BP Ultimate Diesel

[dave_xsara]

Decided to fill up from BP instead of the usual Tesco stuff and a local supplier.

Noticed straight away that I could brim the tank with the BP fuel without an excessive amount of suds. Why would that be?

Also, I noticed at the pumps there was BP Ultimate Diesel. Never used it before or even heard of it. Is it worth using or is it another gimmick?

Their blurb states:

With ongoing use, BP Ultimate Diesel with ACTIVE technology helps:

• give you up to 56 kilometres more per tank**

• keep your engine running as the manufacturer intended

• deliver a smoother drive

• reduce the risk of an unplanned, costly maintenance.

*Removal of the majority of performance-robbing engine deposits; based on a vehicle range per tank of 850 km.
**Benefit is achieved over time with ongoing use and based on tests in dirty versus clean engines. Expected range per tank in dirty condition 850km. Average benefit 35km. Benefits may vary due to factors including vehicle condition and driving style.

Link: BP Ultimate Diesel

[white exec]

Essentially there are three 'levels' of diesel fuel on the market:
- Budget/supermarket fuel
- Standard grade diesel
- Super grade diesel (eg BP Ultimate)

These differ only in the additives which are usually added to the delivery tankers at the local/regional bunkering depots, where the tankers fill up.

The additives contain, amongst other things, cetane improvers (which affect the combustion and power delivery of the fuel), lubricity agents (which help lubricate pumps and injectors, following the reduction of the sulphur content of the fuel), and cleaning agents. These additives are beneficial (smoother and quiter running, better low-rev torque, less smoke, cleaner fuel systems, and probably a couple of mpg improvement, but are not cheap - which is why they are reined back on, or absent, from budget fuels.

To avoid the additional expense of super-grade diesel, you could add either of the following to standard grade diesel when filling up. Both work well, and will produce the same benefits as the more expensive fuel:
- Miller's Diesel Power Plus
- Wynn's Diesel Fuel Treatment
Both are can be added at the rate of 1:1000 (eg 40ml into 40 litres), or at 1:200 for a remedial clean.
Add first, and then mix in by adding diesel from the pump.

[Gibbo2286]

I've used both BP ultimate and the ESSO equivalent in the 06 C5 estate, mainly because it had been unused for near four years and I wanted to give it the best possible return to the road.

I used Tesco diesel in the 04 C5 hatchback for all of the time I've owned it, seemed to do the job ok.

[Michel]

Decided to fill up from BP instead of the usual Tesco stuff and a local supplier.

Noticed straight away that I could brim the tank with the BP fuel without an excessive amount of suds. Why would that be?

Also, I noticed at the pumps there was BP Ultimate Diesel. Never used it before or even heard of it. Is it worth using or is it another gimmick?

I've used them a lot when I had a fuel card. Made no difference either way. It's never seemed to make any difference to any of the diesels, either IDI or Common rail I've had at all. 35km difference per tank? Well, on a 60 litre tank, that would be £74.74 to fill up from empty with standard diesel at today's prices, and £80.34 for BP Ultimate diesel.

35km is 21 miles. Your extra 21 miles is costing you £6.60, more than a £5.63 gallon of standard diesel. It makes no sense to me.

I *do* use BP Ultimate/Shell V-Power petrol in my Focus ST, but that's because it's been properly remapped to use the higher octane fuel.

[GiveMeABreak]

I use Gulf Diesel, but alternate with their Super Diesel every 2-3 refills as a compromise. Regular use should negate the need for additional fuel system cleaners.

I'm not too fussed about the economy claims as Mike has already mentioned; for me it is more a matter of maintaining the fuel system components.

[Michel]

I'm not too fussed about the economy claims as Mike has already mentioned; for me it is more a matter of maintaining the fuel system components.

Ah, but I don't believe the claims that they actually do much at all. I've never had a fuel pump or injector fail on a diesel car, and I've had plenty. I believe driving style and conditions contribute more to those kind of failures than not using special fuels prevents them.

[GiveMeABreak]

I can only go from experience too Mike; when using supermarket fuels in earlier years (more notably T**co), I often had rough running on the Xantia and early C5s. Once I dumped supermarket fuels I never had any issues again - on the same car and every one since - so personally I would have to say it has made a difference using Shell V Power Diesel and Gulf Super Diesel.

I don't really like the idea of bunging in a concentrated cleaner into the tank separately - as I'm not sure how good that would be for the particulate filter / regeneration process - especially as Citroen say not to use any fuel additives on these cars.

[lexi]

BP Ultimate diesel. Used it many times and never failed to get to a destination yet! Brilliant stuff

I stick the good stuff in more often than not, hoping it will keep things clean. A chap on another forum who was a buyer for Supermarket fuel stations said that these cheaper fuels all have an additive package that meets requirement. It could all be a bit like engine oil really. Good enough oil is fine. Mobil 1 not needed for most of us.

[wheeler]

I worked for a big national company with a fleet of over 4000 cars, vans & trucks with a multi million pound fuel bill per year, the fleet used mainly Total fuel where available (not many total stations in Scotland), when Total came out with the excellium diesel with big claims of MPG savings they decided to give it a trial so got 3 drivers (doing around 3000 miles per month) in each area where excellium was available to solely fill up with only excellium for 6 months.
The result of the trial was there was absolutely no MPG saving whatsoever.