Not all fuels are the same, Shell says. Really? We spend a weekend with Malaysia’s market leader in fuel and learned more about what makes their performance fuel V-Power special.
V-Power made its world debut in Hong Kong back in 1998, and Malaysian motorists first got a taste of it in 2000. Ten years on and V-Power is still the only premium fuel in the market. Three months ago, Shell introduced V-Power 97 at regular RON97 prices (currently RM2.10 per litre) in Malaysia, which means that there are now two variants of V-Power sold here – V-Power 97 and V-Power Racing.
V-Power 97 is available at over 750 Shell stations across the country, replacing the previous RON97 offering. V-Power Racing, the premium fuel at RM2.48 per litre, is only sold at 40 plus pumps in Klang Valley and Johor. But what’s the difference between the two V-Power variants? And what’s the advantage V-Power has over Shell’s regular RON95 fuel?
Read the rest of the story after the jump.
Dr. Fuel is an expert in Malaysian seafood and the “black gold” under the sea bed
I’m no fuel expert myself, which is why I posed the above questions to Eric Holthusen, Shell’s Fuels Technology Manager in Asia Pacific and the Middle East. Some of you might have seen the German scientist featured in the press before as “Dr. Fuel”. He’s been in Malaysia for six years and probably knows more good makan places than yours truly!
Have you heard people claim that all fuels are the same? Dr. Fuel admits that this is true to some extent. The key difference between V-Power 97 and V-Power Racing is that the former uses a “generic” base fuel that could be shared with other brands, while V-Power Racing uses a specific propreitary base fuel. This base fuel makes VPR “much more sophisticated”, accoding to Eric.
High tech simulator allowed us to litreally feel V-Power’s anti friction properties
However, this does not mean that V-Power 97 isn’t a notch above the norm. Like V-Power Racing, it contains the brand’s unique Friction Modification Technology (FMT) additive. FMT was developed by Shell for Ferrari’s Formula 1 team (still in use now by the Scuderia) and its role is to squeeze the most performance from every drop.
Guess how much of energy from fuel is used to power your car? I was pessimistic and guessed 40%. “Only about 25%,” revealed Eric to this shocked writer. The good scientist explains that the bulk of the energy is lost in the form of heat and pumping losses; the rest is friction. While nothing can be done with the physics of energy loss through heat and pumping, Shell worked to reduce the friction bit.
Nothing much can be done about heat and pumping losses, so Shell focussed on friction
Engine oil takes care of reducing friction below the piston rings, and FMT is charged with “surviving combustion” and “smoothening” the top part of the piston with a coat of protection. Less friction, more efficient, more power – that’s the theory.
Cleansing power is also one of the trump cards. Deposits can build up on vital engine parts like the valves; they appear sponge like under the microscope and can trap/absorb fuel, which means less fuel to do the job when it’s needed. Once again, this translates to less power. FMT in V-Power is claimed to start the cleaning job from the first fill and prevents build up as well.
For cost reasons, some motorists use V-Power once in every few fills instead of all the time. Not the most optimum, but still beneficial thanks to the “start work on first fill” agreement. It’s sort of like having a good maid over to clean your house once a week – still better than nothing!
Right valve dipped in V-Power. Less deposits trap less fuel, hence the smaller flame
Another benefit is the higher octane, RON 97 in this case. Most new engines come with knock sensors that allow the use of lower octane fuel, just that it won’t run at optimum performance.
Knock happens when fuel is burned before ignited, and a higher RON means a higher resistance to premature ignition – allowing the fuel to be fully compressed before combustion.
A higher RON is perfect partner to a higher compression ratio, like how the Suzuki recommends RON98 for its Swift Sport’s 11:1 compression ratio M16A engine (owners report that RON97 runs fine without knock). Same thing for the Honda Civic Type R’s highly strung 225 PS engine; it won’t take RON95 unlike lesser Civics.
V-Power 97 is RON97, but what’s the actual RON rating for V-Power Racing? Eric Holthusen said “a minimum of RON97” with a cheeky smile, which makes me suspect that it’s actually higher. Or at least that’s exactly what they want us to believe. In any case, remember that the base fuel for VPR is of a higher quality, which explains the 38 sen premium over V-Power 97.
On its close and longstanding relationship with Ferrari, Shell reminds us that it’s a “technical partnership” not a “sponsorship”. The very first Ferrari drove out of Maranello with Shell fuel and lubricants, and Shell is still the factory fill for the supercar maker today.
