Shell Optimax? Marketing scam?

I know due to the higher octance rating, it might improve performance. However It claims to improve the engine due to the additives, which 'clean' the engine.

Is this true and if so, how many tanks do you need to consume before the additives actually prove of any use?

It mentions 'Some older vehicles may need to use a valve seat lubricant with Shell Optimax to help protect the valve seats recession.' Could it potentially damage my carb'd 1.3?

Also what are the benefits of using normal super unleaded from Sainsbury's and the like?
Edited by: G-Man

 

I run all my cars on optimax, does improve performance and fuel economy. In a press release that came out when optimax did they thought that it took 7-10 tanks before it working to its full poteinal.


Also Sainsbury Super Unleaded is the same as BP Ultima.

 

Does sainsbuty super unleaded have the same additives?

 

Some people claim tesco's sell 99RON super unleaded? What are the possible side effects of using a higher RON fuel in my ickle 1.3 carb'd engine? Just wanna look after the internals mainly!

 

you'll go bankrupt!!

doesnt sound like your rolling in cash, so save the money on the fuel, and put it towards having the car srviced/repaired at the set intervals.

 

I think it contains similar additives but not the same, some cars will run well on Optimax, some will run alot better on Ultimaand somewill run well on both. Most people find that cars on Ultima will run smoother, also the warm up faster.


Also after you've been using 1 for a while they dont like change.

 

Tell me about is Seraph! However I was putting 20 in the golf, normal unleaded was at 95RON was 89.9p a litre and super unleaded at 97RON was 91.9p a litre. At an extra 2p per litre, was just wondering if I could actually given much benefit as during uni the car will not be used on long journeys, most short so the if the fuel benefitted the engine, i'd rather pay the extra. At the mo the car has had 500+ on servicing it so mechanically its all peachy, with the car running frequeny oil changes on the Castrol High Millage oil.

So worth the extra 2p a litre, or 0.80 per tank (40 litres)?

 

dude, if ur a student-save your money!!- the car will be fine, superUL or not!

 

Cheers, pretty much the bottom line opinion I wanted!

 

1.3 mh engine in your golf is designed to run on 91 octane minimum - it will run absolutely fine on normal unleaded (alloy head with hardened valve seats - no need for lead replacement). No point in running optimax at all. I have to run Optimax in my golf as its 98 octane min - i wish i didnt the stuff costs near on 1 a litre here now [:^(]

Also all this talk about cars getting used to different types of petrol only applies to cars which have knock sensors and will retard/advance the ignition if a lower/higher octane fuel is used - a late mk2 (digifant) 8V gti is an example of this. Unless of course the person is using 10 of optimax in a tank of normal unleaded - in which case it will make bugger all difference.


Cheers

Dan

 

Does it really improve fuel economy? Is it worth running mine on different fuel to 95ron? I've got a '91 GTI 16V, but aren't loaded with cash at the mo! Paying more for Optimax is not so bad if your doing more miles than normal 95ron.

 

I guess that means that I shouldn't be using 95ron petrol on my 16v then?! Only just got it so didn't know it was any different! Only put two tankfulls in so far though.

 

Someone once told me you get better fuel economy as it cleans the engine deposits and also as it has more power, you do not have to run the engine as hard, thus using less fuel!

 

lol.. i put some in my car the other day by mistake, bloody 97p! I dont see the point in it, seems just a replacement for 4star... compelete money scammy crap.

 

The fuel economy/extra power stuff only applies to modern knock sensing ignition.

On these cars the ignition timing is automatically continuously advanced until the beginnings of detonation is detected. Optimax allows the engine to run more advance for slightly more power etc.

You could advance your timing to suit optimax via twisting the dizzy, but then you would have to re-time the engine for each petrol.

I would run the normal unleaded personally.

 

its just giving everybody a choice!......those running hi comp/hi adv sports cars will want the very best from it.....this was they can.
the opposite goes for a student running a golf!

 

ive got a 89 mk11 16v.....and have always run it on 95ron....even though it says 98 min........and it runs perfect....even with 170,000 on the clock and yes its origanl engine.....

 

Yeah it massively improves the economy in my pulsar but thats a 2.0l turbo, i can get 24mpg onoptimax but only about 18mpg on unleaded,it does in the golf but not so much.

 

i did a test when i was commuting 100 miles a day and the extra fuel saving is not worth the extra price per litre of optimax...in fact, there wasn't really much in it in terms of mpg. did something like 10 miles more per tank on optimax.

however, could be very car dependent...this was with my mr2.

i don't really feel there's any performance increase on optimax as well, though when i put it in my old 1.2 punto there was a small improvement (but only the kind of improvement similar to what you get from an induction kit...so not really noticeable, more in the head!).

having said that if the car was tuned to run optimax it prob would give better results, but i just don't think its worth it.

...these are just my own opinions mind, do a test yourself and keep note of your mileage (you have to drive the same way on both fuesl tho for it to be fair)
Edited by: acf8181

 

I'm the latter! Just that I thought the 'you get what you pay' rule could apply here, so that the extra 2p in my case could save me money by looking after the engine and increasing mpg, but obvoiusly just learnt not in my case!

Didn't want it for the extra performance, more for the benefits. But looks like for my little 1.3 carb, costs outweigh the benefits!
Edited by: G-Man