titaniumgrey

Anyone use this stuff ? Whats the advantage and why is it advertised so much ?

StealthTL

iTrader: (1)

$30 million will buy a lot of ads.....

S

ArvinC

...Shell gasoline primarily for the past three months (my 8 is five months old) and have gotten really great results both performance and milage-wise. I always use 93-octane (we don't have 91 readily available here in Baltimore) and have been using V-Power since it became available. For me, it runs just as good (if not better!) as any brand-name premium with one big difference: I get about 15-20 more miles per fill-up than I did before! Mind you, I experience a decent mix of highway/city driving and usually like to let my car "wind-out" whenever the road lets me. Still, I'm constantly getting extra miles out of the tank!

There was a thread a while ago on gasoline refining. In it, a poster that had/works in the gasoline industry pointed out that Shell is one of the better fuel companies when it comes to refining and testing their gasolines. V-Power is supposed to be a very clean burning fuel...their advertisements claim it "Cleans as you drive."

I don't know about that...but I do know the extra miles per tankful are really nice! :D

Arvin

Sea Ray

I have used shell for the last 4000+ miles, always the 93 oct. My last tank was 23.25 mpg. That was aggressive country road driving (55-75mph) with the air on, and 2 large batteries in the floor on the passenger side. And a cooler, some beer, clothes, etc for a weekend at the lake. I'm pretty happy with the mpg. Weekly running around town I only get around 17-18 mpg. My mpg is increasing but couldn't tell you if it because I the gas or that I am getting more miles on the car.

Oh, that was also with the Stage 1 unit turned off. I'll try again friday, this time without the batteries and the stage 1 on.

StealthTL

iTrader: (1)

and 2 large batteries in the floor on the drivers side.

I hope they were actually on the passenger side, they hurt your clutch foot when you stop!

S

Tamas

iTrader: (1)

They were probably behind the driver's seat

bxb40

I guess all companies put alcohol (hopefully ethanol, methanol would kill the catalyst) to comply with emissions. That, however, kills milage and performance (less HP per ounce burned and your car does not know what it flows from the tank to adjust for it). So, I am curious, does the V-tech has the 10% alcohol in it? Maybe they took it out and replaced it with a better additive package. And, if you wonder, alcohol is more expensive than gasoline, so companies do not volunteer to put it in anyway - hence their driving force to replace it with something else to meet pollution norms but without the debit in power.
Also, anybody knows a gas company that does not add alcohol to their gasoline? It is usually writen on the pump or close by... I did not find any but I checked three brands only (Shell not included).

RotorManiac

I used both V-power gases and milage is very good! However, its very expensive here in my country so I stick with BP

The premium one its called 'racing' over here. Shell claims it has 99+ RON (octane number) selling it for 1.1euros per litre!! No thanks!!

rx8cited

For us Shell users in the US looking for a 5% discount on Shell gas: http://www.877myshell.com/ gives back 5% on Shell gas purchases, 1% on other purchases.

rx8cited

I, Claudius

Is this V-power stuff substantively different than Chevron's Techron (I love these brand names) as far as cleaning and/or performance go?

red_rx8_red_int

Hmmm? I thought companies used gasahol because it was cheaper. Where I live all companies use alcohol.

Neon

Over here, V-Power is da most expensive fuel. Shell claims better mileage even with their second grade which is 98 unleaded. The third is 95.

hac

I'm the poster that still works in the gas industry. The advantage is the additive package and yes it is "that good". The base gas (oxygenated, reformulated, conventional, etc) before additives are injected remains the same as with ALL gasoline and octane ratings. All companies do have ethanol, methanol, MTBE's, butane or some other form of "lite ends" in there gas. It's a part of the refining process. What "lite ends" they use and in what part of the country depends on the EPA emmissions standards and the EPA attainment reigon you live in. Alcohol is a altogather different thing. It is a filler/octane booster. Cheaper than gas and used in a 10% blend with gas. If premiun is selling for 1.85 per gallon to the dealer and he purchases 9000 gallons the price is 16500.00 (without taxes and freight). With Alcohol in the mix he can do the following. 3500 gallons of prem +4500 gallons of reg + 1000 gallons of Alcohol= 93 octane premium. Factor in that regular 87 octane cost him 5 to 15 cent per gallon less than premium and Alcohol is far cheaper than reg 87 and you have a nice profit. (around 15350.00 for the blend, a NET profit of 1150.00 before it is marked up at the pump and sold to you)
Yes it is legal, perhaps better for the polution???? The gov. makes anyone doing this post it on the pump to inform the consumer. If it is not posted the Alcohol is not in it. My only problem with this is not in the performance of the product but the PRICE! I work in this industry and control quality specifications as well as test it. If you want to use gas/alcohol then do so. BUT,By all rights any gas sold with alchol added should sell for a minium of 10 cent per gallon below any gas without it added.
Bottom line is Shell 93 octane is the best gas currently avaible due to the additive package...BUT...buy what makes you happy.

Adamrotor

93 v-power all i have used

JeRKy 8 Owner

Is this 93 V-power grade foundat all Shell stations or only certain ones? Or do all 93 octanepumps at Shell stations already include v-power?

hac

Yes V-power (additive package) is found at all Shell stations that have 93 octane. HOWEVER...this does not mean that there are not some "less than honest" wholesalers that do not have Shell product in the tank. Having said that, this could be true for Texaco, BP, Chevron, Exxon, etc.... or ANY wholesaler with any major brand. To keep this in check the Major oil companies send out people to test the service stations for there additive. If found not to be in compliance the fine starts at 40,000.00 the first time.

B-Nez

There is a Shell right across the street from my development that I've used to top off when I need to get a pack of smokes. Normally I fill up on base. 2 days ago while topping off there, it dawned on me that it was 93, and not 91 that I was topping with. It is the V-Power. I'm gonna do the next few tankfuls there, and see how it goes. It's definitely more convenient for me.

TM45

I have kept meticulous records on gas mileage since I got the car (10,000 miles) including brand and grade. I also take note of percentage city/highway and ECU flash history, etc. I have not noticed a significant difference based on brand, though I average highest with Texaco 89 and BP 93. Shell 93 was a bit lower, but that was probably due to uncontrolled factors.

If many have found Shell to be better, I will try it again, but I am skeptical that brand (among the majors) makes a big difference in mileage. I do believe that better gasolines may do a better job with detergents, freedom etc.

rx8cited

So what do you get? I generally get ~20 mpg in 50/50 driving with Shell 87 octane. Like you, I record fuel usage each time also .

rx8cited

TM45

I have averaged 19.98 over the first 9800 miles. General trend has been up. I get about 19 around town, 22 on the highway (not long trips.) My mix is over 50% city, maybe 65/35.

Highest tankful was about 24 on a long, rural, 50 mph daylong sightseeing trip. Lowest tankful was about 16mpg when I did a lot of 0-60 timed runs.

Worst mileage was with K flash--instantly improved with L--seems very slightly poorer with M--still way better than K.