Shell V-Power NiTRO+

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: raytseng
Diminishing returns yes. Diminishing fuel, no. You're underestimating the magnitude of dilution of additives and how powerful they can be if you think it will become less of a fuel.

I'm not misunderstanding it at all. Where in my post did I say any such thing?

 

[bulwnkl]

Originally Posted By: robertcope
From the FAQ:

"7. What makes Shell V-Power NiTRO+ Premium Gasoline different than other Shell grades?

Shell V-Power NiTRO+ contains the highest concentration of the Shell Nitrogen Enriched Cleaning System and cleans up faster than Shell regular. In fact, Shell V-Power now contains seven times the amount of cleaning agents required by federal standards. The new Shell V-Power NiTRO+ formulation contains an innovative combination of two key cleaning agents that work together in harmony to provide the BEST TOTAL engine protection you can get. It provides unbeatable protection against gunk and corrosion, and superior protection against wear."

http://www.shell.us/products-services/shell-for-motorists/fuels/vpower/faq.html

robert


And yet, TopTierGas.com states that all grades of gasoline sold at a particular station contain the same amount of additive. See http://www.toptiergas.com/faqs.html FAQ #2.

I've written to Shell within the past ~18 months to ask about this issue, and their email reply was nonsensical gibberish.

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted By: bulwnkl
Originally Posted By: robertcope
From the FAQ:

"7. What makes Shell V-Power NiTRO+ Premium Gasoline different than other Shell grades?

Shell V-Power NiTRO+ contains the highest concentration of the Shell Nitrogen Enriched Cleaning System and cleans up faster than Shell regular. In fact, Shell V-Power now contains seven times the amount of cleaning agents required by federal standards. The new Shell V-Power NiTRO+ formulation contains an innovative combination of two key cleaning agents that work together in harmony to provide the BEST TOTAL engine protection you can get. It provides unbeatable protection against gunk and corrosion, and superior protection against wear."

http://www.shell.us/products-services/shell-for-motorists/fuels/vpower/faq.html

robert


And yet, TopTierGas.com states that all grades of gasoline sold at a particular station contain the same amount of additive. See http://www.toptiergas.com/faqs.html FAQ #2.

I've written to Shell within the past ~18 months to ask about this issue, and their email reply was nonsensical gibberish.

I'm guessing the actual requirements say that there's simply a minimum "treat rate", and that all grades must at the minimum meet the deposit control requirement. It really wouldn't surprise me if several gas retailers upped it for the premium pump.

 

[Finklejag]

In my area, the Nitro+ is 30 cents a gallon more then the old V-Power. I just ran my first and last tank of it. I will be buying Chevron 92 for 30 cents a gallon cheaper and get the same results.

 

[robertcope]

Originally Posted By: y_p_w

I'm guessing the actual requirements say that there's simply a minimum "treat rate", and that all grades must at the minimum meet the deposit control requirement. It really wouldn't surprise me if several gas retailers upped it for the premium pump.


I think you are correct:

"4.1 Retail Gasoline Performance Standards. The deposit control performance of unleaded gasoline conforming to section 4 of this document shall be met at the retail level in all grades of gasoline sold by a fuel company in all marketing areas of a selected nation."[1]

robert

[1] http://www.toptiergas.com/deposit_control.html

 

[robertcope]

Originally Posted By: Finklejag
In my area, the Nitro+ is 30 cents a gallon more then the old V-Power. I just ran my first and last tank of it. I will be buying Chevron 92 for 30 cents a gallon cheaper and get the same results.


I haven't done a scientific study, but it does seem very high priced to me, too. It is nearly 50 cents more than regular the last few times I've filled up. I'm not sure it is worth that. I will say that my truck seems rather smooth and quiet, but we all know how well that sensor works.

robert

 

[Garak]

Here, the spread between regular and premium hasn't changed at Shell stations with the introduction of the new V-Power.

 

[Joenpb]

Yes, the price here has stayed the same too, about the same as Chevron, even discount gas stations. This particular station does sell a lot of gas though.

 

[danthaman1980]

Originally Posted By: SrDriver
If I am not badly mistaken all 3 grades of Shell Gasoline contain the same amount of cleaners and all 3 grades are rated Top Tier. All three grades here contain Ethanol but noticed on a trip up north to Wisconsin that only 87 and 89 octane contain Ethanol.