We also had a chance to visit Shell’s Track Lab at the Singapore GP, which is part of the Scuderia’s motorhome at every F1 race, and talked to some key people that work hand in hand with the F1 team. Stay tuned!
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
Mean time for RON97 price still acceptable. If go way beyond RM2.50, may think of change to RON95. In term of power difference between 95 & 97only little.
Depend on what car u r using.. If you are using performance car which require high octanc.. You will really felt it when you pump the wrong fuel… Beside the lower output, you may even damage the engine & also the sensors (especially knock sensor).. So read your car manual and pump the right fuel..
low octane fuel ll not damage engine sensor especially knock sensor.
So the difference between the old RON97 and the V-power RON97 is that it has Friction Modification Technology (FMT)? I thought it was just some marketing gimmick when they announced the V-Power RON97
but what we can different is the color of old 97 n v-power 97….
old–>green
new–> red
Petronas RON97 also red in color..
Petronas Ron97 is Green bro.
You talk about Petronas RON97 pump or fuel ? Petronas RON97 pump yes it’s green but petronas RON97 fuel is red
what is actual RON for V-power racing? can it be 100 instead of 97? could it be 110?
it still 97,,,, except spore, 98.
Actually if Singapore’s V-Power Racing is RON98 I’d guess that Malaysia’s is the same too. As the guy said, the minimum is RON97.
I wish they had V-Power Diesel here though…
oh,,,
the shell is making the improvement of our fuel quality in malaysia..
but,,
my love is still in ESSO!
hehe..
yaya… i like more carltex techron…really feel my car more better than when compare using shell fuel…
agree with you.
im currently using 3 brand of petrol namely ESSO, BHP and Caltex.
Now i are banned the Petronas and Shell.
haha
I stick with Petronas, Primax 97,,,… no regret.
From all the fuel brand that we have here in Malaysia, i prefer Caltex or Shell only…
my ride also prefer shell and caltex only,
i did tried other brand but FC will be very high, dun know y?
For RON95, my vote goes to Caltex & BHP after a year of observations and trial & errors, hehe…
What I’ve experience;
the best of RON 95:
BHP – best for both fc and performance
Esso – best for fc and good performance
Caltex – for great performance
the best of RON 97:
Shell – best for both fc and performance
BHP – best for both fc and performance
Esso – decent fc and peformance
Caltex – for great performance
Petronas? I dunno, my engine sound terrible when I’m using it. Fc and performance oso average only. Wondered what fuel they supply to Mercedes F1 team.
were i can get this V power racing in klang valley…..!!!!!
You may try sri petaling shell station or else browse shell website for more detail
shell jalan duta…
Mini Market Ahmad!! xD
i only can suggest Bangsar, Damansara Intan the Shell station opposite Phileo Damansara, and Bandar Utama.
I drive on average 300km a day and i have tried all variants from all the fuel companies in malaysia. Based on my personal driving experience, using Ron 97 or even V-power fuel creates no difference on the performance of my car as compared to Ron 95. I’m sure some cars run on higher octane like 97 or even v-power but for the majority of cars on malaysian roads including german marques, its just plain marketing gimmick.
if u drive city ONLY, where alwayz stuck in jams… then no different..
for those who always drive for long journey .. RON97 is recommended for better FC and performance…
agreed.
i luv V-Power 97 and mandated to. bcoz i use 4A-GE 20v silvertop on my SEG. toyota recommended RON 100 gasoline for this type of engine or minimum (compatible), RON 97.
Horse power / PS is stated in spec sheet can only be archived by using recommended RON fuel. if we use at least / minimum / compatible RON fuel we will not get that kind amount of power claimed by car’s manufacturer. This can only be verified by dyno. (has any one here ever done a test?)
Agreed. Don’t know who rate you down but I’m a silvertop user as well in a.. erm.. old toyota… :P and I sure crave for RON100 petrol here…
I remember when RON95 first came out, and just happen I’m a bit down on cash, so I tried the new fuel. It’s like the mistake you make once but never twice. Knock sensor kicking in and I have problem climbing up hill during the afternoon… no power at all.
Even with RON97 there’s a day and night difference during the day and… well.. night.. when it’s a lot colder.. denser air and less ping?
probably Honda fan were rating me down
dun know y toyota and honda fans alwayz crash… both brand is premium japanese brand. both have their own technology.. no winning or losing… just average
Maybe u can try VPR to see whether any difference.
I think the actual racing RON is 100.
