Is this around in the rest of Europe yet? I've been running on the new 100 octane fuel and its amazing! 8) :cheesy: Better boost in both upper and lower rev ranges as well as smoother running. Supposed to give better MPG as well, but I haven't managed that yet :cheesy:

My bro has been running it in his 900i as well. Says it makes a remarkable difference. The diesel is also said to be a vast improvement. Only downside is the price €1.10 a litre for petrol :o yikes :o

Have'nt used BP Ultimate yet because I've heard it's not that good, well here in England anyway. It seems that Shell Optimax is more popular (however I don't think the Octane rating is as high as the BP one :-?? :-?? )

Would be interested to know if anyone in the UK has tried it out :D

Have'nt used BP Ultimate yet because I've heard it's not that good, well here in England anyway. It seems that Shell Optimax is more popular (however I don't think the Octane rating is as high as the BP one :-?? :-?? )
A couple of useful links:
http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=233460#233460
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/johnnya/max-boost/fuelling.htm#optimax

I use it every time I fill up now and I've been generally happy with the results and there is a noticable difference from standard BT unleaded. I don't feel it is quite as good as Shell Optimax though in terms of performance. As far as I know the BP Ultimate that is available in the UK is only 98 octane rather than the 100RON available elsewhere in Europe.

I have tryed BP Ultimate :( :(
it is not as good as Shell Optimax..
the BP has a lower RON & its dearer per litre to buy :( :(
so I will stick with Shell Optimax..
until Shell bring out V-Power in the UK (100RON)

Paul

I think the octane levels must be different then. BP ultimate is definitely 100 RON here. V Power was launched about three weeks ago, but I haven't tried that yet.

Incidentlly, you can't get 98 octane at any of the BP pumps anymore. I think they are doing the same with shell, despite the hefty price differance (up from €.98 to €1.10)

BP Ultimate is a minimum of 97ron in the UK (annoying as the rest of Europe seems to get the 100ron version) :cry:

Optimax has a maximum rating of 98.6, but due to the volatility of the additives used is actually unstable so Shell only makes it to the requirements of RUL, which means that its octane can drop below 95 :! This is also why its cheaper, the fuel tax on regular is less than that for super.

In my case I would prefer to use Optimax, but with the car getting less use these days it may not be so suitable, but with a 20mile round trip to the closest Shell station, or a 30second drive to the local BP Ultimate place, if the car is low it now gets the BP stuff.

In my case I would prefer to use Optimax, but with the car getting less use these days it may not be so suitable, but with a 20mile round trip to the closest Shell station, or a 30second drive to the local BP Ultimate place, if the car is low it now gets the BP stuff.
I have a similar problem, only its a 50 mile round trip for Shell :roll: BP Ultimate isn`t that great in my experience, but it`ll do if thats the closest.

I use both, whichever is nearest at the time. I do own a Lazy Pressure Turbo so not a huge difference in performance.

I have heard a rumour that the additives used in Optimax can deteriorate (sp?) so to speak and that to buy it from a well-used garage

I find filling up with Optimax not only seems to increase the power it also drastically improves fuel consumption.

I find filling up with Optimax not only seems to increase the power it also drastically improves fuel consumption.

and drastically reduces your bank balance :cheesy:

I find filling up with Optimax not only seems to increase the power it also drastically improves fuel consumption.

Even after my brief thrash of your car? :cheesy:

Alanb

BP Ultimate is a minimum of 97ron in the UK (annoying as the rest of Europe seems to get the 100ron version) :cry:

Optimax has a maximum rating of 98.6, but due to the volatility of the additives used is actually unstable so Shell only makes it to the requirements of RUL, which means that its octane can drop below 95 :! This is also why its cheaper, the fuel tax on regular is less than that for super.

In my case I would prefer to use Optimax, but with the car getting less use these days it may not be so suitable, but with a 20mile round trip to the closest Shell station, or a 30second drive to the local BP Ultimate place, if the car is low it now gets the BP stuff.

I knew this would come up. Saab recommends 98 and min of 92.
This is where the confusion sets in: The RON method of octane measurement is not used in the United States. In the US, a different method entirely is used, called the CLC method. The number that results from this method is the average of the RON octane number and the MON octane number, so (RON + MON)/2 = CLC octane number. This is the number that you will find printed on a yellow label on gas pumps in the United States.

Lazy Pressure Turbo

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA...

Not laughing at you, it's just that I've never heard it called that before :lol: :lol: :lol:
Thanks, brightened up my morning loads :D

Mark
:cheesy:

I do own a Lazy Pressure Turbo so not a huge difference in performance.

Scotty - you'll notice a bigger difference when using these fuels if you fit an intercooler and manual boost controller so you have a not-so-lazy pressure turbo like mine!

I find filling up with Optimax not only seems to increase the power it also drastically improves fuel consumption.

and drastically reduces your bank balance :cheesy:

Optimax actually works out to be cheaper for me as I get something like 20% better fuel consumption. It really is that much!

I find filling up with Optimax not only seems to increase the power it also drastically improves fuel consumption.

and drastically reduces your bank balance :cheesy:

Optimax actually works out to be cheaper for me as I get something like 20% better fuel consumption. It really is that much! I have about 5 - 10% improvement with Optimax. Also at the last MOT the toxic emmissions at 3000rpm and idle were both 0% [CO] and 0 ppm [hydrocarbons]:cheesy: I wonder how much the fuel grade has helped towards that?

we're noticing some problems with idle in the 900's associated with Optimax downunder. I will tend towards ultimate or caltex vortex if I'm desperate.

