SHELL optimax VS BP ultimate FUEL ! For DOHC VTEC

[ATSEK4]

I am just wondering if the Shell optimax better or the BP Ultimate better for DOHC Vtec

Most of my friends said BP Ultimate has better power and even run the engine safter as it does not explode better than optimax.

A friend of mine told me that a honda dealer recommanded BP either.

Some said optimax is the best fuel in Australia.. and some said it is only good for turbo..

my gf's driving instructor said he used to read something was talking about shell and BP fuel. He said BP is always better, as it explode much better than shell.. :confused:

Now i found everyone has different story :D

for me I could feel that shell optimax has better power, but i am not sure.. they both has 98 octane. Or maybe Shell has a cleaner petrol station, coles express discount that makes me feel better.

Any idea ???? just tell me how you feel or did anyone even put it on a dyno to test? but it must be done straight away.. like run with bp, clear the fuel tank put optimax .. :D

[spoondc2]

By feeling, I agree Optimax gives more power, but it feel like my car is addicted to it, just like taking drugs, I couldn't use other kind of fuel now, I used to be using BP Ultimate before but right now my car will be hard to start up and stall if i use fuel other than Optimax, so i don't know, i don't like it this way

Anyway, heard that every petrol company put different formulas in the fuel on summer and winter, so would anyone explain about it?

PS: Never tried BP vs Shell on dyno, i just used Shell to run the dyno and i got the "so-call" 100kw on wheel and that is quite fake to me

[ATSEK4]

By feeling, I agree Optimax gives more power, but it feel like my car is addicted to it, just like taking drugs, I couldn't use other kind of fuel now, I used to be using BP Ultimate before but right now my car will be hard to start up and stall if i use fuel other than Optimax, so i don't know, i don't like it this way

Anyway, heard that every petrol company put different formulas in the fuel on summer and winter, so would anyone explain about it?

PS: Never tried BP vs Shell on dyno, i just used Shell to run the dyno and i got the "so-call" 100kw on wheel and that is quite fake to me

I have got the same feeling as well.. i could feel optimax gives more power and after i used BP i found that my car was not going that good.. So are you saying Shell fuel gives better/less power on the dyno? same weather ? same tyres? same dyno? Thanks !

[SiR JDM]

I dont know anyone that uses Optimax on hondas anymore. Ive spoken to alot of honda drivers, mechanics etc and they all agree Optimax is crap.. the refineries in adelade are dirty or something i read.. anyway read my post here
http://www.ozhonda.com/forum/showpost.php?p=173352&postcount=23

[z3lda]

there both shit, go senergy 8000 from moblie.!

[spoondc2]

I have got the same feeling as well.. i could feel optimax gives more power and after i used BP i found that my car was not going that good.. So are you saying Shell fuel gives better/less power on the dyno? same weather ? same tyres? same dyno? Thanks !
I mean I never tired to use BP fuel on dyno, i've tired Shell only, and what i mean about the dyno is, "I don't trust the numbers at all", my car got slower on the road after tune :thumbdwn:

anyway, the weather is quite cool when i did the dyno, BS GIII, same dyno(See ann Jay :confused:)

PS: Although everyone said Shell gives more power, but i don't like it, i don't need "car steroids", and least it makes my car addicted to it already.....

ALL PERSONAL OPINIONS :)

[Sp3rMz]

This thread has been discussed before on alot of forums. Shell is the last of all options after reading all the discussions. I drive a Dc2r and I use only mobile or Bp not becoz people say so but its because Shell leaves all this black soot like dots all over my back bumper. I did some reasearch and its because shell petrol isnt very clean. SO i changed to mobile and bp one day. From that day on no more dirty bumper. As for dohc vtec power, reading Clubrsx threads BP is the choice for all type R drivers. Personaly my fuel of choice is Mobil Premium Unleaded 8000. I only go to bp if its cheaper.

Hope that answers your question.

[Setanta]

Synergy 8000 > BP Ultimate > Shell "let's throw every motherf*cking chemical we can lay our hands on to get 98 octane" Opticrap.

BTW - Octane is more about not pinging than it is about delivering power. More to the point, we are still using RON figures not MON figures so it's still crap anyway. If you can see an improvement at the wheels by running 3 different fuels all rated @ 98 RON then I'd be very surprised.

BTW - have a look at your tailpipe after doing an interstate run on Opticrap - it's fouled with carbon deposits around the tip. You don't get that with BP or Mobil (I speak from experience).

I'd rather pee in my tank than put Shell products in there again.

Just my opinion - but you asked.

[spoondc2]

This thread has been discussed before on alot of forums. Shell is the last of all options after reading all the discussions. I drive a Dc2r and I use only mobile or Bp not becoz people say so but its because Shell leaves all this black soot like dots all over my back bumper. I did some reasearch and its because shell petrol isnt very clean. SO i changed to mobile and bp one day. From that day on no more dirty bumper. As for dohc vtec power, reading Clubrsx threads BP is the choice for all type R drivers. Personaly my fuel of choice is Mobil Premium Unleaded 8000. I only go to bp if its cheaper.

Hope that answers your question.
I TOTALLY AGREE!!!!!
Right now what i gotta do is let my child to get rid of the Optimax Drug

Anyway, read newspaper, it saids Caltax developed a new formula and it will produce the cleanest fuel in the world, and it's 98 RON finally......

[Setanta]

That's the new Vortex varient isn't it? But I have a feeling Vortex comes from on of the big 3's refineries... but I'll be interested to see if it lives up to the hype :)

[kenshin]

This thread has been discussed before on alot of forums. Shell is the last of all options after reading all the discussions. I drive a Dc2r and I use only mobile or Bp not becoz people say so but its because Shell leaves all this black soot like dots all over my back bumper. I did some reasearch and its because shell petrol isnt very clean. SO i changed to mobile and bp one day. From that day on no more dirty bumper. As for dohc vtec power, reading Clubrsx threads BP is the choice for all type R drivers. Personaly my fuel of choice is Mobil Premium Unleaded 8000. I only go to bp if its cheaper.

Hope that answers your question.
same here...
still got small amounts of black soot here and there thou... but no where near as much as when she was on shell opticrap...

synergy 8000

[--eskimo-eg--]

im on BP side!!!lol used to go w optimax but i feel that BP can last longer than optimax and i reckon its much cleaner, but i could be wrong

[spoondc2]

im on BP side!!!lol used to go w optimax but i feel that BP can last longer than optimax and i reckon its much cleaner, but i could be wrong
I agree BP last LOT longer than Shell, at least 50km more, good enough for me, hehe at least BP claims "Cleaner Engine" but Shell does not, it just shows a Ferrari revving from the sea back to the land.........:p

[vti-r steve]

My dyno tune guy recomends BP and Mobil (if you can't get BP) only, and in that order as BP burns better resulting in better power and less carbon deposits to release out the exhaust.
I did a trip to Melbourne in March 2004 in my Civic VTI-R and did 3000kms in a week, I had to fill the tank with what ever fuel I could get and the difference between the fuel's was definatley noticeable in that it was smother and quieter with BP.
I had never noticed a difference around town but going through a tank of fuel in several hours made it very noticable.
I run all of my car's now "only" on BP 98ron.
This is also MY oppinon and hope it helps.

[PhatSol]

I never use Ultimate, because a certain BP fuel station has told us to f___ off on multiple occasions. So I always use Optimax. I never had a problem with optimax (appart from water in the fuel once - but that is the fuel station's fault not the fuel itself). The mirage made good power with optimax on the dyno. The high flow cat converter was still in perfect condition after running optimax for about 10,000km.

Ohh and don't forget the coles express dockets lol :D

[EuroAccord13]

BP Ultimate got less Carbon Build Up in the engine compared to Optimax... I saw this myself with my old car when the engine was taken apart on both occasions when I tested between these two fuels....

[Setanta]

The mirage made good power with optimax on the dyno.
Care to explain this? I'm just interested as I have NEVER seen an improvement in power/torque at the front wheels by changing fuels with the same octane rating. Octane increases reduce detonation issues - in a car designed to run on 96 RON at best (the mirage), I fail to see how you can increase power/torque by moving to a higher octane. By advancing ignition - possibly - but not changing fuel brands with the same RON.

What is "good power" anyway? Put it into perspective, how do you see an improvement ATW given the losses incurred through drivetrain etc?

[ATSEK4]

I agree BP last LOT longer than Shell, at least 50km more, good enough for me, hehe at least BP claims "Cleaner Engine" but Shell does not, it just shows a Ferrari revving from the sea back to the land.........:p

I do agree the fact that found heaps of black spots at the rear bumper.
I am going to get a graph from someone to show that BP is better ..etc
LETZ TRY BP !

[Sp3rMz]

OPTIMAX is all about the coles docket thats why i've been on it for so long LOL. I just got fed up with cleaning my bumper every day of driving.

[spoondc2]

I do agree the fact that found heaps of black spots at the rear bumper.
I am going to get a graph from someone to show that BP is better ..etc
LETZ TRY BP !
I think it's very hard to find someone who use both BP and Ultimate on dyno :confused:

[crxzzR]

My personal opinion: i've been using vortex gold on my crx and it runs great... i've been told by a work mate that shell has a high sulfur content.. and it eats away @ the engine when it turns to a form of acid..my car seems very rough with optimax.. but with vortex gold it goes nicely.. and anyways vortex gold has discounts as well.. woolies..! the cheapest petrol station i have always seen is prob the caltex @ roselands along king georges rd.. today most places were like 99-101c/l(regular) @ roselands it was like 94c/l (regular) and on top of that i got a permanent discount @ caltex.. so making it 90c/l(regular) or 100.9c/l(vortex gold before discount) and 96.9c/l(vortex gold after discount) it does feel noticeable cleaner in my car...