Tried it~ I didn’t think thr’s any big difference but i think they shd put more effort on their RON95 which is not as good as their competitors
P’nas has the better RON95.As for RON97,sorry,Shell is the best.my 1.8 civic can easily reach up to 2++,n d 100 mark is achived less than 10 seconds using RON97-Shell.V – Power?if u have a high performance car,k lah.If it’s juz a civic like mine,97 is much better in terms of savings
P’nas has the better RON95?.sory bro..shell is better..i’m using both fuel but shell manage more mileage than petronas…my car saga blm(auto)…
Dunno la.i tried it once only – full tank – but couldnt gv me the usual power.my wife’s myvi – auto is doing well using Pnas 95.I dunno – Maybe more can give their comments in relation to the topic
petronas is better than shell
for 400km, petronas only rm40-rm50
but shell rm-70
i’ve tried for long journey already
average speed 120km/h
For my car, if ron95, petronas give the best power off idle and when ure light on the throttle. But its hard to accelerate when ure on the 5th gear.
I agree. For my car, there is a world of difference between Petronas 95 and Shell 95. The latter sucks if anything other than gentle, slow acceleration is required.
dude, it’s RON102.
say no to lower RON fuel..hihi~
Why can’t Shell specify what RON is VPR? minimum RON97 sounds like a scam to me. It just means it’s RON97. My car requires RON98 to run optimum, but VPR is too expensive for minimum RON97. If they put it in black and white RON98 or RON100, then I don’t mind paying.
Maybe they follow Singapore … RON 98.
For your info, the VPR is actually RON 99 according to Wikipedia.
Then why so shy to just say it?
second you….
whyyyy.. other specs be made known but not the RON?
diff market diff spec
Shell doesn’t say anything other than RON97 because the Malaysian govt won’t let anyone sell anything other than RON95 or RON97. So Shell VPR may be RON98 but they can only advertise it as minimum RON97.
Because M’sian govt subsidises fuel based on RON rating?
my experience
1.0cc (malaysian) standard ayam
shell regular
~ less consumption
~ cannot reach 140km/h
shell v-power
~ yes its power.
~ 150-160km/h easy
~ consumption better than petronas
petronas regular
~ bad consumption
~ 150 – 160km/h easy
Only idiots drive up to 150km/h on shared, public road.
What’s important is if gives me more milage, or cleaner engine.
If it cannot achieve those two, I will stick with the RON95. I use my Civic EG for work, not for racing.
o..ok..but maybe people like me who live lil bit far..and use NS Hiway daily must speedup lil bit… and its normal to see people speed >160km/h… those who drive at fast lane but like kura kura…thats idiot….
this is wat i face everyday….. very hate it….
drive fancy car eg BMW, merc, but drive at speed of kancil 660 [even kancil 660 owner can drive faster than him]
80% are female drivers…still don’t understand these peoples way of driving…including my wife….the right most lane is overtaking lane not speeding lane…if you want to drive below 110KM/H just use the middle lane…and try to use the rear view mirror…
look like i kene hentam already by this guy iskandar..
u dont understand the statement~!!
actually, i just want to test it~!. no to racing the car.~!
seriusly.. kelisa at age 2 years still can go for 160~ only for pteronas & shell v-power.
sometimes i dont understand why owner kereta power suka tunjuk power. but kecut on face to face.. then always menyakat kereta2 kecil bile kereta kecil tu laju sbb nak kejar sesuatu.
I work in R&D for an international company and we always use the term such as secret recipe or proprietry formular which only I know about that……my boss no less, even worth my CEO bcoz they are working directly on that…many time those claimed as proprietry is actually no different from others, but bcoz we are international and well known and strong brand, people still believ on us….ha ha……same thing la with FMT, I believe others also have the same thing but use diffrent terminology.
Caltex’s polyoxyalkalene vs Shell’s FMT.. vs DIY ethanol-spiking.. which one would be better?
rarely use shell.. but when i used ron95 for my old wira.. i think petronas served better in the term of comsumption..
but petronas emitted more carbon than other petrol brand.
i can see the differences in my 1996 Perodua Rusa that more unpleasent fumes in exhaust with petronas instead of BHP that give more mileage and cleaner engine.
