After accidentally filling their car with pricier 'premium' petrol, a driver was left shocked to find out the real reason why the more expensive stuff is actually better.
More often than not there are options to choose from when filling up - and one is more expensive that the other. With the cost of living crisis continuing, you may be more likely to opt for the cheaper option, but you may actually be better off paying a little bit more.
Fuel has skyrocketed in price recently, with petrol prices soaring from 99p per litre in 2016 to £1.60 at the moment, with diesel sitting at £1.80 per litre on average.
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But you shouldn't be skimping when it comes to filling up, according to a car expert who explained it is important to opt for the premium fuel at least every so often, reports Yorkshire Live.
Posting on CasualUK, they said: "Premium is different in three ways. It has a higher octane rating. If your car's ECU can adapt to it (most modern cars will) it will produce more power. A lot of high performance cars have to run on super. It basically means the fuel is less likely to spontaneously combust under compression, so the spark can be fired later when the mixture is more compressed.
"They often have more detergents and additives to keep the fuel system clean, than regular fuels. This can keep the car running better and improve economy/emissions.
"It's E5 rather than E10. This means it has 5% ethanol in it rather than 10%. some cars HAVE to be run on 5% forcing you to buy premium. The reason some cars can't run on E10 is because of the materials used in the sealant and pipes - high ethanol content can deteriorate those parts on older cars.
"If it was diesel, the answer is #2 only but the difference can be much more significant there due to how much diesel fuel systems get clogged up. Incidentally it's also the difference between supermarket diesel and brands. People will tell you it's the same fuel because it comes from the same refinery - it does, but it's not the same fuel due to the additives!
I personally won't run a diesel car on supermarket diesel if I can avoid it, the sooting it causes is a nightmare for EGR valves and diesel particulate filters."
He then goes on to make a recommendation to every driver, adding: "Generally a full tank of premium fuel every now and again is a good thing to keep the car running well, think of it as a festive treat for it."
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