is there any difference between UK diesel fuel brands?

Question

I regularly use supermarket diesel, and get around 45 to 48 MPG, yet having recently visited France, where I filled up using their supermarket diesel, I found myself getting 52 MPG plus. My driving habits were not significantly different.

Answer 1

Supermarket fuel tends to be cheaper than branded fuel such as BP, Texaco etc. simply because supermarkets put the minimum amount of aditives in it to reduce costs. These aditives help clean and lubricate the engine's parts and so increase the life of the engine and the efficiency with which it consumes the fuel. As a result there may well be an economy diference between different fuels within the UK.
On the continent, they have different regulations regarding the minimum amounts of aditives required in fuel (despite EU harmonisation and such);that is the only reason why I can see why you were getting better fuel economy.

hope to have been of help.

Answer 2

The big difference is #2 diesel meets all the federal regulations for pollution. This grade is sold at a higher price. The farm diesel is not regulated to be as clean burning. It is also illegal for an over the road truck to use this fuel. But many truckers buy it because of the significant discount

Answer 3

In Ireland there is no difference.I would imagine that the UK is no different.It all comes off boats where it is distributed by various haulage companies.Im a sub contractor for one of these companies and I deliver Road Diesel to a number of different branded service stations. Ex Statoil, Burmah, Texaco.
So I hope that shines a light on things for you.
The diesel you get in one station could be the very same as the next

Answer 4

Diesel fuel in France is 5% biodiesel, which may account for some of the difference.

Also, although you may not have noticed a change in your driving style, French roads are often less congested than in the UK (its a bigger country, but with a similar population of both people and cars), so you may have benefitted from this.
Another thing that makes a difference is the road surface. French road surfaces are often much quieter (noise) to drive on than UK roads. As it takes energy (i.e. fuel) to generate noise, that suggests that their road surfaces generate lower rolling resistance.

In the UK I avoid supermarket fuels - I find I get better mileage with top-brand fuels.

Does your car have a French-designed engine? If so, you may find that it simply works more efficiently when the fuel is the same as the development team used.

Curiously, my Renault actually recorded its lowest ever fuel consumption in France, but I blame a Calais fuel station fleecing us Brits with over-reading pumps.

Answer 5

Yes, I have noticed that I get significantly different mileage depending on the brand.

Answer 6

ask the tax man france is cheaper the uk on everything
fags petrol diesal you name it
we pay more tax than any other country

Answer 7

my be theirs is a higher octane or super diesel

Answer 8

just use red diesel so much cheaper, just dont get caught.