BP Ultimate - Quality falling?

RG · 07-08-2007, 12:23 AM

Anyone else noticed that BP Ultimate isn't as good as it used to be. I just filled up on Shell V-Power (it was 11cpl cheaper) and the XR feels a hell of a lot better on it compared to Ultimate. I always used to use Ultimate, gave me more power and better economy but lately economy has been going down hill on it. I've now run two tanks of V-Power and am getting an extra 30-40k per tank over the Ultimate, what's going on? Has BP dropped the ball with their new formula that they are advertising (noticed it now has 5x more cleaning power apparently) or has Shell figured out what works. I might go run a couple of tanks of Vortex98 now to see how that goes.

Also just for the record my car has always been extremely fussy with petrol, probably due to the high compression of the engine, and it has always up until now run best on Ultimate.

Bobman · 07-08-2007, 02:01 AM

Wasn't there a fiasco recently where some service stations were jibbing customers believing Ultimate was Ultimate, when they were really filling up with standard unleaded?

I don't use BP much anymore, only Caltex.

Fairlane · 07-08-2007, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobman

Wasn't there a fiasco recently where some service stations were jibbing customers believing Ultimate was Ultimate, when they were really filling up with standard unleaded?

I don't use BP much anymore, only Caltex.

That fiasco was on the North Coast of NSW, up Ballina way.

As for Ultimate declining in quality, well perhaps it has someething to do with introduction of Ethanol; anyone know if Ultimate now contains ethanol?

Simmo · 07-08-2007, 07:52 AM

yeh some place in adelaide or melbourne the owner just filled the ultimate storage tanks with regular 91ron fuel and sold it for 98rom price. hes an idiot and i reckon a few owners of euros and imports might sue him for engine damage.

SpoolMan · 07-08-2007, 08:00 AM

Shell V-Power and BP Ultimate there both 98 around the same price, your 10c saving must have been a change in price or a shopper docket,
I am not to sure how much notable difference there is between the 2, I know the LS1's guys are not a big fan of the V-power the word was not very good on the dyno...
This was not using v-power racing fuel which is around 20 cents more expensive again..
I use Mobil Synergy which in Melbourne is the same as BP Ultimate.

Ives · 07-08-2007, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpoolMan

This was not using v-power racing fuel which is around 20 cents more expensive again..

I dunno if that's the case in Melbourne/ VIC but here in Sydney the V-Power Racing is 7c/litre more than any other 98RON PULPs.

SpoolMan · 07-08-2007, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ives

I dunno if that's the case in Melbourne/ VIC but here in Sydney the V-Power Racing is 7c/litre more than any other 98RON PULPs.

There are 2 types of V-Power in Victoria, one is a 98 ron sells for around 10 cents a litre more, the other one is V-Power racing 100 ron its around 30 cents more per litre its only sold at limited service stations.
Shell website
http://www.shell.com/home/content/au...dir_fuels.html

Whitey-AMG · 07-08-2007, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpoolMan

There are 2 types of V-Power in Victoria, one is a 98 ron sells for around 10 cents a litre more, the other one is V-Power racing 100 ron its around 30 cents more per litre its only sold at limited service stations.
Shell website
http://www.shell.com/home/content/au...dir_fuels.html

Its also worth noting here that the SHELL V Power Racing 100 is a 5% Ethanol Blended Fuel. The Standard V Power 98 PULP Does not contain Ethanol.

swanee · 07-08-2007, 10:52 AM

I run V-power only in my XR8... runs great. Had no dramas at all.

I had dramas with Vortex98. Caused it to ping and run like a bag of .

RG · 07-08-2007, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpoolMan

Shell V-Power and BP Ultimate there both 98 around the same price, your 10c saving must have been a change in price or a shopper docket,
I am not to sure how much notable difference there is between the 2, I know the LS1's guys are not a big fan of the V-power the word was not very good on the dyno...
This was not using v-power racing fuel which is around 20 cents more expensive again..
I use Mobil Synergy which in Melbourne is the same as BP Ultimate.

Thaice difference is in Ballarat.
Shell regular 115.9cpl
Shell V-Power 125.9cpl
BP Regular 119.9cpl
BP Ultimate 136.9cpl, yep 17cpl differece to regular.
And no shopper docket used.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FPV8U

Maybe you just pulled into a BP with an older batch of fuel in the tanks, it will lose octane after sitting there for a while, i had that when i went to benalla filled with Ultimate and watched the DTE literally drop about 80km of the predicted range.

Where usually i find BP and Shell V-Power to get very similar economy.

I use a few different servos, including the one in Deer Park on the Western hwy which has a huge turn over of vehicles so no stale petrol there, and I have been getting the same economy for about 2 months so it definately isn't just one random episode.

Lumpen Proletariat · 07-08-2007, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedXR347

Thaice difference is in Ballarat.
Shell regular 115.9cpl
Shell V-Power 125.9cpl
BP Regular 119.9cpl
BP Ultimate 136.9cpl, yep 17cpl differece to regular.

Yep! I can testify to those thieving beggars at the Ballarat BP. I recently did 5500km through Broken Hill, Adelaide, Ballarat, Cowra return to the North Coast NSW and they had the highest price difference between regular and superpremium of any brand at any stop in any state!

Dropped $15 of Ultimate in and ended up finding the Boost98 place the next day.

Lumpy

RG · 07-08-2007, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lumpen Proletariat

Yep! I can testify to those thieving beggars at the Ballarat BP. I recently did 5500km through Broken Hill, Adelaide, Ballarat, Cowra return to the North Coast NSW and they had the highest price difference between regular and superpremium of any brand at any stop in any state!

