Diesel at BP in NW burbs of Chicago

Dimon80

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 8, 2008
Location
NW Suburbs of Chicago
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL
Decided to fume a little bit...
So, I am on my third TDI in the past four years. I didn't change them because of any issues. The first one switched from high interest into 0% financing and the second switch was into new body style, which I like much better. Everything started off very well. I had two BP diesel stations next to my work, which I decided to use and kind of got used to the convenience. I obtained a BP credit card to get 5% off and enjoyed the drive.
A little over a year ago I changed the job and the location of the office is in a completely different neighbourhood. The first week I started to look for the BP stations I could get the diesel from and that's were the problems started... The stations displayed on BP website within 5-10 miles radius from work no longer carried diesel (so the BP website is useless). Drove 15 miles to another station only to find out that they only have bio (60%). Ended up filling up by my old work that day. After some searching found a station 6 miles away from home.
One month after that I saw the first sticker on the pump with '5-20 percent biodiesel content', which started to get me worried. Long story short, after talking to dealers, reading people's comments on this board, and talking to VWoA, I kept on looking for stations without the sticker and three month into it gave up. I continued to use BP diesel and closed my eyes on bio content issue.
And then yesterday... I am at my favorite BP station (6 miles from home), as the pump started to fill the tank, I notice the new sticker, which states "This is not a BP diesel and BP does not guarantee the quality..." etc., etc. etc.
Turned off the pump at 1.25 gallons and drove off to the next BP station. Thankfully, that one carries BP diesel (advertised all over the pump). However, it is over 20 miles round trip from my house and takes about one hour. I think it's a bit too much, since my drive to work is also one hour (but the opposite direction) and that's more than enough driving for me.
It seems like there's a conspiracy or something. None of the stations around my house and my work now carry branded diesel fuel. And when I say none, I mean not only BP, but also Shell, Mobil, even Speedway or Citgo (I did consider switching the brand). I have to drive out of my way to fill up the car and it seems like the station owners are doing everything possible for people not to buy new diesel cars. :mad:
Sorry for too many words to read, but I just had to fume...
 

Conrad -JSW

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2011
Location
Northern Illinois
TDI
2012 JSW DSG
I'm abut 60 miles west of Chicago and my fav BP station (5 miles from my house) displays the same sticker, "This is not a BP diesel and BP does not guarantee the quality..." . I won't fill up my Jetta there but right across the street is a very large Petro truck stop. The diesel there is D2 but it's always about a dime per gal more than BP. I use the Petro for the JSW and BP for my truck.
 

GibMir1

Veteran Member
Joined
May 6, 2007
Location
Chicagoland
TDI
06 Jetta w/DSG Grenade
Most of the fuel in Illinois is B11. For you 2012 drivers, maybe you want to check a speedway? I've heard they went back to straight D2 / no bio.

Search the non-bio thread in the midwest forum by clicking here:
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=237849.

Some will argue diesel is diesel. I say use the brand you like for whatever reason. Nice to see you are paying attention to the proper fuel specs. Be sure to use an additive to increase lubricity.
 

TDiSkater

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2011
Location
Northern Suburbs Chicago
TDI
2011 JSW DSG Salsa Red
Wow, I was more upset when BP destroyed their credit card program. Now it's worthless ;) There are some places selling reg diesel. Check out the link above for stations listed in the most recent posts. Where are you located?
 
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TDiSkater

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2011
Location
Northern Suburbs Chicago
TDI
2011 JSW DSG Salsa Red
Most of the fuel in Illinois is B11. For you 2012 drivers, maybe you want to check a speedway? I've heard they went back to straight D2 / no bio.
I keep reading about that rumor in posts here from time to time. Everytime I see this, I swing by a few to see as there are 3+ Speedway along my daily route. Went by 2 today and was met by blue biomass stickers. Do you have an official source?
 

tdiatlast

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 21, 2009
Location
Fort Worth, Texas
TDI
2009 Sportwagen (boughtback); 2014 Passat TDI SEL (boughtback)
I'm still wondering what you guys are being told by your dealers service departments. How will they handle any fuel related issues? Have any of you received a written statement from VWoA that approves your using bio greater than B5? In the unlikely event you have an oil related issue, can they deny warranty coverage because of excessive fuel-dilution of the oil?
 