[Setanta]

Yep - I have had to run the Vortex gold on occasion too when nothing else was available - I just dropped in enough to get me to a servo with 98 RON but it was smooth on the motor - although I didn't run it up high.

[spoondc2]

Vortex Gold is 95 or 98RON?

[Mr. Focus]

i use either vortex gold or BP ultimate. havent tried the shell optimax. not really fan of shell anyways. i know that my CRX doesnt like using normal unleaded fuels anymore. i always treat her to the good stuff ;)

[ATSEK4]

I think it's very hard to find someone who use both BP and Ultimate on dyno :confused:

NO man.. not a dyno graph.. it is a graph showing comparison of shell bp and others.

[PhatSol]

in a car designed to run on 96 RON at best (the mirage), I fail to see how you can increase power/torque by moving to a higher octane. By advancing ignition - possibly Yes, it was by changing the timing maps. By good power I mean in comparison to other 4G15's with the same mods. Unfortunatley I don't have the money to do back to back tuning on shell and BP... Anyway it would have to be a pretty big diffrence to make me go back to BP.

[Civic Type R]

top up with some 105RON track fuel.
go half BP ultimate and 20l of the 105 spirit. Nothing will be better !

[b00std]

I'd rather pee in my tank than put Shell products in there again.


i totally agree!!! lol bp has always done it for me.. with all my cars from turbo 4's and 6's to turbo rotarys to hard tuned na 4's..

[spoondc2]

top up with some 105RON track fuel.
go half BP ultimate and 20l of the 105 spirit. Nothing will be better !
Where do you get the 105RON fuel?
I got told i need a competition lic for purchase :(

[ENDLESS]

Where do you get the 105RON fuel?
I got told i need a competition lic for purchase :(Not sure about 105...but you can buy the 100 ron from Shell... On the way to ipswich road..

[ENDLESS]

Not sure on other cars... but for Dc5r... modified with optimax is about the same speed as a stock with Ultima... with K20, the Ultima is a lot better...

[Civic Type R]

you can get 105 RON from some race supplier shops. Its about $5 / litre tho :(

[crxzzR]

vortex gold is 95 ron i think.. classed as their premium unleaded..
BUT caltex has now released vortex 98 which is 98 ron.. if u guys are caltex fans head over to www.caltex.com.au and theres a map showing caltex locations..
if ur in the eastern suburbs in nsw then coogee south and nth bondi seem to be the closest with vortex 98

[kenshin]

you can get 105 RON from some race supplier shops. Its about $5 / litre tho :(
is it good to buy fuel which has been sitting on store shelfs for awhile??

i've read that fuel deteriorates, some ppl i know actually goto trouble to ask the servo guy when did the last fuel tanker come in... it may be 105 RON at time of production but when you actually come round to using it may be alot less...

5bux a litre...
and i thought octane booster was a rip off

[Civic Type R]

its race fuel in which they use for the track GT series.
It gets turned over quite regularily - a lot more than u expect.

[SPEEDCORE]

I'm not sure of the validity of the information they provided but I remember watching I think it was RPM about the control fuel for the V8 Supercars, Optimax.

A batch is produced and stored for the entire season so I guess the stability issues regarding the denaturing of octane is if the fuels are kept in conditions that alow it to deteriorate easily.

On the Optimax facts, it is actually 98.4 RON and guarenteed to keep its RON above 98 if stored under specific conditions for up to one year.

[LatinoHatchCrap]

I also use Optimax. Like the others my rear bumper seems to get dirty quite easily :(

[b18a]

lol.... :!:
lot of u guys said that he Optimax dirt ur rear bumper, but i never experience that. perheps it's because of my engine is JDM b16a and it was designed to run 100 RON??

Optimax is ok for my engine, at least there is not any knocking or anything.
never tried BP's ultima on this engine tho.

i remember one time, shell was out to 98 RON, and my tank was nearly empty, so i filled in $10 unlead... guess what happen...
the car was lake of power, and the engine was shaking and pinging like hell when accel. in low rpm. i even had to rev to at least 4,000 rpm to move the car at 1st gear... :rolleyes:

Cheers

[b18a]

about the racing fuel, i was told from one of my mates that u can buy 100 RON from the BP in Wynnum. roughly about $1.xx per litre, no idea of the exactly location tho... :o

Cheers

[kenshin]

lol.... :!:
lot of u guys said that he Optimax dirt ur rear bumper, but i never experience that. perheps it's because of my engine is JDM b16a and it was designed to run 100 RON??

Optimax is ok for my engine, at least there is not any knocking or anything.
never tried BP's ultima on this engine tho.

i remember one time, shell was out to 98 RON, and my tank was nearly empty, so i filled in $10 unlead... guess what happen...
the car was lake of power, and the engine was shaking and pinging like hell when accel. in low rpm. i even had to rev to at least 4,000 rpm to move the car at 1st gear... :rolleyes:

Cheers
mine's jdm...

[ATSEK4]

lol.... :!:
lot of u guys said that he Optimax dirt ur rear bumper, but i never experience that. perheps it's because of my engine is JDM b16a and it was designed to run 100 RON??

Optimax is ok for my engine, at least there is not any knocking or anything.
never tried BP's ultima on this engine tho.

i remember one time, shell was out to 98 RON, and my tank was nearly empty, so i filled in $10 unlead... guess what happen...
the car was lake of power, and the engine was shaking and pinging like hell when accel. in low rpm. i even had to rev to at least 4,000 rpm to move the car at 1st gear... :rolleyes:

Cheers

huh? didn't you know VTEC engine only drinks premium unleaded fuel? you were killing the engine. If your car came with Vtec engine, you should see premium unleaded fuel only sticker behind the fuel cover. Thx !

[Setanta]

B18a: I *think* my engine might be JDM somehoe - seeing as the rest of the car is an import. ;)

[Civic Type R]

last year i took the civic on a country trip (B16A2) VTiR and i had to use normal unleaded fuel for 200km or so. This fuel was only about 89RON where i needed to use the Premium stuff. It ran fine and i had no dramas with it.
If i put some of that cordial in the JDM B18c i would be pinging all the way out of the service station.

At the end of the day Australia is a big country and we have lots of refinerys. Some say WA has the best quality controlled fuel, yet those in Melbourne can dispute that. Fuels arent perfect and sometimes a bad batch can be distilled. Big measures are taken to verify each fuel quality but comparing Melbournes fuel to Syndeys, Perth or Darwins isnt getting this arguement anywhere. Dont believe the media hype, just go to the servo who you trust and feel happy with.
For me i can only use BP Ultimate 98 - bacause i have a JDM engine and an ECU that demands nothing less.

[todaek9]

why don't they give us 100 RON's fuel...sob sob...

[Johnmiceter]

Does the different types of fuel really make that much of a difference ? Well a noticeable one anyway.

I'm not really used to having a nice car, only a crappy 83 celica and a 83 commodore. And I tried Optimax before and didn't notice any difference at all.

But I am hopefully getting a VTI 95 hatch in the next few days. So will it really make that much difference if I use the Premium fuel compared to the normal Unleaded ?

Maybe the VTEC Engine is sensitive and can tell the differnce to certain types of fuel where other engines don't really matter :confused:

[ATSEK4]

why don't they give us 100 RON's fuel...sob sob...

Because Australia is always behind... everything is slower.. i dun see any 180 R32 GTIR starlet GT in overseas.. coz they all imported to australia.. too old. And also australia civic does not have type R.. even the new model... and DC5 does not have "blambo" clips like the japs version.. sigh..

[Sp3rMz]

Well mobil has two premiums. 6000 and 8000. I accidently put in 6000 last week and i was complaining why my car was soo sluggish and engine sounded a bit stoned. Petrol burnt up real quick too. I went back to mobil to put more petrol in and reaslised then they had two premiums the blue and the purple. I accidently put in 6000. Thing is if you read you're manual (dc2r) it says "you can run the car fine on unleaded, just the car wont run to its full potential and is not advised for every day use. EMERGENCY ONLY".

[edw-R]

Anybody have comment to use octane booster??

[Sp3rMz]

its expensive :D

[Lyle_Style]

Optimax is apparently only fuel in australia that does not fluctuate its octaine level its constant at 98
Bp ultimate fluctuates

[SPEEDCORE]

Anybody have comment to use octane booster??
Yeah, don't use it!

[spoondc2]

Yeah, don't use it!
Not sure if it's related but 1 of my injectors is damage straight after i put a bottle of octane booster + Optimax, and also i've seen some report from somewhere (couldn't remember where did i see it), it claims that most of the octane booster in the market doesn't really "increase" the octane number, it is rather just some chemical stuff that i do not know about, so....... I agree it's not good to use it also :rolleyes:

[ATSEK4]

Optimax is apparently only fuel in australia that does not fluctuate its octaine level its constant at 98
Bp ultimate fluctuates

Have you got anything to support your thinking? thx !

[kenshin]

Anybody have comment to use octane booster??
its pointless...
vtec engines and fuel management systems were designned to run on 98 RON fuel anything higher the engine wont take advantage of it...

and yes i've tried it no difference...

poured in a bottle of injector cleaner thou and that was pretty noticable... ;)

[ATSEK4]

Not sure if it's related but 1 of my injectors is damage straight after i put a bottle of octane booster + Optimax, and also i've seen some report from somewhere (couldn't remember where did i see it), it claims that most of the octane booster in the market doesn't really "increase" the octane number, it is rather just some chemical stuff that i do not know about, so....... I agree it's not good to use it also :rolleyes:

A freind of mine who used to work in a workshop in HK, they said some people put "Chou Yuen" into the fuel tank. "it is those little chemical things where you put inside your wardrobe or drawers to prevent insect and wet.

they said this will clean all the injectors and everything and also improve performance as well..

