Well not referrin to economical matters I´d rather say that if you don use
such a kind of petrol you are surely going to damage your engine. Why?

Simple in the four times of a explosion engine and particularly in the very
time of explosion the engine is calculated to make a certain pressure
depending on the power of the car. If your car is sorted to use 98 oct
because of its explosion power and you don´t feed it so your transmission
and the cilinders bar inside can get damaged.

Good luck with negotiations or get your boss to sign a maintenance contract
just in case.

"Doug Ramage" <doug-ramage@lineone.net> escribió en el mensaje
news:bjspln$ml9ja$1@ID-34015.news.uni-berlin.de...
>
> "Chip" <AnneOnymouse@virgin.net> wrote in message
> news:bjsc5a$lvk1n$1@ID-185713.news.uni-berlin.de...
> > "Peter Bell" <peter@bellfamily.org.uk> wrote in message
> > news:56ffbf304c.peter@iyonix.earley.fourcom.com...
> > > In message <I%g8b.541$WI3.6312@newsfep4-glfd.server.ntli.net>
> > > "Hairy One Kenobi" <abuse@[127.0.0.1]> wrote:
> > >
> > > > "Doug Ramage" <doug-ramage@lineone.net> wrote in message
> > > > news:bjs1e0$mmrhl$1@ID-34015.news.uni-berlin.de...
> > > > >
> > > > > "Chip" <AnneOnymouse@virgin.net> wrote in message
> > > > > news:bj6qtt$ftgvi$1@ID-185713.news.uni-berlin.de...
> > > > > > The specs for the S4's 4.2 V8 all say 98 Ron. Am I safe to
> > > > > > assume it will run ok on 95 - albeit perhaps with reduced power
> > > > > > and mpg?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > The reason I ask is that my employers will only pay for Regular
> > unleaded
> > > > > > fuel. They refuse to pay for Super Unleaded.
> > >
> > > I presume that this is going to be a company-owned car - would they
> > > rather pay for a new engine when it breaks?
> >
> > You presume incorrectly: its my car. The company pays (not
unreasonably)
> > for business miles done in my car. Unreasonably, they have recently
> > introduced a new rule stating that they won't pay for Super Unleaded
> (which
> > I guess they figure is just a waste of money).
>
> <snip>
>
> > Thanks for all the help guys. I think beating up our <ahem> "cost
> > conscious" finance director sounds like the best course of action! And
> > failing that, Millers.
> >
> > Chip.
> >
> >
>
> I assume you are UK based? If so, the new mileage regime for business use
> (w.e.f. from 6 April 2002) is limited to 2 rates only - 40p for first
10,000
> miles and 25p thereafter, irrespective of engine size, cost etc. If the
> rate(s) paid are less, then you can claim the difference from the IR. If
> higher, you will have to pay income tax on the excess. The old option of
> being reimbursed action cost (or a percentage thereof) is no longer
> available. Nor will you be able to claim depreciation (Capital Allowance)
> nor the interest charge to finance the vehicle's acquisition.
>
> Therefore, the cost of the fuel is irrelevant to the employer. In fact,
for
> VAT purposes, the employer would be better off if you bought
> superunleaded/Optimax, as the VAT element *increases* with cost.
> --
> Doug Ramage
>
>

 

"Doug Ramage" <doug-ramage@lineone.net> wrote in message
news:bjs9cv$lvihb$1@ID-34015.news.uni-berlin.de...
>
> "Hairy One Kenobi" <abuse@[127.0.0.1]> wrote in message
> news:I%g8b.541$WI3.6312@newsfep4-glfd.server.ntli.net...
> > "Doug Ramage" <doug-ramage@lineone.net> wrote in message
> > news:bjs1e0$mmrhl$1@ID-34015.news.uni-berlin.de...
> > >
> > > "Chip" <AnneOnymouse@virgin.net> wrote in message
> > > news:bj6qtt$ftgvi$1@ID-185713.news.uni-berlin.de...

<snip>

> > <pedant>
> > Higher-octane unleaded (I hesitate to call it "Super", 'cos that's the
> name
> > of 95RON in most of Europe) in 97 simply because that's what 4-star was)
> >
> > Optimax is 99RON, I believe equivalent to the old 5-star (just a dim
> memory
> > for me ;o)
> > </pedant>
> >
> > As Doug says, there should be a specific entry in the manual to reassure
> > you.

> IIRC, Optimax, in the UK, was/is supposed to be around 98.6 RON (Shell
only
> claim that it's "greater than 98 RON"). However, some test(s) seem to
> indicate it was nearer to 98.3 RON.
>
> I seem to recall that elsewhere (Germany, Australia?) than the RON could
be
> 99?

