Optimax - not as good as we think!

[sjtb]

Been using optimax since it came out, listening to all the hype and claims etc. Due to lack of Shell garages tother week I filled up with a tank of BP super (97 ron it says atpump)

It was actually cheaper than Optimax @ 78.9p (Manchester area)

I have noticed the car to be more responsive, and im getting about 340 miles out of a tank now instead of the usual 300/310! Ill be using this from now on!

So is Optimax sh*te then or what?!

Si

 

[BRUN]

ive also heard the BP Fuel is good, but never tried any myself, not that id probably notice in my RT

 

[BigBoreBri]

I find its more a case of how much you use it, if u never use optimax and then fil it up it feels much more responsive... but if u use it all the time like you have done changing down to normal RON petrol has the same effect.

Dont ask why... its probably all in our minds

 

[mikeherts]

I agree entirely. Optimax makes my car feel least responsive and BP super makes it feel best. Ive tried loads of different ones and the only result Im sure of is that as soon as I fill with Optimax it feels worse and as soon as I change it feels better. I wont touch the stuff with a barge pole, although it seems to work for a lot of people. Perhaps the stuff in my local Shell (and theres only one) sits in there for a long time and has lost its Octane rating. Perhaps Ill try it from a busy Shell next time I pass one just to see.

 

[Soneji]

Would you see these performance gains on only high disp engines?

 

[Ben j]

optimax loses its octane levels if sat and not used within a day or 2 anyway, so dont use it unless ya going ragging that day

 

[Soneji]

Does normal petrol drop in octane levels as well?

 

[BRUN]

Quote: Originally posted by Ben j on 26 June 2003

optimax loses its octane levels if sat and not used within a day or 2 anyway, so dont use it unless ya going ragging that day

i very much doubt it loses it so quickly, isnt it a few weeks ?!

it cant be so quick or else the entire stock of optimax at the petrol sation would have to be replaced every 2 days

 

[Soneji]

Well if petrol sits long enough it would become useless?

 

[Ben j]

ok maybe a week but its quite quick compared to normal petrol

 

[Lee]

Theres loads of thread on this if you search. This one isnt bad.

http://forum.cliosport.net/display_topic_threads.asp?ForumID=2&TopicID=33413&SearchPagePosition=1&search=optimax&searchMode=allwords&searchIn=Topic&forum=2&searchSort=dateDESC&ReturnPage=Searchhttp://forum.cliosport.net/display_topic_threads.asp?ForumID=2&TopicID=33413&SearchPagePosition=1&search=optimax&searchMode=allwords&searchIn=Topic&forum=2&searchSort=dateDESC&ReturnPage=Search

 

[visceral]

I only ever stick a tenners worth of Optimax in.

Mainly as a crafty trick, so my missus doesnt work out how much I use!!!

 

[Adams_16v]

i used to all the time and changed back to normal once and noticed a difference, then a few weeks later back on optimax and more responsive.

now use it one in every three instead. or BP Super

 

[TB11]

It takes 6 months before ANY fuel starts to degrade, even normal super unleaded.

Your car will adapt to some fuels better than others, a 97 ron fuel may feel better than a 98.6 ron fuel as your ecu learns, but if you keep putting it into your tank then you will end up with the same situation where you feel its not as responsive.

Normally asperated engines wont feel as responsive on a higher octane fuel as a supercharged/turbocharged engine which is designed for lower (95) ron fuel but this will adapt better on higher (98+) ron fuel than said n/a car.

Saying that, my car has a 60ltr tank and 340 miles on a good run out is normal on optimax (it has 100bhp more than a 172 btw) so ill let you work that one out



Tony

 

[rt172]

Quote: Originally posted by TB11 on 26 June 2003


it has 100bhp more than a 172 btw) so ill let you work that one out

262bhp then?

Just put in BP 98. Was expensive. Cant notice a difference!

 

[007]

Running optimax at the mo and cant see any difference either - will get my MPG next week when I refill

 

[CUPPY]

super unleaded bp is all my cup has and it is fantastic..i had a tank of 95 ron in at first did around 320 miles to the full tank...32mpg...with 98 ron i get 36.5mpg and nearly 400 miles on a full tank..bonus!!!

 

[tumbleweed]

Did 450 miles roundtrip today...started on half tank of petrol...ran it to near empty and filled up with texaco super unleaded and then later on BR superunleaded and between optimax and SUL I couldnt tell the difference to be honest....But the difference is noticable when running on RON 95.

Saying that I ran the car with the air-con on and air-con off and couldnt notice any power drain either....alot of it is probably in the mind...because one strange thing is the car runs better if i have 5 bags of b&Q gravel in the boot.

 

[Nath]

my chloe likes vimto. optimax is good you get free polo shirts after a while of collecting tokens. Vimto is kind to the environment, really fruity too.

 

[Simon172]

i used to put in optiboat all the time. Just started putting in normal diesel standard super unleaded and ive found that the car goes better on it. I use BP sul or esso sul and it goes better im sure it does! im going to time it somewhere, somehow using the same variables with different fuel etc. one day....maybe if i can be bothered!

 

[courseiave]

isnt it meant to be better for jap cars because the petrol over there is somethin like 99 ron? i notice the difference slightly when drivin the rolla gti-16 but didnt really feel it in any of my clios.

 

[Dust]

Fcuk it, we should all just use aviation fuel. ok may be a bit more expensive but hey, bet you can feel the difference.

We could see if we could get a club discount at the local air fields!





But seriously, Optimax is bollox. All it does to my car is make the engine feel airy and doesnt feel any quicker than 95RON. Its all in the mind! When i first did it i wanted to feel quicker, and it did. Then after switching from one to the other, i realised.

 

[RobFenn]

Even if you dont feel it being as responsive, Optimax also cleans your engine.

-Rob

 

[TB11]

Optimax doesnt suit all cars (just check your handbook for that) as i know that the 16v renaults (the 1.8ltr engines) ran just as well on nul as they do on sul.

The 172 should notice the difference though, and i could put optimax in my mondeo but it would be a waste of time (it is designed to run on 95 ron fuel so i have no performance gains, like i want any in it!)

Rhys, spot on



Tony

 

[RobFenn]

Only a f**k wit would expect to get actual performance gains from petrol. Some cars (172 included) only produce max power with this RON. However, normal cars should get better economy, more responsiveness for a while (as it cleans out all the sh*t) and then it will keep the engine in better nick..as ive said so many times! Theres no point having a discussion about Optimax being a performance enhancer.

-Rob

 

[Scudetto]

blimey. tell it how it is eh, Rob?

g

 

[RobFenn]

 

[billabong]

Whatever Optimax or super unleaded does its 10p more expensive than normal unleaded so I wouldnt bother with it.

Ive only got 1.2 16v anyway so theres no point!

 

[Griff]

Take a look at this http://www.shelloptimax.co.uk/jive3/thread.jspa?forumID=1&threadID=108&tstart=0http://www.shelloptimax.co.uk/jive3/thread.jspa?forumID=1&threadID=108&tstart=0

 

[Elliot]

Tried it.

Didnt noticably enhance performance. MPG went down from 33 (95r) to 31.

And (referring to an earlier post) Im sure my ECU can slowly learn how to best use a fuel.

Cost me 7p a litre more for less MPG. Pointless!

I shall see if my car seems slower next week.