Is all fuel created equal?

Posted 28 February, 2019 Samuel Smith

South Australians have some strong opinions about where to fill up and what’s in their fuel, according to RAA’s latest Fuel Survey Report.   But is BP fuel really of a higher quality? Can using e10 damage your car? Does premium fuel get you further? Here, we bust a few myths about big-name petrol brands and give you the lowdown on what’s in your fuel, from 91 octane to ethanol.  

Where we’re filling up and why

Close to a quarter (23%) of respondents surveyed said they used a Caltex Woolworths service station the last time they refuelled. Liberty, BP and On the Run fuel outlets were visited by more than 10% of respondents for their last fuel purchase, with Costco, Mobil and Mogas being the least frequented. Less than 4% of respondents visited these outlets for their last fuel purchase.     The reason why could be tied up in our perceptions – for 20% of respondents, Costco fuel was perceived as the lowest quality. Close to half (46.7%) rated BP fuel as above average quality and 40.7% of respondents rated Caltex Woolworths fuel as the same. OTR and Coles Express fuel received above average quality ratings by 37.4% and 35.0% of respondents, respectively. On the lower end of the scale, only 33% of respondents rated fuel from small independent brands as above average quality.  

Is all fuel equal?

Contrary to the results of our fuel survey, RAA Future Mobility Expert Mark Borlace says fuel is fuel, as it all has to comply with the same quality standards. “It’s all the same chicken; each brand just sprinkles it with their own secret herbs and spices,” he says. Fried chicken analogies aside, Mr Borlace dispels the myth that one brand is better than another.     “There’s really no logical reason to choose one brand over another,” he says. Mr Borlace goes on to explain that essentially, most fuel comes from the same place, so at the end of the day, you’re paying more for the brand name. “The only difference is that some [brands] will put different additives in their fuel – none of which will have much noticeable difference on your car’s engine or performance.”