I have tryed BP Ultimate :( :(
it is not as good as Shell Optimax..
the BP has a lower RON & its dearer per litre to buy :( :(
so I will stick with Shell Optimax..
until Shell bring out V-Power in the UK (100RON)

Paul

Shell V-Power was available here but I've never tried it as it was much more expensive. Later Shell sold it's petrol station business to Statoil.

Uno-X (Hydro-Texaco chain of petrol stations) has 95 octane petrol with some additives called Nitro 3000 here. My car runs stronger with it indeed.

I do own a Lazy Pressure Turbo so not a huge difference in performance.

Scotty - you'll notice a bigger difference when using these fuels if you fit an intercooler and manual boost controller so you have a not-so-lazy pressure turbo like mine!

Mine is a later model so it already has the intercooler. I have a manual control valve knocking around somewhere but I don't want to loose any of the trionic features!

I do own a Lazy Pressure Turbo so not a huge difference in performance.

Scotty - you'll notice a bigger difference when using these fuels if you fit an intercooler and manual boost controller so you have a not-so-lazy pressure turbo like mine!

Mine is a later model so it already has the intercooler. I have a manual control valve knocking around somewhere but I don't want to loose any of the trionic features!

Scotty

Sorry mate - thought you had a c900.. :oops:

No worries matey!! It's all cushty! :cheesy:

Sounds like some of the Scooby crowd are finding that their cars det and run rough with BP Ultimate in the tank:
http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/showthread.php?t=370892

Noticably poorer than Optimax.

Optimax in Melbourne, Australia, is very unreliable, the Ron is advertised @ 98 but i have been told bye various service station attendants that on some days it can be 95 Ron and on other days it can be 98 Ron,

I ran optimax in my nat asp 900i for a while and i got really bad idling, so bad that the engine would cut out, so i switched back to Shell 92 Ron and in 3 tanks the problem was fixed!!

i have never ran Optimax in my 900 Aero as i dont want any more fuelling problems and the quality is also a issue like i said before, if i get desperate i would use 92 Ron or Caltex Vortex until i found a BP or Mobil

I use BP Ultimate (98 Ron) or if i get desperate Mobil Synergy (98 Ron) :)

Unfortunately in Canberra there is not a lot of choice as there is only two BP's selling Ultimate, most Shell sell Optimax, but otherwise the best you can hope for is 95RON.

So usually it is either Optimax or Mobil 95RON. The Aero doesn't like the Mobil juice much, but the SE doesn't complain.

Optimax has a maximum rating of 98.6, but due to the volatility of the additives used is actually unstable so Shell only makes it to the requirements of RUL, which means that its octane can drop below 95 :! This is also why its cheaper, the fuel tax on regular is less than that for super.

I actually wrote to Shell Australia about this issue as I have a classic car that does only about 100 miles in a bad year, but needs at least 98RON (I wondered what the octane degradation was over time). Shell reckon that Octane rating will hold for at least 12 months. In fact they mix and set aside 300,000L at the start of each year just for the local V8 racing series and that one supply needs to last from January one year until January the next.

we still need Shell V-Power in the UK as the rest of europe gets it already..
are we in europe or not :x :x

Paul

But here in the UK V-Power would be priced at £1+/litre...

Higher octane fuels are a waste of money if you're vehicle is not designed for them.

Putting 94 octane fuel in a vehicle that runs on 87 adds no benefit.

Higher octane fuels are a waste of money if you're vehicle is not designed for them.

Putting 94 octane fuel in a vehicle that runs on 87 adds no benefit.

Well if you have a turbocharged Saab higher octane, such as 97 RON as opposed to 92 or 95 enables you to hit higher boost levels and hold them for longer. It is also recommended in the owners manual and workshop manual - it can run on lower octane, but at the expense of performance. If you have a turbocharged Saab but no APC it reduces the likelihood of detonation and allows you to run higher boost.

Higher octane fuels are a waste of money if you're vehicle is not designed for them.

Putting 94 octane fuel in a vehicle that runs on 87 adds no benefit.A lot people on here are running modified cars, many with turbo's, regardless of what the vehicles were designed to run with, even using a simple MBC [manual boost controller] can put you in the realms of requiring a fuel upgrade. On my normally aspirated car, in high summer there is more noticable knock control when using premium in comparison the super type fuels.

What I have noticed for sure is that standard BP unleaded is absolute rubbish - supermarket unleaded beats it everytime.

we still need Shell V-Power in the UK as the rest of europe gets it already..
are we in europe or not :x :x


Are you? :wink:

we still need Shell V-Power in the UK as the rest of europe gets it already..
are we in europe or not :x :x


Are you? :wink:

Sometimes.

we still need Shell V-Power in the UK as the rest of europe gets it already..
are we in europe or not :x :x


Are you? :wink:

Sometimes.

As much as I'd like to get well into this, it's not the place for politics :D

I've tried BP ultimate a couple of times. No apparent difference :( Might have been a touch better with Optimax, but TBH Sainbury's super unleaded feels exactly the same, is more readily available, and is significantly cheaper. Job's a goodun :)

TBH Sainbury's super unleaded feels exactly the same, is more readily available, and is significantly cheaper. Job's a goodun
I have used Optimax much better in the car and weird much better fuel consumption. Don't know about BP. I'm off to Sainsburys tomorrow. I saw that on the pumps at the weekend. How long have they been doing that.????

Dead

I'm on my second tank load of Sainsbury's Super at the moment all seems well, its better than BP..
plus I save a few pennies a gallon :wink: :wink:

Paul

I think they've been doing SUL longer than I've had a car on the road that needs it - i.e. about 5 months :)

My local Esso (well to work anyway) is currently rebranding to the latest Esso coporate image. At the same time they've bought the price of super down to 83.9p/ltr (regular is 81.9). This is rumoured to be closer to 98 than 97 and more stable than Optimax.