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I swear by BP Ultimate, it feels so good when the tanks full of that stuff, but with recent price hikes in fuel I've had to resort to Optimax coz I get that 4c off or whatever... plus there's a shell station 100m from my house wheras the nearest BP station is a good 5km away.

Optimax is OK, but for some reason my engine works better in ultimate... i get more k's out of it, and it sounds a lot smoother. the exhaust gasses also don't reek of sulphur which it does when I put optimax in.

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melbourne optimax is ok too, still 98 RON just like ultimate... only different additives, maybe a bit more sulphur, as thats the only difference i can tell without doin an in depth chemical analysis. doesn't syd n melb share the same refinery anyways?

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doesn't syd n melb share the same refinery anyways?

Shell has the Clyde refinery in Sydney and Geelong in Victoria.

I sugest you have a read of this thread....

http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/sh...ead.php?t=38750

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so you're saying that both Optimax and Ultimate coming out of the Geelong refinery is the same chemical composition? But they will be of a different composition to the same brands that come from Clyde?

aren't there standards and regulations that control variances between refineries?

Also wouldn't different petrol reseller (ie Shell, BP) have patents on the chemical compositions of their fuels as far as additives go? Which would mean that both fuels cannot be the same? ignoring that their RON ratings might be the same given that they come from the same refinery, surely their additives will be differnt.

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all i know is that when i used optimax my plugs fouled 3 times in 3 weeks, the workshop said that they had many cars come in with the same problem and they all used optimax, they said use bp and it wont happen.

in all honesty i was very skeptical but it has been 3 weeks and the car is going strong on the same set of plugs, thats all i have to say.

Evan

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U definately got a bad batch of fuel then,

As much as everyone says "optimax is shit etc ...."

ive never had a problem with it, and compared the Ultimate, feels exacly the same

no power loss no nothing, and my spark plugs are PERFECT, i just changed them recently

so meh

optimax or ultimate, dont really matter

I think the thing with optimax is it has some kind of cleaner or something it in, thats why it smells bad, and ive heard from some people that it doesnt have a good shelf life

Solution: Use a mix of ultimate and optimax

hehe

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so you're saying that both Optimax and Ultimate coming out of the Geelong refinery is the same chemical composition? .

No, but the base product would be if they are sharing sourcing. Ask yourself this "where is the Ultimate at my local BP coming from?" The BP refineries are in WA or Qld, so is it worthwhile them trucking it all that way? How many petrol tankers do you see on the road between Perth and Melbourne?

But they will be of a different composition to the same brands that come from Clyde?

Yep, all refineries have different standards. They may aim for the same product but some refineries can never get there with their current equipement. That's why Shell is spending many millions upgrading Clyde and Geelong.

aren't there standards and regulations that control variances between refineries?

Nope, there are Australian standards but the tolerances are quite large ie; I believe I could sell 96 octane and claim it was 98. Check the disclaimers on the oil companies' web sites.

Also wouldn't different petrol reseller (ie Shell, BP) have patents on the chemical compositions of their fuels as far as additives go?

Never seen a patent on the chemical compostion of fuel, I don't think you could get one. The formulas and the chemicals used are all so well known, you could make your own if you wanted.

Which would mean that both fuels cannot be the same? ignoring that their RON ratings might be the same given that they come from the same refinery, surely their additives will be differnt

Maybe, but the refining quality and the source crude composition make far more of a difference than a very minor % of additives. rb20-calais said

all i know is that when i used optimax my plugs fouled 3 times in 3 weeks
Do you really think oil company additives did that?

Just cause the sign out the front says "BP" doesn't mean BP made "everything" they sell there.

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No, but the base product would be if they are sharing sourcing.  Ask yourself this "where is the Ultimate at my local BP coming from?"  The BP refineries are in WA or Qld, so is it worthwhile them trucking it all that way?  How many petrol tankers do you see on the road between Perth and Melbourne?

BP Ultimate is exclusively a BP product. It is produced at their Western

Australian Refinery, and shipped by sea to the other mainland states like VIC.

I dont think such big oil tycoons like BP would refine their fuel using their competitors (Shell's) resources, if anything to make a loss, and you would think that if Shell had the chance to shut out BP from selling their fuel in VIC they would so that they would get the majority of premium fuel consumers.

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All I can say from personal experience:

BP Ultimate: had BAD problems 2 out 5 times with car stalling and loss of power

Synergy: Inconsistent, sometimes VERY good, sometimes bad

Optimax: Consistent, car runs best with optimax always...

I have tried time and time again with BP Ultimate b/c of other forum members testimonials, but with unpleasant results every time, and as mentioned 2 bad incidents. Optimax works well for me, so I just stick to it now...

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All I can say from personal experience:

BP Ultimate: had BAD problems 2 out 5 times with car stalling and loss of power

Synergy: Inconsistent, sometimes VERY good, sometimes bad

Optimax: Consistent, car runs best with optimax always...

 

I have tried time and time again with BP Ultimate b/c of other forum members testimonials, but with unpleasant results every time, and as mentioned 2 bad incidents. Optimax works well for me, so I just stick to it now...

i have had exactly the opposite, where i found BP was better all around, i had one bad batch of optimax, and the norm with synergy and ive never bothered with vortex, but u'd think that u would get these sorta probs from any fuel eventually, coz more than anything it would be the petrol station itself and the way they store their fuel / how long they store their fuel for

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BP Ultimate is exclusively a BP product.  It is produced at their Western Australian Refinery, and shipped by sea to the other mainland states like VIC.

So they don't refine at their Bulwer Island refinery?:rant:

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