Fuels from certain fuel stations

[e46 guy]

Is it just me or does it seem that you get more k's for the same amount of money from different(same brand) fuel stations?

Im not talking about comparing brands here. i.e BP, Caltex, Sasol etc.

E.g. you go to BP in area A and throw R100(93Ron), compared to going to BP in area B and put R100(93Ron) i sometimes notice the fuel gets used up quicker.

is it just me or does it seem like R100 is not the same amount of fuel at every service station? or is there slight variations in fuel prices at different (same brand) service stations? :thinking:

i hope this makes sense......

 

[Truvalu]

I understand what you are saying.

Had this experience some time ago in Bloemfontein. Had a DC 4X4 bakkie and would drive it till empty and then just fill it with fuel from one of the Jerry cans and so get to the next filling station. The owners handbook stated that the vehicle would have a 80L tank.

This just meant that I could anytime drive it till totally empty.... This specific instance it was close to empty, but not, and I guess there could have been under one liter in the tank. So I fill her up and what do you know? it takes 91L! Remember I have not added the Jerry can. I was amazed as the most fuel I ever have filled up with was about 81L. I understand altitude and expansion etc, but that was a bit much.

Talking about this to friends around a braai in Bloem, later in the week, I learned that two businness owners do not use that filling station anymore as their petrolcards are frequently flagged for over the limit litres.

Now how many of us would notice? Scary

 

[Spy007]

As I used to own a certain Station, Will not mention, I will say this, due to the structure of ordering and the way it has changed over the years you might think you are filling up @ certain station but you are not getting their petrol. Even as a franchise you may only buy from that franchise but what happens if you are out of stock and the franchise cannot deliver. Well there are people you can call that will deliver for you @ a cheaper price than what you buy at the franchise from. Yes if the franchise catches, you may be kicked of site but they have to catch you and also prove that it is not their petrol in your underground tanks.


So you think it you are filling up a X and getting X product.

As for over fill My gets had a 45 lt tank and I filled up 48 litres regularly. What it states is the fuel amount but your tank holds on avg 10% more than you think due to reserve, pipes etc. Thus a 80 lt tanks stated may actually hold 90L, depends on how low you drive it.

There could be a problem with Fuel pumps calibration, but this is easy to check.
If you think you are being short changed, every fuel pump has a mechanical reading(small number like old school odometers) Check that reading as you start to fill up and just make sure that as that reads per litre it = what is on the pump.

Also never, accept a garage to take an imprint of your Garage cart. If they do be afraid, as the only reason they do that is if there is something funny going on. If an petrol attendant puts in wrong KM INSIST on REDOING the transaction, but be aware the banks implemented a system some years back that you cannot use the same garage card at the same station within an hour and that you cannot use that garage card within an hour of last use, regardless of the station.
If you think your card has been used CALL THE BANK, they contact the service station and it is up to the service station to prove the validity of the transaction within 30 days or they reverse the transaction.


My rules when I fill up as an ex owner. I get out of my car, or watch it the mirror that the nozzle actually goes into my cars tank. I check mechanical pump readings and make sure they match electronic on the face of the pump. If they check oil I GET OUT AND MAKE, SURE THE OIL CAP IS REPLACED PROPERLY. If they pump my tyres I make sure, they blow some air on the paving stones to c if there is water in the compressor. If I notice moisture, I do not pump my wheels.

If you have people using a company Garage card make sure you check the OIL usage. Oil = R26/30 at some stations. Funny so does a pack of Smokes or a coke, chips and a bar one.

Cannot think of anything else @ the moment but if I do will post it. I can share some scary stories on Garage cards and how to use and abuse them.

Simple rule. TRUST NO ONE.

 

[Whacko]

Gilbarco has been the calibration company used by most fuel dispensing outlets. I dont know if that is still ongoing. What this means is that these pumps are calibrated, or should be on a regular basis. So it is quite common to be short supplied and most uncommon to be oversupplied. Thats the way the cookie crumbles in the fuel industry.

 

[zaleonardz]

Awesome tips here gents...

 

[clutchplate]

lol, there are some bad ways to exploit garage cards, especially under the R200 mark haha

 

[Beast_Power]

I have been dealing with the fuel industry for 22 years now, @Wacko it is not only Gilbarco that calibrate the pump, all the pump companies are certified to calibrate the pumps and then a few privateers are certified to calibrate the pumps and by law pumps must be calibrated every year.

