous...or some such bollox. So how do Tesco manage to display 99 Octane on their pumps.....? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted July 14, 2005 Share Posted July 14, 2005 You can understand why they don't have a marking on the pump...it would have to read "98/99/100RON (delete as applicable)" or "98+" probably neither is allowed for being ambiguous...or some such bollox. So how do Tesco manage to display 99 Octane on their pumps.....? I am under the impression that the blend of additives etc that's in use in Optimax and the sites that produce it can vary slightly...and that the higher Octane fuel is produced there too...creating the discrepancies. Why they didn't just do the same fuel here is beyond me. The Tesco fuel is much more simple and easier to control the Octane levels on. I would hazard that it too will vary by 1 full point +- 99RON (98.5-99.5) but that as a whole it's more constant than Optimax. The Tesco fuel is good...just less complex and so easier to control. PS V-power goes in F1 engines....haven't seen too many Ferrari engine blow up's, have you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imi Posted July 14, 2005 Share Posted July 14, 2005 PS V-power goes in F1 engines....haven't seen too many Ferrari engine blow up's, have you? Perhaps the Renault is using Tesco 99 then I prefer the higher Octane rating as thats what the Jspec is designed for. Once Shell get their act together and give us 99-100OCtane fuel then one can begin to comtemplate using it as supposed to Tesco 99. IMHO... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted July 14, 2005 Share Posted July 14, 2005 Yeah - I'm not knocking the Tesco stuff...at all...just thought I'd point out it will be cheaper for a reason...market force or additives. I would temper its use with a tankful of fuel that's good at cleaning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imi Posted July 14, 2005 Share Posted July 14, 2005 Yeah - I'm not knocking the Tesco stuff...at all...just thought I'd point out it will be cheaper for a reason...market force or additives. I would temper its use with a tankful of fuel that's good at cleaning. I guess we'll have to: - Trust the Tesco brandname - 99 is aimed at performance cars so is suitable for them - Havent heard of any blow-up so far (some of us have been using it for 3 months) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chilli Posted July 14, 2005 Share Posted July 14, 2005 Is there much evidence to show that additives for cleaning in petrol are good in general? Or that lower ron petrol with additives for "cleaning" verses a higher ron simpler petrol is better? Personally I think I'd rather have the extra RONs because that does have a tangible benifit and maybe by a can of injector cleaner every so often to clean out the system in a controlled way, just a thought, L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted July 14, 2005 Share Posted July 14, 2005 We ran on 97RON ok before the others were available...I'm suggesting you use SUL Texaco or SUL Optimax for cleaning and yes I've seen tests done by magazines where they have used optimax on a dirty coked up engine and it was much much cleaner by the end of the test. It was EVO mag I believe and it was Optimax in a Z3 if I'm not mistaken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnA Posted July 14, 2005 Share Posted July 14, 2005 Next time someone goes to a Shell garage and they find a label claiming a RON value, please take a picture and post it here. Tesco clearly displays "99RON" BP and the others clearly display "97RON" in their SUL pumps Shell is evasive and full of shoite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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