Call Sign January 2008 - Page 24 - The Call Sign fuel test

The supermarkets have been known to taxi drivers for many years now and Sainsburys have been supplying drivers with petrol and diesel since 1980, six years after they opened their first superstore in Croydon. In 1995, City diesel replaced Sainsburys regular brand and pushed them into the forefront of companies wanting to sell cleaner fuels to their customers by using the slogan: "Low in sulphur." When I first used City diesel, I remember that the cab didn’t run as smooth as it used to and generally the feeling was that the original diesel had more additives, wasn't so environmentally friendly but seemed more compatible with the engine. I tested City diesel over five days with the following results: My MPG were 23.52, 23.31, 23.55, 23.59 and 23.49. I didn't notice any difference in power, but there was a slight reduction in soot from the exhaust. As with most supermarket petrol stations, the price seems to vary depending on how much competition there is locally from other supermarkets and Sainsburys don’t seem to have a national pricing policy for their fuel, which they should have as Brent crude is sold at the same price in dollars to all the big petrol companies and it is alleged that BP supply Sainsburys. All in all, my average MPG was 23.49 very close to the other fuels I had used, so if you can get it at the right price, I would use it.	This series sent out Call Sign’s Richard Potter to test different diesel fuels to see what, if any, of their publicity is true. So far he has tested BP Ultimate, Shell Diesel Extra and Shell V-Power. This month it’s Sainsburys Biodiesel and City diesel… The Call Sign fuel test
	Next I looked at Sainsburys Biodiesel, which you only get at a small number of filling stations and is marketed as Global diesel. It is made up of 95% City diesel and 5% rapeseed oil blended together. Biodiesel isn't anything new; in fact the original diesel engines were designed to run on nut oil and its only been of late that diesel have had additives to stop them from waxing up in the cold. Rapeseed is only one of many oils you can mix to make biodiesel, such as vegetable cooking oil or animal fats. However, most vehicle manufacturers will not guarantee their warranties if anymore than 5% oil has been added to the biodiesel mix and research has found that it can reduce	emissions by 20-30% in hydrocarbons and particles (soot or unburned fuel), but there is a slight increase in NOx. Again I trialed this fuel over 5 days and my MPG were 23.81, 23.85, 23.71, 23.82 and 23.84 with an average of 23.80.This was the best MPG I had while trialling these fuels and even though it was a small increase, there were other benefits as well. I was very surprised that there was indeed a significant reduction with very little soot or smoke coming from the exhaust. Also the engine seemed to run a whole lot smoother and there was a lot more power underfoot. As this filling station was next to an Asda, the price was extremely competitive, bordering on a loss leader - some 2 pence per litre cheaper than anywhere else. So to sum up, I would use Sainsburys Global diesel all the time if it was easily available because of its smoothness and power and even more so if it was consistently cheaper. I would say it was the best fuel I tested, so if you get a chance give it a trial yourself.

Is it really over ten years that I’ve been writing for Call Sign? Is it really over ten years that I’ve been waffling on about the Internet and how it would revolutionise our daily lives? Is it really 20 years since I passed the Knowledge of London? I’m beginning feel like an old fart! Considering the impact of the Internet, I do feel a certain sense of satisfaction. In 1996 I contacted the large radio circuits and asked to meet the appropriate people to discuss their Internet policies. Some had ideas for the future; others brushed me aside saying the Internet would never take off. I’m glad to say that Dial-a-Cab was not one of the latter. Simply visiting recognised web sites such as the Motley Fool at HERE and the BBC’s HERE further emphasises the impact that the internet is having on our daily lives and buying trends. Will there be a need for high street shops in say, 20 years time? My kids are now 15, 16 and 18, so the days of me keeping them entertained are well gone; a Nintendo Wii or Xbox will keep
	them entertained for hours. However, if you have kids significantly younger, then how can the Internet help you? I have a solution! First step, for the younger age group visit HERE where they provide an image for each letter in the alphabet that you can print and colour-in. For those of us in the know, this is a godsend as it will keep the younger children active for hours; in fact they also provide word puzzles and other Christmas colouring pictures free of charge HERE. For the older kids, HERE is a great free alternative where games are freely available to download; they may not be the best graphical games, but they’re playable and	fun. Finally for those slightly older who want to play an online game daily, visit HERE . It can be addictive, but it’s also fun as it’s a massive multiplayer turn-based game with apparently millions of players. How do I know about these websites? Simple… I asked my kids! The type of websites I usually visit relate to "boring" history sites, or news sites, or technology websites or eBay. Horses for courses as they say; which is exactly what the Internet is all about. Be Lucky and a Happy New to all. Vince Chin Call Sign online

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