[seahuston]

I've been doing some research on fuels and noticed that a lot of people recommend that Shell V-Power Nitro+ but I don't think that's available in the USA. All shell stations around me don't have the Nitro+ mention.

Does anyone have a preferred vendor/fuel (and rationale)?

I know it's a contested topic and some people are in the diesel is diesel camp but there appears to be some reports of good/terrible experiences with different stations.

[CajunBMW]

Originally Posted by seahuston

I've been doing some research on fuels and noticed that a lot of people recommend that Shell V-Power Nitro+ but I don't think that's available in the USA. All shell stations around me don't have the Nitro+ mention.

Does anyone have a preferred vendor/fuel (and rationale)?

I know it's a contested topic and some people are in the diesel is diesel camp but there appears to be some reports of good/terrible experiences with different stations.

If we are talking about the same product, the V power (nitro) from Shell is available in the US, I use it frequently in Louisiana and have seen it at Shell stations all over the south. I like it and try to stick with the high quality stations for my BMW. For my E85 van, I just fill it up. Can't remember about the east coast? It is also one of the Ads on the BMW CCA website, so my guess it is widely available, but maybe there are some restrictions, but I'm certainly not an expert on that point.

Edit: I'm talking about gas and not diesel. Sorry if you are asking about diesel as that is out of my wheel house.

[FaRKle!]

I'm in NorCal too and don't have any preference in fuel, aside from stations that get a decent amount of traffic (so no old diesel with potential for high water content). I haven't noticed any difference going between established brands and independent "no-brand" stations.

The thing about fuels is you have to find out where it all comes from. For example, in other regions of the country people claim that Exxon Synergy diesel shows benefits, however the diesel at Exxon synergy branded stations in the Bay Area doesn't come from Exxon refineries since there aren't any around here. It's common for brands to buy fuel from other brands (when they don't have their own local refineries), and then just toss in their additive package.

[Enabled]

Shell V-Power Nitro+ is gasoline. So only use that if you're really pissed off at the car.

[AlpineX]

Unocal 76 almost always otherwise Chevron, B5 diesel. I get 90% of my fuel from 2 stations. One with a good price about 4 miles from home, and the other with unbelievable price about 25 miles from home on a state highway I commonly travel by.
With diesel range it is usually pretty easy to coordinate fillups, I'm almost always under 1/8 tank remaining.

[floydarogers]

Originally Posted by seahuston

...
I know it's a contested topic and some people are in the diesel is diesel camp but there appears to be some reports of good/terrible experiences with different stations.

All the diesel in California (and WA and OR) is CARB 51-cetane whatever diesel. No differences from station to station. Propel diesel is a bit different, but still meets CARB specs.

[AlpineX]

Originally Posted by floydarogers

No differences from station to station.

Simply not true. Absolutely make sure you are putting in B5 diesel, and not B20 or other mixture. Brand name high volume stations are ideally what you want, practice only full fills so that you know whose fuel is in the tank in the event of any issues. Save your receipts and pay with card for extra data logging. Shell in my (limited) research does not purvey their own diesel and are reselling others diesel.

[seahuston]

Hmm I thought I'd read that there was a Nitro+ diesel:
https://recombu.com/cars/article/wha...is-it-worth-it

Sounds like the same guidance in making sure it's a busy station and a bigger brand. I didn't realize that stations could regionally rebrand other fuels. That sounds like a research rabbit hole.

[328iX]

I always was a very strict/loyal Shell customer until I got my diesel BMW, i always get the most mileage with Chevron diesel, Shell is good, dont get me wrong, but with a diesel I equate quality with miles per tank as it is more of an oil, and logically speaking the more thinned out it is the less mileage you will get.

A good example is when I tried a cheap Arco station, I got like 220 miles on half a tank, where with Chevron it's always 300+ on the same driving conditions.

I've never heard of shell nitro+ diesel nor seen it at any stations ever, with shell I get around 280 miles/half tank but it's like that with 76, Mobil, etc. I assume they all use the same suppliers and Chevron is doing their own thing.

[AlpineX]

76 is a subsidiary of chevron. 300 miles on .5 tank is a bit off the charts imho. I am regularly at 400 miles/ tank though healthy mix of city/ hwy and 18" wheels. Also the preLCI seems to be a few mpg more than LCI. Ymmv

[Enabled]

Originally Posted by AlpineX

76 is a subsidiary of chevron. 300 miles on .5 tank is a bit off the charts imho. I am regularly at 400 miles/ tank though healthy mix of city/ hwy and 18" wheels. Also the preLCI seems to be a few mpg more than LCI. Ymmv

Is yours a wagon?

My wagon gets between 300-330miles at half tank too. Depending on type of driving.