I have not brave enough to try. Anyone ever heard or tried? Thx !

[ATSEK4]

its pointless...
vtec engines and fuel management systems were designned to run on 98 RON fuel anything higher the engine wont take advantage of it...

and yes i've tried it no difference...

poured in a bottle of injector cleaner thou and that was pretty noticable... ;)

the fuel management systems were designned to run on 98 RON fuel.. But we are using Apexi Power Fc, is it going to be the same story? Thx !

[spoondc2]

A freind of mine who used to work in a workshop in HK, they said some people put "Chou Yuen" into the fuel tank. "it is those little chemical things where you put inside your wardrobe or drawers to prevent insect and wet.

they said this will clean all the injectors and everything and also improve performance as well..

I have not brave enough to try. Anyone ever heard or tried? Thx !
Oh those $28hkd 4 pcs car pills? I am not dare to try also........ i rather take out the injector myself and start cleaning........

[Civic Type R]

lol. a car pill.
you may as well upend a can of Red Bull in there for anyone knows what will happen ...

[ATSEK4]

Oh those $28hkd 4 pcs car pills? I am not dare to try also........ i rather take out the injector myself and start cleaning........

oh they even selling them.. those car pills are just like what i said those things inside the drawer. Dun try ! unless someone say it is good with something to support it is good. i dun think so.. its a joke.

[edw-R]

the fuel management systems were designned to run on 98 RON fuel.. But we are using Apexi Power Fc, is it going to be the same story? Thx !
You are right. If you use factory cpu, octane booster is no useful. If you use after market cpu (eg.power fc), you can adjust the timing to make more power.

[Johnmiceter]

So overall, you is BP Ultimate the best to use ?

Seems most people like this. And if I didn't come on here I would have probably just put normal unleaded fuel in mine. Because I am not sure if it would really make that much of a difference performance wise between the Prmium fuel or the standard unleaded.

[spoondc2]

oh they even selling them.. those car pills are just like what i said those things inside the drawer. Dun try ! unless someone say it is good with something to support it is good. i dun think so.. its a joke.
Well, no matter what, i won't buy those pills, also those rubber band, Ion foam......etc....... and those Direct Power units...... selling for $1200 and it just cost me $100 to DIY......

[ATSEK4]

Well, no matter what, i won't buy those pills, also those rubber band, Ion foam......etc....... and those Direct Power units...... selling for $1200 and it just cost me $100 to DIY......

All these stuffs are a joke to make money. They do have the selling point. yet the gain is going to be 0.000000001 kw. They are invented for those who wants to spend less money with big difference. Can enjoy in their little world.

[kenshin]

judging by people's responses...
bp ultimate / mobil 8000 = safe to use
optimax = either yay or nay...

find a good servo which you're car's happy with and at decent pricing

[Sp3rMz]

BP->Mobil->Shell

[antikz]

**** Optimax !!

[SPEEDCORE]

lol. a car pill.
you may as well upend a can of Red Bull in there for anyone knows what will happen ...
Give it wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiings!

Now we know how GT wings mysteriously appear on all these cars....

[redliner]

switch from optimax -> ultimate, no turning back... ultimate is heaps smooth and hoping when Caltex 98 comes out.. im going to try that with my 4cents woolworth discount :)

[muli]

i use ultimate but i think im gonna start using optimax as shell has flybuy points :)

[kenshin]

noooooooooooo dont do that to your car... flybuys is just a gimmick man...

[MRFIT]

i use ultimate but i think im gonna start using optimax as shell has flybuy points :)
hehe..... flybuy sucks...... the points expires too quick....

:D has anyone here flew with flybuy points??

[Johnmiceter]

Maybe you should have made a poll for this, so many different opinions :)

[kenshin]

seems optimax quality fluctuates from area to area (even within states)...

my last post in this thread...

[PhatSol]

seems optimax quality fluctuates from area to area (even within states)...

my last post in this thread...
Yes indeed, very dependant on the fuel station and thier handling practices.

[spoondc2]

hehe..... flybuy sucks...... the points expires too quick....

:D has anyone here flew with flybuy points??
No....... but guess what i get after 5 years? a $50 voucher !!!

[EK9]

after reading 7 pages, i seriously don't know wot to think. i guess in the end, it's a personal thing. I myself can't get my hands on BP ultimate, cos it's seems the crappy BP stations on the way to my place don't have it... i can only get Mobil and Optimax. I've been only using Optimax in my car since the day i bought it, and i've had no probs. Only once every while do i use Mobil, but i c no difference.

Unless BP go and put Ultimate in at their stations near my place, i'll stick to Optimax... cos the Mobil station is kinda mini in size, and i trust the Shell ones more. oh, and i don't ever get anything on my bumper or muffler... maybe it's just cos my tip sticks out too far! hehe... Or someone go and find a reliable source where they tested these fuels and said fuel X is better, then i'll believe it. Else everything i've read is just talk... that's just my opinion. ;)

[Savant]

i use optimax all the time. coles dockets, fly buys and it's close.

used bp once or twice and mobile 8000 once and haven't found a difference with either. no dirty bumper with optimax either. i'm in vtec everytime i drive also.

[edw-R]

Honda mechanic said: "BP ultimate is the best for honda."
But i think nearly the same between ultimate and optimax. I can't feel which is better. I think depend on the whether when you drive.

[Savant]

Honda mechanic said: "BP ultimate is the best for honda."
But i think nearly the same between ultimate and optimax. I can't feel which is better. I think depend on the whether when you drive.did he specify why?

Everyone is bagging optimax with the only evidence being that they get a dirty bumper. IF there was a difference in fuels, it would be marginal, definately not noticeable because they are all 98RON. Maybe you got a bad batch or something i dunno

but until someone gives evidence froma scientific point of view that a one fuel is better than another then we should just keep this as discussion rather than acting like we are all full of facts.

some unsuspecting person will come along and read this thread and think that someone is telling the truth about a fuel when really it is all opinion.

[danhvu]

optimax only have 96 octane, bp has 98 octane

[PhatSol]

optimax only have 96 octane, bp has 98 octane
Wrong. Optimax has always been 98. Go to the Shell website.

[VTEC16]

I used to use only optimax - and was worried about the excessive black stuff on my rear bar.

then i switched to ultimate and dont have that problem.

....no idea about performance differances between the two...

...but the gay guy at my local BP sais its much better than any other fuel....

[SiR JDM]

Everyone is bagging optimax with the only evidence being that they get a dirty bumper. IF there was a difference in fuels, it would be marginal, definately not noticeable because they are all 98RON.
Im juding from my milage experience... Ultimate was much more efficient.. i always get better milage from it.. =]
In terms of power and all that.. no idea like savant said.. doubt it would be noticable...

[Limbo]

I've used both of them and have to say that i think that the Sheel seems to produce more power, but the BP was smoother. THe BP though seems to last longer and gives better milage.

I only notice this more when the Vtec kicks in. I haven't used the Synegy on the civic as yet but on my previous which had VVT it was just as good but seem to run out real fast. On the vortex it seems ok but doesn't have the kick that you really need.

[euro77]

I've always been using Optimax, but when I read (in another thread) that bp ulitmate and/or mobil synergy 8000 is better, I tried both of them, and from my experience, I can feel that bp & mobil gives better & smoother acceleration compared to optimax. Between bp & mobil though, I can't tell the difference. So now I'm always using either Mobil or BP... but Mobil is much closer to my home so I use Mobil more often.

[bizee_1]

I'd rather pee in my tank than put Shell products in there again.
Just my opinion - but you asked.
Now i'd pay $$ to see that !!!! :D

i favour more Synergy 8k & Ultimate. Then Vortex 98 & Optimax.
frankly, don't really mind what gas i use, as long as it's 98 ron.

i mean sometimes i change from between the four several times a month.

like, if i fill up with $5 from one, then $5 another & again & again...
maybe that will give me the best compromise of each, eey !?

[zoopsta]

hey there
i have read many threads about this topic and ill say something none of u guys have mentioned (but dont quote me on this - iam just referring to a source)
Now i cant remember exactly, but its along the lines of this:
BP Ultimate fuel is purely 98RON, but Shell Optimax is actually lower than 98, but they add stuff to the fuel to bring it up to the 98 level.
Also, the chemical additive in Optimax (called teluine or something) is left stuck in the surrounds of your fuel tank and other bits the fuel go through (like an unwanted deposit).
I use ultimate myself, a much smoother ride ;)

[spoondc2]

hey there
i have read many threads about this topic and ill say something none of u guys have mentioned (but dont quote me on this - iam just referring to a source)
Now i cant remember exactly, but its along the lines of this:
BP Ultimate fuel is purely 98RON, but Shell Optimax is actually lower than 98, but they add stuff to the fuel to bring it up to the 98 level.
Also, the chemical additive in Optimax (called teluine or something) is left stuck in the surrounds of your fuel tank and other bits the fuel go through (like an unwanted deposit).
I use ultimate myself, a much smoother ride ;)
Thanks for you info, so any idea to get rid of the teluine thing? :(

[muli]

No....... but guess what i get after 5 years? a $50 voucher !!!
i only been a member for few months and i already got $20 gift voucher, i guess it depends how much you use it

[PhatSol]

hey there
i have read many threads about this topic and ill say something none of u guys have mentioned (but dont quote me on this - iam just referring to a source)
Now i cant remember exactly, but its along the lines of this:
BP Ultimate fuel is purely 98RON, but Shell Optimax is actually lower than 98, but they add stuff to the fuel to bring it up to the 98 level.
Also, the chemical additive in Optimax (called teluine or something) is left stuck in the surrounds of your fuel tank and other bits the fuel go through (like an unwanted deposit).
I use ultimate myself, a much smoother ride ;)
Shell says "The high octane is due to the blended fuel and not the use of octane boosting fuel additives". (http://www.shell.com/home/Framework?siteId=au-en&FC2=/au-en/html/iwgen/shell_for_motorists/fuels/zzz_lhn.html&FC3=/au-en/tailored/shell_for_motorists/fuels/optimax/optimax_faqs_ga_1602.html)

[h22a accord]

i mostly use optimax and some times ultimate, it seems that sometimes one or the other goes better.

ultimate is more expensive, ( $120.9 ) so i lean towards optimax, i only use the high octane stuff cos the motor needs it.

