In recent years the number of service stations with the ‘low cost’ model, cheap gasoline, has increased almost exponentially, and certainly many wonder if the low cost fuel they distribute is harmful to the engine of their vehicles, or not. Because this is not always the case.
Cheap gasoline is not harmful, but…
With the month of February, the price of fuel has increased again; In small doses, yes, but it is a circumstance that repeats itself. Thus, now there are many who opt for the cheapest option , although there are still cases in which a more premium option is also chosen.
But it is undeniable that currently, low cost gas stations are part of our lives and allow us to save a good handful of euros when adding fuel. In a 50-liter tank we can save between 6 and 8 euros in this type of pump, but… are they harmful to the engine?
The answer is no, but with nuances. Or what is the same; Not by using cheap gasoline our car is going to suffer, but it is possible that depending on what that gasoline can carry, the engine suffers some type of breakdown.
It will be a lower quality refueling
As such, ‘low cost’ gas stations began to proliferate in our country from 2013, following the approval of the new Hydrocarbons Law. The regulations promote competition and the liberalization of land for fuel service stations.
Since then, automatic gas stations have become part of the urban landscape, especially in industrial areas and shopping centers where there is usually a large influx of carriers and individuals, many of which belong to small or even medium-sized companies, although they are not few. the businesses of small companies, cooperatives or even individuals
Thus, the continuous rise in the price of fuel in the last year, which has exceeded all expectations, has pushed many to try this option, which as a general rule allows us to save about 12-18 cents per litre. If we fill a 60-liter tank, we are talking about between 7 and 11 euros depending on the gas station.
Thus, and offering a cheaper fuel than the big brands, the question that many ask is if this type of fuel is of worse quality and if that can affect the vehicle’s engine. We talk about its additives . Because, although the fuel base is the same in all service stations, it must be taken into account that cheap gasoline does not have the additives of normal gasoline. This supposes, in the same sense, that the refueling is of lower quality and that we will probably have to make a stop to fill the tank before.
The key is in the additives
And it is that the additives are chemical products that add some specific characteristic to the fuel. For example, they can manage to keep the ducts clean or obtain a higher octane rating (as they do in Formula 1), while there are others that even promise to prolong the life of the engine, increase combustion efficiency or pollute less.
In those, then, we have subtle differences that do not have to entail, not even in the long term, damage to the engine of a vehicle since, except for errors, negligence or fraud, all gas stations must comply with strict European regulations and with a minimum of quality.
Thanks to them, too, what we see is that the performance of the fuel will be improved at the time of burning and they facilitate injection thanks to the detergent and anti-corrosion effect. In the case of diesel, additives help to reduce its powerful and characteristic odor.