Look Closely When You Buy Fuel...

I was fueling my new Passat for the first time at a nice, new Loves station near me. I noticed a very small, almost unnoticable decal which stated "May contain 5% to 20% biodiesel". That really aggrevated me! So, if you fuel there, you don't know if you're getting 100% diesel, B20, or anywhere in between. I'm surprised that their practice is legal.

That also makes me wonder....how do you know you're getting real dino diesel? Or B5?

I wish the car was rated for B20 so this wouldn't be an issue........

VWoA stipulates B5 or less, but many states have already mandated "up to 20% biodiesel". So, not only is this legal, it's required by state law. VW owners in these states have no choice but to burn what's available.

Preliminary indications are...well...there don't seem to be any issues that have been attributed to 5-20% bio in the fuel.

Don't sweat it. Others will weigh in, I'm sure.

Ask the clerk

I always fill up at Loves when I travel across the country. My 2010 TDI now has 100k miles.

I also noticed those stickers popping up at some stations, mainly in Tucson, AZ. I walked inside and asked what sort of diesel fuel they were pumping. The clerk called someone over, checked a clipboard, and showed me the sheet of their fuel delivery. It was 100% diesel. No bio. I informed them that VW requires less than 5% - he already knew that.

So in the future, you can always ask them what their latest drop was. Chances are, it will be from the same refinery every time.

My owners manual states that using a blend higher than 5% may cause serious damage to the fuel system and to the engine. It also states that such damage is not covered by VW warranty.

The reality is that most fuel will contain no more than the minimum 5% because of purely costs and availability. They are required to do 5%, but there just is not enough for 20% added so even in states where mandated, it just is NOT practical yet and most states have delayed its implementation because of these issues.

Now if the station provides B100 or B50 type products, then this WILL be B20, but for the normal Shell or Texaco or ARCO/BP it will not.

TomB said:

The reality is that most fuel will contain no more than the minimum 5% because of purely costs and availability. They are required to do 5%, but there just is not enough for 20% added so even in states where mandated, it just is NOT practical yet and most states have delayed its implementation because of these issues.

Now if the station provides B100 or B50 type products, then this WILL be B20, but for the normal Shell or Texaco or ARCO/BP it will not.

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I think you meant to say, "...this WILL be B 100 or B50..."...right?

Love's in particular is rolling out (and has been for a while) an increased number of stations with B20 across the country. IIRC, they made a deal with BioWillie a few years ago.

All pumps with >5% will have a sticker stating they contain biodiesel.

I would guess that if you stay away from Love's, you probably aren't likely to come across biodiesel at other stations unless they specifically cater to the B50/B100 crowd, in which case they are likely a national chain.

On a side note, I've been running B20 in my 05 Golf from Love's as much as possible for the past 20K miles or so and noticed a major reduction in soot with no noticeable reduction in MPG.

Update: I've now talked to Loves and two other fuel stations in my area. They all get the same fuel from the same refinery. Apparently, this refinery only offers B10...no other options. Now with gasoline, the have different additive packages for different brands, etc. But with Diesel, it's B10 or nothing.

I've tried to get info from other stations, but most really don't seem to know what is in their tanks.....

So I've been unable to find a station that has B5 or less in our metropolitan area. I guess if I have a fuel system problem, I'm screwed!

edsiagb, and others in regions with >5% bio, go to or phone your dealers, and go up the food chain until you find someone who will pay attention to you.

Insist that they put, in writing, a disclaimer re: your use of fuel with >5% bio and the warranty/reliability implications.

tdiatlast said:

edsiagb, and others in regions with >5% bio, go to or phone your dealers, and go up the food chain until you find someone who will pay attention to you.
Insist that they put, in writing, a disclaimer re: your use of fuel with >5% bio and the warranty/reliability implications.

Click to expand...

I don't see how this will fly. Logic suggests dealer is not responsible for bio content of fuel -- regardless of whether it's mandated by state or local gummit.

Are you suggesting a manufacturer, vis-a-vis a dealer, has a lawful requirement that their product meet a state/local fuel blend mandate? I hope this is the case.

I would think that eventually VW will have to lift the permissible limits of bio up to 20%,otherwise at some point there won't be available fuel at 5% or below in a lot of areas.

If 'proper' fuel is not available in your area because of GOVERNMENT DECREE, you cannot be held responsible for using the best available fuel for your car.


If you reply to this post asking if I meant it is ok to use gasoline in a TDI, you might be a dufus.

Bill

What about E85? That's the same as Bio-Diesel, right?

close to about the same!