[muli]

just paid 94.2c for ultimate today :)

[SiR]

just paid 94.2c for ultimate today :)
Holy sh*t!! That's cheap as....no where near those prices here in Sydney :(

[kenshin]

i mostly use optimax and some times ultimate, it seems that sometimes one or the other goes better.

ultimate is more expensive, ( $120.9 ) so i lean towards optimax, i only use the high octane stuff cos the motor needs it.
$120.9 thats some expensive fuel... hope they're putting caviar in it...

[Sp3rMz]

seems optimax quality fluctuates from area to area (even within states)...

my last post in this thread...Liar!

[Civic Type R]

just paid 94.2c for ultimate today :):eek: u bastard.
i wish it was that cheap over here !

[ATSEK4]

Holy sh*t!! That's cheap as....no where near those prices here in Sydney :(

Just paid 92.5 ultimate today. ^^

[kenshin]

Liar!
couldnt resist... $120.9 / litre post :P

[SiR JDM]

ok since this thread is still active, this week i filled up... drove to and past the city and back during peak hour.. due to a broken IACV my car idles at 2000 rpm and also because of that my throttle has been seeing alot more of the firewall than usual and ive just ticked over 400kms with atleast 1/8th tank left... filled up at 98.9c ultimate (cheap for melb atm!).. could push it to 450 easy so b16as IMO are very good back for buck!
Plus i have exposed pod and a/m headers so the car is seeing more flow than stock..

[Baopham]

ultimate is better.. straight up.. more expensive but better.. as the saying goes "you get what you pay for" both have been dyno'd in a b16a, optimax pings and ultimate doesnt.. nuff said

[Sp3rMz]

I believe you're all wrong. I believe red bull makes your car fly. Little bird told me so. :D

[preludacris]

ultimate is better.. straight up.. more expensive but better.. as the saying goes "you get what you pay for" both have been dyno'd in a b16a, optimax pings and ultimate doesnt.. nuff said

Soo true!
My car ****t up recently, and needed a new distributer, since it got repaired it has been pinging like and absolute BITCH!!! So i gotta use the High Octane fuel to stop the pinging.

BP Ultimate pretty much stopped the pinging.....
Shell Optimax still has quite noticable pinging when i put my foot down
Unleaded...........lets just say im too embarrest to drive in public with that amount of pinging!!

Also an interesting fact....I did a lil experiment.....I drove with a light foot with unleaded petrol and got 530 k's off a tank. And then switched to BP Ultimate and got Over 600k's for the tank.

BP ULTIMATE all the way!!

[CarnetiK]

Both are good. I use Shell Optimax normally but if I'm running out of fuel then I get BP Ultimate.

[civ_sik]

i use bp not only because bp is closer, but also because shell is further away

[PhatSol]

ultimate is better.. straight up.. more expensive but better.. as the saying goes "you get what you pay for" both have been dyno'd in a b16a, optimax pings and ultimate doesnt.. nuff said
Shell is bad mmmkay :rolleyes:

[crxzzR]

Is pinging the "ticking" sound u hear from the engine when it is idle/moving ?

[preludacris]

well, i havnt really heard an engine ping when its idling. It Pings when u put ur foot on the gas tho, when the engine is trying to pull. It sounds like a little piece of sand or something being shaken around in an empty tin.

I heard it can be fixed by playing around with the distributer. the pinging sound is the pistons or something, not firing in sync.
Can anybody correct me on this?

[Limbo]

Well this thread was about fuel. I'm sure your running one of the 98 Ron fuels if you have a vtec car? If not that also causes pinging.

Also sounds like your timing might be off. If you know how, get a timing gun and adjust the timing to factory settings. The setting is on the underside of the bonnet. Look in the Honda manual i think it tells you how to check the timing. a Timing gun costs around $30 - $200 depending on how good it is. IF you don't want to do it goto a mechanic and ask him to adjust it for you and just watch.


If you don't know what your doing you could stuff up the timing even more and if you engage the vtech while your timing is off so bad you'll likely damage something

[Ozwolfbane]

Surprisingly No one uses Vortex ?? Its cheap and is really good on the car...i recommend atleast give it a try once...have never used BP (Bloddy exPensive), filled up Shell once...was very rough on engine...never again....Vortex has always been 100% for me and with the woolies voucher too ;) if Vortex is so excellent i gotta try the 98 stuff !!! I swear by Caltex....Shell sucks

[Thorn2004]

I will use nothing but Shell Optimax for my Accord Euro, I tried Mobils Synergy and some of the others too but nothing seemed to make my Euro hum and run as smooth as it does when I changed over to Shell! I am serious, the engine runs smoother, I get better acceleration and even better fuel efficiency! Go figure?

[Weq]

if u got d16, BP all the way. nothing makes my baby sing as sweet. Ive had many ppl i know fillup with BP when optimax wasnt being delivered, and have swapped over since because its so awsome.

[karbonphyber]

yumyum 100octane.... *gRinz* my dreams of my baby becoming the batmobile are fast returning. hahahahaahha

[SiR]

Surprisingly No one uses Vortex ?? Its cheap and is really good on the car...i recommend atleast give it a try once...have never used BP (Bloddy exPensive), filled up Shell once...was very rough on engine...never again....Vortex has always been 100% for me and with the woolies voucher too ;) if Vortex is so excellent i gotta try the 98 stuff !!! I swear by Caltex....Shell sucks
I'm gonna try out the Vortex 98 for the 1st time today. I'll see if I notice any diff. etc.

[civ_sik]

tell us how it goes...

[Chi]

Dmanit i hate reading threads liek these.

Now im confused on wot to use ..........!!!!

I think ill decide with spin the bottle or sumthing.

[Chosta]

Im fortunate to live next to a shell, mobil, and BP just under 2km away. Shell/Optimax leaves a carbon build-up all over your car (in the car engine and on outside) very quickly. BP/Ultimate actually cleans your car so there's an advantage! but bit pricy... Snergy8000 is probably the best but is also expensive...

There is no significant performance difference between the three...So take your pick!

[karbonphyber]

Chi, lol i know what you mean.

why not clean up the car first? lol BP Ultimate!

[NightRyder]

Hey Fellas,
correct me if I am wrong, but wasn't there a time when Ethanol was placed in fuel and therefore would be bad for the engine?
BP was known to be the worst and a colleague of mine had been told by a mechanic that BP used more ethanol than the other fuel brands.
The way he identified it was the orange/yellowish residue in her fuel filters etc when the mechanic had finished with his service. And when you go pour your fuel, you will notice the BP fuel is more yellow than say Mobil or Shell.

AND on top of that, I hear some people saying that ethanol is good for the engine...wtf??..as if!!

So, my other question is, is it because of this yellowwish colour in BP fuel (not that I am bagging it out) that doesn't cause the black carbon soot to be produced compared to the Shell Optimax??..

I am willing to go with the majority but confused on WHICH fuel is the best for my vtec engine, even after reading all the threads.

Anybody able to shed more light on this subject?

:)

[joyride]

AND on top of that, I hear some people saying that ethanol is good for the engine...wtf??..as if!!a little is supposedly good for flushing out impurities

[iijjee]

If you've taken the time to read all of these posts - 100+ of them - you will have noticed that nobody is complaining about the way the BP ULtimate fuel burns!!! That's the most important fact here... People with darker coloured cars may not notice the residue build up on the back of their cars with the Optimax, but others (particularly DOHC VTEC owners) definitely have. I had my mechanic try to tune my VAFC to lean the car out and stop the residue, but it wasn't until I changed to Ultimate that the residue completely disappeared! I'm sold!

To sum up what others have said in this thread, (loosely!!!)


Not sure - About 50%

Like power of Optimax full stop - About 15%

Like power of other 98 octanes - About 5%

Like BP Ultimate b/c of cleaner burning or power - About 30%


Statistically, if you want more power at any cost - choose Optimax.
If you want the benefits of a clean burning, 98 octane fuel - BP Ultimate!!!

I like to lok after my car so I'll stick with the Ultimate!

iijjee

P.S. These statistics are like ALL quoted by HONDA nuts - biased, opinionated and FACTUAL !!! (lol!)

[kenshin]

and i'd stick to mobil synergy 8000 :)

guess its trial n see what ur ride likes... so really no point in asking further... each car is different

[EK9]

*spins the bottle...* ;)

again, i just think it's a personal choice, convenience and experience... and maybe price. :D i've still yet to see a comprehesive study dun comparing each fuel, and unless sumone links us (mentioned this already), i'll stick to my Optimax, cos it's convenient and i've never had a prob before. oh, and for those ppl wif residue on their bumpers from using wotever fuel, y don't u just get a muffler that extends past ur bumper a lil more... hehe... like mine which sticks out heaps! problem solved and u can use wotever wifout a worry ;)

[NightRyder]

Just in case you fellas want to know, and not directly related to the topic at hand, genuine Honda FEO oil is made from Caltex, but of course branded as Honda's own. Honda Australia has asked Caltex to blend their oils so as a side note for all you fellas, a Honda service dude said that Caltex vortex 98 octane (which just came out in the recent month I believe) is most recommended for all Honda's, especially VTEC engines..

