Shell v-power gas?

[Brady]

My boss claims Chevron is the best. I use either Chevron or Shell. Shell stations around here usually seem cleaner, better lit, and have higher quality pumps IMO.

 

Your boss is right ... Shell is arguably better, but between the two, it's probably a wash.

[Brady]

Turboed Legacys are high-compression, hence recommend using premium unleaded, is that correct?

 

No, they're fairly low compression (8.3:1) - the Turbo is what adds pressure. But yes, it's because of the turbo that 91+ octane is suggested.

[feersum dreadnaught]

Could it be that Shell uses less ethanol than other brands - I understand that 10% ethanol = 10% less mileage, so maybe that might be the difference?

[Guest Gitster]

Wait GTs have Turbos? :spin:

[FrescoGT]

I use V-Power in my GT whenever possible. I also maximize my thriftiness by filling up on a Mon or Thurs when the V-power is 6 cents off

 

When I don't use use Shell, I'm either using BP/Amoco, Lukoil, or Sunoco.. and I do notice a decline in MPG and engine response.

 

Shell FTW.

[roundupready]

To add more "fuel" to this discussion: "Since both readers raised the issue of perceived problems with ethanol, I asked Alex Drohomyrecky, fuel quality adviser at Shell Canada, to clarify the issue. He reports that not all gasoline grades contain ethanol and not all locations sell ethanol-blended gasoline. "From Shell's perspective, our premium grade V-Power will not contain ethanol in Ontario," he reports. Where Shell's Bronze gasoline is sold, it contains about 10-per-cent ethanol. The mid-grade Silver contains about 5-per-cent ethanol." http://www.globeauto.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070301.wh-yourcar-0301/BNStory/specialGlobeAuto/?query= (sorry, my browser does not support paragraph breaks)

[Guest]

Can you ask him about Shell fuels in the U.S.? Wrt to ethanol content.

[AWD_Rules3830]

well i either use Shell or BP/Amoco. I really do find BP/Amoco gives a better engine response.

[AWD_Rules3830]

I wanna know why we don't have BP in Canada... seems a more logical place than the States.

 

well isn't there some sort of bp canada?

[rkl303]

There is. They just filed a their financial's on 12th.

[Vimy101]

There is. They just filed a their financial's on 12th.

 

BP Amoco. Didn't Amoco buy Texaco? Texaco had/has a long history in Canada. One of the things that pointed out the onset of peak oil was the amalgamation and merging of the oil industry. If there were an endless supply of oil, there would still be a lot more oil co.s.

[ZinFreak]

I don't think you can draw a conclusion between consolidation in the oil industry and peak oil.

 

You may want to revist history

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_Oil

 

Standard was broken up into no less than 34 seperate companies in 1911. Talk about a monopoly! Peak oil wasn't an issue then. Consolidation in the industry is just the "creative destruction" of capitalism at work.

 

Back on topic... Shell Premium "V-Power" is all I burn in my two turbos. And lots of it.

[Vimy101]

I don't think you can draw a conclusion between consolidation in the oil industry and peak oil.

 

You may want to revist history

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_Oil

 

Standard was broken up into no less than 34 seperate companies in 1911. Talk about a monopoly! Peak oil wasn't an issue then. Consolidation in the industry is just the "creative destruction" of capitalism at work.

 

Back on topic... Shell Premium "V-Power" is all I burn in my two turbos. And lots of it.

 

No, my freind, the cheap oil is gone forever and don't think the oilmen don't know it. New discoveries are fewer and smaller and getting fewer and smaller with every passing month.

 

There was big news last summer about a "major" find in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). Some billions (I forget the exact number but under 10 maybe 15 I believe). However, this potential field lies in 6000 ft of water and they're drilling down 25,000 ft in the heart of hurricane alley.

 

The cheap oil is gone forever. That is why there is consolidation. Oil co.s are buying out other outfits in order to boost their proven and potential reserve numbers. BTW, Shell took a major hit a couple of years back for overstating their reserves.

[roundupready]

Can you ask him about Shell fuels in the U.S.? Wrt to ethanol content.

