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Advantages:
Increased performance(esp mid range) and economy, quieter and smoother idling
Disadvantages:
Cost 89 . 9p per litre eye - wateringly expensive (at time of writing) availability - not too many Shell stations around these days,may need a couple of tankfulls to be effective, benefits only for those with performance cars/modded engines
I'm back on the net now with access virtually 24/7 so be expecting new reviews and the same old att...
I'm back on the net now with access virtually 24/7 so be expecting new reviews and the same old attitude. Regards-Peter.
Member since:25.07.2004
Reviews:64
Members who trust:6
I started driving back in 1999 when I purchased a Ford Fiesta Zetec 1.4 to commute to Telford and as the Shell station on the Tettenhall Rd, Wolverhampton and filled it with Shell Regular Unleaded-nothing unusual about that.
Well it was about that time, I started to notice a premium grade of Petrol called Optimax. I asked my best friend about it who told me not to bother because the benefits were only noticable in higher performance cars. Well I changed cars and upgraded to a Fiesta 1.6 Zetec S-a bit more of a performance car. After tanking it up with the regular unleaded to see what it was usually like, I then used Optimax on my next visit. About £5 more than normal to fill the tank and I was expecting it to turn into a Ferrari. No such luck, no difference at all in my experience. All I'd done is waste a fiver.
But again, life took another twist when I was divorced and had previously sold the Zetec S to hold the marriage together To cut a very long story short, I ended up with an old but pristine heavily modified Audi 80 16v Avant. This had also been fitted with a K&Nair filter, fitted with a performance exhaust and been "Chipped" so it had somewhat more performance than my previous two cars.
So after using the half tank of petrol I was supplied with, I decided to tank up with Optimax. This time... there was one HECK of a difference. Better performance, smoother idling,quieter engine,smoother driving, an increase in mid-range acceleration (to me much more useful than pulling away at the lights)-just a better quality of drive all round.
Well after that experience, I started trying to find out why Optimax was better. I knew this wasn't my imagination. Well Optimax is rated at 98 RON or Octane as I remember it as opposed to 95 RON for standard Unleaded. That means the Fuel/Air mixture detonates at optimum compression rather than slightly early (causes pinking/knocking I've been told)-hence the increse in performance. This apparently isn't too much to be concerned about with a standard car engine but either a performance car such as an Impreza Turbo or a car with a "chipped" engine such as mine-knocking can be an issue. So take away the knocking and the engine performs at it's optimum-hence Optimax.
And theres more...
Optimax includes a veritable cocktail of additives/detergents which help clean the injector nozzles,combustion chambers and any related parts of the engine. It is also supposed to burn "cleaner" ie a less polluting fuel and kinder to the environment. This is also helping to produce the gains I've mentioned.
I would say I had about a 10% increase all round in performance over using standard unleaded. It is difficult to quantify as I haven't gone round with a set of precision measuring instruments in my car-but it's the impression I have. Also, I ve noticed a small decrease in fuel consumption. Not massive and certainly not enough to justify buying Optimax soley for that reason but it's certainly welcome.
And just to confirm this in my own mind, I ran low on petrol by the Frankley Service Station on the M5 and had to buy some Esso regular unleaded. I noticed a drop in performance etc so the benefits I'm certainly putting down to Optimax.
After all those nice things what about the drawbacks?
The performance gains in my experience only come with performance/modified engine cars as discussed . Optimax also commands a price permium of at least 5p per litre over regular unleaded and Shell petrol stations seem to be ever dwindling in numbers., so availability isn't so good.
Overall, provided your car fits into the catergories I've mentioned,you would be mad to use anything else.!
Liquid Gold..in performance AND price!
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I use this all the time now, have been doing for about 5 years. So I agree with you totally. It certainly is worth the extra couple of pence. Great review too.....Roy
Deru 12.04.2005 04:24
Thanks for the info. Very informative and interesting. No use for me it seems so glad I haven't bothered.
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