Agree,, I use shell before,, now Petronas,, awsome!
use petronas ron95 also no prob….saga auto…27lltre for 350-380km
i did try use shell n caltex 1 time when my car almost out of juice both time giv me unpleasant feeling…don know y
i dun know abt ur wira,
but i got 1 relative own a wira 7yrs old Auto tranny..
totally lost power if pump in RON95 [any brands is the same]. like the car cannot move, need to press full pedal only can get 90 km/h. up hill even worse.. and FC very bad..
now trying to pump back RON97 for few round to check out the result…
hope ur wira not worse like my relative wira
i’ve been driving small k car and toyota sedan for past 10 years and tried all type of petrol brands. for me, i stick to caltex 97 which giving me better mileage and reasonable pick up. probably different cars will with different reading. i tried shell v 97 before and beside the pick up factor, it was not pocket friendly. i clocked lower mileage. everyday, i travel around 100 kms from house to work place and at least once a week to drive outstation.
For me, most important is to get my engine cleaner and less carbon released to environment.
New BHP not bad also
Me also fan of BHP becos of UOB Credit card. Used since last year, no complaints. Shell 95 improved after many complaints.
my car really feel more better & greater when using calrtex techron….Bhp fuel also nice…..compare with shell fuel in both ron 95 n 97….so my 1st choice still Carltex…if cannot find carltex station, bhp will b my 2nd choice….i guess many use shell fuel bcoz of bonuslink to earn points
and cimb/direct access credit card. else will try others. My Mz6 is not feeling the kick with V Power 97. Have only beaten Civic 2.0 on a drag race for 0.5 Sec i think .
hahaha….finally an article featuring V Power 97 by Shell. I had been waiting for quite some time for this to appear. Thanks Danny for such a detailed explanation!
My personal view, since we can only choose between Petronas, Shell and Xcel (ehm, previously known as Esso. now not sure which petrol company it belongs to.) in Sarawak, my choice will always be Shell, regardless of which type (RON 95 or 97). Petronas is the worst for me, sorry to say that, but I have tried every single kind of them. Petronas might give the best mileage, but the pickup is just very, very rough and short of power. I have tried one time pumped in V Power 97 first, and after emptying the tank, then went for Petronas Primax 95, and difference of the acceleration and pickup power between both of them just shocked me! I mean literally i can feel like i was towing a 20kg or 30kg things behind whenever I want to accelerate! Shell FuelSave 95 mileage wasn’t as good as Petronas, but the engine noise was significantly lower when I was using Petronas Primax 95. Of course, Shell V Power 97 is still better than FuelSave 95 in this area. The smoothness of the engine, and how quiet the engine was when it’s running, were just amazing for me!
But of course, it might be a different story all together in West Malaysia, since you all have Carltex, BHPetrol, Mobil and Esso. So I am just sharing from a Sarawakian point of view.
Anyway, good job Shell, for introducing us this high quality product. it totally changed my perception about “all fuels are the same” theory!
Good for you.
Is the price same in Sarawak as in WM.
i hv use petronas only 1 time in plus highway bcoz in R&R only 1 petro station….POOR fuel…i suspect Petronas use LOW grade fuel for local market…since then i never touch petronas ever again…so i continue loyalty using Carltex to b my 1st choice…2nd choice will be either BHP or Shell….i alway advice my families & friends dun go for poor fuel of petronas…they all agree my advice after test it….
u can report to suruhanjaya pengguna to sue them that ur rite…..that is u sure that u has been scam by them not by feel-feel only
what’s wrong with petronas, i use petronas, shell, caltex, bhp, mobil, esso. even compare RON95, all same. now stick with pertronas since my area got alot petronas coverage.
i use petronas becoz i got cimb petronas mastercard
kekekekeke
i tried petronas once, avoid it n never look back since! i was using mobil/esso synergy f-1 (now discontinued) then switched to shell when i found it’s mileage improved than previous fomula. actually shell 95 n v power 97 now felt the same in my vios, n 95 got better mileage per litre, so no point for me to pay extra. v power racing felt a little bit nicer but burn really fast without significant power improvements. but mobil beats all brand on mileage on those older engine including diesel like kancil, c22 van, lorries, etc, just ask any driver.
but wat i learned fr experience n trip computer is tt, freshly pump fuel gives much much better mileage. For the same highway trip, if i pumped b4 travel, can get almost 19-20km/l, if using wat’s left in tank, best is around 14-15km/l.
agree. fresher is better. if i fill in at station with fresh fuel from the fuel tanker, its even somehow feels even better.
you compare v-power with primax 95?? wtf.. compare with primax 97 la brader..
I have tried one time pumped in V Power 97 first, and after emptying the tank, then went for Petronas Primax 95, and difference of the acceleration and pickup power between both of them just shocked me!