:p

[replaced]

Just in case you fellas want to know, and not directly related to the topic at hand, genuine Honda FEO oil is made from Caltex, but of course branded as Honda's own. Honda Australia has asked Caltex to blend their oils so as a side note for all you fellas, a Honda service dude said that Caltex vortex 98 octane (which just came out in the recent month I believe) is most recommended for all Honda's, especially VTEC engines..

:p
Most recommended for all Honda's? do you have a source?

[NightRyder]

I spoke to a Honda Service person the other day when asking about a service.. :)

[Alpine]

Resurrecting an old thread here...but with the price of fuel seemingly continuing to go up, I actually considered "downgrading" to BP Premium today (95 octane). I've always used BP Ultimate (98) but it is getting kinda pricey, but in the end chickened out and pumped up with Ultimate once again.

I've read some reports that for a 1.6 non-VTEC GLi Civic or a 2.0 CR-V, using 95 octane is actually better than 98 as those engines aren't designed to use anything higher than 91? Not sure how true this statement is. Does anyone know??

[aaronng]

If it is non-vtec, 95 will work. AUDM non-vtec engines were spec'd to use 91. If modded, at the intake, then it's wise to use 1 step up. If all you have is an exhaust mod, then 91 is ok. If you have an aftermarket ECU or piggyback, go 98.

[zco]

i've always used shell optimax. 450kms per FULL tank (45Litres) ! "BUT

the otehr day. i cbfed looking for shell anymore. so tried bp ultimate.filled up 50bux =36Litres - i have driven 470kms !!! still got abit of petrol left in the tank. i dont know wtf happened. i think i'll be using bp ultimate from now on

[kikks9]

Hi everybody,

Spoke to a friend (my manager) who only uses BP. He drives a Magna v6 station wagon. I have experienced his driving, he does not go above 2000rpm ehehe!!! He told me that a full tank on BP (91 Ron) consistently gives him more KM's than Shell (91 RON).
How do I know this, because I was in his car the other day and he was driving around on empty without a care in the world !!! He said he gets about 480-490 km per full tank on BP while about 450-460 on Shell and not to worry and I quote " Still plent of petrol on E". HEHEHEH

Just my two cents on this topic :)

[UNPR3D1CT4BLE]

there both shit, go senergy 8000 from moblie.!

:thumbsup:

[EGB18CT]

ive put in av gas in my car and was that mad to drive, car reved a lot quicker, sounded meaner and power came on better. its 104 or 106 rating too. b18 ran like a dream. now that i have ran out i only use ultimate cos its pure 98.

[roar]

okay, "definitive guide"...may be surprising to some

the best 98 octane petrol is caltex vortex 98
mobil synergy/bp ultimate are a close close 2nd/3rd
last is of course optimax (destroyer of many engines)

my source comes from a thread on MRT forums researched (dyno tested and fuel efficiency) by the main man Brett Middleton.

http://www.mrtrally.com.au/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=22511&whichpage=1

he doesn't post up the actual results due to various legalities, but he does infer quite heavily that caltex vortex is number 1

[cool_filo]

i use to use vortex but switched to bp ultimate, im trying every petrol, so far i found that bp ultimate is the best for my car (dc4):thumbsup:

before i used to own a celica, i tried shell optimax n her, evertime i use it, my car feel like shit :thumbdwn: ever since then i never use shell

[[[d a n n y]]]

Dude Caltex Caltex is the way to go!!!!!!
my car feels so much better with caltex than mobile BP,Shell ETC

[jdm_kid]

whateva is cheaper :)

[Hans Bond]

Well.. first I tried shell optimax and seems good.... rev below 3000 compared to 5000 using standard unleaded. But soon I noticed that my engine was too loud and black smoke came out from my tail pipe. Then I change to BP ultimate.. the result is my engine run smoothly (just like new) and only white smoke come out from my tail pipe. I definitely agree that BP ultimate is cleaner and better than Shell Optimax. Haven't tried Synergy 8000 or Vortex 98 so can't make any comment on those :)

[Big Head Turtle]

So overall what is the conclusion? I just got my 06 civic and I am using BP ultimate at the moment? Should I change to something else?

[kayot1k]

wat about V power yo, its got a rating now. whereas optimax was random

[TECBOY]

vortex 98 ownes all.

[aaronng]

wat about V power yo, its got a rating now. whereas optimax was randomOptimax was rated 98.

[Stev3]

coming from perth shell did not have optimax, so i used ultimate. moved over to canberra brought my car over and started using optimax. i found that optimax gave me less mileage. thats the only real difference i've noticed.

regarding black bumpers. vtec engines are tuned from the factory to run rich at high rpm's to protect the engine. hence black smoke/ black bumper. my opinion is tuning and not fuel prevents the black smoke from ur exhaust.

[Hans Bond]

Dunno about the new V-power that replaced optimax, seems more powerful than optimax. But still not as clean as ultimate I supposed.

[kayot1k]

aaronng are you sure on that ?
when i used to own a toyota there was a big debate on shell optimax there in the forums about how optimax didnt have a stable octane rating hence they did not advertise the 98ron on their pumps at the petrol pumps.
cant remember exactly but it went from like 92 - 102 or something like that depending on the day/mixture.

because it does make sense now since if you see their flyers or banners at shell optimax is shows an arrow from optimax to V power and it actually sez 98 ron in regards to v power.

[bennjamin]

aaronng are you sure on that ?
when i used to own a toyota there was a big debate on shell optimax there in the forums about how optimax didnt have a stable octane rating hence they did not advertise the 98ron on their pumps at the petrol pumps.
cant remember exactly but it went from like 92 - 102 or something like that depending on the day/mixture.

because it does make sense now since if you see their flyers or banners at shell optimax is shows an arrow from optimax to V power and it actually sez 98 ron in regards to v power.

ive heard that too , from a bowser operators mouth.
Its the additives and age that determined the "RON" rating apparently...
perhaps this dodginess is what made them replace it with V power

[RMN15N]

i use bp 98 all day everyday.. but sometimes when i feel like the switch i switch over to quix premium 98.. it actually feels more responsive..
but i pour it the 2nd time around.. it feels shit house again.. so i use bp
havent poured quix petty in a while might give it ago again

[aaronng]

On their website, it was labeled a 98. The variations in RON is a quality control issue. Vpower is supposedly the same as optimax but with some lubricating additives.

[integrity]

dude bp ultimate is the best full stop.
any petrol company that will give you discounts for going and shopping at coles or woolies is crap.

synergy is not too bad as well but i never used it in my S2K.

bp ultimate gives you more power and is still pretty economical.

[aaronng]

any petrol company that will give you discounts for going and shopping at coles or woolies is crap.

Nah, statements like the one you made are crap.

Try out Vortex98 for yourself. Don't diss it if you haven't tried it.

[Qwooootz]

i use to be the biggest BP Ultimate fan! but when V-power came up and the savings i get from Coles myer credit card, coles receipts, Shells the overall better deal! im getting about an extra 30-50km from v-power and the car doesnt misfire as much compared to the ultimate and the old optimax, the car feels honestly much smoother and healthier despite my cars mood swings lol.

V-power, adding the "V" on VTEC! :cool: :thumbsup:

[jdm_kid]

BP cos there servo stations are way betta than any other ones lol

[dudeling7]

V POWER y0! does well for me....

i get really good mileage and car runs so smooth and responsive :thumbsup:

[Hans Bond]

Does V-power as clean as bp ultimate?

[RMN15N]

is it worth trying v power??

[kraiye]

i always found bp more expensive in brissy (not taking into account dockets too)

VORTEX FTW!!! :thumbsup:

[aaronng]

Vpower = Optimax.

I tried a full tank. Seems ok. But fuel consumption was the same as Optimax.

[Gerald28]

Try out Vortex98 for yourself. Don't diss it if you haven't tried it.

Totally agree with aaron!
Vortex98 is a great fuel, much better than Optimax!

[bennjamin]

im on V power too (from caltex 98) and it seems OK but its running abit richer and getting less k's per tank...

its over rated IMO

[Hans Bond]

no, v-power is shell.. caltex 98 is vortex

[bennjamin]

no, v-power is shell.. caltex 98 is vortex

no , i meant "before from" caltex 98 lol.

[Hans Bond]

fill my car with v-power today.. seems more powerful and as clean as ultimate.. but the engine is still louder than using ultimate.. but see how it goes. Wanna try vortex 98 next time i fill the tank :p

[Hans Bond]

based on last postings.. it seems that v-power works better on smaller car e.g. civic n integra.. while vortex (and ultimate?) works better on bigger car e.g accord?

[chicken8]

i only use vortex 98

i heard a horror story about vpower100 last night. my mates 1yr old wrx. he is 1st owner. took it for a thrash after putting in vpower100 and it felt stronger. that is until he blew his engine

now im not saying vpower100 blows ur engine. but it was the 1st time he used vpower100 and it was the 1st time he ever blew an engine

[bennjamin]

i only use vortex 98

i heard a horror story about vpower100 last night. my mates 1yr old wrx. he is 1st owner. took it for a thrash after putting in vpower100 and it felt stronger. that is until he blew his engine

now im not saying vpower100 blows ur engine. but it was the 1st time he used vpower100 and it was the 1st time he ever blew an engine

Not really a coincidence...

More than likely hard k's of neglect by your mate. How did this engine "blow" ? timing chain snapped ? oil starvation ? etc ? Thats to do with upkeep/servicing and not fuel :)

[rhk]

hmm perth sucks, the only 98 octane fuel is ultimate and when you leave the cbd namely augusta (perth people will know what im talking about) some petrol station managers done even know what the word premium means.. :(

[RMN15N]

hmm perth sucks, the only 98 octane fuel is ultimate and when you leave the cbd namely augusta (perth people will know what im talking about) some petrol station managers done even know what the word premium means.. :(

baAHHAHAHAHAH!!.. ftw!!

thats gay az.