Blow me - they do indeed state that. I guess when it came out someone
rounded the number, then someone else noticed, then..

As goes tests, the octane rating reduces over time (remember the problems in
F1 a few years back, when some fuel hadn't "aged" quite as much and got a
team disqualified..?)

H1K

 

"Hairy One Kenobi" <abuse@[127.0.0.1]> wrote in message
news:I%g8b.541$WI3.6312@newsfep4-glfd.server.ntli.net...

> <pedant>
> Higher-octane unleaded (I hesitate to call it "Super", 'cos that's the
name
> of 95RON in most of Europe) in 97 simply because that's what 4-star was)
>
> Optimax is 99RON, I believe equivalent to the old 5-star (just a dim
memory
> for me ;o)
> </pedant>

<super-plus pedant>
Four star was orignally 98. Five star was 100 minimum. In fact IIRC Shell's
five star claimed to be 101.

I think five star had already disappeared by the time they sneakily
down-graded four star to 97 RON, which was roughly at the same time that
unleaded 95 came in.
</super-plus pedant>

The Digifant Golf GTIs had the same warning in the owners manual about
slight loss of performance and not using full throttle. I seem to recall
that I didn't notice any difference, so I usually used 95 - but I rarely if
ever used full throttle anyway.

Regards

Jonathan

 

"Doug Ramage" <doug-ramage@lineone.net> wrote in message
news:bjspln$ml9ja$1@ID-34015.news.uni-berlin.de...

[snip]

> Therefore, the cost of the fuel is irrelevant to the employer. In fact,
for
> VAT purposes, the employer would be better off if you bought
> superunleaded/Optimax, as the VAT element *increases* with cost.
> --
> Doug Ramage

Its not irrelevant to my employer (unfortunately). They pay for my petrol.
Its nothing to do with what I can/cannot claim tax relief for. The company
pays for it, so I get taxed on the benefit. But the tax (less the amount I
can reclaim) is still a lot less than if I have to pay for the actual
petrol!

Still, its all very stupid. They will pay for diesel (77p/litre), yet not
Super Unleaded (80p/litre) 3p difference is hardly going to break the bank
is it.

And here's the really stupid thing: I can buy any car I like. They will
pay for the petrol for a Hummer at maybe 6 mpg.... as long as I don't put
Super Unleaded in it! How bloody ridiculous.

Chip.

 

"Chip" <AnneOnymouse@virgin.net> wrote in message
news:bk03ge$o4f1q$1@ID-185713.news.uni-berlin.de...
>
> "Doug Ramage" <doug-ramage@lineone.net> wrote in message
> news:bjspln$ml9ja$1@ID-34015.news.uni-berlin.de...
>
> [snip]
>
> > Therefore, the cost of the fuel is irrelevant to the employer. In fact,
> for
> > VAT purposes, the employer would be better off if you bought
> > superunleaded/Optimax, as the VAT element *increases* with cost.
> > --
> > Doug Ramage
>
> Its not irrelevant to my employer (unfortunately). They pay for my
petrol.
> Its nothing to do with what I can/cannot claim tax relief for. The
company
> pays for it, so I get taxed on the benefit. But the tax (less the amount
I
> can reclaim) is still a lot less than if I have to pay for the actual
> petrol!
>

I understand what the company are trying to do. However, have you pointed
out the extra admin hassle thier method causes them? If they paid the IR
rates (or below), the company would not have to re-calculate the figures to
see if a benefit arises which has to be reported on P11D form.

> Still, its all very stupid. They will pay for diesel (77p/litre), yet not
> Super Unleaded (80p/litre) 3p difference is hardly going to break the
bank
> is it.
>

Rules is rules.

> And here's the really stupid thing: I can buy any car I like. They will
> pay for the petrol for a Hummer at maybe 6 mpg.... as long as I don't put
> Super Unleaded in it! How bloody ridiculous.
>

Agreed -not logical.

> Chip.
>
>
--
Doug Ramage

 

Peter Bell wrote:
>
> I don't know about the S4, but the owner's manual for the RS6 warns
> against using full throttle when running with 95 RON, and also says to
> fill up with Super Plus ASAP. It also instructs you to 'only use
> moderate engine speeds and a light throttle'.

But the RS6 is a turbo, while the ('04) S4 is not. I would certainly
*hope* that any modern normally aspirated engine with electronic
ignition would be equipped with knock sensors to allow compensation for
low octane.

--
Mike Smith