Ditching supermarket diesel can give your car more power & avoid costly repairs, claims motoring expert
A MOTORING expert has claimed that ditching supermarket diesel could make your car more powerful and help avoid costly repairs.
Craig, who works at Walsall Wood Tyre and Service in Walsall, West Midlands, urged drivers to take note of where they buy their fuel in the future.
In a video posted on TikTok Craig said: “Diesel is a bit of a funny thing.
“If you were to go an buy diesel from [a supermarket] you’re going to get pretty basic diesel with not many additives in there.
“If you went and bought the same standard diesel from a Shell or and Esso or a BP, those fuels can be a little more expensive but have more chemicals in to help them burn and keep your engine cleaner.
“All these added chemicals do cost money but they do give some benefit to your car.”
The pros of these additives include better combustion, which provides more power.
This works because the chemicals help the fuel burn more completely, extracting more thermal energy per litre to be converted into rotational energy to power the driveshaft.
And a better burn also improves fuel efficiency as you need to burn less fuel to cover the same distance as lower-grade options.
Likewise, less incomplete combustion leaves less solid or liquid residue in your engine, which can build up over time.
Deposits of carbon or other byproducts of the combustion process can negatively effect your motor’s performance and also damage the mechanical systems.
For example, carbon deposits can, if left unchecked, cause the exhaust and intake valves to seize, rendering your car effectively useless.
When you buy the better quality fuel direct from major retailers, more of the waste products are released as exhaust fumes, keeping your engine cleaner and more efficient.
Given that a full engine replacement can run into the thousands and even more basic repairs can still set you back hundreds, it may well be worth shelling out a little more at the pump.
However, if prices at your local supermarket are significantly cheaper, you can always buy fuel additives yourself and introduce them to the fuel tank regularly.
Diesel cleaner additives are available for as little as £4.99 online from Halfords so it may end up being cheaper over time.