—————————————————————————————————————–
Why dont u try with Shell 97 and Petronas 97. It will be more fair if like that.
guys, may try the new bhp petrol….
good:)
i like petronas because it gives the best mileage.
shell ron 95 and 97 make me poor only.
tried all the fuel n i dont feel any significant difference between them. However, i did feel the difference using fresher fuel. better performance n economy if fill and use in the same day compared later days. same fuel brand and station also varied in performance. Sometimes feel better, sometimes not, which makes me suspect newer fresher fuel supplied to the pump will make the difference.
Through my experience, shell RON 95 gives more power compared to Petronas RON 95. But Petronas gives more mileage…so, i prefer Petronas, as at the end of the day, it’s the money tat counts!
There are a lot more variables involves in determining the fuel saving, cleansing, etc. I switch fuel. Sometimes it feels like Shell RON97 is better (I got 550km on 37L, daily driving once!), sometimes Petronas is better (I also experienced 550km on 37L with Pet RON95, while Shell is lesser), Station X is better than Station Y. Cant really tell actually.
Filling up early in the morning gets me more mileage, lighter foot also gives me much more, filling up with lower rate (speed of filling) gives me more. Somehow, it is not true also sometimes. Light foot also sometimes ate my fuel.
Keep filling with same brand continuously also seems not good. The fuel saving dropped after a few same brand tanks. Switching after 3 tanks to another brand (and keep to it for another 3 tanks) seems good. I dunno. Personal opinion. Does the engine learn? Maybe a proper test could be done in a more controlled parameters.
Station X is better than Station Y if Station X sells ice cream as well but not Station Y on a hot day.
It’s quite true…maybe because i’ve been using petronas all along, then suddenly change to shell, tat’s y better power…but i find shell gives less mileage..maybe i should change back to petronas the next tank..to c if i feel any differences..
im using petronas and esso. Shell sucks. More mileage with ron97? I need to pay more to get more mileage. Do the calculation yourself. even primary student can spot the difference. 1 Malaysia maaa.
Dear Muddy,
Last time i use shell 95, can get mileage up to 600KM per tank of 42 litre. Nice ar? Using Wira 1.5 Sedan with engine 4G91 1.5 Mitsu Dohc MT.
Kinda old engine, but still i can get that kind of mileage. From the source that i got, mileage depends on –
1. Driving behaviour (40%, others i do not know)
2. Car Maintenance
3. Tyre Pressure
4. Allignment
5. Load
6. How often u turn on air con
How about versus hydrogen fuel cell? I wonder whether they have octane rating as well?
kabooommm!
Hi all,
I did a RM50 test on my cars with all those brands. BHP came out top; can last circa 320km. then Caltex, Esso/Mobil/Shell and last ly Petronas. The diff btw the best and the worst is almost 60km….
My experience with petr 97 was better mileage about 50km compared to shell 97 for every full tank. However ron 95 shell always achieved better mileage than petronas by about 50 km. Both 97 achieved about 80 km more over 95. Still spent 5% more for every km travel with ron 97 but happy with the engine performance. 2nd choice for ron 97 is caltex, Current engine K20A Honda.
so many opinion
i think paul should have a poll on which fuel people prefer
I used Shell because last time the Company gave each Shell staff Petrol Card and we got discount everytime we purchased anything from the Petrol Station…I mean anything. Now since they have discontinued the usage of that card, I am going to chage brand…don’t care about the technology, or mileage or power etc, just like you lame users! :P
Use methanol + water injection system to increase the fuel octane, not sure if VPower Racing better.
it is 6-stroke engine..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_stroke_engine
Actually heard this from an insider in shell, their ron 95 fuel is mostly ron 97 because when the gomen implement the ron 95 shell dont want to fork out the money to modify their production facility. I am not saying it is actually ron 97(so swift sport owner sorry). thats why they sell their v power at ron 97 price. personally i go for shell coz got heaps of bonuslink point…if not i go for petronas(have to support the gomen coffers too..:p)
Saya menggunakan Shell V-Power Racing sejak pertama kali mendapat kereta baru saya (yang juga kereta pertama saya) pada Julai 2009. Di bandar saya bekerja dan tinggal (masing-masing di Kuala Terengganu dan Kota Bharu) hanya 1 stesen minyak Shell di Kuala Terengganu dan 1 stesen minyak Shell di Kota Bharu yang menjual V-Power Racing. Oleh itu, ada kalanya saya menggunakan Shell RON95 itu pun jika kebetulan minyak berkurangan sewaktu dalam perjalanan jauh dan stesen minyak Shell berdekatan tidak menjual V-Power Racing. Hingga sekarang, saya terus menggunakan Shell V-Power yang kini didatangkan dalam varian RON97, malah lebih mudah didapati kerana hampir semua stesen minyak Shell di pantai timur menjual V-Power 97. Seingat saya, hanya sekali sahaja saya mengisi minyak Petronas. Saya sering berulang-alik dari Kota Bharu ke Kuala Terengganu. Setelah menggunakan Shell V-Power selama hampir 2 tahun, saya dapat rasakan perubahan yang agak ketara pada prestasi enjin kereta saya dan penjimatan minyak terutama dalam perjalanan jauh. Dengan hasil yang menakjubkan ini, saya akan terus menggunakan Shell V-Power untuk kereta saya, selagi harganya masih kompetitif seperti sekarang.
