Southern States Diesel - Any Good?

[bvencil]

I just found out recently that a Southern States near me has 45 cetane diesel. It is priced about the same as everywhere else. Apparently, it is being marketed as "premium" diesel:

http://www.southernstates.com/articles/hf/dieselfuel.aspx

Did a little searching here on SS diesel, and couldn't find many comments. A few mentioning the 45 cetane, one mentioning that the fuel was lousy, and one mentioning that farmers require good clean fuel.

So what is the general consensus? Is SS diesel good for our TDIs? Does anyone think there are any benefits to using it?

I've tried 2 tankfuls, and have not noticed a discernable difference in either performance or economy.

 

[bvencil]

Hmmm. Guess no one else is currently using SS diesel?

Maybe I will go back to Shell...

 

[Lightflyer1]

Most places get theirs from the same distributor for the most part. Buy from anywhere that has a high turn over rate.

 

[bvencil]

Most places get theirs from the same distributor for the most part. Buy from anywhere that has a high turn over rate.

I think the turnover is pretty good. Lot's of 18-wheelers and other diesel vehicles there when I've been there.

This is the only place near me that says 45 cetane. Everywhere else is 40. And they claim a higher level of lubricity. Thus my interest.

 

[Lightflyer1]

We don't even have cetane stickers on ours. Everyone says 40 minimum as that is the law. But the last time the state did a check a few years ago when ULSD came out most were in the 45 to 48 range.

 

[wensteph]

I filled up on SS 45 cetane while passing through Charlottesville. I juiced it with RLI cetane improver and I hated it when I had to refuel. All subjective, of course, but it's the best tank I ever ran.

 

[iHeartTDi]

I just filled up from southern states. The label here, more than two years after the last posts, says 47 and have been told it will be in the 50's come January. Music to my ears.

 

[Scoutx]

I've tried a few other brands, Flying J (worst), BP, Gulf (bad), Shell (good), Sheetz (fair/bad), but I find SS provides me with the best fuel of the stations in my area. Engine runs noticeably smoother and quieter. It would appear that some of the brands result in a drop in expected mpg until I refuel with a top tier, but it's within the margin of error so it could be subjective. I would highly recommend Southern States if you're in an area where you can get it. The price is extremely competitive, and the fuel is superior. The pumps say 45 cetane, but I'm told it generally runs about 3 points higher than that due to the additive package, which would seem to be supported by the literature on their diesel additive package. YMMV

 

[Blue_Hen_TDI]

I used quite a bit of Southern States SuperGold diesel when I lived closer to one of their stations. I really liked it. Usually a fair price and the additive package they claim looks really good.

 

[AndyBees]

I've been driving VW diesels for almost 34 years... been all over North America in them. During the last 25 years of my career, I was rolling up over 36k miles per year. In all those years, and now, I never bother to go after or ignore a certain place to fill-up. I have always kept records and haven't seen anything that indicated I did better or worse from one brand/station to another. Also, my practice has been to change the fuel filter in late November to early December to enter the winter months with a fresh one. Changed once per year regardless of miles on it. I've never been big on "off the shelf" (or trendy) fuel additives. And, I have never had a definitive fuel related issue, such as died on the road, no start, horrible fuel mileage, rough idle, etc. I quit draining the fuel filter back in the early '80s to dump water. After draining the filters a number of times with no water, I just quit the practice.

Maybe I've been lucky, maybe the differences are less than we think, really cannot explain my circumstances compared to the "stuff" I've read in these forms about bad fuel, filter change due to a hiccup, etc.

I do have one preference when it comes to buying fuel, if it's cheaper down the block, across the street, that's where I go!

Drive more and worry less seems to be good practice.

 

[TDI2000Zim]

Maybe you haven't had any new post 2009 VW TDi car.

Which means you can feed your ALH almost 25% gasoline.

Which means that your opinion only applies to the ALH crowd here.

Lucky you.

 

[AndyBees]

Maybe you haven't had any new post 2009 VW TDi car.

Which means you can feed your ALH almost 25% gasoline.

Which means that your opinion only applies to the ALH crowd here.

Lucky you.

Well, I did notice the OPs car is a post '09, but the Thread question does appear across the board.... many will read and not necessarily take heed to the OPs vehicle model.

And, yes, I am familiar with the differences!

Wow! Seems VW specs in my '80 Rabbit said that 10% gasoline could be added for winterization.

 

[Scoutx]

Also I will note that a major difference that exists in the CR cars is the significant reduction of the 'diesel' clatter. As such whether you're running 40, 45, or higher cetane may not make any real difference in your car, it's a noticeable difference in a CR. Granted it may be esthetics, but it's esthetics I like. Plus potentially I would think that less noise means less shock loading and thus less stress and wear on the engine (all other things being equal).

 

[Ton]

Don't buy diesel fuel from Liberty in Mauzy,Va. My fuel economy dropped like a rock.

 

[colourfastt]

Don't buy diesel fuel from Liberty in Mauzy,Va. My fuel economy dropped like a rock.

The only place I found on Google Earth for Mauzy was New Market; but that being said, avoid all Libertys like the plague. Thankfully I live in Louisiana now and don't have to deal with them .. or Sheetz for that matter.

 

[Scoutx]

There's a liberty in Ashland, VA that has a pump stickered as 45 cetane, but they charge such a massive price than others in the area I doubt I would ever use them.

 

[bvencil]

Yep. The Southern States near me recently changed the stickers to 47. Great! And the price has been less than the average Shell around here.