Dropped $15 of Ultimate in and ended up finding the Boost98 place the next day.

Lumpy

Funniest thing is that while they have a massive price difference in town, out on the highway it falls back into line by being only 10cpl higher and they are all owned by the same franchisee, go figure.

SpoolMan · 07-08-2007, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedXR347

BP Ultimate 136.9cpl, yep 17cpl differece to regular.

Just paid 128.5cpl, at $136.9 cpl he would be having a slow day..

seXCmont · 07-08-2007, 08:18 AM

is there two different caltex vortex? I always thought that it was a 95ron premium unleaded. I have been using mobil 8000 in the van for a fair while untill it was near empty and put in some BP Ultimate from local station and ran better from the start to finish than what the 8000 did.

Ives · 07-08-2007, 08:27 AM

Yup, Vortex and Vortex98.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fairlane

As for Ultimate declining in quality, well perhaps it has someething to do with introduction of Ethanol; anyone know if Ultimate now contains ethanol?

Does it!?!? I know that BP recently "enhance" the BP Ultimate PULP... saying that it how has 5x the cleaning power than ordinary fuel, up to 44km more out of a tank, 13.7% more power or something like that.
Compare the ad for BP Ultimate from recent Wheels or MOTOR magazine to the ones from a couple of months ago.

FPV8U · 07-08-2007, 10:51 AM

Maybe you just pulled into a BP with an older batch of fuel in the tanks, it will lose octane after sitting there for a while, i had that when i went to benalla filled with Ultimate and watched the DTE literally drop about 80km of the predicted range.

Where usually i find BP and Shell V-Power to get very similar economy.

savagE · 07-08-2007, 02:27 PM

The BP ultimate up here is 122.9c (98 RON) and regular (91 RON) is 116.9.
Bugger all difference, I use my petrol from a BP just off a highway so its always pretty fresh, plus its a brand new station so all is good for me!

**DJM83** · 07-08-2007, 02:52 PM

I just swaped to Vortex from Ultimate, my car used to ping around 3500rpm on Ultimate now it spins to 5000 before any pinging occurs, plus Vortex is 126.5/Ultimate 135.9

swanee · 07-08-2007, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TE50 056

I just swaped to Vortex from Ultimate, my car used to ping around 3500rpm on Ultimate now it spins to 5000 before any pinging occurs, plus Vortex is 126.5/Ultimate 135.9

Is that Vortex or Vortex98?

**DJM83** · 07-08-2007, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swanee

Is that Vortex or Vortex98?

Sorry Vortex98 mate my bad, and that was last week though its around 129cpl this week

the_scotsman · 07-08-2007, 04:48 PM

Damn, you guys have cheap fuel, I run V Power, it costs me around $1.35!

Badcooky · 07-08-2007, 06:06 PM

The only time that the 98 proof is different from each other ie; Shell,Caltex,Mobil is when it's not 98 proof or stale 98.

GT-E · 08-08-2007, 12:13 AM

I have had no noticable changes in the BP.
I have used V-Power and Ultimate in the past few weeks and there was no difference.
I would say you had a bad batch of fuel, or it was normal ULP and they were ripping you off.

RG · 08-08-2007, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZapXR6T

I have had no noticable changes in the BP.
I have used V-Power and Ultimate in the past few weeks and there was no difference.
I would say you had a bad batch of fuel, or it was normal ULP and they were ripping you off.

I would think that but it has happened from at least 10 different servos over the last couple of months.

mcnews · 08-08-2007, 09:54 AM

The motorcycle race engine tuners in motocross with very high compression single cylinder engines that are perhaps more critical on fuel than just about any other type of engine reckon the Mobil 8000 is the go. The rules mean they must run unleaded etc. and some rule changes also made the unleaded Elf race fuel against the rules and they settled on Mobil 8000 being the best compromise. These guys search for every tiny advantage throughout the whole rpm range. They are getting close to 60hp at the rear wheel out of production based 450cc four-stroke singles and close to 40hp out of the 250cc four-stroke singles. They are highly tuned to start with so even with race prep (pipes/cams/headwork etc.) generally only pick up less than 10% improvement over a stocker. Unfortunately though we can't get the full monty Mobil 8000 here in WA due to stricter emission laws so the race boys bring over their own drums of it when they come generally.

Road Games · 08-08-2007, 04:43 PM

Well from my personal experience ............ always ran BP Ultimate, couldnt get my wife to understand why?She always had shopper dockets :togo: But after i heard some pinging after a custom tune ,i tried a tank of Vortech ,NO more problem and 4c cheaper i think - So yeah Im a convert , pity ,they spin a pretty good yarn at the Soopa car events with their display

:

asusdragon · 08-08-2007, 12:36 AM

i have tried ultimate but find my car uses it quicker higher L/100km then what i use BP premuim, and performance wise they both seem bout the same to me so i just get premuim

BAxtER · 08-08-2007, 09:32 AM

i use either BP ultimate and Shell v-poer 98 ron,
filled up yesterday at a BP near my place with BP ultimate and paid $117.9 (with no dockets). usually the shell 98ron is around a 122.9
both fuels have been great, i have tried the vortex and havent been really pleased with it.

Grechie · 08-08-2007, 09:49 AM

i full tanked the other day with ultimate, and gave the car a bit merging on the highway, and it pinged above 4 grand, not happy ill tell you that, probly a bad batch.

TUF270 · 08-08-2007, 10:47 AM

filled up wit ultimate yesterday at $1.24L, i always use ultimate.i find my car runs heaps better than when on v-power...it idles better and seems to pull harder through the revs...just feels stronger...i also find i get much beta economy using ultimate. ususally an extra 80-100kms...weird but true...