r u shell marketing staff?
i think so
No I’m not.
wow…mcm iklan Shell dlm TV
any V-Power version for diesel?hehe..
don’t even mention bout v power diesel….
‘ron 95’ diesel also we can’t get….
not on our shore…
My friend was telling that his Harrier’s trip meter actually give higher mileage reading when he pumps V-Power compare to normal Ron 95 fuel, he is those slow and steady type, performance meant nothing to him, for him that fuel really value for money !
Dear All,
Can u pls state the mileage like this :
1. Petronas 95 – 12km / litre
2. Caltex 95 – 12 km / litre
3. Shell 95 – 14 km / litre
4. BHP 95 – no data
5. Esso 95 – no data
a friendly reminder,
never conclude the fuel quality if u just pump for 1 or 2 times,
one can see the real result after 3-5 pumps [ to used up old petrol and get pure taste of the current petrol quality]
if u just pump 1 times, eg 1st pump V-power, then 2nd switch to Primax 97,
this equal to ROJAK… can taste only kuah rojak but not the fruit flavour….
i pump shell RON97 since day one of V-power introduce in RON97, previous Mobil/Esso RON97..
now i can feel better FC and performance… will stick to it…
If VPR is more than 97 don’t you think SHELL will be harping about it?
It may have additional additives and all depends on you whether justifiable to pay.
In short its still a Euro 2 grade and as usual we’re getting the short end of the stick here where other countries enjoy a higher RON.
Lastly, don’t dream about Alonso using the same fuel before he hops into his F1 car…
Of course Alonso (and so do other F1 drivers) will not use the same fuel…. they modify the fuel’s composition track by track (whilst still within FIA’s rules/limits). Track at a location with higher altitude requires a different fuel composition for maximum performance than tracks at a lower altitude. There are many others parameters for them to fine tune in that respect.
american still use ron92 as standard n ron95 as premium….malaysia like most country ron95 is standard….higher than that as premium n super premium…even those country who gave their rakyat cheap petrol giv ron92..only small country giv higher ron98-99 in selected area or station only
if u all not forget NAP has indicate that Euro 4m suppose to be implement in 2011….
“V. Clear Roadmap for the Implementation of Fuel Standards
Since September 2009, EURO 2M specification for petrol and diesel has been implemented. The Government has now set a clear target of implementing EURO 4M specification for petrol and diesel by 2011. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will establish a roadmap for fuel standards and quality.”
Wow, the gomen has managed to make you believe that… wait till 2011 and see…
I’ve been using Shell 97 since the first day I collected my new car, I think I should give other petrols a try too.
All silly talk by Dr Fuel. Friction modifier? What friction? So you’re telling me some part of the petrol doesn’t burn as to lubricate the piston head? Sorry dude, I use Rotary Engine.
If you guys can’t afford better engines and hope that some fuel ads gonna save your day… try working harder.
Such Arrogance….
Yeah..wankels are frictionless tech is it?
There’s a good reason why wankels don’t make it to be THE system for MOST cars today.
It’s inefficient.
At least my pistons won’t consume like 2.0 for a 1.3
Dear Arcane,
Agree with u. Rotary engine eats fuels a lot…
Rotary engine will benefit more with Upper Cyclinder Lubrication (UCL) than a piston engine. Its pretty common to see in Rx8 international forum that they premix the fuel with 2 stroke oil and gained a few more hp.
I believe Shell VPR was rated definitely higher than RON97 (RON100?) and strongly believe it is still rated higher than RON97… I managed to capture a screenshot of Shell Malaysia’s website before they changed it few months back… see for yourself:
_http://cybercwk.multiply.com/photos/album/65/Shell_V-Power_Racing_Fuel_with_RON100_Rating
P.S.: Let me know if the link does not work. Thanks!
Additional note to my previous post… Please click on the Slideshow link to view the picture in actual size. Thanks!