 

 

I just sent an email. Let's see if they answer.

[solatare]

hate to um, throw a monkey in the works, but, i work for an oilfield contractor. your gasoline all comes out of the same truck. and if your fuel depot pipes fuel from the california field, those rigs are owned by independent investment groups who bought said rigs and fields from the parent companies, mainly texaco and unocal, which work out of the gulf of mexico now. good rule of thumb on fuel is go witha namebrand like shell or sunoco since they usually dont allow as much water in their tanks.

[Vimy101]

^ +1

 

That's why gasoline is a traded commodity on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

[roundupready]

Can you ask him about Shell fuels in the U.S.? Wrt to ethanol content.

 

 

I got a reply from their customer centre today (copy and paste):

 

===========================

In many areas of the US our gasolines can contain up to 10% ethanol as required by environmental regulations. Currently Shell and Texaco gasolines in many areas in California, the St. Louis area, the Louisville area, the Chicago area, the state of Minnesota, and in some other areas of the Midwest will contain up to 10% ethanol. In addition several high altitude cities like El Paso, Denver, and Reno will contain 10% ethanol during the winter.

 

Ethanol is also used by some marketers in Oregon and Ohio, but currently Shell does not use ethanol in those areas.

 

The use of ethanol in gasoline will expand due to governmental mandates for its use and due to MTBE being banned in many states. The EPA requires Reformulated Gasoline (RFG) in many areas of the country, and one of the requirements is that RFG must contain oxygenates.

 

The two most practical oxygenates are MTBE and ethanol. Therefore ethanol will be used if MTBE is banned. This is happening in New York and Connecticut as MTBE is banned in those states beginning January 1, 2004. Except for New York and Connecticut we do not use alcohol in the East Coast and Southern areas of the US.

 

In many states, including Ohio, Oregon, and North Carolina, regulations require a service station dispenser posting if oxygenates are used.

[Guest]

Thx. Interestingly at least two Shell gas stations around me in NJ have these stickers "up to 10% ethanol".

[robinlsb]

Have some fun.Add 5-7 bottles of octance booster ( good ones will add 1 point per bottle) to a tank of 93 octane. Reset ecu. Have fun with the low end torque!!!!!!!

[cartman]

http://www.toptiergas.com/retailers.html

[Mr.EMan]

vrooom!! vroooom!!

 

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I may switch from BP to Shell just because of this commercial.

 

I once heard the Ferrari F1 car testing on their track in Maranello. You could hear it from everywhere in town (Maranello is tiny). It was the most beautiful think I've ever heard.

 

To pretend to remain on topic, I didn't see V-Power in the States as offering a higher octane rating (like it does in Germany). When I'm hammering on my car on the race track, I like the higher octane rating to keep everything safe.

 

In my opinion, I don't see a benefit for the higher octane on typical driving. On a normally aspirated car that took regular, I never saw improved fuel mileage on it (50,000 regular, 50,000 premium). Performance was anemic to start with, and if it improved, it was infinitesimally better. Wind direction probably had a greater effect.

 

Shell says that its V-Power keeps your engine cleaner. This may be useful. Porsche recommends adding Chevron Techtron fuel cleaner to my car ever so often. V-Power could be doing the same thing.

[outahere]

Yeah, a very cool commercial. Be sure to crank up the volume!

BTW, there is a cleaner video of this commercial at:

 

http://www.partizan.com/partizan/media/clips/729.mov

[roundupready]

Thanks for the link.

[Andrewkeen]

Interesting to read you read your octane ratings on different fuels. I’m in the UK and out ratings are, Regular unleaded 95octain, Super or premium unleaded 97octaing and shell V-power 99octain, and dose make a huge defence I always use V-power when ever I can.

 

It seam to me that you have a lot lower octane ratings over their?

[CarlJNgmail.com]

The reason for the higher octane numbers is due to a difference in octane rating systems. In the US we use the (R+M)/2 method and in the UK you have the Research Octane Number (RON). Ours takes the the average of the RON and the Motor Octane Number (MON), which is a different rating system.