[silver_screen]

i have tried both fuels on the dyno.. BP is by far best and in my civic i even get more km's outta it.. best ive gotten outta the opti was 306km... ONLY with BP i got 464!!!!!!!!!!!! with the normal shell fuel i got 325 :)

In my rotor it made 198rwkw on opti @ 8psi.. and on BP it made 239.5rwkw on 8psi :) same tune... just diff fuels.. i ran opti once in my 180sx... because i had no other choice and guess what.... it didnt turn back on after i poured it

Too many bad experiances so ill never use the shit ever again

[Stev3]

I think you should try each of whats on offer and then make a personal call on what you think is best for your car and your style/kind of driving. Every1 is going to have a different opinion and there will be no right or wrong answer. Trial and error is the only way you are going to find what best suits your motor vehicle.

[HondaTechy]

can anyone tell me the ron rating of v power?

[chunky]

its v power now

[HondaTechy]

its v power now
i know i wanted to know the "RON" rating.

[aaronng]

can anyone tell me the ron rating of v power?
98 RON

[Hans Bond]

I test drive my car tonite. The new V-power is indeed splendid. Unlike ultimate, I don't need to wait my rev reach 3k before my auto transmission changes its gear when climbed up a hill. It's cleaner than the old optimax too. ;)

[chylld]

not sure if it's been posted yet, but fifth gear did a test of normal unleaded v bp ultimate v shell optimax with 3 different cars, draining the tank and resetting the ecu between each run. the results were:

renault clio (bhp)
1. shell optimax: 81
1. bp ultimate: 81
1. normal unleaded: 81

vw golf gti (bhp)
1. shell optimax: 177
2. bp ultimate: 174
3. normal unleaded: 172

subaru impreza wrx sti (bhp/lbft)
1. shell optimax: 249/258
2. bp ultimate: 248/248
3. normal unleaded: 235/232

[Hans Bond]

where's the test for honda?

[chylld]

where's the test for honda?

no honda's were tested, so that's only a rough guideline for performance figures for general economy v performance engines.

[aaronng]

All it proves is that turbos can take advantage of higher octane fuel while N/A engines can't unless you get it remapped.

[chylld]

All it proves is that turbos can take advantage of higher octane fuel while N/A engines can't unless you get it remapped.

doesn't that answer the question of the topic then? :)

make of it what you will, the more info you have the better informed choice you can make.

[aaronng]

doesn't that answer the question of the topic then? :)

make of it what you will, the more info you have the better informed choice you can make.
Well, it does say that for a high compression N/A engine, the difference between UK spec Optimax and UK Spec Ultimate makes no difference in power output. Engine smoothness on the other hand cannot be predicted with this info.

[chylld]

Well, it does say that for a high compression N/A engine, the difference between UK spec Optimax and UK Spec Ultimate makes no difference in power output. Engine smoothness on the other hand cannot be predicted with this info.

yep. it should also be noted that the fifth gear test doesn't predict fuel economy either... just power (and in the case of the sti, torque as well)

[JohnnyVtec]

Nah, statements like the one you made are crap.

Try out Vortex98 for yourself. Don't diss it if you haven't tried it.

Everybody is entitled to their own opinion. Aarong it would be nice if you could be polite and respond with your opinion without aggressively offending=attacking people.

BP Ultimate Works!

[aaronng]

Everybody is entitled to their own opinion. Aarong it would be nice if you could be polite and respond with your opinion without aggressively offending=attacking people.

BP Ultimate Works!
He said that any petrol place that uses vouchers are crap. So I used the same word back at his statement, which was obviously a blanket statement that was not true.

If he hadn't used the word crap, I wouldn't have used it to emphasize my rebuttle to his statement. It is a popular tactic used for debating.

[bennjamin]

Moving to the technical section for vaugeness of discussion.



BTW i used 1 3/4 tank of V power , and it gave me about 240kms.
Thats pretty poor considering my usual 3/4 tank ($30) of vortex gets around 350-400 ( with b18c Vtak)

[n/a]

rather than determining which is better by talking about which give you more power/response/kms etc etc, anyone ever noticed the different fumes each gives off? unleaded compared to any 98RON is unbelievable. shell would have the cleanest smell.

also the changes in exhaust notes? cars tend to sound like wrx's with unleaded. but with 98RON the note is more smoother and quieter. once again shell gives the least amount of "wrxness".

my 2 cents, but aren't they pretty much all the same!?!?!
which do you prefer, coke or pepsi? mt franklin or pump? same sh*t different smell.

[Hans Bond]

in the terms of "wrx ness" ultimate is more quiet than v-power.. it's based on my car's engine which has no modification on it. The smell? don't notice it at all :)

[Professional]

Shell and BP both have 98ron. Is it a big different?

[Hans Bond]

of course. before shell v-power come out, bp ultimate is much better than shell optimax: cleaner, more power and economical. But now it seems that the new v-power more powerful, yet not very economical :p

[silver_screen]

shell is siht.. always has been and always will be

BP has always been the better fuel and probably will always be.. btw.. my rotor doesnt run on V power.. it just simply will not start.. what a waste of petrol... gotta b drained and refilled with ultimate ;)

[silver_screen]

petrol doesnt change the way ur car sounds either

i know that from experiance :)

[preludacris]

optimax makes more power than ultimate i think. in terms of pure power, its a bit better generally, but i get further k's with ultimate. and engine runs a lot smoother.. i really dont like optimax

i use ultimate and synergy 8000, they are pretty equal. I want to move to vortex 98 but serzly, i havnt even been into a caltex that has it... :S

anybody have locations around eastern suburbs that stock vortex 98?

[xtercii]

I poured in vortex98 for the first time in my life, so far the fuel economy has been krazii, the needle doesn't wanna move.

[EK4R]

of course. before shell v-power come out, bp ultimate is much better than shell optimax: cleaner, more power and economical. But now it seems that the new v-power more powerful, yet not very economical :p


.....its the same shit with a diff name man...i think you just psychologically think its better

[chicken8]

and theres vpower and vpower racing

vpower is 98RON whilst vpower racing is 100RON with 5% ethanol

i've used vpower racing before but for me the car runs the best on vortex98 and apart from emergencies i wouldnt be using any other fuel than vortex98

[kwayzivietnamese]

BP Ultimate all the way :cool:

[Hans Bond]

Yeah you can go to caltex in bayswater, next to safeway in bayswater


optimax makes more power than ultimate i think. in terms of pure power, its a bit better generally, but i get further k's with ultimate. and engine runs a lot smoother.. i really dont like optimax

i use ultimate and synergy 8000, they are pretty equal. I want to move to vortex 98 but serzly, i havnt even been into a caltex that has it... :S

anybody have locations around eastern suburbs that stock vortex 98?

[preludacris]

hrmm ..

any around the hawthorn, balwyn, box hill, doncaster area?

[1900-hustler]

in my experience with fuels. ive had my car for nearly 2 years and ive come across all of the fuels u can go by.. 95RON, 98RON 100RON even 91 wen i had no choice..

out of the main ones in discussion vortex 98, bp ultimate, shell optimax (now v-power) and mobil synergy...

by economy (distance per tank)
- vortex 98 (450-500km)
- mobil synergy (close 2nd - upto 480km)
- bp ultimate (up to 450km)
- shell optimax / v-power (420 or less)

by power
- bp ultimate
- vortex 98
- shell optimax
- mobil synergy

the diff in power are only slight.. but noticeable to me since ive had the same car in the same form for a while..

conclusions..

best of both worlds is a close call between vortex98 and bp ultimate..
the new v-power is better than optimax.. but stil gets poor economy imo..
thers hardly mobil in my area.. so i dont really use it..

verdict..
caltex vortex 98 is my #1.. mainly due to the fact u save 4c per litre.. if these vouchers dint exist. itll jus depend on where i drive past first.. caltex or bp..

[EK4R]

hrmm ..

any around the hawthorn, balwyn, box hill, doncaster area?

they is one in macedon plaza in doncaster area. keep going down sam's house on station street. but i wouldnt just go there to fill up. im pretty sure they are lots more. caltex stations around my area have all intro'ed vortex slowly. just wait abit, plus you dont drive anyways so no hurry ;)

[n/a]

Ferrai uses Shell in their F1's, besides the fact that it's "F1-grade" fuel, the only car i remember that uses BP is the Bathurst BP RX7.

[Speeder]

Do Vortex98 contain ethenal?

Btw, I use V-Power everytime as I shop at Coles, and never had any problems with Shell fuels. But I have heard of negative comments about Shell, but that's just 'comments'.

[EK4R]

Ferrai uses Shell in their F1's, besides the fact that it's "F1-grade" fuel, the only car i remember that uses BP is the Bathurst BP RX7.

thats completely different from vpower.....its like sayin F1 use bridgestone.


Do Vortex98 contain ethenal?

no

[bennjamin]

Ferrai uses Shell in their F1's, besides the fact that it's "F1-grade" fuel, the only car i remember that uses BP is the Bathurst BP RX7.

It is optimax or V power they use in F1 cars ? :p

[chicken8]

F1 cars use vortex95

[Hans Bond]

another vortex fans lol

[Zilli]

just my 2c

i was using 100ron Shell with the ethanol blend for about 6 months. I dont drive the car much 50km a week if that. I dont pay any attention to mileage because i dont really care, and dont drive much anyway.

Last Saturday i filled it with BP Ultimate, and i gotta say the car does have more urge, revs out smoother and faster....