TDiSkater

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2011
Location
Northern Suburbs Chicago
TDI
2011 JSW DSG Salsa Red
I was told specifically by my ex-dealer if a drop of b11 touches my car, engine warranty void per VW. Told burden of proof on me. Asked if customers had problems there and he said plenty. That conversation was the straw that sent me elsewhere. There have been a number of IL failures reported on forum where dealer covered under warranty with no issues. I believe some dealers in IL using any excuse to increase profitability vs warranty repair.

I was told 3 stations I must use that sell D2 per the service manager. 2 of those have converted. I have about 6 options left for D2.

Dealers are still selling TDIs like hotcakes here and I'm sure not saying a word about fuel. I certainly wasn't told the issue until much later after the sale.

Just did my 30k and the new to me dealer had about a dozen TDIs on the lot. Including a white Sportwagen that looked like it just arrived sitting in the bay area getting unwrapped.
 
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Dodoma

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 30, 2004
TDI
2002 Jetta White
Just use any brand or non-brand diesel and add the fuel conditioners. This should solve your concerns. By the time problem in your pump occurs, you may be out of warranty in any case. The conditioners really works.
 

GibMir1

Veteran Member
Joined
May 6, 2007
Location
Chicagoland
TDI
06 Jetta w/DSG Grenade
@Skater - No official source, just from what I have seen here. last time I was near Warrenville, the speedway there on 59 & Batavia did not have any blue stickers. Thing is there are tax advantages for a retailer to carry b11 (the tax is waived maybe?). Anywho, the point is it is tough to find straight d2 here in IL. best bet is to check the link I posted. Also, if you find a d2 has changed over, post that info so others can save a trip.
 

Dimon80

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 8, 2008
Location
NW Suburbs of Chicago
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL
Wow, I was more upset when BP destroyed their credit card program. Now it's worthless ;) There are some places selling reg diesel. Check out the link above for stations listed in the most recent posts. Where are you located?
I live in Wheeling and currently fill up in Mundelein on Midlothian and Rt. 83, which is exactly 10.1 miles away from my home. BTW, the station doesn't have any Bio stickers either, so I am assuming it's a D2 for right now.
I was hoping to keep the car past the warranty, but that, probably, won't happen with this Illinois-bio-diesel-incentive.
Checked with three dealers (Autobarn, Fox Valley Schaumburg, and Jennings) and all of them assured me that there's no issue and to fill up at brand name stations. Tried contacting the VWoA and the response was simple :(: 'follow your manual'.
@GibMir1 Thanks for the link.
 

KonaJack

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2010
Location
Barrington, IL
TDI
2011 VW Golf
I'm also in the NW suburbs of Chicago. To avoid the 11% Plus BioDiesel blends in the area, I use Meijer's almost exclusively. Located in Rolling Meadows, Algonquin, Elgin, Bloomingdale, Niles, etc. It is one of the only non-biodiesels still available and it is marketed as Premium Diesel with extra lubricants etc. Don't know what that "really" means so I choose to add Opti-Lube XPD to ensure a good amount of extra lubrication for the HPFP. The biodielsel out there may provide adequate lubrication for the HPFP but I don't like the ancillary issues it can cause for the modern CR engine and the anti-pollution controls (ie. the DPF will have a greater likelihood of eventually clogging from the repeated post-injection regen nprocess(I heard it's $3,000 or so for a new filter?) and the issues with crankcase oil dilution due to the lower flash point of biodielsel and the resultant blow-by of unburnt diesel past the piston. Data has shown that crankcase oil dilution can be a real problem when using biodiesel with cars that have the closed-loop fuel system and exhaust regen cycle that the new TDI's have - especially with the long oil change intervals currently dictated in the manual. If I am ever forced to use biodiesel blends I will decrease my oil change interval to 5,000 miles from 10,000.
 

