Buying your fuel at your local supermarket petrol station can often be cheaper that at some other places but does it make a difference to your engine
As prices continue to stay high for fuel it can be tempting to shop around for the cheapest option. This can often be at a supermarket – but does cutting the cost also cut the benefit?
According to the RAC for most petrol cars there is only one major mistake – and that isn’t whether you add Tesco or Morrisons fuel rather than one of the big brands such as Shell or BP. The only real mistake for most petrol engines is to mistakenly use diesel when it comes to filling up.
Answering the question “is supermarket fuel bad” the motoring organisation explained: “In short, no. There aren’t any major differences between supermarket and branded fuels. Supermarket fuel conforms to the same standards (the British Standard) as branded fuels supplied by one of the major oil companies.
“Every engine is designed to work with supermarket fuel. For several decades engines have been fitted with systems that automatically prevent issues (like ‘knock’).
“Using a higher grade fuel will provide a degree of fuel efficiency but may not be significant compared with other factors which affect fuel economy, most notably driver behaviour, vehicle load, tyre pressures and traffic and weather conditions. Some cars specify the use of higher octane fuels but drivers are unlikely to see any fuel efficiency benefits, particularly as they will be paying around 14p more a litre for super unleaded.”
And it also answered the question over whether premium fuel was worth it for ordinary motorists saying: “Again, this depends on your car. If you own a high-performance car a premium fuel may improve driving performance and fuel efficiency, and may even be required by the manufacturer.
“That’s because some brands include a package of fuel additives in their premium fuel, like detergent, which are designed to keep the internal parts of the engine clean, particularly the fuel injection system. So if you’re concerned about the health of your vehicles’ engine, it might be beneficial to choose a premium fuel rather than fuel with little or no detergent.
“Once a fuel injection system gets dirty no fuel line cleaner will be able to completely rectify the problem. However, for many cars a premium fuel makes no discernible difference to their performance but could see you paying out more for no reason, so research first before topping up.”
Kwikfit also has advice for motorists on the subject of using premium fuel. It said: “There are undoubtedly benefits to using premium fuel in your car.
“The higher the octane number, the more power gets delivered to your engine – meaning that you’re really making the most of every drop of petrol. It also, theoretically, results in a healthier engine over time, due to later ignitions from the fuel itself.
“Pair this with the added benefits many premium brands have included, such as cleaning additives that help to keep the engine clean, or lubricating agents, and it’s undeniable that when you look at pure chemistry, premium fuel is superior.
“However, while there is evidence to show that these perks are undoubtedly effective, there have been studies that show that these additives are equally as effective even if you only use premium fuel occasionally. So, for example, if you fill up with premium fuel once every five times, you’re still likely to see the benefit of perks such as engine cleaning and added lubrication.
“What’s most important to remember is that some cars run perfectly on standard unleaded fuel, whereas others require the additional efficacy of higher octane, premium versions. The key is to check your car’s handbook for guidance on getting the right fuel for your car.”
