Which 98RON fuel for GTI Polo

[Gambit]

Hey Guys,
Just putting it out there to see which fuel you have found in your experience to be the best match to the 1.4 Twincharge engine of the Polo GTI, each engine and fuel/ECU map will react differently to different premium fuels.

So just wanting to hear some personal experiences.

[break]

Entirely depends on the fuel station as there are good and bad examples of each brand of fuel... BUT

BP Ultimate both guarantee's octane (98 octane as the minimum octane rating of the batch, as opposed to other brands listing '98 octane' as the average octane of the batch), and run the least amount of cleaning agents in the fuel.

V-power is the only other fuel I'll personally use, which I find gives me slightly better fuel economy but less mid-range. BUT, they also have the highest proportion of cleaning agents... so I often use V-power as a once every so often fuel to clean out the injectors etc.

I've had an occasional batch of ok Caltax 98, but generally it's been pretty poor... and Mobil 98 was always horrid.

These results were consistent across both my 98 octane tuned turbo cars (Polo and WRX), however I find the results harder to differentiate between the NA cars I've driven which require only 91 or 95 octane.

[yas786]

I cant say I felt any difference between using Mobil 98, Caltex 98, V Power or BP Ultimate. However, psychologically I felt better using Ultimate! Maybe its the name! I've covered approx 1,600 kms thus far.

[Gambit]

well just loaded up with v-power after going through first tank from dealership, not sure what fuel they had in it, but anyway we got 480km out of a tank. What is everyone else getting on what fuel type?

[gavs]

0kms to a tank running on a wish and a prayer... :(

[Ralfi]

I used BP Ultimate for roughly the first year, going off recommendations here. I've since used Caltex (for almost another year now) & if anything, it's zippier now, though i've gotten used to driving the car & it's also meant to improve as time goes on so it may not have anything to with the fuel used......

/useless info..

[JaneAusten]

I've only been able to get around 440km before the reserve fuel light comes on. That said I live in the city so maybe it's just the type of driving I do. The car's done... wait for it... 4400 km already. Been using either V power/ BP ultimate.

[yas786]

Averaging around 550 km's for each 3/4 of a tank. Relatively short drives to work, kids, shopping etc. But the boss drives it 90% of the time. The first tank (from the dealer) we got 600km, but of this about 250 km was the highway drive home.

[Corey_R]

I'll echo Break's comments about BP Ultimate being the only one being made to be actually be 98 Octane minimum, instead of average. There have been comments in older threads on this topic by people in the petroleum industry that this is due to BP actually manufacturing fuel from the start to be "BP Ultimate" rather than other manufacturers taking the 91 octane product and adding additional octane and fuel additives to make it their 98 octane product. I can't say for certain whether that's true or internet rumour...

But what I can confirm is this...
In my previous Polo GTI with APR Stage I (V2, 98 octane mapping), if I filled the car up with Caltex Vortex 98, it would idle roughly on cold start. So rough that the car would stutter as if it were about to stall. I live within 1 minute of a Caltex (which was a pilot site for the Woolworths "pay at pump" credit cards, for which I was a pilot user) and I shop at Woolworths and therefore used to get 10c off all the time (being a Pilot tester for the system). After having this idling issue I swapped to BP Ultimate and it went away. I used that for a few tanks, then swapped back to the 10c lower price of Caltex (for me), and the rough idle came back immediately. After swapping back and forth a few times and only having the issue on Caltex tanks, I haven't used it since...

[GTI JOE]

I've had noticeable fuel, idle running and power improvements using either Shell V Power or BP Ultimate. I really couldn't tell the difference between the two.

[aljobar]

I've had noticeable fuel, idle running and power improvements using either Shell V Power or BP Ultimate. I really couldn't tell the difference between the two.

I have no real opinion on this, but looking at your signature picture just makes me very excited and keen for my (identical) car to arrive

[gavs]

Have to echo Corey's comment, I filled up with Caltex 98 last week and the Golf, albiet a 1.6, is running like a dog, never have those problems with BP Ultimate.

[break]

Just on a side note, the apparently non-ethanol based 95 octane Shell fuel is HORRID.

The girlfriends car ('08 Focus) needs 95 octane, so she normally just runs the non-ethanol based 95 fuels. Everytime we put the Shell stuff in it pings its tits off.

[gavs]

Probably because it's as dodgy as the company who runs those servos. Don't be surprised if it's actually 91, just put into that tank at the servo. Coles are notoriously bad when Today Tonight and ACA do those fuel comparos every 6 months in their story recycling schedule.

[GTI JOE]

Probably because it's as dodgy as the company who runs those servos. Don't be surprised if it's actually 91, just put into that tank at the servo. Coles are notoriously bad when Today Tonight and ACA do those fuel comparos every 6 months in their story recycling schedule.

Don't mention Safeway (Caltex Crapola) either, they are notorious for dirty fuel.

[Grabman]

But what I can confirm is this...
In my previous Polo GTI with APR Stage I (V2, 98 octane mapping), if I filled the car up with Caltex Vortex 98, it would idle roughly on cold start. So rough that the car would stutter as if it were about to stall. I live within 1 minute of a Caltex (which was a pilot site for the Woolworths "pay at pump" credit cards, for which I was a pilot user) and I shop at Woolworths and therefore used to get 10c off all the time (being a Pilot tester for the system). After having this idling issue I swapped to BP Ultimate and it went away..


ok, not running a GTI but have same issue with my TSI, filled up with Vortex on a country drive and it runs rough at start of day etc, hadn't noticed this prior to the Vortex. Will drop some Ultimate in on way home, have about 1/2 a tank left and see if it starts to clear itself.

thanks for the idea, I was thinking it might be ECU issue.

cheers

[gavs]

You could always chuck in a bottle of octane boost, if that helps, you know it's good 'ol dodgy supermarket ownered co-branded fuel...

[noone]

As your stock tune is designed to be more forgiving on bad fuels, you will notice more difference once chipped.

I like BP in the 1.8T, a little more peak power

[Gambit]

about half way through a tank of V-power now and its aint too bad, it feels rather touchy on the throttle and seems to run in a raw type of way to redline than the previous fuel. Just got my fuel card with BP, so will be running it on BP Ultimate from here on in after this tank.