Had the engine management light come on on my BMW, took it to a garage as I don’t have a code reader. The bloke there said it cold be because I filled up with Tesco unleaded 
. I was told ( 
) to burn that off and fill up with some “proper” fuel to see if that makes any difference.
So fellow TNUK’ers, is there any truth to the idea that supermarket fuel is poorer quality than, say BP??
bazza123:
Had the engine management light come on on my BMW, took it to a garage as I don’t have a code reader. The bloke there said it cold be because I filled up with Tesco unleadedSo fellow TNUK’ers, is there any truth to the idea that supermarket fuel is poorer quality than, say BP??
The Mrs and myself fill up at Morrisons all the time never had a problem yet but that is diesel not petrol.
I don’t know about lesser quality but when my ex and I used to borrow his dad’s car we were only allowed to fill it up at shell. It was about 10 years old and ran sweet as a nut, it really was a pleasure to drive . There’s definitely something to say for having the same additives in it it’s whole life. 
bazza123:
So fellow TNUK’ers, is there any truth to the idea that supermarket fuel is poorer quality than, say BP??
I don’t think so. All petrol sold in the UK must conform to a minimum standard (BS EN 228 for 95 RON) & it all comes from the same few refineries. The only difference is the additives added by each retailer.
Shells additives might, & I say might, clean your engine more effectively than say Morrisons but the base fuel is the same.
Thanks all, I was a bit 
to be honest.
I have a Chevy with a 7.6 ltr V8 a couple of months ago because my local garage was undergoing a revamp I filled up at toscos . any way a bit later it started running rough and eventualy wouldn’t start at all . so I got to checking it in my workshop and found the dizy cap teminals had burnt away so got a new cap roter arm ect fitted it and away she went , started perfect cold but when warm ran crap , changed fuel filter , still problems. Talking to a mate of mine (also in transport ) and mentioned about the moter said I thought it was electrical and then mentioned that I didn’t think it could be fuel cos id just filled up at toscos, as soon as I said that he said theirs your problem and that in the area he was in several people with bigger moters had experienced the same prob. any how cut a long story short I went and got a fuel octane booster put it in the tank and ran it around until I needed to refill again and then I refilled at an independent garage with the excelceum or whatever they call it. No probs ever since and before any one asks yes ive tried normal unleaded at the same garage and no prob. Now I have a number of contacts in M.I.R.A and on talking to them it is a problem that they are aware of , I also contacted a friend in trading standards who informed me that the quality of fuel from some of the leading supermarkets can vary considerably octane and addative wise,but as long as it comes within a certain range their is nothing at the moment they can do ( we are talking normal unleaded here ) the only way you can be sure is to use the premium unleaded that is wot it says on the tin and as the man from trading standards said to me you will probably find your fuel consumption is better as they advertise because you are getting wot you pay for.
norfolk
You don’t give the age of your Chevy but the problem you describe could be related to the Ethanol content in Tesco (& other S/market) fuel.
EU legislation specifies that oil co’s must have a 5% renewable (bio) content over the range of their fuels & in petrol this is Ethanol. This figure is due to rise to 10% sometime this year or early next & many older cars will have problems… Tesco, I believe, already add 10%.
It’s worth checking if this fuel is suitable for your car & if not only use the super unleaded Excellium, BP ultimate, Vpower which don’t contain much, if any, Ethanol… yet!
ETA: This explains it far better than I did 
groups.tr-register.co.uk/wes … pdate.html
Thanks for the info Mellchet, I will admit that the problem only arose with Tosco,s fuel having as I say normaly filled up at my local garage, and the same applied to my mate who said that problems had arisen in his area with Tosco,s so that must be the answer to the problems we had both encountered. It seems to apply to the bigger engines I don’t think the new lean burn engines have a problem but as you say as long as you use the excellcum stuff it isn’t a problem. However a problem that is causing concern is the bio diesel especially if you run old restored motors lack of lubrication and if you leave any in your fuel tanks for any time means you have the potential for the dreaded bug and again joe public is being taken for a ride. I read today that garages are having problems with filters blocking up on the pumps, if like a big supermarket you have a large turnover of fuel the problem isn’t as bad but on garages that don’t move it as quick then problems are arising. If I had a shop and sold watered down vodka as the genuine article id find myself In court, however its ok to sell fuel that’s made up of bio crap and at the same price and have the cheek when the price of crude rises to put the price up , then as usual we are being taken for a long and expensive ride. Oil unless im very much mistaken is drilled for gushes out the ground and is refined not planted in neat rows and harvested .
i have to use the higher octane fuel in my car. it doesnt like BP so i use tesco as its cheaper and lasts longer than shell
any car i have used the tesco value petrol runs like crap though including the 12 plate hire car i am currently running around in
Norfolk:
I would read your posts, they look to be interesting, but without meaning to be off, the punctuation is shocking. I cant get past the first line.
Sorry I don’t come up to your exacting standards Mr Smith
Cant say I’ve ever noticed any difference whether it’s supermarket fuel or the premium stuff, only cost.
I think it could be the vanos unit on its way out. I doubt it’s the petrol.
used to fill up at the local supermarket same amount every week 20 litres (diesel) , one week put the same amount in at an esso garage & found I got at least a 20% improvement in m.p.g , so I fuel in the shell station next to the supermarket now ( the esso is a bit far ) & have seen a constant improvement in fuel consumption ( I have a chrysler pt cruiser with a 2.2 mercedes diesel engine)
unclegargameld:
used to fill up at the local supermarket same amount every week 20 litres (diesel) , one week put the same amount in at an esso garage & found I got at least a 20% improvement in m.p.g , so I fuel in the shell station next to the supermarket now ( the esso is a bit far ) & have seen a constant improvement in fuel consumption ( I have a chrysler pt cruiser with a 2.2 mercedes diesel engine)
I thought it was just my local Esso’s pumps needed calibrating. It’s a noticeable difference.
I run a BMW 530D and a Ford Connect and between the two have clocked up over 24k miles so far this year. I have an app on my phone where all fuel purchases are entered, stored and analysed. I can find no evidence there at all where supermarket fuel is anyway inferior to the ‘proper’ stuff. Both motors are serviced at 10k mile intervals with at least an oil and filter change.