Premium petrol

[The Pink Panther]

What age was your Beemer? Cars from the 1990's had an issue with a cylinder lining made of Nikasil. The M60 from 1993 to 1996 used a Nikasil liner on the block, as did the M52 from 1995 to 1998. M52s produced after this used a steel liner. The problem occurred due to the high sulphur content that existed in low quality fuels. The sulphur reacted with the nickel lining and once damaged the alloy block was quickly worn beyond repair. BMW did not test the block with high sulphur fuel and therefore did not know about the problem until it was too late.
It was discovered that ‘cheap’ supermarket fuel contained high sulphur levels, found in particular to be present in the North-West of the UK. Cars run on high quality low sulphur fuel had no issues. BMW ended up replacing an awful lot of engine blocks under warranty as a result. That could have been your problem that day?

It was a 2004 model. I bought it in 2008 from the firm I was working for
I actually got shut of it because driving through Death Valley (M60 between j14 &j17) it cut out on me and lost all power. I was really fortunate that there was nothing on the inside lane so coasted onto the hard shoulder. I turned everything off, locked the car, opened it again, turned the ignition and it started, but the experience of losing all power on the motorway frightened the shit out of me, so I got rid
About two years later I received a recall letter from BMW about an electrical fault with the connections from the battery

On the fuel, it ran really rough for weeks after the Tesco fill up. There's an independent near me that sells fuel about 5-10p a litre above supermarkets or branded stations. I was running on empty and couldn't be arsed driving out, so tanked up there and the problem was instantly resolved
Next time I filled up there I asked which brand of fuel they used and they said "whatever is the cheapest when they need to buy"

 

[idahoblues]

Doesn't count if he didn't book airtime to advertise it.

he should have stuck to hand moisturiser

 

[BlueMoonRisin’]

I'm no expert on cars but when a vehicle is going uphill and I'm driving behind, I've noticed a fair bit of water blasted out of the back box. Is cheaper grade supermarket fuel more likely to cause this?

 

[Bill Walker]

I have a friend who works at a refinery as a scientist

He told me there is no difference between normal unleaded and so called premium unleaded

 

[RadcliffeRick]

I think in most of Europe the quality of petrol is consistent whether it is brought from a supermarket or branded garage. Here in Malaysia there is a big difference in how my car performs depending on what petrol I put in. There is ron100 petrol available and it is easy to tell the difference when my car has this in it.

 

[s1ty m]

Premium fuel is almost laughable. I have an M3 and they say to use it all the time. I don't but I have tried it...like it would make any difference. It just doesn't. It's as daft as the water thing where it packaged as coming from the mountains of Middle Earth but it is essentially just water. People try to up sell basically anything these days.