Petronas’s RON97 works better for my Exora, with better fuel consumption than Shell’s V-Power. However for more “kick” I prefer the V-Power just for that weekend drive with my family.
Its just the placebo effect kicking you…
I’m just thinking out loud here, but why can’t there be a Vpower 95 as well?
Drive to shell nearby and read the banner.
even though I just drive a Viva.. I can even feel the difference when fueling up RON 97, not just wallet wise but performance wise..
The feels “lighter” and you get up to speed much faster with out flooring the pedal.
My dad and sister made the switch to RON 97 primax, for their Accord and Jazz.
The price is difference is quite steep if you fill up a full tank of petrol.
The price one has to pay for performance…..
just simple cal
Senario A
RON97
0 to 100 km/hr = x sec
FC = y litre [during the x sec]
Senario B
RON95
0 to 100 km/hr = x+z sec
FC = y litre [during the x+z sec]
assume x,y and z are a value and not ‘0’. which one better??
I think my comment rated down by Petronas customer. I’ve used Petronas before. I’ve compare both petrol (Petronas and Shell). I do simple experiment by filling the same amount of petrol from Shell and Petronas (on my motorbike, not at the same time) and I recorded the mileage. To my surprise, i get more kilometres with Shell. Therefore, I’m stick with it (Shell) until now and for my new car.
My previous comment is based on my findings and my experience of using Shell petrol (specifically V-Power). I posted it here just to share it with this blog readers. It is your right (and my right) to use which petrol best suit your requirements, budget and the way you drive. After all, I use my money to buy petrol, not yours.
at first i think all the brand is same. currently now im using vpower 97 from shell. previously im using esso/mobil ron 97. at first i just want to participate in that contest. maybe i lucky can win that rm 30k .. haha.. but after using it for 1 month + i can feel significantly diff from my car. the engine roar, pickup and fuel consumption. eventho shell using bonuslink and all the rewards are very expensive i rather use it for the sake of my car :)
i swear by VPR. since the last time i drove my Waja, well, last 2 years of my Waja was using VPR. Now drive Civic 2.0, VPR lagi terror and more responsive, and without turning on the stereo and when you rev real hard, u can hear the works of ivtec which is so very pleasing to the ears. compare VPR to VP97, nothing comes near cos with VP97, the gear shift response lag and somehow the car cannot move faster as expected and it is very draggy to use VP97. i recommended to a friend to try to at least pump VPR into his MyVI, the next day he came back very delirious and excited and even his MyVI can feel the difference. Yes VPR is more expensive but for RM60 difference a month for my total car fuel consumption and having the peace of mind that VPR cleanses my engine at the same time i enjoy high-revving the car, i guess its worth it. I spend more than RM1k drinking beer in a month, what is the RM60 difference for a VPR, right? Dont worry, I am not a Shell salesman, i just find it to be a very responsive fuel in the market right now. For those driving a 2.0L car, dont go wasting on other fuel, go try the VPR. I have seen people driving the real Civic Type R pumping VP97 which to me is just a waste cos the performance would not reach its peak if compared to VP97. Even Cooper S owners not using the VPR is a waste. Beemers 3-series using VP97 which to me is stupid cos u already spent RM250k for a car and u want to save on that fuel. its like opening a bottle of 21 year old whiskey and not to consume it too much or finish it too early, every time you put a drop of whiskey into a glass full of ice and water..c’mon! it is an excellent fuel the V Power Racing and i greatly enjoy using it. or at least my car seems to enjoy burning it!
Any news new diesel next year?
based on my personal experience
RM43 for 500km using petronas ron 95
RM45 for 445km using shell ron 95
average speed 90kmh, aircond switch on, speed not more than 2
perodua viva 1.0sx
stick to petronas coz give more value for money coz i dont drive fast
Looks like Shell has relocated the site I mentioned earlier to this new URL:
http://www.shell.com/home/content/fuels_g/products_services/vp_and_vp_racing_pkg/overview/
It still says VPR is a high octance fuel which is rate RON100…
Lucky you!
when is the full solar powered car ready in the market? then i only worry about the brake pads and tyres….
