Shell V-Power Premium gasoline (fuel, octane, best, truck)

[kentuckydad95]

Whenever you go to a gas station, you notice that the price differences in the octanes are usually higher in 10 cent increments. Example:

Regular: $3.70
Mid: $3.80
Premium: $3.90

When I was at Shell, I filled up with V-Power and noticed the price was in weird increments. I paid 34 cents higher than the regular. Is this at all Shell stations or was I ripped off somehow?

[texdav]

I think it was shell that use to use the platfomate in its commercials long ago. My father who worked i refiing use the laugh ;he said all gasoline went thru the platfrom porcess. This compnay poften traded gasoline with shell and any difference was in dues and additive for cleanig when the tankers where filled.

[ferretkona]

Any fuel truck is hauling two fuels, premium and regular. At the pump 3 are available as it mixes the two on command. The truck will visit Shell then drive accross the street to Arco then over to Chevron. The only difference between stations is the bag of detergent added to the tank when filled.

Unless your car's manufacture actually demands you use premium fuel, you will see no benifit.

[ambient]

If you're using V-Power and you're not one of the minority whose high performance cars actually specify the need for a higher octane...then you're getting ripped off every time, period. Gas is expensive enough. If you have money to burn, send it to me.

[kentuckydad95]

Honda Civic Si...I have to use 91 octane or higher.

[snofarmer]

Shell or any other station is not blending fuel at the pump.

Crude oil is refined at a refinery.
It is then transported by pipe line to the fuel depot or tank farm where you will see the different tanks.

It is at the fuel depot that the additives are added when a tanker shows up. The delivery guy or station attendant is not adding any additives at the station when the fuel is delivered.

Tankers have divided tanks they can carry 2,3,4 different fuels at once.

All of our fuel comes from the same refinery. So it all starts at the same place and is the same. Be Reg, Mid, or High octaneor diesel fuel.
It's not until the additives have been added that it becomes shells fuel

When a tanker(doesn't matter what the name on the side of the tanker is) that is delivering fuel to shell arrives at the fuel depot, the additive package for shell is added to the fuel.

Then if on that same load a different section of the tanker is filled, then driveled to Sinclare. With Sinclare's additive package.

When fuel is blended like diesel fuel, In the winter it is a blend of #2 & #1 this blending and additive package is done before the fuel gets to the station.

The blending is not done at the station nor is a additive package being added at the station.

If you wish to pay more for shells additives that is your choice.

Now before you say "yes it is snow~" ask your self this simple questions. Where is this big tank of additives at the station and do you think the 16yr old high school girl is going to go out and measure out the additive package and add it to the tank during the delivery.

really.

[kentuckydad95]

My question is, is Shell's additives worth more than Joe-Blow's station down the street that also sells premium?

[Drover]

Shell's highest grade is almost always well over 10 cents higher than the mid-grade. I don't know what makes their "V Power" so special.

I miss the days when the price-per-gallon increments from grade to grade was only 5 cents, rather than 10 cents and growing. Nowadays it seems common for the top grade to be 25c/gal higher than the base grade.

[snofarmer]

V-Power Diesel - Advanced performance fuel - Model Site (http://www.shell.com/home/content/fuels_g/products_services/v_power_diesel_pkg/ - broken link)

Shells V power diesel fuel is full of cleaners, We know this lowers lubricity. I wonder what the hfcr (sp ) or wear scar testing # is?
and it uses liquified natural gas.

The shell v power is just a bunch of additives and natural gas.
I will not run it.

Do your self a favor and just run #2 or the pump that says diesel fuel.

Yes, the pumps are suppose be well marked IE "ulsd" or state the amount of bio but that is not always the case.


Does a clean engine need cleaners?

Bio fuel will clean your injectors and the rest of your fuel system also. Even in small amounts like B5

Don't wast your money.

[NJGOAT]

The Shell stations near me operate on the .10 cent increment, but Shell is also generally the highest priced station around me. There is something known as "Tier One" fuels. These are retail stations that agreed to sell their gas with a minimum additive package as specified by GM, Toyota, Honda and BMW. There are also greater standards involved with the storage of the fuel in regards to contamination in addition to the additive package.

Some people say it doesn't matter and octane is octane regardless of where you buy it. While that is true, the additive package does differ as well as the overall quality (contamination) of the fuel being pumped into your car. A friend of mine who tunes cars for a living did some testing on fuels in our area. He found the best was Sunoco 94, owing to the fact it was 94 octane. Second was Shell 93 followed by the other namebrands all the way down to the independent stations.

He determined "best" by using a dyno and looking at knock. Basically the "better" the fuel the more aggressive the timing could be before knock became an issue and hence more power. Since Sunoco 94 isn't readily available, he tunes for Shell 93, which gives solid consistent results. Now, we are talking minimal differences here.

So, IMO "Tier One" fuels are better. However, if your car isn't tuned to the edge it won't matter. Personally, I use Shell (only "Tier One" station around me) exclusively in my performance cars. I use name brand stations in everything else at whatever octane level the car says I need.

So, I guess the conclusion here would be, buy the minimum octane level your car requires. In terms of which brand is better, it really doesn't matter unless you are talking about a tuned car with more aggressive timing. In that case, crappier gas can lead to issues.