Shame there arent too many BP's in my immediate area

[aaronng]

just my 2c

i was using 100ron Shell with the ethanol blend for about 6 months. I dont drive the car much 50km a week if that. I dont pay any attention to mileage because i dont really care, and dont drive much anyway.

Last Saturday i filled it with BP Ultimate, and i gotta say the car does have more urge, revs out smoother and faster....

Shame there arent too many BP's in my immediate area
Try Vortex98 next. I want to hear your comments on it too.

[Zilli]

will do

[Alpine]

OK, its time to revive this thread. Now that Shell V-Power has been out for a while now, how do you find it compared to the ever popular BP Ultimate? Or Caltex Vortex 98 for that matter? I have stuck with Ultimate all this time, but as the others have discount vouchers I am looking at changing to one of the others but not sure yet which one would be a worthy replacement for Ultimate.

[Rice_4_life]

I've used V power for about a month and I noticed on my car I got less mileage per tank than with BP Ultimate, I average about 400-450 per tank with bp, but with shell I was getting around 350ish, and no I wasn't fanging it.
As for power didn't really notice any change between the two.

[Hans Bond]

Vortex 98 will be a perfect replacement for ultimate. Also remember vortex is produced by the same company (caltex) which made the honda feo oil.


OK, its time to revive this thread. Now that Shell V-Power has been out for a while now, how do you find it compared to the ever popular BP Ultimate? Or Caltex Vortex 98 for that matter? I have stuck with Ultimate all this time, but as the others have discount vouchers I am looking at changing to one of the others but not sure yet which one would be a worthy replacement for Ultimate.

[e240]

Vodka or tequila's the best actually...

Really great for fuel economy...After a few swigs, you can't drive your car.

[joey_kev]

I just filled up my 65L tank with V-Power and after reading this thread I feel like I just got ripped off...

Maybe my next visit would be Vortex98 or BP Ultimate...hmm now deciding between the two....

Shame BP does not offer discount vouchers

[Encor3]

Vodka or tequila's the best actually...

Really great for fuel economy...After a few swigs, you can't drive your car.

how does this help? its totally off topic and stupid...

I generally either use V-power or 8000 just because they are close to my house, the closest BP is about 15 minutes drive away.

I did once use BP for about 2-3 weeks, I felt it was slightly more responsive than V-power but hardly noticeable, but i seemed to have gotten alot more mileage out of V-power than BP

[Encor3]

I just filled up my 65L tank with V-Power and after reading this thread I feel like I just got ripped off...

Maybe my next visit would be Vortex98 or BP Ultimate...hmm now deciding between the two....

Shame BP does not offer discount vouchers

BP does have discount vouchers, they align themselves with IGA

[RMN15N]

i find it that bp isnt as good as it was 6months ago.
with the mobile petrol i notice a big jump in throttle response,

but that could just be my car , every cars diffrent..
i used to get about 400 out of a full tank..
stupid petrol prices.. i only get about 350 or less now =(

[Sp00ny]

Ive found Shell's V-Power to have pretty good fuel efficiency after the first 2 tanks or so run through. Im actually using the new V-Power Racing (100Octane 5% Ethanol) Nice smoother power delivery, ive tried the BP Ultimate and they are definantly similar but car seems smother with Shell's Petrols.

Fuel efficiency is again similar when comparing 98's but with the V-Power Racing if im driving conservitivly i can get around 520kms out of a tank. (Stock VTi-R) With occaisonal trips into the VTEC Range.

[Rice_4_life]

wow you guys must be super sensitive, cos I can't tell jack in performance gains with diff types of fuel, just mileage.

[AsH_]

out of the two...

BP Ultimate... better..

but Mobil 8000 is very good aswell... i used to only use that...

now im on V-Power coz ive got so many vouchers... and its on the highway on the way home from work...

[e240]

how does this help? its totally off topic and stupid...

My sentiments..


wow you guys must be super sensitive, cos I can't tell jack in performance gains with diff types of fuel, just mileage.

except for mileage...

[IEVAQ8]

i have amate who works at a petrol refinery and the best fuel on the market is the bp then the mobile, actually they are both exactly the samed fule and are the best fuels to use...( bp ultimate and mobile synergy 8000)
he told me that the bp truck turns up they fill it with ultimate and then the mobile truck rocks up and they use the saqme pump to fill it, so its actually the best and same fuel on the market......i find that my type r runs best on bp ulitmate so i never change......
better fuel ecconomy as well......

[Phamburger]

I to have the same opinion on BP ultimate. I get abt 50 km from Bp ultimate than V power. My next door neighbour has same view.

I'm not a petrol expert but I do know my car. The difference in the two you can tell. (Well i can neways).

[didz]

I am just wondering if the Shell optimax better or the BP Ultimate better for DOHC Vtec

Most of my friends said BP Ultimate has better power and even run the engine safter as it does not explode better than optimax.

A friend of mine told me that a honda dealer recommanded BP either.

Some said optimax is the best fuel in Australia.. and some said it is only good for turbo..

my gf's driving instructor said he used to read something was talking about shell and BP fuel. He said BP is always better, as it explode much better than shell.. :confused:

Now i found everyone has different story :D

for me I could feel that shell optimax has better power, but i am not sure.. they both has 98 octane. Or maybe Shell has a cleaner petrol station, coles express discount that makes me feel better.

Any idea ???? just tell me how you feel or did anyone even put it on a dyno to test? but it must be done straight away.. like run with bp, clear the fuel tank put optimax .. :D


A mate of mine had fuel tested with his families formular holden race car and found that BP ultimate gave the best results closely followed by mobil 8000.
the results he got also stated that shell fuel was the dirtiest.

This was done a little over a year ago so the fuel mixture of shell may have changed since then. but i still go by it and only get mobil or bp.

[roar]

Ive found Shell's V-Power to have pretty good fuel efficiency after the first 2 tanks or so run through. Im actually using the new V-Power Racing (100Octane 5% Ethanol) Nice smoother power delivery, ive tried the BP Ultimate and they are definantly similar but car seems smother with Shell's Petrols.

Fuel efficiency is again similar when comparing 98's but with the V-Power Racing if im driving conservitivly i can get around 520kms out of a tank. (Stock VTi-R) With occaisonal trips into the VTEC Range.

you shouldnt be using any ethanol mixed fuel in your mid-90s honda...thats just silly

[Sp00ny]

you shouldnt be using any ethanol mixed fuel in your mid-90s honda...thats just silly

Why?! An Automotive Engineer (mate) said it will be fine expessially if its only 5%, they say all the "check with your manufacturer" just to be on the safe side.

Is their any particular reason behind your opinion? or facts?

Late Addition: I just went back to BP Ultimate (98RON) Today and the fuel efficiency after clocking it was awful. My driving habits didn't change nor did the driving conditions. For eg. Half a tank of BP Ultimate will take me 230km's, where as half a tank of V-Power Racing will take me almost 275kms. I have to say though the power is similar, however I think I get a greater low end throttle response and torque from V-Power Racing.

ATTENTION:
A Comparasion on the TV Show 5th Gear showed V-Power(98RON) to give greater power and torque over BP Ultimate in both High Compression N/A and Turbo's (Examples used were a honda i think and a Subaru WRX) Not to mention better fuel economy. So after sticking to shell's fuels for a few weeks that just closed the deal for me. Expessially with my latest two BP Ultimate experiences, Although as stated above the power is very similar, the fuel efficiency is difficult to ignore.

Cheers

[didz]

Why?! An Automotive Engineer (mate) said it will be fine expessially if its only 5%, they say all the "check with your manufacturer" just to be on the safe side.

Is their any particular reason behind your opinion? or facts?

Late Addition: I just went back to BP Ultimate (98RON) Today and the fuel efficiency after clocking it was awful. My driving habits didn't change nor did the driving conditions. For eg. Half a tank of BP Ultimate will take me 230km's, where as half a tank of V-Power Racing will take me almost 275kms. I have to say though the power is similar, however I think I get a greater low end throttle response and torque from V-Power Racing.

ATTENTION:
A Comparasion on the TV Show 5th Gear showed V-Power(98RON) to give greater power and torque over BP Ultimate in both High Compression N/A and Turbo's (Examples used were a honda i think and a Subaru WRX) Not to mention better fuel economy. So after sticking to shell's fuels for a few weeks that just closed the deal for me. Expessially with my latest two BP Ultimate experiences, Although as stated above the power is very similar, the fuel efficiency is difficult to ignore.

Cheers

I am sorry but it sounds a bit far-fetched that there would bhe such a difference in efficiency:/ How can you be sure that it was exactly 50% of the tank with both fuels? I get around 550 - 600 k's a tank for my dc5r and that is with BP ultimate or Mobile 8000. I can get the same with vpower as well though. As for which is better i dont have the definitive answer but i still believe what my mate told me as he is in a more credible position than me. I filled with vpower racing (100) once to test it out. Only got 400 k's which i suppose is not too bad considering i was fanging around quite a bit.

Also which ep of 5th gear? i would love to see it :)

[Sp00ny]

It was on foxtel a week ago (i think its Adventure 1) should be replayed soon. When i say half a tank i put 25 litres in and fill up at as close as i can get to the same time (the instant the fuel light stays on when the car is on a flat surface). Although when i drove to work this morning i managed to pull another 20 or so km's out of the tank of BP, i can only manage to get in the mid 500's per tank with shell's v-power line.

Unless i should run a bit of BP to "run it though" but i dont see it making that much differance.

I would rather use BP fuel trust me, its about 5 houses down the road, but it doesnt work well for me. So i travel to doncaster east to get V-Power/Racing.

[bennjamin]

It was on foxtel a week ago (i think its Adventure 1) should be replayed soon. When i say half a tank i put 25 litres in and fill up at as close as i can get to the same time (the instant the fuel light stays on when the car is on a flat surface). Although when i drove to work this morning i managed to pull another 20 or so km's out of the tank of BP, i can only manage to get in the mid 500's per tank with shell's v-power line.