Here is the real problem, all the fuel we use in SA come form one place, irrespective of the fuel company. The only difference is the additives that are added to the fuel, and here is where the real interesting part is, not every tanker leaving the Depot gets additives added and without the additives you will experience less of a burn so your consumption will be slightly higher and even using the same service station week after week you could get fuel with additive one week and not the next. (But then again with only R100's worth of petrol these days you will not get far anyway).

Now guys here is the most important thing to look out for at service stations when filling up, and is the only thing we have not got a solution for, is what we call pump jumping. The guy before you stops and fill only say R30, the attendant sees you pull up and does not put down the pump, you say throw in R100, he then puts the nozzle in your car and continues with the previous transaction, so in affect you only get R70 of petrol but the pump reflects R100. So PLEASE always check that the pump zeros before they start pouring petrol for you (Even I Forget sometimes) and if you ever catch a attendant doing this please report him or her to the service station owner.

---

Forgot to say to the guys debating a car taking 43L on a 40L tank, you must remember you have a expansion tank that is able to take up to 10L on some vehicles. So if you are at the pump and the pump clicks up the first time when filling, tell the attendant it is full enough as the expansion tank is there for a reason.

 

[clutchplate]

hmm, whenever I stop at the petrol station I goto test 6 on the obc, which displays the petrol station in each of the two tanks of my car, it shows ... ( 5.0L / 7.3L / 12.3L) ... for example, left tank, right tank, and total... then I just add what the pump says and see if it adds up. its realtime so you can see the values change immediately. whenever I fillup and the value reaches 65L, which is the size of the tank in my E39 540, it takes another 4-5 litres above that and then the attendant normally stops.

I always do this, simply out of curiosity, and I use this to calculate how much fuel I use on a certain trip, its very accurate obviously. lol. .. but ja, Beast_Power is right, u guys must be alert, there are dumb people out there.

 

[roadhog]

you cannot measure on R100 worth of fuel, you have to fill your car, drive till empty and refill and workout your consumption, 95 will give you less distance because it burns quicker, try bp ultimate 93 - you shall get a bit further than most tanks of fuel...

 

[DonovanPorter]

thanks for the advice guys :thumbsup:

 

[Hellas]

Great advice guys!

 

[Billy the Kid]

Thank you, this wil certainly help us all.
:thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[e46 guy]

Yes thank you for the advice i used R100 as an example, but ja that answers alot, esp. the point with the additives which makes sense.

 

[Truvalu]

hmm, whenever I stop at the petrol station I goto test 6 on the obc, which displays the petrol station in each of the two tanks of my car, it shows ... ( 5.0L / 7.3L / 12.3L) ... for example, left tank, right tank, and total... then I just add what the pump says and see if it adds up. its realtime so you can see the values change immediately. whenever I fillup and the value reaches 65L, which is the size of the tank in my E39 540, it takes another 4-5 litres above that and then the attendant normally stops.

I always do this, simply out of curiosity, and I use this to calculate how much fuel I use on a certain trip, its very accurate obviously. lol. .. but ja, Beast_Power is right, u guys must be alert, there are dumb people out there.

Thanks for the usefull info.

Can one do what you do on a 1997 528i as well?

Please explain in more detail how to.... I am still a baby Beemer.... lots to learn from you guys.

Happy Beeming!!

 

[Spy007]

Today drove 800km. Nelspruit and back. I do this trip monthly. Last time I filled up at my house used 95 ULP. Drove to Nelspruit and back. Had to fill up @ the Sasol on the n4 @ tolgate outside witbank.

Today used 93 ULP from same station. Had to fill up at the Shell @ Bronkhorst spruit.

I lost about 90km compared to lastime.

 

[Beast_Power]

Could a combination of two items, 95 you get a better burn so the motor actually performs better with less effort, 93 less sufficient burn so you have waste as a result of unburnt fuel and the motor has to work harder to give the same performance. And / or additive might not have been present on the first tank. Either can cause fuel to burn less effectively thus additive and 95 aught to be the best combination in my opinion .

 

[Spy007]

Still going on the tank that I filled up yesterday @ shell N4. I did klerksdorp and back today. Currently done 530km on that tank and still shows 200km left. Consumption on OBC is 8.6. And I did put foot coming back from Potch today.

 

[clutchplate]

no, my 540 is fk'ed right now. getting like 450-480km on a 65L tank. not nearly good. used to get like 650-700 on a tank long distance