Shell Fuel Rip Off

**snuffles** · 22nd August 2006, 13:39

Originally Posted by Jim2

Bastard. I could do 7kg of unsightly fat by cutting my head off.

How would that help you loose the rest of the unsightly fat?

**James Deuce** · 27th September 2006, 08:26

Much worse fuel consumption figures with Shell 91. I shall be avoiding it where I can.

Date	Fuel Type	Litres Purchased	kms	km/l	Total for Company Sampled
28/04/2006	Shell 95	16.2	241.3	14.90
8/05/2006	Shell 95	15.9	239.3	15.05
23/05/2006	Shell 95	16.1	235.9	14.65	716.5
31/05/2006	BP 91	15.3	261.33	17.05
6/06/2006	BP 91	15.3	261.33	17.05
9/06/2006	BP 91	15.3	261.33	17.05	783.99
15/06/2006	Mobil 95	15.1	234.5	15.50
28/06/2006	Mobil 95	16.8	284.9	17.00
13/07/2006	Mobil 95	15.3	245.4	16.04	764.8
27/07/2006	Shell 91	14.9	230.1	15.44
8/08/2006	Shell 91	15.6	234.5	15.08
13/07/2006	Shell 91	15.5	230.1	14.88	694.7

**James Deuce** · 27th September 2006, 08:28

I've had a crap couple of months and haven't been riding much, so I haven't been keeping good records.

Just started Caltex last weekend.

**craigs288** · 27th September 2006, 11:22

I thought that shell also recommended how you should drive in order to get maximum benefits from their 'new' (10% ethanol) formula.

It involves things like taking off as slowly as possible and barely touching the accelerator. Duh?! That alone will save you lots of gas, regardless of what it is made of. Could explain why it seems to take about 200metres for the cagers to leave the lights and get to 50km/h.

The higher calorific content (energy) of ethanol means that technically you get more heat and therefore more push on the piston, and should be able to use less gas to get the push you need. That's ignoring the fact that a stoichiometric burn for ethanol is richer than for petrol, so you burn more ethanol anyway.

Octane and mileage. I have driven my cage ( shame, shame!) the same way to Taupo and back many times, cruise control on 105km/h. (mostly to shut my missus up). If I fill to the petrol cap (which I do) with BP91 I just get home after 600km round trip. If I use BP98 I get back with about 100kms of gas left in the tank.

Mostly because the 9.3:1 compression in my 1995 falcon isnt high enough to completely burn the 98 fuel, the O2 sensor read this as rich and leans it out.
This puts less fuel into the engine, and produces a leaner (hotter) burn, both of which contribute to better mileage.

**Cajun** · 27th September 2006, 12:01

i use shell (due to bike now taking more than $20 each fill up i can get fly buys)

my average is for normally communting is 16l/km on the 600.

I noticed after my sprocket change my fuel milage went up, but have now adjusted riding with new sprocket so its drop back again

**terbang** · 27th September 2006, 12:40

Here is another gripe about Shell. Out of the airport on any evening after about 9ish I notice the shell stations are all on 'pay in advance' . Now I often pay with cash so its wander in, give the guy money, wander out and fuel it, oh bugger it didn't take $20 worth. Either donate to them or wander back in to get the change..They say its because there are lots of people doing runners. Well I aint their security company so, unless I'm running it a bit short, I will just drive through to the next station that allows me to self serve and then pay.

**Ixion** · 27th September 2006, 12:52

Mutter. Mutter. Gripe. Grumble. We HATES prepay. Hates it. Hates hates hates.

Seems almost universal at night now (which is generally when I fill up). Nowdays I just wander in "Bike. Wotcha gonna do. Dunno how much it'll take, no fuel gauge. On credit card. You wanta have to do a credit card reverse charge? No, thought not, so turn the pump on"

They hate having to do a credit card reversal. Though I have encountered TWO who simply refused to refund the overage! "Buy something else"

Still a pain though means you have to wait in line twice instead of once. And as they tend to get shitty about walking in with helmet on, you are then stuck with the problem of where to put the helmet while filling. Not on the dirty ground that's for sure. I've taken to giving it to the counter jockey and telling him he's responsible for it. Since they have no storage facility for it!. They don't like that but I reckon it's fair enough, there's nowhere to put it down, and I can't juggle pump nozzle, holding bike vertical and helmet all at once.

If petrol stations are going to demand prepay they need to sort out a system that works. The only reason its a problem is because they've removed all the "service" so there's no one on the forecourt.

**Blackbird** · 27th September 2006, 12:54

Originally Posted by Ixion

Mutter. Mutter. Gripe. Grumble. We HATES prepay. Hates it. Hates hates hates.

Seems almost universal at night now (which is generally when I fill up). Nowdays I just wander in "Bike. Wotcha gonna do. Dunno how much it'll take, no fuel gauge. On credit card. You wanta have to do a credit card reverse charge? No, thought not, so turn the pump on"

That's because you're a bunch of crims up there

No prepay in our area.

**Swoop** · 27th September 2006, 13:56

Originally Posted by Ixion

The only reason its a problem is because they've removed all the "service" so there's no one on the forecourt.

Remember when petrol was cheaper if you went to a "self serve" station over one that has "full service"? The service has disapperared, as you say Ixion, also without a reduction in the cost of fuel. We seem to be paying them for the "honour" of doing the work ourselves.

I also note the trend to rebuild the interiors of petrol stations every 2-3 years. Obviously "fashion" is important in the oil industry...

**sAsLEX** · 27th September 2006, 15:40

Originally Posted by Ixion

They hate having to do a credit card reversal. Though I have encountered TWO who simply refused to refund the overage! "Buy something else"

pour the petrol on the pump and as you ride off flick a match!

You paid for it!

**Forest** · 27th September 2006, 15:42

Originally Posted by igor

i do like the smell of fresh strawberries. do u think they coud add in some strawberry juice so mine would smell of this. and can I kingsize that as well

I know you were joking but such a product exists for you!! They're called fuel fragrances - hot rod folks add them to the fuel and it changes the smell of the exhaust.

Here is a typical selection (google "fuel fragrances" for more choices):

Fuel fragrances.

**ManDownUnder** · 27th September 2006, 15:47

Originally Posted by Forest

I know you were joking but such a product exists for you!! They're called fuel fragrances - hot rod folks add them to the fuel and it changes the smell of the exhaust.

Here is a typical selection (google "fuel frangrances" for more choices):

Fuel fragrances.

Where's "Vindaloo Revenge"? The one that makes it smell like I shat myself...