Here are some facts I’d like to share based on my experience working in a refinery for the last 13+ years:
1. A fuel’s RON rating corresponds to its ability to resist from causing the engine to “knock”, i.e. prematurely burn before the engine power cycle begins. The point when the engine starts “knocking” is a function of the fuel property, engine running temperature, its compression ratio. etc. An engine designed to run at more severe condition (i.e. higher temp or compression ratio) needs higher RON
2. If your car is designed to run on 95RON, from anti-knocking point of view, there is no theoretical advantage if you use 97RON. However, 97RON fuel tend to have higher density because of its higher level of unsaturates (i.e. aromatics, naphthenes) and thus higher energy content, so this higher energy can directionally lead to more power (I must quality that this sense can be overly exaggerated & may not be worth the extra cost of the fuel)
3. If you fill up your car with 95RON fuel at Petronas or Shell service stations in Klang Valley, the fuel is likely sourced from the same tanks (google for Klang Valley Distribution Terminal or better still, go to Dengkil to visit the place). The only difference is the additive used which is typically injected at a few hundred ppm level. Can you actualy discern the difference based on additive injection alone? I’ll let you be the judge.
4. Shell VPower RON is around 98 (based on actual benchmark test) and not 100 as some have suggested. If you travel long distance on a typical Toyota, Honda, Proton or Perodua and are on cruising mode most of the time, using VPower will not be the most economic option since the engine will not be stretched (unless you drive >200 km/hr all the way) & so does not need the higher anti-knocking property to function properly.
By the way, is it true that Shell’s fuel can go farther? I’ll leave this for future discussion!
But how come when I pump RON95 into my Myvi it always feels like a drag to accelerate. I don’t think it’s the placebo effect. I ended up using more petrol. After a couple of times on RON95, I’d say it’s all propaganda. Switched back to RON97.
I dunno bout the numbers on the papers… and you know how much many educated fools around (including myself) fooled by pieces of paper. I think real life experience counts regardless of what manufacturers claim. Either there’s somebody’s lying or something’s wrong about the engines spec around our cars.
Let me put it in a bit more technical sense. 97RON petrol has a higher energy density (i.e. higher energy content per unit volume) vs 95RON, so it is natural to experience better acceleration when you fill up with 97RON. To get the same performance with 95RON, you need to push the accelerator pedal a little bit harder harder. An analogy would be if you were to buy a grade A vs grade C egg. In order to serve the same quantity of scrambled egg, you would use more grade C eggs vs grade A which is bigger.
However, from economic point of view, you pay higher price for 97RON for both its superior anti-knock property and higher energy density. You get the advantage of the higher energy content but NOT the higher RON since your car doesn’t need it in the first place, so there is some sort of value loss here. I noted that some people use 97RON of V-Power because they feel the car drives better, so if you are happy paying extra for the fuel to get its feel-good factor, it’s your choice.
I don’t really feel any big difference between all the companies. I’ll just stick with Shell coz can pay using Amex and got bonuslink points.
hopefully my comments wont be so ketinggalan zaman or outdated. I’ve only tried Petronas RON95 and Shell RON95, VP-RON97, and VPR with my Perodua Viva 1.0cc. I cant detect (probably bcoz I’m inexperienced in this field) significant difference between Petronas RON95’s mileage compared to Shell’s RON95, but my car’s acceleration felt a little heavy with Petronas RON95. Shell’s VPR is definitely smoother than Shell VP-RON97 and ironically it gives me better mileage compared to Shell VP-RON97 even though it is more expensive. I know VPR is the most expensive (RM3.15 per liter as in AUG 2014) but even with a Perodua Viva, I did notice extra power. I believe these variants of fuel brands may have different impacts on different cars. Please advise.
I live in California, USA. I always have used Chevron or Mobil 91 in engine requires 87 only but the car looses it quick response after 10 years. I thought the car is getting old eventhough I use Mobil 1 oil filter/ oil fluid. Once day, I ran out gas and Shell was closed by, I try V-power. It works as I got the quick throttle response, my car can rev to red line easliy. Now I can drive my car fro 5 more years at least instead of buying new one. BTW, I am so happy to drive the car to work and back home daily now with V-Power and my wife is speechless. Hapyy V-Power customer.
My car has a high compression engine..so it requires ron 97 to the minimum. i tried Petronas 97, my engine had little knocks, acceleration feels like it has more torque..a bit heavy to reach redline. so i pumped in Vpower 97..the engine feels light, easy to reach redline..it knocks a bit at high rpm with low throttle opening..but i can say VP 97 has more hp..i have yet to try VPRacing..dont worry all my testings were made up until 100kmh only on private roads..up till second gear only..i usually pumped petronas 97 for going to work but for long distance, i have to switch to shell because of petronas 97 is hard to find..
It costs nothing, and It has gotten me sufficient gems in order that
i at the moment have 5 builders and over 1,000 gems.