I've been using SS for the most part since this thread was created. Worked out well so far.

 

[Ton]

Streets and Trips has a dot for the "town" of Mauzy. The postal address is Broadway. It's one exit south of New Market.

 

[colourfastt]

Streets and Trips has a dot for the "town" of Mauzy. The postal address is Broadway. It's one exit south of New Market.

I'm very familiar with the general area having grown up in Fauquier Co.; when I go back to visit I stay in Warren Co. It's a nice drive right up 81.

 

[Scoutx]

Yep. The Southern States near me recently changed the stickers to 47. Great! And the price has been less than the average Shell around here.

I've been using SS for the most part since this thread was created. Worked out well so far.

If I may ask, what SS is that one?

 

[bvencil]

Sorry for the late late reply. Stephens City, VA has the 47 cetane diesel.

 

[CA2NCTDI]

I've tried a few other brands, Flying J (worst), BP, Gulf (bad), Shell (good), Sheetz (fair/bad), but I find SS provides me with the best fuel of the stations in my area. Engine runs noticeably smoother and quieter. It would appear that some of the brands result in a drop in expected mpg until I refuel with a top tier, but it's within the margin of error so it could be subjective. I would highly recommend Southern States if you're in an area where you can get it. The price is extremely competitive, and the fuel is superior. The pumps say 45 cetane, but I'm told it generally runs about 3 points higher than that due to the additive package, which would seem to be supported by the literature on their diesel additive package. YMMV

Being in the fuel industry I have to wonder exactly how you arrived at these conclusions.

Flying J worst, Shell good. Just park outside the shell terminal and you won’t be there long before you see one or more Flying J/Loves/Sheetz trucks getting a load of diesel on any given day. All loading so called “Shell” fuel. They are all most likely loading unbranded and they are there because that location has the lowest price on that day.

The fact is ALL DIESEL and GAS comes from either Colonial or Plantation pipelines. Shell/BP/EXON/Marathon all get their fuel from the same pipeline.

 

[CotJocky]

I live in Alabama. The Kangaroo I normally frequent (due to turn over) has a rating of only 40. :-/

 

[IFRCFI]

The fact is ALL DIESEL and GAS comes from either Colonial or Plantation pipelines. Shell/BP/EXON/Marathon all get their fuel from the same pipeline.

^^ This ^^ All of these good fuel / bad fuel supplier threads are worthless. None are based on facts. High or low Cetane is irrelevant. I've fueled at a lot of different stations and have seen NO difference.

I live 5 miles from this SS station. Frankly, I wouldn't drive across the street to pick a particular brand. NO ONE knows what's hiding in the underground storage tanks at any retailer.

Pick your fuel based on price, convenience, and who has the best coffee / cleanest restrooms. Anything else is speculation.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Ton]

I fueled with Culpeper Petroleum @$3.69. 45 cetane Winterized diesel today. It's southern states.

 

[colourfastt]

I fueled with Culpepper Petroleum @$3.69. 45 cetane Winterized diesel today. It's southern states.

It's "Culpeper".

 

[Scoutx]

Being in the fuel industry I have to wonder exactly how you arrived at these conclusions.

Flying J worst, Shell good. Just park outside the shell terminal and you won’t be there long before you see one or more Flying J/Loves/Sheetz trucks getting a load of diesel on any given day. All loading so called “Shell” fuel. They are all most likely loading unbranded and they are there because that location has the lowest price on that day.

The fact is ALL DIESEL and GAS comes from either Colonial or Plantation pipelines. Shell/BP/EXON/Marathon all get their fuel from the same pipeline.

I rate it based on the extent of the noise and knock it creates in my CR engine. Flying J made it act more like an old style diesel with a sound more like that of a power stroke. The shell was noticeably smoother and engine noise at speed was less than wind/road noise. Now maybe you can explain the difference, all I know is that there is one. Maybe it's cetane differences in various batches, maybe some of the chains/POS add additives to boost it. I can simply report on how it runs in my CR. You don't like my opinions, then don't use them.

 

[Ton]

It's "Culpeper".

Thank you.

 

[CallyB]

I know this is an old thread, but Southern States is currently pumping 50 Cetane diesel. As far as all fuel being the same, with a diesel my route & loading varies too much to do a valid comparison, but back when I had a relatively long commute (100 miles) with my gas car, I found that the fuel could make up to a 10% difference in MPG. I've heard all the stories about different brands of tankers filling up at the same places and the additive packages being the only difference, and all I can say is that those additive packages must make a difference since I saw differences in my mileage based on where I filled up. I was very careful to fill the same way & drive the same way and recorded everything. I could see the difference between summer & winter gas easily. Always kept my tires aired the same way using the same gauge. In my experience Amoco/Arco gave the worst mileage and Shell gave the best mileage. This was a modern car where the computer controlled the amount of advance and the mixture automatically, the only thing I could conclude is if the fuel comes from the same sources, the additives must be making the difference. Maybe the additives allow for different optimizations of the engine?

I'd be interested to hear what others think.

 

[Lightflyer1]

There can be differences due to differing additive packages. But the question was referring to if one was better or worse for your car. The answer there is not really. As far as economy goes the answer is maybe. It has always been said to try different stations and find the one that runs best in "your" car. Economy and running in your car are two different things. All fuel is pretty much the same in that it will run and burn in your car perfectly fine. All fuel is not the same as far as economy goes. There slight differences can be seen.