Unless i should run a bit of BP to "run it though" but i dont see it making that much differance.

I would rather use BP fuel trust me, its about 5 houses down the road, but it doesnt work well for me. So i travel to doncaster east to get V-Power/Racing.

if you use a different fuel in the exact next tank your ECU might not trim optimum...give it 2 or 3 "tanks" or amounts for your engine to maximize the fuel its using.

[Sp00ny]

I think i'll stick it out with BP Ultimate for a while, and put some faith in the above posts. I'll update everyone in a week or two of my findings.

Thanks.

[mooshie]

To anyone reading this thread looking for information, just remember that almost all of what is being posted is opinions only.
A car is not a calibrated device for measuring fuel consumption and there are many other variables in these 'tests' that can and will affect the outcome. All in all what you are buying when you fill up with petrol is a mass produced product that must fall within quality control parameters, i.e. not every batch is the same but it it is within spec.

Even just in the transport and storage process more variables are added- how old is the fuel? what temperature? (when it comes from the terminal it is 'hot' and cools and therefore shrinks when it sits in the ground).

Pumps at the servo are not totally accurate, it is very rare that you will be overcharged due to the nature of the calibration equipment used but I have seen many a pump giving away up to 200ml for every 10L sold, that would affect these 'tests'.
All in all you can find just as much variation between different servos dispensing the same company's fuel, as the different companies themselves.

Having said all that I do agree that Vortex98 and Ultimate are the best fuels for my car, but this is based on the manufacturing process used.

[didz]

I think vortex98 sucks because its 20 cents higher per litre than normal ulp caltex.

Ultimate, V-power and synnergy 8000 are cheaper than that.


(based on last time i checked)

[aaronng]

I think vortex98 sucks because its 20 cents higher per litre than normal ulp caltex.

Ultimate, V-power and synnergy 8000 are cheaper than that.


(based on last time i checked)

Vortex98 is the same price as V-power, Ultimate and Mobil8000.

[Sp00ny]

Good Post Mooshie.

/me pokes PQ your way

[94vtirozguy]

i got the worst results with BP Ultimate.

1) caltex
2) mobil
3) shell
4) BP

is what i found.

[Hans Bond]

well different car, different fuel to suit

mine was a cg accord and I use bp.. run very smooth and get the best mileage..

now change to a 5th gen vti-r lude and still use bp.. but dont get the best mileage so i replace it with vortex 98.. so far it's the best for my car in terms of power and mileage :)

Honestly i never tried the v-power racing.. will be too fast and furious for me I think :p

[Alpine]

I'll try Vortex 98 next time me thinks.

[Sp00ny]

Well i have my results back, after running petrol through the motor ( i do quite a bit of driving atm) my latest results show that I get approximately...

FULL TANK RESULTS:

BP Ultimate: ~527km (Tested This Week)
Shell V-Power: ~540km (Tested Last Week)

When driving normal and during "Spirited Drives" i still find that Shell's V-Power fuels have a low/mid end torque gain compared to BP/Vortex. I can usually tell the differance between ~2500rpm-5500rpm. Although the differance isnt something thats going to warrant travelling that much further or spending much more to get it.

Don't forget these are approximate figures.

XD Have a good day GUYZ && GIRLZ!

[didz]

Well i have my results back, after running petrol through the motor ( i do quite a bit of driving atm) my latest results show that I get approximately...

FULL TANK RESULTS:

BP Ultimate: ~527km (Tested This Week)
Shell V-Power: ~540km (Tested Last Week)

When driving normal and during "Spirited Drives" i still find that Shell's V-Power fuels have a low/mid end torque gain compared to BP/Vortex. I can usually tell the differance between ~2500rpm-5500rpm. Although the differance isnt something thats going to warrant travelling that much further or spending much more to get it.

Don't forget these are approximate figures.

XD Have a good day GUYZ && GIRLZ!

At the moment dispite what i have previously posted. i am gettin similar results. I recently went from 1 full tank of v-power to a full tank of BP Ultimate. I feel the car is a bit sluggish under 3k rpm and that the torque and power in general is lacking.. I have not experienced this before with ultimate, might be a bad batch of fuel... not sure but yeah...

[aaronng]

I always thought Vortex98 gave better fuel consumption than Shell Optimax/V-power. But after 2.5 years of keeping record of my fuel consumption, I got Vortex98 at 9.66 L/100km and Optimax at 9.68 L/100km! So there is almost no difference other than me feeling that Vortex98 is smoother.

[BC8]

ive got a integra vtir 95' and filled with shell v power and my fuel level is very low atm and its got 430k's on the clock without the light on. it will probably last another 10 more k's or so i think
I was wondering, does fuel injection cleaner fluid give my car more K's?
I haven't got 450k's from a full tank before, usually low 400's on my dc2.
I've never used fuel injection fluid either before filling up the car.

[Alpine]

Hmmm. So confusing. So should I try SHell VPower or Caltex Vortex98 next?

[didz]

ive got a integra vtir 95' and filled with shell v power and my fuel level is very low atm and its got 430k's on the clock without the light on. it will probably last another 10 more k's or so i think
I was wondering, does fuel injection cleaner fluid give my car more K's?
I haven't got 450k's from a full tank before, usually low 400's on my dc2.
I've never used fuel injection fluid either before filling up the car.

V Power and all other 98 octane fuels have additives which clean ur injectors and engine internals.

[Hans Bond]

i dont think the v-power and vortex 98 are comparable as it is pretty obvious the vortex is better fuel. I think u gotta compare the v-power racing and vortex 98 to get the best result :)

[aaronng]

i dont think the v-power and vortex 98 are comparable as it is pretty obvious the vortex is better fuel. I think u gotta compare the v-power racing and vortex 98 to get the best result :)

V-power racing is not the best. I prefer V-power over V-power racing.

[BC8]

V Power and all other 98 octane fuels have additives which clean ur injectors and engine internals.

so theres no need for me to fill injector cleaning fluid if im using V power but if im using BP Ultimate, i should ?
Does using the fluid make any difference to km's. Also, how often do you guys do it ?

[ON VTEC]

v-power racing is just the same as the v-power 98, performance wise anyway
to me it just seems like that the v-power racing just last that little bit longer than the v-power 98, but that little bit longer of fuel is not worth it in a way

but with the BP ultimate and the BP 95, i nearly got the same km's with both it veries really, all cars have there good and bad days, and the weather (hot cold) high way or city driving,

but to my car BP98 just feels that little bit betta then all the rest

[didz]

so theres no need for me to fill injector cleaning fluid if im using V power but if im using BP Ultimate, i should ?
Does using the fluid make any difference to km's. Also, how often do you guys do it ?

If you are using V-Power or any other 98 octane fuel then there is not really a need for the extra fluids. In asnwer to your question BP Ultimate is a 98 octane fuel. IF your vehicle is misfiring, a bit jerky or underperforming an injector cleaner MAY help but it could be a number of other things also contributing (eg: fuel filter/pump/lines, spark plugs/leads and ignition timing just to name a few). If you are using 98 octane fuel then adding in extra injector cleaner is not needed. It will not increase ur mileage if you use 98 octane fuel.

If you use it with 92 octane or 95 it may increase mileage IF your injectors are not very clean.

I would recommend using it with 92-95 octane fuel every few thousand kays however you dont really need to because all you need to do is fill up with 98 instead every once and a while (cheaper).

Hope you can make sense of this im not sure if it makes sense lol...

[aaronng]

so theres no need for me to fill injector cleaning fluid if im using V power but if im using BP Ultimate, i should ?
Does using the fluid make any difference to km's. Also, how often do you guys do it ?

Ultimate also has cleaners in it.

[De_Cruelz]

As didz mentioned, most fuels are designed to keep all the internals clean to ensure maximum efficiency. I can relate to a previous experience while using Vortex with my dad's car.

At that time he just got himself a 2nd hand car and according to the previous owner he only pumped regular unleaded(did not specify which). As my dad works for Caltex, naturally he would pump only the best from Caltex.

Several tanks later with Vortex, he noticed the car started to have problems and it was very sluggish. The car just broke down one day and could not be started. When the mechanic got back to us we were told that the whole exhaust system was totally clogged up. Apparently Vortex had cleaned up the engine so much that in the process it clogged up the exhaust and caused those problems. Btw, this was back 7-8 years or so so I may have missed out on some details.

Also if I may add, in the context of current fuel available for the general market, different fuel does not add power to your car. It is the cleaning properties and efficiency of the fuel which keeps your engine clean hence allowing your car to perform at its peak output and mileage. As previously mentioned, some fuels work better on certain engines, you just have to figure out which works best for you :)

[De_Cruelz]

If I may add again, and also relating to didz's post - cleaning fluids, additives, etc are not necessary. They are expensive and not worth the money in my opinion. The simplest and best way is simply to use a petrol of your choice with some cleaning properties e.g. Vortex, Ultimate, etc. I'm not really familiar with other fuel but you get my point.

I'm not sure about the market in Australia but back in Malaysia where my dad works, none of the Caltex petrol stations sell additives, injector cleaners or any sort of those cleaning stuff you add to your tank after a refill. The reason for that is simple - these large oil companies spend billions in R&D to make the best fuel. Why would you have to spend extra cash on additives, cleaners, etc on such a product unless you're using an inferior product? :)

[Alpine]

Well, I just pumped a tankful of Vortex 98. Let's see how this goes.

[EL_DC5]

I honestly have tried All the fuels and the only main differances i have found from personal experiance is that :
BP Ultimate: More power better responce
Shell V-Power: More Km's per tank

Speed safe