[AlpineX]

LCI wagon. Without looking it up i think my best tank was approx 520 miles. 600-650 miles on a tank is rwd 328d territory.
Now, if you guys are talking about the gauge needle, I'm probably closer to 250 miles as I pass that point. I have found that the calibration of the needle is not accurate. This is because the second half of the tank is consumed much faster than the first half. This is over approx 37k miles.
I never use eco pro or ASS which lowers my mpg no question.

[Enabled]

I use Chevron diesel with Power Sevice grey additive, and get around 520-550 miles for my city driving, per tank. Highway I can get 600 miles per tank.
Halfway point isn't accurate to anything, but I do expect 300-330 miles when needle is on top of the line.

My biggest fillup was 15.310 gallons.

[agentorange]

Did a run to Long Beach and back from Vegas. Nearly all highway and filled up at the same Shell station on our return. 617 miles for about 13.5 gallons, or 45.7 mpg. Cruise control at 75 or 80 mph indicated.

My wife usually fills up at Sam's club and gets 35-37 mpg running around Vegas, about 520 miles per tank. Haven't tried the Shell around town. I may have done a little better on Chevron when we first got it, but it's stupid expensive compared to Sam's club.

[AlpineX]

I normally fill 13.7 to 14.2 gallons at a bit over 400 miles, close to half city and half highway by miles (closer to 2/3 city by hours I'd guess).
Sustained multiple tanks over 600 miles I'll need to see before I believe, and fuelly does not support that.
I will say though that I have perceived my best fuel economy approx avg75mph, which is not my driving profile.

[328iX]

Originally Posted by AlpineX

76 is a subsidiary of chevron. 300 miles on .5 tank is a bit off the charts imho. I am regularly at 400 miles/ tank though healthy mix of city/ hwy and 18" wheels. Also the preLCI seems to be a few mpg more than LCI. Ymmv

Not off the charts, i've put 15k miles on in the last 6 months of ownership and if i'm below 300/half theres something wrong, or it's not chevron...haha


Also just because I get 300/half doesn't mean i get 600 on full tank.

I get around 500-520 on a full tank regularly.


I'm in socal and driving up to San Francisco in 2 hours and i'm expecting 600+ on a full tank. I'll let you guys know.


Also, just to clarify, I'm always at 80-90+ on the highway, i don't do 75.

[AlpineX]

Originally Posted by 328dX

Not off the charts, i've put 15k miles on in the last 6 months of ownership and if i'm below 300/half theres something wrong, or it's not chevron...haha

Are you logging your fills and mileage?

Also just because I get 300/half doesn't mean i get 600 on full tank.

What? Because you fill up early or you're not hitting that mileage? Otherwise your math is whack.

[328iX]

Originally Posted by AlpineX

Are you logging your fills and mileage?


What? Because you fill up early or you're not hitting that mileage? Otherwise your math is whack.

I reset trip computer at fill up, and use a calculator to divide mileage vs. next fill up gallons.

How is my math whack.

You realize 520 miles/ 15 gallons is 34.6mpg

The car is rated at 31/43, Get your head out of your ass.

[AlpineX]

Originally Posted by 328dX

I reset trip computer at fill up, and use a calculator to divide mileage vs. next fill up gallons.

How is my math whack.

You realize 520 miles/ 15 gallons is 34.6mpg

The car is rated at 31/43, Get your head out of your ass.

Cool. Don't be an asshat. So confirming you're not logging then?

Fuelly is showing 3mpg difference between preLCI and LCI excluding MY18, and this has been constant for as long as I have been looking. LCI is rated 30/40.

Your math is whack because you are saying you always get over 300 on half tank but not 600 on full tank.

[328iX]

Originally Posted by AlpineX

Cool. Don't be an asshat. So confirming you're not logging then?

Fuelly is showing 3mpg difference between preLCI and LCI excluding MY18, and this has been constant for as long as I have been looking. LCI is rated 30/40.

Your math is whack because you are saying you always get over 300 on half tank but not 600 on full tank.

That's not a math issue, that has to do with me not driving it to the very last drop of fuel, and most cars usually the second half never matches the first half.

I've had cars where I get 200 on the first half and 50 on the second half, no fuel sending unit is perfect but the BMW is close.

No I don't log it because I don't need too. I know if I'm around 500-550 on a tank that my engine is operating correctly and that i'm at the average mpg point.

[AlpineX]

Originally Posted by 328dX

That's not a math issue, that has to do with me not driving it to the very last drop of fuel, and most cars usually the second half never matches the first half.

I've had cars where I get 200 on the first half and 50 on the second half, no fuel sending unit is perfect but the BMW is close.

No I don't log it because I don't need too. I know if I'm around 500-550 on a tank that my engine is operating correctly and that i'm at the average mpg point.

Sounds very unscientific, thanks for sharing.

[328iX]

Originally Posted by AlpineX

Sounds very unscientific, thanks for sharing.

Are you seriously upset I don't log my mpg, I don't need to explain myself to you.

I'm leavin to san fran, cya