WRT the ethanol content, it depends on the gas station. Ethanol is mandated in Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha counties, but in outlying counties station owners may sell ethanol-free gas if they wish.

 

[Joenpb]

Originally Posted By: Garak
There was a study of detergent levels in various gasolines posted here some time ago showing that the V-Power actually had significantly higher levels of detergent than Bronze or Gold. And usually, gasoline companies do market their fuels as such.


Quote:
Originally Posted By: robertcope
From the FAQ:

"7. What makes Shell V-Power NiTRO+ Premium Gasoline different than other Shell grades?

Shell V-Power NiTRO+ contains the highest concentration of the Shell Nitrogen Enriched Cleaning System and cleans up faster than Shell regular......"

 

[Garak]

Yep, that's the test I was talking about.

 

[Patman]

Originally Posted By: Garak
Here, the spread between regular and premium hasn't changed at Shell stations with the introduction of the new V-Power.


Are you sure? In my area they did it in a sneaky way. For the longest time, all the Shell stations in the GTA (at least the ones I visited) had a spread of 18 cents between regular and premium. Then all of a sudden one day I noticed that spread changed to 20 cents. A few weeks after that, they introduced Nitro+. What's truly sad is that is a 20 cent PER LITER jump, while our US friends pay about 20-30 cents PER GALLON more, a much smaller differential. So we're being gouged big time here.

 

[robertcope]

The two Shells that I frequent are priced about like this right now: 2.55, 2.88 (+0.33), 3.23 (+0.35). I guess, realistically, that is a pretty even spread. But I feel sure that it didn't used to be a 0.68 gap between regular and premium. Maybe I'm wrong. 0.68 a gallon when you're pumping 20-23 gallons adds up!

robert

 

[Joenpb]

In San Diego gas prices are more than just about everywhere else in the lower 48, but only 20 cents a gallon difference between regular & premium. Reg (87 Oct) $3.49, mid grade (89 Oct) $3.59, and Premium (91 Oct) $3.69 a gallon (Shell). These prices are a dollar or more lower than they have been in the past.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: Patman
Are you sure? In my area they did it in a sneaky way.

I'd have to go back to my receipts (and I keep them all) to be absolutely sure, but I tend to know what premium is at given a certain posted regular, with Husky/Mohawk being an exception because of their higher octane. Everything seemed the same to me, but of course, they could have been sneaky about it. In some ways, perhaps they have, since they increased the differential as gas prices went up over the last decade, but I don't recall the differential dropping off once again as prices plummetted.

As an aside, price changes used to be quite strange here. If regular went up, premium would remain where it was until the next time they had to restock with premium, be it a day or more. Now, it never seems to work that way any longer.

 

[mauric3]

Here in BC Canada.. the local shell gas station i go to is usually 19cents more for the Nitro+.. the shell gas station in Richmond though is 20cents more..not sure why its 20cents for that station but most of the shell station here in Vancouver area are usually 19cents more for the Nitro+

 

[Garak]

I mentioned in another thread that some places have a bit better spread than others, and that customarily wasn't the case here (except for Husky/Mohawk with their 94 octane stuff). Some of the Co-ops have a lesser spread, but they make up for that by being the absolute first to raise their price and dead last for lowering it. Imperial Oil tries to beat them on that, but it's kind of hard, with the Co-op having the refinery and knowing the most (in)opportune time to play with prices.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

I think this is a Techron-like product since PEA is a nitrogen based chemical.

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted By: BMWTurboDzl
I think this is a Techron-like product since PEA is a nitrogen based chemical.


Sort of. It is by definition a compound containing an amino group (some sort of NH group). However, it's more specifically a synthetic polymer. The biggest use of PEA is for curing epoxy resins.

http://www.huntsman.com/portal/page/port...etheramines.pdf

JEFFAMINE polytheramines are a part of an expanding family of Huntsman products. They contain primary amino groups attached to the end of a polyether backbone. The polyether backbone is normally based on either propylene oxide (PO), ethylene oxide (EO), or mixed PO/EO. Thus they are called “polyetheramines.” Historically, the JEFFAMINE polyetheramine family consisted of monoamines, diamines, and triamines based on this core structure.

The joke some people tell is that "nitrogen enriched" means dumping in some sort of animal-based fertilizer.

 

[Joenpb]

I don't believe the Nitro is much different than the old V power, and agree its more of a marketing idea that Shell fuel is new and improved. I always found V power to be very good and enjoyed this video.