TDiSkater

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2011
Location
Northern Suburbs Chicago
TDI
2011 JSW DSG Salsa Red
I drive even further, but like that they advertise and market regular diesel (Volo 66). The ride is nice from my house too. Wife joined me this week and we even tried a new breakfast place out that way. I make it an outing these days. My DPF loved it as my EGT rose over 1100 degrees on the way back. Must have run a regen on the fairly open roads.

Other stations you may want to check out nearer to you that are unlabeled.
BP Dundee and Sanders; BP Central Ave in Highland Park near Sunset Foods; my backup is Ernie's Shell in Lincolnshire on Milwaukee; Peacock Mobil across from Ernie's; there are some others but they are further into Lake County.
 

Dimon80

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 8, 2008
Location
NW Suburbs of Chicago
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL
BPs at Dundee and Sanders or Palatine/Willow and Sanders are my back ups in emergency situations. Their diesel price is usually 30-40 cents more than the one in Mundelein, so I try to avoid them until I have no other choice. I'm not cheap, but 10% difference on the fuel is a bit too much. I'll definately need to check out Meijer's, since I have one next to my work.
 

Dimon80

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 8, 2008
Location
NW Suburbs of Chicago
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL
Scratch that Palatine/Willow and Sanders intersection BP station. Drove by there yesterday and at $3.999/gallon it has bio sticker on the pump. Went to Dundee and Sanders - no Bio sticker, but the price is $4.299...
 

Dimon80

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 8, 2008
Location
NW Suburbs of Chicago
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL
BPs at Dundee and Sanders or Palatine/Willow and Sanders are my back ups in emergency situations. Their diesel price is usually 30-40 cents more than the one in Mundelein, so I try to avoid them until I have no other choice. I'm not cheap, but 10% difference on the fuel is a bit too much. I'll definately need to check out Meijer's, since I have one next to my work.
So, as of yesterday Mundelein BP station added 'bio' sticker. It does look like a conspiracy now :). Time to change the brand...
 

Feilo

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 27, 2006
Location
N Lake Co, IL
TDI
2012 Golf Silver DSG
Rolling Meadows Meijer is my "regular"; Bollingbrook Meijer is also handy sometimes though they don't have pay at diesel pump which is a hassle.

Backup is Ernie's and last resorts are Shells in Libertyville (21/176 and Peterson).

A few Delta Sonics in the region have premium diesel - I have availed myself to the ones at Downers Grove and Joliet.
 
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saluki151

Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2013
Location
Wheeling, IL
TDI
2013 VW Jetta Sportswagen
BP at Tower Road and Green Bay Road in Winnetka has diesel w/o the bio label on the pump. The price was $3.799 when I was there last night.
 

TDI_Tony

New member
Joined
Aug 21, 2013
Location
Illinois
TDI
2010 Jetta TDI
I was just forced to switch brands as well..the bp in Wauconda just plastered bio diesel stickers all over their pumps as of today...I'm curious if the Meier station in rolling meadows is still a good choice since I work within walking distance of that location it would be very convenient...it seems it has been a while since people have been posting about this so I was wondering if anyone had any recent updates. Thanks!
 

TDiSkater

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2011
Location
Northern Suburbs Chicago
TDI
2011 JSW DSG Salsa Red
I suspect less discussion may be due to the VW letter saying we are covered to B20. I'm still using D2 from Ernie's Shell. But that's mainly due to its a very trusted quality source close to my home. The price premium has been around 20 cents per gal. If it goes above 30 cents, then I might start thinking of going back to a high volume B11 source near work.

What about the Volo 66? That's not far from Wauconda.
 
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