Car owners sceptical about new fuel

Abu Dhabi: Adnoc's announcement of a new fuel yesterday was met with scepticism by car owners across the UAE who questioned the effects of lower octane fuel on their engines.

While Adnoc Distribution said the fuel is cost-effective and environment-friendly, car experts said it depends on the vehicle and the engine.

The new fuel that will hit the market next month, the red-coloured E-plus 91 will cost Dh5.75 a gallon compared to the current fuels Super 98 (Dh6.75) and Special 95 (Dh6.25).

"I am not sure of the effect of the new fuel on my car engine. I need to find out whether it is good for the engine, whether it would give extra mileage and whether overall it is econ-omical," said Tariq Qaqish, a banking analyst with National Bank of Abu Dhabi.

"Until I know exactly everything about the Octane 91, I will continue with Special." Susan Abdulaziz, Marketing and PR executive at Gamco, said fuel choice depends on its quality for the efficiency of the engine.

"Just because it is cheaper, I wouldn't opt for E-plus with lower octane content. Moreover, the difference is only about Dh1 and the savings are really small," she said.

"We need to know more details about this fuel and whether it is good for all cars. For the last one year since I bought my car I have been using Special and it is functioning very well," said Mohammad Bakshawangi, a correspondent with CNBC Arabia.

Big chunk

"If it is better, I might change the fuel to E-plus because gasoline accounts for a big chunk of my monthly expenses."

Car experts said it is best to consult car dealers or manufacturers or the manual before changing fuel. "It all depends on the vehicle and the engine and what kind of fuel is specified for use. It is a myth that higher octane results in better performance and economic fuel consumption," said an auto expert, asking not to be named.

"Whether low octane fuel increases engine wear, varies from engine to engine," he said. Another Dubai-based expert said low octane fuel cannot be used for high-end cars because it spoils the catalytic converter. "I had a BMW and its converter got spoilt because of the low-octane fuel that I used out of ignorance. I was advised to use Super 98," he added.