News1 min ago
Supermarket or top brand fuel?
Hi ABers
I was informed recently that paying for cheap supermarket diesel is less economic than paying for more expensive top brand fuel as you get poorer fuel economy from the cheap fuel hence, you need to fuel up more often. Does anyone have any hard facts on this, or just their own ideas?
TIA
I was informed recently that paying for cheap supermarket diesel is less economic than paying for more expensive top brand fuel as you get poorer fuel economy from the cheap fuel hence, you need to fuel up more often. Does anyone have any hard facts on this, or just their own ideas?
TIA
Answers
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Strange how if you buy your fuel at a Motorway service area from one of the big brands it will only get you as far as the fuel that you buy from the supermarket for considerably less.
All fuels are blended to give the required octane rating so the argument about different blends is out the window, then you have quality control at the refinery to ensure things are to standard.
This is one area where you do not get more bang for your buck, just like designer labels on clothes.
All fuels are blended to give the required octane rating so the argument about different blends is out the window, then you have quality control at the refinery to ensure things are to standard.
This is one area where you do not get more bang for your buck, just like designer labels on clothes.
The one thing I am surprised at here was alexandered's comments as he mentioned that he has worked in a refinery.
True the refinery pools and blends its gasoline and that is the one source.
No, it is not true that all gasoline (petrol) and diesels are the same.
Why - because the loading of the trucks to take the fuel to the garages or industrial outlets is done in the distribution depot over what is known as the gantry.
Refineries often have multibranded gantries, drawing the same product down. Here comes the kicker, it is at the gantry that each respective brand's additives are added...and how the differentiation of say a Shell vs an Esso or Sainsbury's is achieved.
What the majors deliver to supermarkets is not their branded (additive) fuel. It meets the national specifications but no more.
I will only use Shell or Chevron as their detergency packages are far higher in effect, this keeps inlet valves etc cleaner (in petrol) and hence the fuel economy. In the US, Shell is now advertising, I understand, on the basis of a fuel economy saving - they dont have the balls to do so over here as they probably dont want to take on the legal expenses.
Having seen the impact of various fuels on engines in my time, in controlled and scientific runs, I would not touch supermarkets fuel or indeed a certain well known brand not from these shores with a barge pole because of the lack of detergency - leading to the carbon build up.....even inside 6000 miles.
True the refinery pools and blends its gasoline and that is the one source.
No, it is not true that all gasoline (petrol) and diesels are the same.
Why - because the loading of the trucks to take the fuel to the garages or industrial outlets is done in the distribution depot over what is known as the gantry.
Refineries often have multibranded gantries, drawing the same product down. Here comes the kicker, it is at the gantry that each respective brand's additives are added...and how the differentiation of say a Shell vs an Esso or Sainsbury's is achieved.
What the majors deliver to supermarkets is not their branded (additive) fuel. It meets the national specifications but no more.
I will only use Shell or Chevron as their detergency packages are far higher in effect, this keeps inlet valves etc cleaner (in petrol) and hence the fuel economy. In the US, Shell is now advertising, I understand, on the basis of a fuel economy saving - they dont have the balls to do so over here as they probably dont want to take on the legal expenses.
Having seen the impact of various fuels on engines in my time, in controlled and scientific runs, I would not touch supermarkets fuel or indeed a certain well known brand not from these shores with a barge pole because of the lack of detergency - leading to the carbon build up.....even inside 6000 miles.
-- answer removed --
my sister, who's a driver, forwarded me this email - please note that as with many such emails I have NO idea whatever if it's true, but others may be able to comment
I don't know what you guys are paying for gasoline.... but here in California we are paying up to $3.75 to $4.10 per gallon. My line of work is in petroleum for about 31 years now, so here are some tricks to get more of your money's worth for every gallon:
Here at the Kinder Morgan Pipeline where I work in San Jose, CA we deliver about 4 million gallons in a 24-hour period thru the pipeline. One day is diesel the next day is jet fuel, and gasoline, regular and premium grades. We have 34-storage tanks here with a total capacity of 16,800,000 gallons.
Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold.Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening....your gallon is not exactly a gallon. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum product plays an important role.
A 1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But the service stations do not have a temperature compensation at the pumps.
When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3) stages: low, middle, and high. You should be pumping on low mode, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some of the liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you're getting less worth for your money.
One of the most important tips are to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL. The reason for this is the more gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation. Unlike service stations, here where I work, every truck that we load is temperature compensated so that every gallon is actually the exact amount.
Another reminder, if there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up; most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom.
I don't know what you guys are paying for gasoline.... but here in California we are paying up to $3.75 to $4.10 per gallon. My line of work is in petroleum for about 31 years now, so here are some tricks to get more of your money's worth for every gallon:
Here at the Kinder Morgan Pipeline where I work in San Jose, CA we deliver about 4 million gallons in a 24-hour period thru the pipeline. One day is diesel the next day is jet fuel, and gasoline, regular and premium grades. We have 34-storage tanks here with a total capacity of 16,800,000 gallons.
Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold.Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening....your gallon is not exactly a gallon. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum product plays an important role.
A 1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But the service stations do not have a temperature compensation at the pumps.
When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3) stages: low, middle, and high. You should be pumping on low mode, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some of the liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you're getting less worth for your money.
One of the most important tips are to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL. The reason for this is the more gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation. Unlike service stations, here where I work, every truck that we load is temperature compensated so that every gallon is actually the exact amount.
Another reminder, if there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up; most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom.
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